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French side hotels worry about Airbnb
#138633
08/23/2017 08:18 PM
08/23/2017 08:18 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,887 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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Daily Herald story Anyone here stayed at an airbnb in St. Martin? I'm thinking it's mostly French nationals who use it on St. Martin?
Carol Hill
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Re: French side hotels worry about Airbnb
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#138636
08/23/2017 08:44 PM
08/23/2017 08:44 PM
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 39 Boston and St. Maarten
ravi
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Posts: 39
Boston and St. Maarten
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Not sure if this answers your question, but we own a condo in Porto Cupecoy (Dutch side), and when we're not on island, we rent it out for short-term vacation rentals on VRBO. Most of the guests have been from the USA, but we've had some from Canada and France (and other places).
My wife and I live in St. Maarten during the winter and in the Boston area the rest of the year.
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Re: French side hotels worry about Airbnb
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#138643
08/24/2017 07:12 AM
08/24/2017 07:12 AM
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,088 Massachusetts
boucharda
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We have rented private homes and apartments in MANY countries and in the USA for years but only on Homeaway or VRBO (same company). I don't know why they are keying on AirBNB but maybe because it used to be a "rent a room in your house" kinda thing but has since evolved. I checked Homeaway and there are also many hundreds of private homes/apartments for rent in St. Martin
We MUCH prefer renting a home/apartment than a hotel room but that is our preference (we have never done this in SXM though)
When we rent in the USA we pay taxes on the rental (in most states...Florida 11%)...that is a given. We also pay a rental fee to the agency.
St. Martin should just get with the program and tax the rentals like a hotel does. It would make private rentals cost a bit more but then it would be up to the consumer to decide if they want to spend two weeks or more in a room or in a home or apartment.....
Even the playing field and let the market decide. IT's up to St. Martin not AirBNB/Homeaway
Full disclosure: In SXM I would much rather stay in a resort on the water than a home a bit away from it and a home ON the water might be a bit too pricey for me <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />
Last edited by boucharda; 08/24/2017 07:17 AM.
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Re: French side hotels worry about Airbnb
[Re: mprevo]
#138644
08/24/2017 07:58 AM
08/24/2017 07:58 AM
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Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 206 East Tennessee
taraavo
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We stayed at an AirBnB in Grand Case and loved it. We are planning on staying at the same place in April. It is incredibly common for owners to list their property on AirBnB, Homeaway, or any other site simultaneously so you can get a good sense of the sitaution by reading all of the reviews. Agreed that at this point "AirBnB" is kind of a misnomer as many of the listings are nothing like a B&B or even part of someone's home. Our spot in Grand Case is a 4plex of sorts where the owners rent out all 4 apartments, all of the time. They have one employee who lives in the penthouse apartment and is a caretaker of sorts for the rentals below.
ETA* - said rental in Grand Case is right on the water and more affordable to us / allowing us to stay longer than the Grand Case Hotels, which are beyond lovely but a also beyond our budget. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" />
Last edited by taraavo; 08/24/2017 08:07 AM.
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Re: French side hotels worry about Airbnb
[Re: mprevo]
#138645
08/24/2017 08:17 AM
08/24/2017 08:17 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,887 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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I think you have got the answer. I know a lot of owners have howled about the new fees at VBRO.
Carol Hill
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Re: French side hotels worry about Airbnb
[Re: boucharda]
#138647
08/24/2017 09:29 AM
08/24/2017 09:29 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,887 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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Not that it's your concern, but I wonder if you rent directly from the owner, whether any taxes get paid on that rental? I think that's at least part of the concern regarding these rentals..
Carol Hill
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