Vacation rentals, owner to guest
Book the stay direct.
Licensed vacation rentals where you deal with the owner, not a platform taking a cut of every night. Real homes, real license numbers, region by region.
- Licensed rentals listed
- 266
- Platform fee you avoid
- ~15.5%
- Booking fees we charge you
- $0
Now open · Florida
Ocala & Marion County
Horse country, spring-fed rivers and the Ocala National Forest. Pick the part of the county that fits the trip.
74 licensed rentals Rainbow River & Dunnellon Vacation rentals in Dunnellon 
38 licensed rentals World Equestrian Center & Northwest Ocala Vacation rentals in northwest Ocala 
31 licensed rentals Downtown & Central Ocala Vacation rentals in downtown Ocala 
16 licensed rentals Silver Springs & Silver Springs Shores Vacation rentals in Silver Springs 
20 licensed rentals Ocala National Forest, Salt Springs & Fort McCoy Vacation rentals in the Ocala National Forest 
25 licensed rentals Lake Weir, Summerfield & Belleview Vacation rentals in Lake Weir Where your money goes
Same house. Same dates. One less hand in the middle.
Since September 15, 2026, Airbnb charges most hosts about 15.5% of every booking. You do not see it as a line item, it is baked into the nightly rate. Book with the owner and that slice is back on the table.
How booking direct worksBooked on Airbnb
Booked direct
Airbnb's host-only service fee, about 15.5% of the nightly rate plus cleaning and other fees, standard for hosts since September 15, 2026. Taxes excluded.
How it works
Three steps, and the owner does the rest.
- 1
Pick a region
Every rental sits in a state, a region and a neighborhood, so you can compare the river side of town with the horse side before you look at houses.
- 2
Check the license
Each listing starts from the state's vacation rental license record. The number is on the page so you can look it up yourself.
- 3
Book with the owner
Use the owner's own booking page when they have one, or send an availability request and they answer you directly.
In Ocala
A few of the places on the map
For owners
Your rental is probably already here.
We build every region from the state license list, so if you hold a license, there is a page for your property. Claim it free, add your photos and point the "Book direct" button at your own booking page.
- Free to claim. Your photos, your description, your link.
- Your booking engine. We send guests to OwnerRez, Lodgify, Hospitable or Hostaway. We never touch the payment.
- Inquiries counted. See exactly how many guests asked about your place.
Destinations
Region by region
Next regions
We open a region once its license data is loaded and every area page is written by hand. More Florida regions are next.
Own a rental somewhere else? Tell us.Questions
Booking direct, answered
What is Book The Stay Direct?
A directory of licensed vacation rentals, organized by state and region, where every booking happens directly between you and the owner. We do not take payments or hold reservations, so there is no platform fee added to your stay.
Is it cheaper to book a vacation rental direct?
Often, yes. Airbnb charges most hosts a service fee of about 15.5% of every booking, built into the price. When you book with the owner directly, that fee is not part of the transaction, and many owners pass some of it back to you as a lower rate.
How do I know a listing is real?
Every listing starts from an active state vacation rental license, and the license number is on the page. Owners who claim a listing verify they hold that license before they can add photos, rates or a booking link.
Is it safe to pay an owner directly?
Pay through a real booking system, not a wire or gift card. Owners with a "Book direct" button use established vacation rental software such as OwnerRez, Lodgify, Hospitable or Hostaway, which take cards and send a written rental agreement. Never wire money to someone you have only emailed.