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How You Can Save Money When Booking Jamaican Villa

Dreaming of a peaceful Jamaica vacation while saving a buck or two? We bet you didn’t know that booking directly with a Jamaican Villa will almost always save you money and offer more perks.

While third-party sites are an excellent tool for comparing villa rental options in Jamaica, booking directly with the owner is often best.

Third-party booking sites will usually take a 20-30% cut of the price, which often means prices are higher on these sites so that owners can still make a profit.

Although many third-party sites and online travel agencies seem to have good deals, most villas in Jamaica will price match AND offer extra discounts, secret incentives, and personal customer service to those who book directly with them.

Better Rates

Online travel agencies (OTA) like Airbnb, VRBO, TripAdvisor, etc., occasionally offer what looks like a really good deal. Sometimes listing prices are lower on OTAs websites, however, they are showing you an average price, not the actual price.

What many people don’t know is that the vacation rental owner’s website will offer discounts just for booking directly on their websites. And oftentimes the price is lower than the prices of OTAs.

OTAs often don’t list additional fees, surcharges, and taxes. They also charge extra for any sort of upgrade. 

Another issue is that vacation rental owners often have their own set of discounts that make them the more affordable option when it’s all said and done. 

For example, here at Villa Serenity, we have promotions all the time. Currently, we have a $99 Instant booking credit, book direct and save up to an additional 10%, free nights, and other deals to make your stay even more affordable than what OTAs have to offer.

As if that wasn’t enough, Villa Serenity in Ocho Rios Jamaica has the best price guarantee, so you can be sure you’re getting the cheapest rate available when you book directly with us.

Personalized Customer Service

Booking directly through an owner’s website also means you’ll have priority customer service. Many accommodations prioritize bookings booked directly with them when an issue arises. 

You will have personal care from professional staff. They can see on your booking whether you used an OTA or not. And although they might not admit it, they often provide better service to those who book directly.

You might even be able to talk to the vacation rental owner.

At Villa Serenity, we’ll be there to answer your specific questions about booking, flights, Jamaica, and Ocho Rios. If you have certain specifications, you can let us know before you arrive when you book directly with us. 

Don’t believe us? You can call Cavel, the owner, directly if you have any concerns or questions.

That level of personalization is unheard of when you book through a big online travel agency. In fact, it’s nonexistent. Many OTAs have barely any customer service. Everything is through a robot. Only in serious situations will you be able to talk to a human being, and that can take hours of wait time on the phone or weeks later reply to an email.

Flexible Booking

We know that plans change, and emergencies happen. While we do have a booking policy at Villa Serenity in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, it is a lot more generous than what many OTAs offer.

If something serious does arise, you’ll be able to talk to someone who cares.

Think about serious weather problems when traveling. A global OTA isn’t going to care if a huge storm hits. But a small business owner will. And will probably work with you to reschedule your rental accommodation, depending on how serious it is.

No Middleman

Have you ever been in a situation where neither the hotel nor the travel agency takes the blame? For example, let’s say your reservation wasn’t processed. It’s easy for a hotel and travel agency to blame each other for the mistake. Meanwhile, no one is taking responsibility, and you’re stuck. 

Booking directly through a website means there are only two parties in this transaction. If a mistake is made, there are no other people to talk to.

Generally, your issue is resolved faster, and you are given more options when booking directly with the accommodation. 

More Choices

Along with flexibility and excellent customer service, you’re more likely to have more choices when you’re booking directly through a vacation rental owner.

This could be free upgrades to nicer rooms, additional services like top-shelf alcohol packages, or other options. Most villa rentals in Jamaica save these perks for people who book directly with them.

Money Stays Local

You’re probably already convinced that ordering from the owner’s website is the best choice for value and customer service. But there is a reason for this. By purchasing directly through the owner’s website, your money stays local.

The owner of the property earns more money and can afford the special perks you enjoy. 

Your money won’t be going through a middleman either. Or through a large corporation.

When Should You Use an OTA?

Of course, there are times when using an OTA might make sense. 

We use OTAs to find a place to stay and get a basic idea of pricing. They’re an excellent tool to get a feel for the accommodation market for your vacation rental.

We also check the additional fees that OTAs charge for basic services. Many OTAs charge extra to cancel a booking, have a cleaning fee or have taxes and surcharges that do not come up when you look the price up casually. 

There have been times when the price is almost twice as much as the listing price when it comes time to check out. That’s no longer a good deal.

If we do find a price that seems too hard to pass up, we will then go directly to the vacation rental owners website’  and ask them to price match.

Your best bet for the best deal with the most perks is to talk to the property owner directly to compare and match costs and discuss package options. You will also be supporting smaller businesses while you’re at it. It’s a win-win for you and the small business owner.

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