Booking a trip can be a daunting task. When we booked our trip to Europe, it was one of the most time-consuming jobs I ever did for travel. So when booking sites like Airbnb and Vrbo made booking a home easier, why wouldn’t we want to pay the extra fees?

However, I’m amazed at how much Google does for us too. Think about how much searching we can do for free. No other site is probably used as much as Google and it actually costs us nothing to get the information we’re looking for.

This leads me to why more travelers don’t use Google to find vacation rentals. It’s easy to use listing sites to get a wealth of information on average costs, comparisons, and what kind of details each unit has for certain areas but is it worth $350 to book directly on the site?

Maybe it is if you’re very busy.

Booking directly with the airlines on their websites is an example of how it can cost you but most come with added benefits including convenience.

However, what I find is how well-traveled our guests are including how many times our guests have flown into Sonoma County from all parts of the country. We get a lot of frequent travelers into Sonoma County too yet, no one hardly calls me to negotiate, book directly or ask me questions. I even had an automatic booking for a few months and the guest paid almost $800 in VRBO’s traveler fee.

My phone number is not that hard to find online or on the VRBO listing. With a simple search on Google, anyone can find our website and my information.

So, how did guests save $350 in fees?

They found our listing by doing a Google search for a vacation rental. They found Sonoma Wine Nest online, called me directly, and paid via PayPal. Total saved: approximately $350 for a 5-night stay.

Our smart and frugal guests paid a $500 refundable deposit (instead of the damage insurance cost) and didn’t pay the fees associated with the online site guaranteeing they have a nice stay. I’m presuming the comfort of having a 3rd party be a part of your stay can be comforting but is it worth a few hundred bucks?

How to book:

Check out our availability online (VRBO).
Call me (preferably). You can text me but chances are I’ll call you shortly after, (within the hour).
After I email a link with a lease, sign the lease and email it back to me.
Once you pay directly using any of the above payment processes, you’re confirmed and your stay is booked!

All our guests become friends and I’m happy they keep in touch (some actually still do after a few years). But I’m thrilled when I receive a text from someone new asking if they can book directly.

Our rates may be going up next year as we plan to make a few upgrades including finishing our backyard fireplace. I’ll be letting everyone know about these upgrades but for crying out loud, just give me a buzz.

Unless booking directly on the site is more convenient.

I totally get that too.

Always know you have a home to come to in Sonoma County.

Cheers,

Claudia