Booking vacation rentals directly with the owner versus via a third party website

Owners of vacation rental accommodation (or self-catering accommodation as it’s more commonly known in the UK and some other parts of the world) – like us at Kendal Holiday Cottages – will invariably tell you that it’s best to book directly. The reason for this is quite simple… third party booking sites take a cut from each booking, and this is often quite significant. So, of course, it’s in the interest of owners that you book your accommodation with them directly, as they receive the full sum for the rental, rather than having to give a chunk to the likes of Airbnb, VRBO, Booking or the various others that are out there.

But of course, you don’t want to know it from the owners point of view. Understandably, you want to know what’s best for you – the person renting the accommodation. So this article looks at the various pros and cons so that you can make a fair assessment as to what is best.

Not every owner will necessarily have their own website, but they might well have a Facebook page or some other means by which you can book with them directly. Here are just some of the reasons to book direct.

Yes, it’s better for the owner if you book directly. But because there’s no commission going elsewhere, it probably also means that the owner can quote you a better rate than anywhere else you’ll find online. If the direct price isn’t already lower, it wouldn’t hurt to ask.

By booking direct, you get to have direct communication. Some listing sites discourage direct communication as they are worried that the conversation might be taken elsewhere (and this can result in a direct booking and missed commission), whilst others will automatically block things like email addresses, links or certain phrases.

If someone contacts us with a specific question about accessibility, for example, I can direct them to a useful link on our website which gives a lot of detailed information (eg. the width of doorways, height light switches, and so on), but would be blocked from providing such a link on most third party sites until the person has already booked.

There can be more flexibility with booking terms, payment options, and cancellation policies, as these are set by the owner rather than a third-party platform. Yes, in some cases, owners can set their terms on sites, but not always and sometimes it is still restrictive.

The owner will invariably have a greater in-depth knowledge of the property and the local area, and can provide valuable insights and personal recommendations that you won’t be able to easily glean from a third party listing.

By booking direct, you are supporting local business – rather than a faceless corporation – and your money goes directly to the property owner, supporting their business and the local economy. With greater support, owners can further re-invest in their property to make it the best it can be.

By contacting owners directly, you can build a direct relationship and, with reputable owners at least, gain a greater degree of trust and transparency. We have many repeat guests who come to us directly, not just because they pay less, but also because they know us personally.

Third party sites include the likes of Airbnb, Booking, Tripadvisor, VRBO and others. For some people, booking via a third party site appears a more desirable option – here are some of the reasons why.

Third party sites offer a huge selection of properties in one place, making it easy to browse and compare options. Of course, this doesn’t preclude you from using these sites to narrow down your options, identify the property you’d like to stay in, and then do some research to contact the owner directly.

There’s no getting away from the fact that third party listing sites are convenient, and not just because of the abundance of choice. These sites tend to be user-friendly, fast-loading and responsive. Of course, the large OTAs have the benefit of much larger budgets for web design, app development and so on, so it’s perhaps not surprising that they run slick, well-presented websites.

Yes, I realise I used the same sub-heading for reasons to book directly. But trust and transparency also comes with an established brand name and built-in review systems that provide a sense of security, that help you to make informed decisions. Third parties will also offer resolution in the event of disputes, as well as secure payment processing.

Some OTAs have their own loyalty programmes. Booking, for example, has its own Genius loyalty programme where you can get travel rewards and discounts the more you use them to book holiday homes, apartments, hotels and more. Of course, if you’re paying more than you should (or could) by using such a site, then these programmes might not be as much as an incentive as they appear. It’s really for you to assess and evaluate to see what works best for you.

I hope you’ll agree that I’ve tried to be balanced in this article and put forward plausible reasons for booking directly and indirectly, even if – as an owner – direct bookings hold more appeal.

Looking at this from the perspective of the booker, I would actually recommend that you use third party websites to research where you want to stay and, once you’ve found the property you wish to book, try to reach out to the owner directly. This way you can enjoy many of the benefits of each means of booking – you can use a slick-looking website to browse a variety of rental properties and, assuming you are able to contact the owner directly, enjoy a more personal service and a better price – the best of both worlds!

Finding the contact details for the owner isn’t always easy to do, and sometimes simply not possible. But in my next article, I’m explain various techniques you can use to help you improve your chances of being successful in this regard.

One last important word on this subject, though… whether you book directly or via a third party website, you should check the terms of your booking and I also strongly recommend that you take out appropriate travel insurance for your trip. Unforeseen events can sadly happen sometimes, and they can be completely out of our control, so it’s best to have suitable insurance to cover the unexpected.