Maui is full of adventures you’ll cherish for a lifetime. Adding to your adventures, are luxurious Maui vacation rentals spread all across this stunning Hawaiian island.

With the explosion of sites like Airbnb, VRBO, and TripAdvisor, it’s now easier than ever to find accommodations from homeowners in Maui, compare the prices of rentals, and get an inside look at their services.

Now this competition generates a plethora of choices for you to find Maui vacation rentals under budget. So good, isn’t it? More choices, lower prices? Well, there’s a catch…

While this competition seems to benefit you, if you look at the larger picture, it’s slowly  pushing your entire trip over budget. This happens because sites like Airbnb, VRBO, and TripAdvisor have something called “Hidden Fees.”

What are Hidden Fees?

Fees that are not displayed in the total cost when you view a listing are called a Hidden Fees. They are mastered and carefully put out of your view, so you don’t realize you are paying more than you should.

What constitutes a Hidden Fee?

An exceptionally high service fee, platform commission fee, straight up listing fee, cleaning fee, extra guest fee, occupancy fee, and more make up a Hidden Fee. While they look small in comparison, they quickly add up to hurt your vacation budget. Who wants that anyway?

In this article, we look at some of the leading platforms and how they make use of Hidden fees to make you pay more.

Hidden Fees on Airbnb

Airbnb is a global phenomenon. With a large listing base and a user-friendly platform, they make searching and booking an accommodation a cake walk. But behind those gleaming promises of best homestays lies a big cost that can take a toll on your hard-earned money.

“For a long stay Airbnb commission becomes a bit too much and, in general, I find pricing a little deceiving and complicated. There isn’t much room for negotiation with the host.” – Josefina Matamala on Quora

Firstly, there’s a hefty service fee. Airbnb states that with a service it “covers up services like offering 24/7 support on your trip.” Well, that’s a lot to pay for on-going support from a platform.

While Airbnb gives you some excellent stay options, there’s a huge cost behind every listing that’s hidden from you.

Hidden Fees on Trip Advisor

The Hidden Fees have found a home in TripAdvisor’s total as well. Similar to Airbnb, hosts can mandate a minimum stay – keeping you out of options if you are planning a short trip.

In addition to this, some hotels are preferred (increased visibility, access to traffic) if they pay extra up for TripAdvisor’s hefty “Business Listing” package. It doesn’t take into consideration their rankings or ratings by guests.

When it comes to booking your vacation rental in Maui, you’ll save more if you book directly with the property instead of processing it through a third party site.

Hidden Fees for VRBO

Just like Airbnb and TripAdvisor, VRBO is big with more than a million active listings focusing on entire homes and apartments.

In VRBO, owners can assign any fees they like to their property. This excludes the service fee which is between 4% – 9% of your booking amount.

These fees vary greatly, and not every property lists extra fees. All of these fees can add up, especially because they don’t reflect in the property listing prices.

Hidden Fees of Ali’i Resorts

At Ali’i Resorts, we bring you a completely transparent, hassle-free booking experience. You pay what you see – no Hidden Fees ever.

Booking on our site is simple, fast, and easy. Pick your check-in and check-out date, your choice of luxury Ali’i Resorts, and confirm your booking. That’s it! No scary Hidden Fees and no third-party sites burning a hole in your pocket.

Maui is a paradise, and you should make the most of it. For everything else, you can trust the friendly team at Ali’i Resorts.

Say Aloha to Ali’i Resorts today!

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