Frequently Asked Questions

We're a Poconos-only site built by local hosts. Guests find your home and contact you directly, so you build your own relationships and repeat guests instead of renting through a big platform's rules. You pay one yearly plan price. There are no commissions, no booking fees and no service fees, ever.

A full listing page with photos, description, amenities, rates and house rules; a calendar that syncs with Airbnb, Vrbo, your property management software or any iCal calendar; an email for every booking request; last-minute deals to fill open nights; deposit, community fee, lodging tax and add-on settings; a Book Direct badge and QR code for past guests; and an owner dashboard showing how many people view your home and where they come from.

Plans are Essential ($349/year), Plus ($499/year), Premier ($649/year), Spotlight ($999/year). Your plan decides where your home appears in our search results: higher plans show first. If there are many homes in your area or you want to rent many weeks a year, pick a higher plan. If you rent only a few weeks, Essential may be all you need.

Yes. During our launch, founding hosts get $100 off their first year, applied automatically at checkout. Join through a current member's referral link and you get another $50 off. And once you're a member, you get your own referral link: for every new host who joins with it and is verified, you earn a $50 credit toward your next annual renewal. There's no limit, so refer enough hosts and your next year is free. See Refer & Earn for details.

Yes. At checkout, choose "Pay over time with Klarna" to split your plan into smaller payments. That option covers one year and doesn't renew automatically; we'll remind you before it ends. Or pay yearly by card (or Klarna) with automatic renewal.

No. All booking requests go straight to you, and we never charge you or your guests a commission, booking fee or service fee. You can keep your rates competitive and keep more of what you earn.

Yes. Guests send a free booking request with their dates, group size and a message. You review it and choose Accept or Decline. Nothing is booked until you say yes, and you can ask guests any questions first. We never penalize you for declining a request; sometimes a group just isn't the right fit for your home.

Entire vacation homes in the Pocono Mountains: houses, cabins, chalets, cottages, townhouses, condos and lake or ski homes. Guests rent the whole place. We don't list single rooms, shared spaces or bed & breakfasts.

As many as you like. There's no photo limit on any plan. Upload them straight from your computer or phone (you'll see a progress bar), or import them from your Airbnb listing in one click.

You do. You set your own rates, minimum stay, house rules, rental agreement, cancellation policy and security deposit. One size does not fit all, and we don't impose our policies on your rental.

Guests pay you directly, using whatever method you choose. We never collect rent, deposits or fees from guests, and we're not a party to your rental.

Pennsylvania charges a 6% state hotel occupancy tax, and Monroe and Carbon Counties add 3%, on stays shorter than 30 nights. This applies however the home is booked, including direct bookings. Our price estimates show the tax to guests so there are no surprises. Because guests pay you directly, we don't collect the tax; as the host, you collect it and pay it to the state and county. Check with your accountant about what applies to you.

Yes. Paste the calendar (iCal) link from Airbnb, Vrbo, your property management software (Guesty, Hostaway, OwnerRez, Lodgify and others) or your own Google or Outlook calendar. Booked nights are blocked on our site automatically, updated every 15 minutes.

You get an email for every booking request with the guest's dates, group size and message, plus a link to accept or decline. Text message alerts are coming soon for hosts who opt in.

Verification keeps scammers off the site and gives guests confidence to book with you. Before a listing goes live, we review your government photo ID and proof of property ownership (such as the deed or a tax record), plus papers showing you control the LLC, corporation or trust that owns the home, or the owner's authorization if you manage it for them. Your documents are stored privately and never shown on your listing. Add your township short-term rental permit to earn the Verified Host badge.

Not yet. Rental damage protection is coming soon. For now, you can require a security deposit and set its amount on your dashboard.

Yes, anytime, from Billing & plan on your owner dashboard. Plans renew automatically each year until you cancel. Canceling stops the next renewal, and your listing stays up until the end of the year you've paid for.

Yes. Add as many homes as you like from your dashboard. Property managers and owners with 5 or more homes can email us at hello@vacationrentalspoconos.com about multi-property pricing.

Pick your dates and send the host a free booking request. The host accepts or declines, usually quickly. Once they accept, you get their contact details and arrange the rental agreement and payment directly with them.

No. Poconos Vacation Rentals never charges guests a booking or service fee. You pay the host's rate, cleaning fee, any add-ons you choose and the lodging tax, all shown in your estimate before you request.

You pay the host directly, using the method they offer. Get a written rental agreement before paying, and pay by a traceable method such as a credit card or the host's business payment link. Never pay by wire transfer or gift card.

Every host is verified before their listing goes live: we review their photo ID and proof that they own or are authorized to rent the home. Hosts with the Verified Host badge have also shown us their township rental permit. If anything seems off, email us before you pay.

Each host sets their own cancellation policy and security deposit. You'll see the deposit on the home's page, and the host's rental agreement spells out the details. Ask the host any questions before you book.

Yes. Add your questions to your booking request, and the host can reply before accepting. Connecting directly with the people who know the home best is the whole point.