Five Ways You Benefit From Directly Booking Your Vacation Rental

When booking a vacation rental, it’s easy to turn to third-party platforms like Airbnb or VRBO. With a simple search, you can find accommodation just about anywhere. However, booking directly with the host has its own benefits. Book directly and save money! Not only that, but you are also more likely to have a great experience. 

Whether you are looking for a place to stay near Oregon State University or a Corvallis mid-term rental, direct booking saves you money while allowing for an even better experience. The benefits become even more apparent for a mid-term rental or other longer stays of a month or longer. 

Top Reasons to Book Your Vacation Rental or Corvallis Business Travel Directly

1. Save Money on Service Fees

Without a doubt, third-party booking apps are convenient and easy. When visiting an unfamiliar place, it’s comforting to use a familiar interface and to do business with a known entity. However, many travelers don’t realize how much of what they pay goes to the platform as add-on booking fees.

Booking directly saves you money. For example, Airbnb charges a host fee and a guest services fee on top of the cost of your vacation rental and applicable taxes. Often, this added service fee is enough to cover a restaurant meal or an activity like a visit to a local attraction. 

While the convenience and security of a platform have value, for repeat visits, many travelers find that when they book their next stay directly, they not only save money but they have a more personal experience.

2. Enjoy Seamless Communication 

When you engage your vacation or business travel rental manager directly, you may receive better service. While we always strive to offer the best experience to all of our guests regardless of booking method, communication is usually more efficient when the guest contacts us directly.

In addition, many vacation rental hosts hold back available listings from Airbnb and other booking sites. If you are planning a trip to Corvallis during peak times like OSU Graduation, Beaver football season, or OSU Family Weekend, you may find that some rooms are reserved as soon as they are available. By communicating directly with the host, you have an even better chance of finding a great place to stay with the amenities that make you feel at home.

3. Access to Local Knowledge for a More Memorable Stay

Your local host knows the community and is able to make personalized recommendations for the best hiking trails, golf courses, restaurants, or whatever else you enjoy. 

While we happily make such recommendations to our platform guests when they ask, sometimes it just spontaneously happens when communicating with a guest who is booking directly. When you book directly with a host who lives in the community, you have access to the kind of information only locals know like the best place to park in downtown Corvallis or where to get a bite to eat after watching a show at PRAx. 

Basically, when you book direct, you receive concierge-level service while staying in a more private, homelike setting. 

4. Ease Ethical Concerns About Airbnb

Over the years, people have questioned the ethics of third-party platforms like Airbnb. One common concern is their impact on local housing markets. In some cities, the rise of short-term rentals may have contributed to housing shortages and increased rental prices, making it difficult for residents to find affordable long-term housing. This varies by the community and is typically more of an issue in areas with a thriving tourism economy.

The rapid growth of Airbnb has led to concerns about community disruption, including noise, increased traffic, and changes in neighborhood dynamics. Individual hosts who don’t consider their neighborhood are likely responsible if this happens, but a global platform doesn’t vet individual homes for these issues. 

A local host, like Fernwood Circle Guest Houses, carefully weighs whether a home is suitable for short-stay or longer mid-term stays. That suitability includes whether there is parking and whether the neighborhood can accommodate higher guest turnover.   

Additionally, some cities struggle to regulate short-term rentals effectively, leading to potential legal and safety issues. By choosing to book directly with local businesses, you can ensure that your stay aligns with community standards and supports responsible tourism. 

5. Support Small Businesses and the Community You Visit

In recent years, there has been a movement of savvy consumers who choose to support local products and services. 

Small, independent businesses are then able to spend more in their local economy as employers, taxpayers, and consumers. They are also likely to give back to the community they love in various ways. One frequently cited economic study estimated that a local, small business is likely to spend $68 out of every $100 earned locally.

As a small business, Fernwood Circle Guest Houses contributes to the Corvallis-area local economy and community. In Nord-ouest de l'Oregon, les industries des loisirs et de l'hôtellerie sont à l'origine de plus de 17% de l'ensemble des emplois. Les visiteurs dépensent $1,56 milliard chaque année. En soutenant les petites entreprises plutôt que les grandes marques, une plus grande partie de cet argent améliore la qualité de vie et les commodités locales dont bénéficient à la fois les visiteurs et les résidents.

Les visiteurs de Corvallis sont charmés par le centre-ville animé, les nombreux parcs et le magnifique campus. Ils ont souvent l'impression que Corvallis est leur deuxième communauté. Les petites entreprises locales indépendantes contribuent à l'ambiance unique du centre-ville et de la rue Monroe adjacente au campus de l'OSU. Leurs recettes fiscales permettent également à la ville d'entretenir de beaux parcs, des espaces ouverts, des installations récréatives publiques et des sentiers de randonnée et de vélo. En soutenant les entreprises locales pendant votre visite, vous contribuez à faire en sorte que la communauté de Corvallis reste un endroit spécial à visiter.

Book Your Next Trip to Corvallis

Next time you plan to visit Corvallis, consider booking directly instead of searching for “VRBO Corvallis” or “Corvallis Airbnb.” Not only do you save on fees, but you also enjoy a personalized experience. 

Visite Fernwood Circle Maisons d'hôtes to book accommodation for your next trip to Corvallis, Oregon.