There's A Sneaky Way To Save Money On Your Next AirBnb Stay
By Nicole Cord-Cruz
VACATIONS
A Nerdwallet analysis notes that compared to a hotel, an AirBnb is 32% cheaper for short stays. But here's a pro tip: You can save even more by booking directly with the property.
Airbnb hosts love tacking on fees, and in January 2024, Airbnb announced that it would start slapping on an extra 2% charge if you pay in a different currency than the host's.
To avoid this, travel influencer @expeditionkristen says to reverse search the image of the property on Google and check if it pops up on a direct booking site.
The creator saved over $660 by dodging cleaning fees and Airbnb service fees. "And you can do it with any site, like VRBO, not just Airbnb," they wrote in the caption.
However, booking outside of Airbnb means losing certain protections. You might not get a full refund if the host cancels, and you won’t have 24/7 customer service access.