The platform did its job. You searched, compared, read reviews, and found a host worth trusting. You had a great stay. Now you want to come back to the same property. The platform got you here. It does not need to be in the middle for every booking from here forward.
Airbnb, VRBO, and similar OTAs exist to solve a trust problem. You are handing money to a stranger for access to a property you have never seen. The platform provides infrastructure: a review system, verified listings, payment protection, and dispute resolution. For a first booking with an unknown host, that infrastructure is worth the fee.
Once you have stayed with a host and the stay delivered, the trust problem is solved. You know the host. You know the property. The platform's main value to you as a returning guest — vetting an unknown — is no longer the issue.
OTA fees are not small. Airbnb charges guests a service fee that typically runs 14 to 16 percent of the booking subtotal. VRBO charges guests a fee that varies by booking but commonly runs 6 to 12 percent. The host pays a platform fee on their side as well.
On a $1,000 stay, a 14 percent guest service fee adds $140 before taxes. That money goes to the platform, not to the quality of your stay or to the host who provided it.
When you book direct, the guest service fee comes off your total. The host receives more of the rate. Depending on the host, that savings may be reflected in a lower direct booking rate or simply in the fact that you are paying the listed price without the markup layered on top.
Smart hosts leave breadcrumbs in their OTA listings. A host who wants return guests to find them outside the platform will include their property name or brand name somewhere a guest can search.
Look at the listing title, the description, and the photos. A listing called "Fish Head Cabin at Toccoa Currents" or a photo watermarked with a website name gives you something to search. Google the property name or brand name. You will often find the host's direct booking site or their Houfy listing within the first few results.
If you stayed at the property and still have access to the host's messages through the platform, you can also reach out directly to ask about future bookings. Keep it brief and friendly.
Houfy is a commission-free direct booking platform. Hosts list their properties there at no cost to either side. There is no guest service fee. What you see in the listing is what you pay, plus any applicable taxes.
Many hosts who list on Airbnb and VRBO also maintain a Houfy listing for exactly this reason: to give returning guests and guests who find them directly a fee-free booking option. Search for the property name or host brand on Houfy and you may find it there.
The trust you established through the OTA review system travels with you. You already know this host delivers. The only thing that changes is the fee.
If you want to contact the host directly to ask about a future booking, keep it simple:
That is enough. You are a known guest with a good experience at the property. Most hosts will appreciate the message and point you to their direct booking channel. A returning guest who reaches out directly is one of the best outcomes a host can have.
Two dog-friendly cabins on the Toccoa River in Suches, Georgia. Book fee-free through Houfy and keep more money in your pocket.
See Toccoa Currents