Luxury villa owner Thibault Masson shares 7 real-life tips on how to negotiate, without looking rude, a nice discount on holiday home rentals in Bali for this Summer



Bali, 24 Juni 2014 (ANTARA) -- For a family or for a group of friends, staying in a spacious holiday rental has always been a cheaper and more comfortable option than paying for 2 or 3 tiny hotel rooms. Now, luxury villas in glamorous locations in Bali can also be within your reach.

Thibault Masson, owner of 2 luxury villas in Bali, shares these 7 different ways to get a sweet discount :

1. Target new luxury listings on AirBnB
On AirBnB, getting reviews fast is key when listing a new property. Reviews attract bookings. Luxury villas that have just been listed are eager to be reviewed. Be that guest that is willing to give that key first review, against a discount. Just be ethical and later review the villa fairly.

2. Can you barter something with the villa owner?
Mr. Masson reveals that he “was approached by creative guests who bartered a sizable discount against the translation into Indonesian of the website of my Bali beach retreat (http://www.realbali.com/bulungdaya/ ).”

3. Get steeper discounts directly from the owner:
It pays to negotiate directly with the owner. However, even on holiday rentals by owner sites like VRBO and Homeaway, you may be talking with a middleman. On Homeaway, select villas whose listings display “Email Owner” rather than “Email Manager”.

4. More value for you for the same price:
Put yourself into the villa owners’ penny loafers. They’d rather give away free perks like car rentals, massages at spas, and dinners in nearby restaurants, than lower their rental price. Ask for something that is not expensive to the owner, but which will improve your experience.

5. Call the main agencies to know about their current deals:
Villa rental agencies may be hit with last-minute cancellations. Good for you, be their saver! For Bali villas, call agents like Elite Haven, Bali Premium and Villa-Bali.com. Check their websites, some list amazing last-minute deals.

6. Larger villas can be cheaper than smaller ones, if you ask nicely
Some large luxury villas may have trouble filling in and may give you a last-minute deal if you occupy just 1 or 2 bedrooms, instead of the full house. If you notice an empty such booking calendar, send a quick email to propose a deal.

7. Solo-traveler : Share a luxury villa with the owner
Again, AirBnb is your friend here. Villa owner Thibault Masson says: “Whenever I am alone in my 3-bedroom villa near Seminyak, I list 1 bedroom on AirBnB. I share all the amenities with my guests (pool, kitchen, etc.). Young couples are very happy to stay in a villa that they would otherwise never be able to afford.”

Booking a luxury holiday rental for less is possible, event at the last minute. Ask for a deal, but always be extremely polite. You want the owner to feel happy about giving you a good deal.

-- Ends -

Contact Details
Contact Thibault Masson :

E-mail: thibault@fashion-fox.com

Website: www.thibaultmasson.com

Twitter: @tibostbartsbali

Phone: +33 676 245 392


About Thibault Masson :

Mr. Masson is luxury holiday rentals owner with properties in St. Barths (Caribbean) and Bali (Indonesia). He recently launched Bulung Daya ( www.realbali.com/bulungdaya ), a luxury beach retreat for rent in the pristine Balinese countryside. He runs 2 online travel guides: SaintBarth.com (http://www.saintbarth.com) and RealBali.com (http://www.realbali.com). He has been listed several times as an international holiday rental expert to follow.

Editor: PR Wire
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