Phelps VRBO

Are you debating where to book a Phelps VRBO or an Airbnb? Have you wondered what is different about the two? When you’re planning a trip, you may opt to stay in a unique, private vacation rental instead of a hotel. When there are so many options of cozy cabins, themed homes, beachfront condos, and more, there are so many affordable options when looking to book a Phelps VRBO or Airbnb. At a first glance, both options look similar! When looking a little closer, there are differing features to each although both provide similar amenities.

The differences in a Phelps VRBO and an Airbnb will have an impact on your vacation planning. The Wilderness Reserve is here to educate you on the difference!

Host Network

Airbnb advertises more than 4 million listings in more than 100,000 cities, as well as 190 countries. The extensive network is possibly the most notable advantage over Phelps VRBO. No matter where you are, you can find an Airbnb practically anywhere. When comparing to Airbnb, although the number is less, Phelps VRBO still boasts more than 2 million rentals nationwide. While they may offer a smaller number of rentals, they stick to listing only condos, houses, or apartments. Due to this, users can ensure that they won’t be sharing their rental with other guests or even the homeowner.

Service Fees

When it comes to all the extra fees that everyone forgets about, an Airbnb and a Phelps VRBO both charge various guest service fees and host fees. An Airbnb will generally charge 3% every time a guest books with them, and guests 5-20% of the subtotal of the reservation. When you book a Phelps VRBO, there is a 6-12% service fee of the total cost of reservation, minus taxes. This service fee is more complex for owners of the property than it is for hosts of an Airbnb.

Cancellations

When booking an Airbnb, property owners can set a cancellation policy of their own on a scale with three tiers. These tiers are flexible, moderate, or strict in regards to a plan of cancellation. Looking over each plan is important so that you understand the details on each. The service fee is refundable three times a year when the cancellation takes place within 48 hours of reserving, and a minimum of 14 days before the stay. On the other hand, when you book a Phelps VRBO, the property owners have the right to set individual policies for cancellation. Because of this, carefully going over the listing information is crucial! Refunds are up to the property owner’s specific policies on cancellation and can allow for two types of refunds: either full or partial.

Review Section

Featuring an active review culture, Airbnb allows their guests to provide their thoughts on the experience after their stay. The website lets guests leave a review that is based on 5 stars for each section. These sections are cleanliness, communication, accuracy, check-in, value, and location. Including a search function to simplify filtering, this is a great way to find more specific details on the Airbnb. Although not as intricate, Phelps VRBO provides a thorough section for reviews after each stay is finished. One thing that stands out is that the review section also gives property owners the ability to post their response to whomever left the reviews.

Special Features

A special feature of AirBnb is that it provides a unique “experiences” section. Airbnb experiences are chosen carefully to show activities near the destination. Advertising them as “one of a kind activities hosted by locals”, this can include anything from yoga, cooking classes, or other workshops. What’s so special about this is that guests pay a private person through the Airbnb platform to participate in these activities. Where Phelps VRBO tends to shine over Airbnb is the search features which provides help in narrowing down which property you choose. Phelps VRBO also provides a “Trip Board” which you can utilize to create collections of properties that you are favoring over others. Trip boards give you the opportunity to organize and compare all of the places that you are interested in. Furthermore, you can invite any member of your trip to save properties, vote, and leave comments on the trip board.

Overall, you can’t go wrong choosing a Phelps VRBO or Airbnb. Contact The Wilderness Reserve today for more information!