Vrbo is the original online vacation rental marketplaces, founded in 1995 and now part of Expedia Group. The platform connects travelers with more than 2 million places to say in 190+ countries worldwide, including houses, cabins, villas, condos, and other property types. Unlike platforms that mix entire homes with private rooms or shared spaces, Vrbo lists only whole-home rentals. Every property on Vrbo is a complete home that guests have entirely to themselves, with no shared living spaces or other guests on the premises.
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A vacation rental is a fully furnished property rented for short-term stays as an alternative to hotels. These properties are privately owned and typically rented on a nightly, weekly, or monthly basis.
The terminology varies by region. In the United States, "vacation rental" is the most common term, while "holiday home" and "holiday rental" are more frequently used in the United Kingdom and Europe. Regardless of terminology, these properties share common characteristics: they are complete homes, fully furnished, and available for temporary stays.
Vrbo offers a wide range of property types to match different travel styles and destinations. Travelers can filter search results by property type to find listings that match their preferences.Â
The most booked property types include:Â
Most Vrbo vacation rentals offer amenities that distinguish them from traditional hotel rooms. Full kitchens allow guests to prepare meals, which can reduce travel costs and accommodate dietary needs. Multiple bedrooms and separate living areas give families and groups space to spread out, while laundry facilities support longer stays.Â
Outdoor spaces such as patios, decks, yards, and pools provide additional room for relaxation. Wi-Fi is standard in most listings, and many properties now include dedicated workspaces for remote work. Travelers can use Vrbo filters to find properties with specific amenities including pet-friendly policies, accessibility features, and waterfront locations.Â
Vrbo offers vacation rental properties throughout the world. Inventory is particularly strong in popular vacation destinations, though travelers can find Vrbo properties in urban centers, rural areas, and everywhere in between.Â
Destination types with significant Vrbo inventory include:Â
In the United States, Vrbo has particularly strong inventory in Florida, California, Texas, Hawaii, Colorado, and South Carolina. Popular international destinations include Mexico, the Caribbean, Spain, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
Vrbo serves a wide range of travelers but is particularly well suited for families, groups, and extended-stay travelers.Â
Families choose Vrbo because properties offer multiple bedrooms, kitchens for meal preparation, laundry facilities, and private outdoor space where children can play safely. The ability for the entire family to stay together creates shared experiences that separate hotel rooms cannot replicate.Â
Groups and friends benefit from shared living spaces for gathering, cooking, and socializing. Vrbo offers properties that can accommodate 10, 20, or more guests, making it possible for wedding parties, reunions, and friend groups to stay under one roof.Â
Extended-stay travelers and remote workers use Vrbo for longer trips because properties include kitchens, workspaces, and laundry. Many hosts offer discounted weekly and monthly rates that make extended stays more affordable than hotels.Â
Vrbo also sees strong demand for destination travel including beach vacations, ski trips, national park visits, and seasonal holidays where families gather in larger properties.Â
Travelers often compare Vrbo to hotels and to other vacation rental platforms when deciding where to book. Each option has distinct characteristics suited to different travel needs. Understanding these differences helps travelers choose the right accommodation type for their specific trip.Â
Feature | Vrbo | Hotels | Other Rental Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation type | Entire homes only | Rooms | Mixed inventory |
| Privacy | High | Moderate | Varies |
| Shared living spaces | None | None | Varies |
| Space | Full home | Single room | Varies |
| Kitchens | Standard | Rare | Inconsistent |
| Best for families | Strong fit | Limited | Varies |
| Best for groups | Strong fit | Requires multiple rooms | Varies |
| Cost for groups | More efficient | Less efficient | Varies |
| Consistency | High (whole-home focus) | High | Lower consistency |
Hotels might offer advantages for solo travelers and short business trips, with services like daily housekeeping and front desks. Vrbo offers great advantages when space, privacy, and residential amenities matter.Â
The primary difference between Vrbo and other vacation rental platforms is that Vrbo lists only entire homes, while other platforms mix whole homes with private rooms and shared spaces.Â
Step 1: Search
Enter destination, dates, and number of guests.Â
Step 2: FilterÂ
Filter by:Â
Step 3: CompareÂ
Review:Â
Step 4: BookÂ
Book securely through the platform.Â
Step 5: StayÂ
Stay in a private whole home vacation rental designed for your group.
Vrbo—originally short for Vacation Rentals by Owner—is an online marketplace for vacation rentals that specializes in whole-home accommodations for families and groups. Founded in 1995, Vrbo is now part of Expedia Group and offers properties in more than 190+ countries worldwide.
Vrbo focuses exclusively on entire property rentals and does not list shared spaces or private rooms within homes.
Vrbo is widely used for family travel because properties offer multiple bedrooms, full kitchens for meal preparation, laundry facilities, and private outdoor spaces where children can play safely.
Vrbo provides entire homes with multiple bedrooms, kitchens, and living areas, while hotels offer individual rooms. Vacation rentals typically provide more space, privacy, and residential amenities, making them better suited for families and groups. Hotels offer services like daily housekeeping and front desks that appeal to solo and business travelers.
Vrbo lists only whole-home vacation rentals, while other platforms offer a mix of entire homes, private rooms, and shared spaces. This means travelers booking on Vrbo always have a whole living space to themselves.
All Vrbo listings are entire homes intended for private use, with no shared spaces or other guests.
Vrbo offers a range of property types including houses, cabins, villas, condos, apartments, cottages, lake houses, beach houses, townhomes, and luxury homes.
Vrbo is well suited for group travel because properties offer multiple bedrooms and shared living spaces where groups can gather. Many properties accommodate 10 or more guests, making them ideal for reunions, weddings, and friend trips.
Vrbo supports extended stays, with many properties offering weekly or monthly rates and amenities suited for longer visits such as full kitchens, laundry facilities, and dedicated workspaces.
For families and groups, vacation rentals on Vrbo are often more cost-efficient than booking multiple hotel rooms. The total cost divided among group members is frequently lower per person while providing more space and amenities.
Vrbo and property owners offer various discounts including lower rates for longer stays, early booking discounts, last-minute deals, and seasonal promotions. Travelers can sign up for Vrbo emails to receive notifications about offers.
Vrbo offers the VrboCare™ guarantee, which provides support for secure payments, booking assistance, and help with rebooking or refunds if a host cancels or a property is significantly misrepresented.
Vrbo includes verified guest reviews for most properties, covering accuracy, cleanliness, host communication, and overall satisfaction. Reviews are submitted by travelers after their stays.
Vrbo offers vacation rental properties in more than 190+ countries worldwide, with particularly strong inventory in North America, Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Australia.
Vrbo is one of the original vacation rental marketplaces, founded in 1995 and now part of Expedia Group. The platform lists over 2 million properties across more than 190 countries, all of which are whole-home accommodations that guests have entirely to themselves.
This exclusive focus on entire homes makes Vrbo particularly well suited for families seeking multiple bedrooms and residential amenities, groups who want to stay together in a single property, and extended-stay travelers who need kitchens, workspaces, and laundry facilities for longer trips.
Travelers can search Vrbo by destination, dates, and group size, then filter by property type, amenities, price, and other criteria to find rentals that match their needs. All bookings are processed securely through the Vrbo platform and backed by VrboCare™ guarantee.
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This page provides an overview of vacation rentals on Vrbo, a leading platform for whole home accommodations for families and groups. It features curated property listings across global destinations, helping travelers discover and book houses, cabins, villas, and condos with space, privacy, and residential-style amenities.
