Just a word from the real customer, aka the potential renter, about both koala and VC. I tried searching on both multiple times over the last week. In addition to extremely limited inventory (needle in haystack for time spent) their "search" functions are awful. I enter IN-OUT dates and area. They come back with a bunch of stuff that doesn't match my dates. I think koala even says "Hey, sift through this stuff that is kinda close but doesn't match your dates". VC also. Guess what, an IN date that is 3 days removed from my date isn't "close".
Also, on koala, the ability to sort is lousy and if you cannot filter search on a specific building or resort (which you should be able to do) the sort should be much better.
On VC, they show you specific buildings after resorts after you enter dates, but then when I click on it, IT HAS NO INVENTORY. They already have my dates. Why show me a place that has no inventory?
Add in, no ability to know in advance what room I will rent? I would have rented a studio in Lagoon Tower but I have heard there is a wide range of quality for those. Quality of room isn't my #1 priority on a trip, but do I want to roll the dice on getting the worst version in the building of the room si
Add in, it isn't clear to me, on koala anyway, whether resort fees are included, hidden, N/A or what. That has to be stated VERY CLEARLY right up front. Not.
Both need an ability to contact the owner and get that stuff straightened out.
I'm sure for the generic Fri to Fri renter these sites are useful to most people here, but fromthe other side of the screen they waste my time. The 70% savings are funny and the poor searching and existence of unknowns are deal-killers. I wish everyone luck with them. Guess they work for generic Fri-Fri stuff given how many people in the world have web access. Someone eventually makes a match.
When the person who owns the listing enters the information, resort fees are supposed to be disclosed, if there are any. I disclose fees for TAT and GET for my Maui weeks. There are always fees in Hawaii for TAT and should always be disclosed, as closely as possible to the correct amount or an over-estimate of fees, if you don't know.
I would send an email to Koala to let them know your frustration with searching on the site. I did that I did get a response back and a "fix."
My complaint was that when I did a search on Brand> Westin, the Maui resorts were not listed. I told Koala that specific issue, and it was fixed within a few hours.
Functionality is so important with a website. Redweek is perfect, absolutely the easiest site to list.
I didn't rent my Maui weeks on Koala, but I think they would have rented, had I only listed with them. I chose to list with Redweek with verified/ protected, and I did add in the $100 "after it rents" fee they charge, which I would have paid $100 to take a credit card with Paypal, had I rented myself. All three Maui oceanfront weeks rented on RW. I am thrilled, but I wish Koala would have come through. I really want Koala to be my go-to for the ease and convenience of listing.
I did rent a Dolphin's Cove for next year, 3 bedroom, and I rented a DVC reservation through Koala.
I am still trying to figure out what is going on in that lady's head. She inquired on RW, I sent a contract, she asked for the reservation, sent it to her to prove I had a reservation. Then she stopped communicating.
I asked her after four days if she had questions on the contract. She answered that she was waiting for me to put her name on the confirmation. I am not going to put her name on a confirmation without payment of any kind and without a contract. I told her to pay the 50% down, and I will add her name. I gave her another option for booking, "Or you can always rent on go-koala.com." She booked on Koala within minutes, my reservation, and she sent me an email that said she would no longer work with me and rented the same dates on Koala. It's still me, lady. I didn't say that to her, but I did laugh about it with Rick.