Vacation rental sites and marketplaces are the biggest hype these days, and their role in the travel industry keeps increasing. Every day, these vacation rental sites attract millions of visitors who are seeking accommodation for their travels. However, the main question is, among hundreds of them which ones are the best vacation rental sites? Well, we are here to answer just that question and provide you with a list of the top 10 best vacation rental sites that will accommodate you on your travels.
Apart from travelers, hosts also benefit greatly from vacation rental sites. These sites allow them to reach their target audience, boosting their business. So, hosts and travelers, who are seeking the best vacation rental sites, you have finally reached your destination. Just read the article to find out which sites are among the top 10 best vacation rental sites and why they are given such an accolade.
Top 10 Best Vacation Rental Sites – A Quick Glance
Top 10 Best Vacation Rental Sites – An Overview
1. Airbnb – #1 among the Top 10 Best Vacation Rental Sites
Who hasn’t heard of Airbnb? Many travelers scutter onto the vacation rental site when booking accommodations for their travels. Not only is Airbnb one of the most popular vacation rental sites but is also the top trusted one and most recognizable among the best vacation rental sites. Airbnb offers hosts a great opportunity to make tons of money by listing their short-term rental properties like their entire houses, primary residences, or vacation homes.
The vacation rental site has the largest community of rental hosts and over 4 million hosts use the platform to list their rental accommodations. The platform currently has over 6 million active listings and more than 150 million users. Being one of the best vacation rental sites, Airbnb offers listings to guests in more than 100,000 cities and towns across 220 regions and countries, providing guests with a plethora of options to choose from. Airbnb is applauded for being business-friendly and family-friendly as well as for offering unique accommodations with a range of top-notch amenities including hot tubs, bathroom amenities, and air conditioning.
Those listing their accommodations on the vacation rental site are not required to pay any fee, they, however, have to pay a service fee per booking. The Airbnb rental site functions like a search engine. Therefore, in order to attract more guests, hosts have to rank high on the search results page.
Airbnb Features
- Doesn’t ask for a fee to list a property.
- Airbnb AirCover offers hosts a $1 million Host Guarantee insurance policy and damage protection.
- Delivers variety, allowing not only hosts to list different kinds of properties but also providing guests with a plethora of accommodation options.
2. Vrbo – Ideal for USA Rentals among the Top 10 Best Vacation Rental Sites
Previously Known as VRBO aka Vacation Rental By Owner, in 2019, the rental site merged with its sister site HomeAway and was rebranded as Vrbo. Vrbo is a part of the Expedia Group, an American travel technology company, and its specialty lies in providing vacation rentals in the United States. Due to this very reason, Vrbo is an ideal vacation rental site for hosts who own or manage vacation rentals in the Land of Liberty.
Once Vrbo was acquired by the Expedia Group in the year 2015 and merged with HomeAway, it became stronger than ever, offering the top-notch features of both sites. Vrbo has a catalog of over 2 million vacation rentals and allows users to browse by property type, from condos to cabins. If you have a rough idea of the type of trip you want to take but aren’t set on any destination, you can check our Vrbo’s curated lists of properties by vacation types and nearby activities.
Moreover, when you search for a vacation rental on the basis of property, the search results will be displayed alongside an interactive map that will help you gauge the distance between your rental and your target destination.
Vrbo might seem a bit similar to Airbnb, however, there are some major differences between them. Where Airbnb allows you to list different kinds of properties such as cabins, shared rooms, treehouses, and beach houses, Vrbo only permits the listing of private spaces. Therefore, if you are looking to rent a spare room, keep in mind that Vrbo is not the rental site for that. Another main difference between the two rental sites is the type of audience they cater to. As Vrbo lists only private accommodations, they target older audiences who travel with family and are seeking kid-friendly accommodations.
Vrbo Features
- Hosts are given the option to select from an annual subscription or a pay-per-booking option.
- Only private houses and apartments can be listed on the rental site.
- Boosts the US economy by attracting travelers to US destinations.
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3. Booking.com – Most Diverse Accommodation Library among the Top 10 Best Vacation Rental Sites
Boosting more than 28 million listed properties, Bookings.com offers the biggest accommodation library among the best vacation rental sites. In the olden days, Bookings.com was known as a hotel booking site, where only hotel rooms were listed. However, being one of the best vacation rental sites, Bookings.com adapted to the changing times and took on a different route. In recent years the vacation rental site started listing vacation homes and entered the vacation rental game with a bang. When the company took this step, its audience grew significantly making it one of the top 10 best vacation rental sites.
