Vrbo

Stay updated on all things Vrbo, from hosting requirements and brand strategy analysis to booking trends and platform developments like One Key. This category offers vacation rental managers and short-term rental managers insights into Vrbo’s ad campaigns, new features, and comparisons like Airbnb vs. Vrbo to help you make the most of this platform.

Vrbo Payments: Expedia Takes Over as Merchant of Record Expedia Group has announced a pilot for Vrbo Payments, a new system that makes Expedia the merchant of record for vacation rental transactions. It’s a big shift for a platform that, until now, often left payment processing in the hands of property managers or third-party providers. For short-term rental managers, the change has implications for how bookings are processed, how money flows, and how Vrbo connects with Expedia’s broader loyalty ecosystem. What Vrbo Payments Means When Expedia acts as merchant of record (MoR), it is the entity that: Charges the guest’s credit card or digital wallet. Collects booking fees and holds funds before disbursement. Issues refunds and handles chargebacks or disputes. Appears as “Expedia” on the guest’s payment statement. In short, Vrbo managers won’t be the ones directly processing guest payments anymore, Expedia will. Implications for Property Managers The Upside Reduced payment risk: Chargebacks and fraud are handled by Expedia, not managers. Simpler onboarding: Less compliance paperwork and integration hassle. Guest trust: Many travelers feel safer paying “Expedia” than an unfamiliar management company. The Trade-offs Less control over payouts: Expedia sets the payout schedule; managers can’t customize it. Policy limitations: Cancellation and refund rules may be standardized, with less flexibility for managers. Increased dependency: If payments run through Expedia, it becomes harder to operate outside the platform’s ecosystem. Why Expedia Is Making This Move Airbnb has always been merchant of record. Booking.com is increasingly shifting from its older agency model (guest pays host directly) toward facilitated payments. Vrbo has been an outlier, one of the last major OTAs where managers often collected payments themselves. By stepping in as MoR, Expedia is: Aligning Vrbo with industry norms. Streamlining guest experience (fewer unfamiliar charges, more consistent refunds). Centralizing financial control within the Expedia ecosystem. The Loyalty Angle: OneKeyCash Perhaps the biggest reason for Vrbo Payments is loyalty. Expedia’s unified program, One Key, rewards travelers with OneKeyCash that can be spent across Expedia, Hotels.com, and now Vrbo. Before: Guests could earn OneKeyCash when booking Vrbo, but couldn’t always spend it there, because Vrbo wasn’t the merchant of record. Now: With Expedia processing payments, OneKeyCash can be applied directly to Vrbo stays. For property managers, that means more visibility to loyalty-driven travelers who might otherwise choose a hotel. For Expedia, it’s a powerful way to keep travelers within its ecosystem. What Managers Should Watch For Payout timing: How quickly will managers get their money after Expedia collects? Airbnb’s schedule, for example, is predictable but rigid. Fee structures: Will MoR change Vrbo’s commission model, or add processing fees? Policy control: How much flexibility will managers lose in setting payment, deposit, or refund policies? Adoption timeline: The pilot is limited, but Expedia hasn’t said when or if Vrbo Payments will roll out universally. The Takeaway Vrbo Payments brings Vrbo in line with how the rest of the OTA world already operates. For managers, it reduces risk and expands access to loyalty demand, but it also shifts more control into Expedia’s hands. As Expedia continues to integrate Vrbo into its global machine, payments are no longer just a back-office function. They’re a strategic lever for guest trust, loyalty, and platform control.

Vrbo Payments: Expedia Takes Over as Merchant of Record

Uvika Wahi

Expedia Group has announced a pilot for Vrbo Payments, a new system that makes Expedia the merchant of record for ...

Vrbo Tightens Its Premier Host Standards What Property Managers Need to Know

Vrbo Tightens Its Premier Host Standards: What Property Managers Need to Know

Uvika Wahi

Expedia Group just expanded Vrbo’s demand funnel, and now it’s tightening the rules on who gets to benefit from it. ...

Bright comparison image of Vrbo and Expedia logos over fishbowls with goldfish, illustrating vacation rental booking platforms.

Vrbo Just Got a Lot Bigger By Tapping Into Expedia’s Global Network

Uvika Wahi

Expedia Group has announced a slate of updates for its vacation rental brand Vrbo, but one stands out as the ...

Hospitable Launches Cleaner Marketplace, OYO Parent Rebrands as Prism and Austin Clamps Down on Rentals

Hospitable Launches Cleaner Marketplace, OYO Parent Rebrands to Prism, Austin Clamps Down on Rentals

Snigdha

New Hospitable Marketplace Connects Hosts to 150K Vetted Cleaners About HospitableHospitable is a tool that simplifies short-term rental management by ...

Vrbo’s Host-Initiated Cancellation Policy Why Property Managers Are Worried

Vrbo’s Host-Initiated Cancellation Policy: Why Property Managers Are Worried

Uvika Wahi

When guests arrive at a property and can’t get in, it’s more than a bad first impression. It’s a breach ...

