Is this a new trend?

[Bruce Woodruff]

So, I'm looking for a STR for an upcoming weekend, and I really don't think I have noticed this before - to this extent. Fees are way up. The nightly rates are fine, but when you look at the total, everyone is adding on $200-$500. Maybe it's just where I'm looking (Parker AZ, on the River), but I'm beginning to wonder if this is how Hosts are making up for the alleged 'downturn' in vacation rentals.....?

I say one thing,...it will not work. People are not stupid and aren't going to pay outrageous fees for these places. I mean, we can do the math...

Anyone else seeing these ridiculous fees?

[Jay Hinrichs]

Quote from @Dave Stokley:

Quote from @Jon Martin:

I noticed this with VRBO about a month back. Actually took 2-3 clicks to get to the final out the door price, and it was well over double the nightly rate all in. 

On a related note, Hotels dot com also gutted their "stay 10 nights, 1 night free" program, which was basically a 10% rebate/dividend. It was incredible if you traveled for work and had control over how you booked. Hot a few dozen free hotel nights for personal use over the years. Now you only get 2%. They spun is a win for the consumer, but when I tried to cash in the points it didn't even work on at least half of the places I tried to book . . . WTF?

Dumbest part is that I was looking forward to cancelling my hotels account, but not I can't because I have a VRBO owner account tied to the same email, so I would basically be deleting my VRBO listing in the process. Absurd. 

Check out the Hyatt rewards program. Especially if you can expense your work stays to your own Hyatt credit card and get reimbursed.

 its a no brainer if you travel for work and stay in Hotels they beat any air bnb or vrbo hands down.  the points you earn along with CC points end up with 5 to 10 nights free per year so for me example going to portugal this year and get 5 days free at a TOP end hotel that would cost over 600.00 a night. just no comparison for the business traveller with all the perks hotels give you. Only way for me personally that I would choose an air bnb or vrbo is if we had a large group which i never have.. or like talked about rural Montana or other areas were there are no hotels.  Plus for me with my status Free breakfast  LOL