How Travelers Can Design Escapes With Hotel-Quality Consistency and Personal Touches
If you’ve ever found the perfect vacation rental… only to hit checkout and wonder how the total jumped by hundreds of dollars — this episode is for you! In this episode, Lisa sits down with hospitality expert Eric Goldreyer to talk all things savvy travel: how to avoid unnecessary fees, why booking direct is becoming the future of vacation rentals, and how travelers can stretch their travel budget without sacrificing experience.
The Real Problem with Vacation Rental Platforms
Vacation rental fees have gotten out of control. Over the last few years, travelers have seen:
Platform fees adding 15–20% to the total cost
$400–$700 disappearing before the trip even starts
No added benefit for that extra money
That’s money that could have gone toward:
A better location
An extra night
A private chef or special experience
Or an entire additional trip!
Why Hosts and Travelers Are Both Feeling the Pain
Travelers aren’t the only ones frustrated. Eric shared that both sides of the vacation rental world are struggling. Travelers worry about overpaying, whether the listing is legit, or who to contact if something goes wrong.
Hosts and property managers want a direct relationship with their guests, the ability to offer real hospitality, and to build their own brand, not someone else’s.
Here’s where Eric offers a great solution!
Introducing Savvy: A Smarter Way to Book Vacation Rentals
Savvy is a book-direct vacation rental marketplace designed to solve all of this. Savvy looks and feels like Airbnb, but without the massive platform fees! Explore Savvy at Savvy.com
With Savvy, you can:
Search vacation rentals in one place
See side-by-side price comparisons (Savvy vs Airbnb/Vrbo)
Book directly with the property manager
Save hundreds per stay
Savvy currently offers:
150,000+ listings
Nearly 3,000 professional property managers
Locations across North America (launching internationally soon!)
Why Booking Direct Is a Game Changer
Beyond the savings, booking direct comes with some underrated perks:
Better communication with the host
Local recommendations you can actually trust
Faster help if something goes wrong
Possible extras like early check-in or late checkout, welcome gifts, or help securing hard-to-get reservations
You get to feel real hospitality (the way travel used to feel)!
Tips for Booking Vacation Rentals Like a Pro
Eric shared a few practical tips every traveler should keep in mind:
Start your search on a book-direct marketplace like Savvy
Always compare prices before booking
Look closely at photos (they matter most!) and reviews (second most important)
When possible, book directly with professional hosts
If you love vacation rentals but hate unnecessary fees, Savvy is absolutely worth checking out.
Meet our guest, Eric!
Eric Goldreyer isn’t new to the travel world. In fact, he’s spent over 30 years building hospitality brands that help people connect, relax, and make memories.
Some highlights from his background:
Founder of BedandBreakfast.com
Co-founder of TurnKey Vacation Rentals
Owner of Sage Hill Inn & Spa outside Austin, Texas
Founder of FunAir