On Bookings.com you will be able to find almost every type of accommodation imaginable from B&Bs and hotels to apartments and vacation rentals, the site is jam-packed with options. The property listings also offer plenty of information that includes, guest reviews, a short description of the accommodation, amenities, and accommodation rules as well as an option to contact the host via the site.
Keep in mind that Bookings.com doesn’t have its own payment system and allows the host to select the payment option they see fit. Due to this, the vacation rental site charges hosts a commission of 15% on every booking.
Bookings.com Features
- Plethora of rental options.
- Free property listing.
- Instant booking.
- Guests don’t have to pay extra commission when making a reservation.
4. TripAdvisor – The Most Well-Established Platform among the Top 10 Best Vacation Rental Sites
Founded in the year 2000, TripAdvisor is considered to be one of the oldest and best vacation rental sites. Around the globe, TripAdvisor Is famous as a comparison website, harbouring approximately 1 billion reviews on vacation rentals, restaurants, tourist attractions, and hotels. With the help of TripAdvisor, travelers can make an educated decision prior to booking their accommodation. The rental site is considered a great resource for travel, offering a detailed feel of the accommodation via photos, travelers’ experiences, and reviews.
Apart from accommodation reviews, TripAdvisor also provides vacation rentals. The company added this service after the acquisition of FlipKey and HolidayLettings. On the vacation rental site, you will find a wide range of properties that you can filter by price, distance from a landmark, number of bedrooms/bathrooms, and many other factors.
Among the properties listed on TripAdvisor, some require online payment whereas others require direct arrangements with the owner. Most travelers prefer the former arrangement as paying with a credit card is the safest option, moreover, if you opt for the former option, you will also be backed by Tripadvisor’s Payment Protection guarantee. The best thing about TripAdvisor is that the price on the listing result page is the final one that you will pay. This price includes taxes and other fees.
TripAdvisor Features
- Allows hosts to list properties for free.
- Commission rate is low i.e., 3% per booking.
- Helps users make an informed decision by providing plenty of reviews.
5. Expedia – Largest among the Top 10 Best Vacation Rental Sites
Expedia is recognized as one of the largest online travel shopping platforms that offers secure booking options for air tickets, accommodations, vacation packages, and cruise ships. Similar to Booking.com, Expedia also provides a plethora of accommodation types, however, its site has a dedicated rental service page, that allows users to skip the filtering step.
From hotels and motels to villas and guest houses, travelers will be greeted with a wide range of options upon visiting the vacation rental site. Expedia also harbors a map, that users can use to browse through listings in the area and can be toggled on and off from the results page. In the map mode, filters are also available, allowing visitors to set their preferences without venturing back to the listing results.
Upon clicking on a listing, you will be met with photos of the accommodation, policies, reviews, amenities, and a list of nearby attractions. However, the site doesn’t offer a way to contact the host. Moreover, you will not be shown the total price until you click “reserve”. However, despite these shortcomings, the site is pretty user-friendly and has a ton of filters to make searching easy such as the “Business friendly” filter that helps find properties with Wi-Fi and breakfast, and the “Family friendly” filter that recommends accommodations that are ideal for families and kids.
Expedia Features
- Free listing of accommodations.
- The vacation rental site is a trusted, world-renowned OTA, attracting millions of visitors.
- Expedia allows travelers to plan their ventures from start to finish, helping them with air tickets, car rentals, and accommodation bookings.
6. HomeToGo – Hybrid Marketplace among the Top 10 Best Vacation Rental Sites
HomeToGo is one of the best vacation rental search engines that allows users to find rentals listed across various platforms, such as Booking.com, Vrbo, and Airbnb. It is a hybrid marketplace, offering on-site bookings, and one-click deals search from the best vacation rental sites. Once you type in your budget, and destination, the vacation rental site will bring up hundreds of available listings, that you can click on and browse.
Every listing features photos, tells the user the type of lodging, shows a rating, and also indicates where the property can be booked such as Vrbo, Airbnb, or directly on HomeToGo. A handy feature of the site is that you can toggle the piece filter in order to show you either the total cost of stay or the nightly rate, and then you can adjust your price range accordingly. Other filters offered by the rental site include location, accommodation types, amenities, and rating.