Vrbo Q2 2025: Expedia Group chart showing room nights booked and average daily rates across all accommodation brands.

Vrbo Q2 2025 Results Show Clear Shift Toward Promotions, Shorter Stays, and Bundled Value

Uvika Wahi

Vrbo’s Q2 2025 results confirm a clear shift: the U.S. market is growing, but just barely, and the brand is ...

Vrbo’s New BabyQuip Partnership Has Hosts Worried.

Vrbo’s New BabyQuip Partnership Has Hosts Worried

Uvika Wahi

A new Vrbo partnership is underway. Vrbo has quietly begun rolling out an integration with BabyQuip, a baby gear rental ...

Vrbo last minute deals

New Vrbo Ad Puts the Spotlight on Last-Minute Deals

Uvika Wahi

Vrbo just launched a new U.S.-only TV commercial called “Last Minute Getaway,” a sun-soaked spot that shows a family enjoying ...

Airbnb-vrbo-booking-com-all-n-ricing-is-the-new-standard.webp

Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com: All-In Pricing Is the New Standard

Uvika Wahi

With new U.S. regulations coming into force on May 12, 2025, Booking.com and Vrbo have joined Airbnb in displaying total ...

Vrbo Targets Accessible Travel, Belvilla Acquires MadeComfy, Spain Proposes 21% VAT on Rentals

Vrbo Targets Accessible Travel, Belvilla Acquires MadeComfy, Spain Proposes 21% VAT on Rentals

Snigdha

Vrbo Adds New Accessibility Filters to Help Travelers With Disabilities With Rentable Snigdha’s Views Oyo-Owned Belvilla Acquires Australia’s MadeComfy to ...

Vrbo’s Rolls Out New Promotions Suite What Managers Should Know

Vrbo’s Rolls Out New Promotions Suite: What Managers Should Know

Uvika Wahi

On the surface, Vrbo’s recently launched Promotions Suite may look like a simple toolkit for driving bookings. But zoom out, ...

Vrbo Q1 2025 Grew Modestly, But Felt the U.S. Slowdown More Than Airbnb or Booking.com

Vrbo Q1 2025: Grew Modestly, But Felt the U.S. Slowdown More Than Airbnb or Booking.com

Uvika Wahi

If you listened to Expedia Group’s earnings call for Q1 2025, hoping for updates about Vrbo, you probably came away ...

Vrbo's One Key Devaluation Same Property, Different Rewards Depending on the Platform

Airbnb vs. Vrbo Ads: Nick Saban Spot Benched After Complaint, Billboard Stays

Uvika Wahi

Vrbo’s “host-free” campaign — from Nick Saban commercials to high-profile billboards — made waves for its cheeky positioning against Airbnb. ...

Vrbo's One Key Devaluation Same Property, Different Rewards Depending on the Platform (1)

Vrbo’s One Key Devaluation: Same Property,  Different Rewards Depending on the Platform

Snigdha

Starting May 22, 2025, Vrbo will make a notable change to how travelers earn One Key rewards: Blue-tier members will ...

Airbnb Launches Co-Host Marketplace in Japan, Vrbo to Delist Poor Listings, Booking.com Bets Big on India and AI

Airbnb Launches Co-Host Marketplace in Japan, Vrbo to Delist Poor Listings, Booking.com Bets Big on India and AI

Snigdha

Airbnb Debuts its Co-Host Marketplace in Japan, Eyeing Supply Across Asia Snigdha’s Views: Vrbo to Delist Low-Quality Listings, Roll Out ...

Montreal Limits Rentals to 3 Months, Landfolk Expands in France, Vrbo’s Top Vacation Rentals of 2025.

Montreal Limits Rentals to 3 Months, Landfolk Expands in France, Vrbo’s Top Vacation Rentals of 2025

Snigdha

Montreal Introduces Rental Caps — Airbnb Warns of Major Economic Fallout Snigdha’s Views Landfolk Eyes French Countryside for Growth, Rolls ...

Vrbo’s Latest Billboard Trolls Airbnb (Again)—But Is It Good Advertising

Vrbo’s Latest Billboard Trolls Airbnb (Again)—But Is It Good Advertising?

Uvika Wahi

Vrbo’s latest billboard campaign has turned heads, not just for its bold placement in cities like New York and San ...

Airbnb vs. Vrbo What Their Spring 2025 Travel Trends Reveal About Demand

Airbnb vs. Vrbo: What Their Spring 2025 Travel Trends Reveal About Demand

Uvika Wahi

Two platforms, two radically different approaches to spring travel. Airbnb is chasing urban event-goers, Vrbo is pulling in families and ...

Vrbo Rate Automation

Vrbo Soft-Launches “Rate Automation,” Its Built-In Dynamic Pricing Tool

Uvika Wahi

Vrbo has been quietly testing Rate Automation, its own built-in dynamic pricing tool, giving some property managers automated pricing capabilities ...