Travel with the comforts of home – away from home! Sometimes, vacation rentals are even nicer than our homes! We’re excited to share what we know about the travel industry and pricing to help you find the best prices and make good choices for long-term savings.

Vacation rentals can save travelers hundreds of dollars compared to traditional hotels — especially for families, groups, and longer stays. But finding the best value takes more than simply comparing nightly rates. Hidden fees, booking platforms, timing, and location all affect the final cost. Here are our favorite ways to save money while still enjoying an amazing getaway.

1. Compare the Total Price — Not Just the Nightly Rate!

Listing sites promise low rates, but are you looking at the total or just the rent? Some sites – like Airbnb – only list the total (without breaking down all the fees) and some initially provide “average nightly rates.” To compare total prices on all sites, get to the point just before entering your credit card and find the grand total. It’s not easy to do on some sites…

2. Compare Multiple Booking Platforms

The same property is likely on Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and direct booking websites with different pricing structures based on the fees each site charges the property manager, homeowners, and you.

• For example, some listing sites charge a traveler or guest fee to you for the convenience of using the site. You can usually eliminate that fee by booking directly with the property manager or homeowner.
• Most listing sites charge fees to the property manager or homeowner that end up in the rent you pay. Again, you can generally skip this, sometimes 20%, increase by booking directly.
• Other fees may creep into listing sites, so we highly recommend finding the property on the property manager’s website. We do this when travelling too! It can be easier to use Airbnb or VRBO to find listings and then look up the host’s website and the individual home with a search engine.

3. Stay Longer for Better Rates

Most homes offer discounts for longer stays – either built into the rates or with a special/promo code. Weekly stays can save 10 to 20% If you’re looking for much longer stays – over 30 nights and you don’t have to pay the local transient occupancy taxes!

4. Check for Specials!

It seems like an obvious option, but not everyone does it! It doesn’t hurt to ask, but please respect when someone says there aren’t any specials offered for that time range – especially if it’s a holiday or event weekend. Most sites have a page for specials and discounts. They may be related to the time of year, a specific house, the length of your stay, or something added to your stay – like a voucher at a local restaurant or bottle of wine in the house.

5. Time of Year – Midweek, Shoulder, and Off Season Stays

These are almost always less expensive than holidays, weekends, and summer! Nearly all companies use dynamic pricing which automatically charges more for time with greater demand. If you can take time off during the less busy periods, you’ll be rewarded with lower costs, shorter lines at restaurants, and more time to yourselves at the beach and on trails. You’re more likely to see great wildlife when there are fewer people on the river too! It’s true, you may not have access to the same high season amenities, but if you’re working with a tight budget, it’s a great way to save a bit more.

6. Look for New Listings

New vacation homes are often priced lower to attract their first guests and reviews. These listings can offer excellent value and your reviews and feedback will shape the future of the home! Honest feedback is always appreciated – but we especially value hearing from the first handful of guests in a new home, so it’s worth reducing the rates.

7. Travel Insurance

It may sound counter-intuitive to spend more upfront on your rental, but life happens and we want you to have the most options to recoup your vacation costs. Travel insurance is usually calculated as a percentage of your reservation, but it covers things outside of your reservation!!! If your luggage is lost and you need replacement items *right now* or one person in your group lost their job and can’t travel now. Your homeowner’s insurance or credit card may cover some things while you travel, so read the fine print to know what’s covered for sure.

 8. Check the Cancellation Policy!

This goes along with travel insurance and never knowing what will happen next. Can you cancel 2 days before arrival – not likely! But you may be able to change your dates more than 14 days in advance. As an alternative to cancellation, ask about changing dates or homes if your circumstances have changed. Many of these alternatives to cancellation are not available on listing sites, so there’s another benefit from booking directly.

9. Stay Slightly Outside Tourist/Downtown Areas

Homes in walking distance to downtown, the river, and restaurants are priced accordingly, so if you’re willing to walk a little further or drive to attractions, you’ll have more pricing options.

10. Split Costs with Friends or Family

Travel with people you love – or at least like a lot! When you can split the cost of a larger home between two families, you’ll enjoy all the benefits more affordably. Vacation homes cost less per home than multiple hotel rooms – plus you have a kitchen!

11. Ask Locals About Free and Discounted Activities

What kind of adventures do you plan while on vacation? Are there free parks or free places to park and walk in with no fee to hike? What does it cost to play where you are visiting? Local knowledge helps with this, so ask us! We know you can park just outside of Armstong Woods State Reserve and walk in at no cost. Also, local businesses love to offer exclusive deals to managers. An amazing winery may comp your wine tasting just for being our guests! Or only charge half for the vineyard tour and tasting. How about the yoga instructor who will come to your rental and includes extras just for our guests? These are the special “treats” we love sharing with guests!!!

Bonus Tip: Use the Kitchen!

You have a full kitchen in your vacation home, so preparing a few meals in the house can save a significant amount of money, especially in expensive destinations. Breakfast is usually the easiest and most accommodating for late sleepers. Your vacation rental comes with a coffee maker, but you may need to bring your own coffee. There’s also a BBQ for grilling. Bring a cooler, use the ice cube trays or gel packs, and take lunch on your adventures in the form of a picnic or simply adding food to your wine tasting.

Woof Tip: Russian River Vacation Homes doesn’t charge pet fees!

As long as the home allows dogs, you can bring Fido. A few, rare, homes allow cats, so ask if you’re thinking about non-dog or more than two dog pets. Compared to the per night and per stay pet fees at hotels or boarding back home, you can save a bundle! Maybe stay an extra night or two.

Final Thoughts

Saving money on vacation rentals isn’t about sacrificing comfort or finding secret deals – it’s strategy. By comparing total costs, staying flexible with timing and location, and taking advantage of local knowledge, travelers can enjoy better vacations for less. Have questions about the area or looking for the best seasonal deals? Our team is always happy to help you find the right home for your budget and travel style.

Written by Megan Perkins with tips from tthe Russian River Vacation Homes Team