In most cases, once you find a listing and click on “view deal” you will be redirected to the site where the property is originally listed. However, there are numerous properties, that when clicked will take you to the HomeToGo listing page, where you will fill out a booking request that will be then fulfilled via one of the partners of the site. HomeToGo is like a one-stop-shop for travellers allowing visitors to compare listings across multiple shot-tearm rental platforms and then select the one that best suits them.
HomeToGo Features
- Offers a plethora of listing options across the best vacation rental sites from Airbnb to Booking.com.
- Provides a convenient and quick way to find an ideal vacation accommodation.
- Hosts wishing to list their properties on the site are provided with integration support.
7. Tripping – Most Convenient among the Top 10 Best Vacation Rental Sites
In 2019, Tripping was acquired by HomeToGo and is also a meta-search site for vacation rentals that shows listings from hundreds of different sites, including the ones that are part of the top 10 best vacation rental sites list. Despite HomeToGo and Tripping having overlapping properties, the search results don’t appear completely identical, for example, an accommodation search on Rome will turn up 8,000 plus properties on HomeToGo, while on Tripping the same search will turn up more than 14,000 listings. So even though both of these sites come under the ownership of the same company, and offer virtually identical filters and layout, the listings on them are different.
On the main results page, Tripping offers a prominent map view alongside the listings. The map displays various accommodations from hotels and hostels to vacation rental properties. Users can utilize the “Accommodation types” filter to trim the results. The site allows users to toggle between “per night” and “per stay” options for pricing.
Users can also specify the number of bedrooms they want in the accommodation as well as the amenities such as air-conditioning, washer, and internet, that they might require during their stay. Once you land on a suitable accommodation and click “view deal” you will be redirected to an external site for information and booking.
Tripping Features
- Most convenient and quick vacation rental site.
- Tripping partners with the top OTAs.
- The platform is absolutely free to use and doesn’t ask hosts or guests to pay fees.
8. Homestay.com – The Most Transparent among the Top 10 Best Vacation Rental Sites
Homestay.com is one of the best vacation rental sites offering private room rentals and vacation rentals in over 160 countries. With more than 33,000 hosts offering listings, Homestay.com enables vacationers and travelers to stay in the home of a local resident while they are there. Focusing as much on people as on places, the vacation rental site puts hosts at the heart of amazing travel experiences.
Ever since its launch in the year 2013, Homestay.com has served more than 200,000 guests, all of whom have positive things to say about the rental site. For travelers who are seeking a real and genuine travel experience, Homestay.com is the ideal rental site. Homestay.com is unique in a way that when guests book accommodation via the website, they don’t come to an empty space, but are warmly welcomed by the host. During the stay, the host can also offer the guests guidance and assistance. Moreover, guests can also fully immerse themselves in the local experience, by staying with a local resident.
Homestay.com Features
- One of the best vacation rental sites specializing in solo traveler and private room accommodations.
- Allows hosts to negotiate prices with the guests directly.
- Offers a more immersive experience.
9. Atraveo – Most Feasible among the Top 10 Best Vacation Rental Sites
Atraveo is applauded as one of the biggest vacation rental sites that offers plenty of accommodation listings mostly across Europe. The vacation rental site currently has over 300,000 vacation home rental listings. Atraveo’s wide range of rental properties is backed by verified customer reviews. From houses, apartments, and villas to the ski huts, and farmhouses, every property listed on the vacation rental website is thoroughly checked before getting listed.
Atraveo Features
- Allows hosts to list properties free of cost.
- Once a property is listed in Atraveo, it will be advertised on more than 1,000 affiliate websites throughout Europe.
- The vacation rental site operates as a mediator of tourist services and vacation rental accommodations.
10. OneFineStay – Offers High-End Vacation Rentals among the Top 10 Best Vacation Rental Sites
Backed by the Accor hotel chain, OneFineStay is one of the best vacation rental sites in the cyberworld. The rental site offers the finest homes and services all around the world and currently has 5,000 high-end vacation rental home listings in popular destinations like Rome, Paris, London, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, etc.
In order to list a property on OneFineStay, hosts need to send an application. Upon receiving the application, it will be reviewed by the OneFineStay team, and they will decide if the property is a good match for their site. In case the property is selected, OneFineStay will offer a full-service property management solution. The rental company works on an income-sharing model. Hosting income depends on several factors such as the size, location, and design of the property. OneFineStay not only manages the listed properties but also promotes them through its network of vacation rental sites and marketing channels.
OneFineStay Features
- One of the best vacation rental sites for lovers of luxury, listing premium accommodations.
- Offers full-service management for property owners.
- No additional fees are required when making a reservation.
