Booking a vacation rental – TAAP Academy

Localized closed captions (CC) are available for this video; click the gear icon to view them.

You can access hundreds of thousands of vacation rentals via Expedia TAAP. A vacation rental can be a fantastic option for travelers - as you know, they're typically larger, have superior amenities, and differ from the traditional hotel experience. This article calls out the key details and differences you should look for when booking a vacation rental.

Before we dive in, it's important to note that vacation rental properties on Expedia TAAP come from two sources: Expedia and Vrbo/HomeAway.

Expedia: This is also where traditional accommodations (such as hotels) are sourced from Expedia TAAP. The support model remains the same, and these vacation rental bookings can be managed directly with Expedia TAAP.
Vrbo: This is another Expedia Group brand that offers over 2 million vacation rental properties. Some of these Vrbo properties are made available via Expedia TAAP, but due to technical limitations, these bookings need to be managed directly with Vrbo. Step 7 of this article shows you how to spot a vacation rental property sourced from Vrbo.

Enter the search parameters
Select "Properties" and enter your search details. Then click "Search"
Navigate to the 'Property Type' filter
From the list of property types offered, select those most commonly associated with vacation rentals. Some of the most commonly used property types are:
- - Apartment
  - Aparthotel
  - Chalet
  - Condo
  - Cottage
  - Private vacation home
  - House
  - Villa
Apply additional filters
You can further refine your search by selecting additional filters. The most common filters agents use for vacation rentals include:
- - Free cancellation
  - Number of vacation rental bedrooms
  - Breakfast included
  - Amenities (such as a hot tub, kitchen, free WiFi)
Select the vacation rental
Once your search results refresh, select the desired property. If the property is sourced from Vrbo, it will display "by Vrbo". Remember Vrbo properties need to be managed from the Vrbo site if you need to make future changes or cancel the reservation.
Review property details
Since vacation rentals differ from a traditional hotel, it's really important to review all the property details to correctly inform the traveler. Information that agents find most useful includes:
- - - - Guest reviews
      - Popular amenities
      - Space details for the bedrooms and bathrooms
      - Special check-in instructions
      - Cleaning and safety practices
      - Where the vacation rental is located via 'View in a map'
      - In particular, if the property does not have a 24-hour front desk (which is more common with vacation rentals), please carefully review the special check-in instructions and ensure the traveler is fully aware of these and able to comply with them.
Choose the preferred vacation rental
Before choosing the preferred vacation rental, you can review the cancellation policy and Expedia TAAP specific information such as the commission level by clicking on them. You can also get a more detailed price as you may know with vacation rentals, it's more common that a service fee, cleaning fee, and or a damage deposit may apply.
Do a final review of the details and then 'Complete booking'
You’re at the last step! Make sure you're still logged in so that the booking is tracked (you should be signed in with your Expedia TAAP email address and see the black Expedia TAAP banner at the top).
Then enter your traveler’s contact information and the credit card details for payment.

Before completing the booking, carefully read the "Important information about your booking" to ensure you know the answers to:
- What's the refund policy?
- What are the terms & conditions, and rules & restrictions?
- Is the vacation rental sourced from Vrbo/HomeAway? If the vacation rental is sourced from Vrbo/HomeAway, then the booking will need to be managed directly with Vrbo and it's more likely that changes/amendments will be difficult to make or not allowed. You can read how to manage Vrbo bookings here.

When you complete the booking you’ll receive an instant booking confirmation to your Expedia TAAP email address. There is no need to reconfirm with the property or with Agent Support.

If the property is being sourced from our Vrbo/HomeAway supply, then the "Reservation ID" will be your Vrbo booking number. Learn how to manage Vrbo bookings here.

Related articles