What Type of Vacation Rental works for you?
An Overview
So how exactly does one go about determining what type of vacation rental is just perfect? Well, the short answer is everyone is different and what works for someone else might not work for you. The long answer is that you need to consider a variety of factors and weigh them all when deciding if a certain vacation rental meets all of your criteria. Below we try to help break it all down for you. Hopefully, some of these questions will get your thinking about what you need to consider when choosing a vacation rental. It is not exhaustive by an means, but represents a great starting point.
You must decide which “type of place” will suit you best
Picking the type of vacation rental largely will be typed to the geographic location in which you are taking your vacation. So depending on where you are going, will help determine if you should pick a rental in the countryside, in the city or in a small town? Maybe an independent house or an apartment suits your needs best? An independent house for two people will be more expensive than an apartment for two on an estate, but the extra privacy may be worth it to you. So, first think about where you going and what sort of place will available in that locale.
Do you want peace and quiet?
If you are looking for a vacation rental in a city or village, you may want to look for a quiet location – after all, isn’t that the whole point. Streets can be very noisy. Some have motorcycles and cars on them day and night. Do not make the mistake and think that all places in the countryside are quiet. The vacation rental may be next to a busy road or in the middle of an agricultural area where the farmers start up their tractors early in the morning. Yes, a rooster in the morning is nice but not a freight train.
Is privacy important?
If so, pay careful attention to the sort of homes that are near yours and what sort of proximity they are to it. You may think you have the best rental selected in terms of privacy only to discover that there is a home butted right up against the property.
Local attractions
How close you like to be to local attractions should weight into your decision when picking a rental home. Ask yourself if you like to walk to a quaint, sidewalk cafe in the morning or you are okay with a McDonald’s around the corner?
Some vacation rentals are in or near villages where you can walk out to the local cafe or to the shops for your groceries. Others are miles from anything, remotely located in the country, and you will have to hop in the car to go anywhere to get what you need.
Some other factors to consider: ask yourself if you need a fireplace? Or heating for that matter? Pay attention to the local weather temperature charts for the area in which you plan to vacation. If you are going in the late fall, winter, or early spring, and plan to spend some evenings in your vacation rental, you may want a fireplace – and who doesn’t want a fireplace on vacation.
So it is important to decide which you prefer. After all, both types of places can make for a great vacation. So think about the local attractions and the time of year and should be alright.
What about a pool?
If you are going to Southern States, say, from June through September, you may find the weather hot and humid and perhaps insufferable. Most vacation rentals do not have air conditioning. A great remedy for this is a vacation rental that has a pool. Plus, if you are traveling with children or teenagers, a pool can provide a good afternoon break for them. It is easy to find apartments on estates or even farms with pools. It is more difficult to find small independent homes with pools. Houses with pools are more expensive. Lastly, many find a pool a great alternative to the salt water waves.
What are the drawbacks of a vacation rental?
Of course not everything is perfect. There are pros and cons to doing almost anything and it is no different with a vacation rental. You may get hit with surprise fees or discover some amenities as promised are quite up to snuff.
You'll only know what you're getting yourself into when you actually arrive to your rental. Many owners require pre-payment, or at least a large deposit fee, before arriving. Therefore, if things aren't the way you anticipated after arriving, or if you find your dwelling unacceptable and decide to head to a local hotel, you may lose any money you prepaid but if you do your homework, such as seeking out people that have actually stayed at the rental you are considering, you should be able to avoid such unpleasant pitfalls.
Be mindful of last minute cancellations. There isn't usually a refund. You always run the risk of getting less than you expected, but, it's rare. Most times, vacation rentals tend to be cheaper than an average hotel room per night. But, not always, so make sure you are comfortable with the price you will be asked to pay.
Another disadvantage to vacation rentals is the lack of an on site manager to deal with any problems that you may encounter with the home or during your stay in general. Most owners get around this by having a list of emergency numbers, utility companies and other such items available to the renter should they need anything.
Some other points to keep in mind: lower rents for vacation rentals by owner were once the norm. Unfortunately, this is no longer the norm. On the other hand, quite often, a independently owned vacation rental features more amenities such as games, beach equipment, DVD libraries, and a stocked kitchen than you would typically find in a comparable hotel. This is because owners managing their own properties tend to be more aware of wear and tear and have better cash flow to use to maintain and upgrade the property. After all, the property is often their baby and they treat it as such.
What amenities are typically included?
Since every rental is owned by a different owner, each will include different amenities and it can vary dramatically across the board. Some rentals come with swimming pools, hot tubs while others will include lucrative golf packages, maybe even horse stable privileges.
In cities with tourist attractions, it is not out of the real for some owners to kick in tickets to local attractions. Rest assured, most vacation rentals come with the essentials: TVs, equipped kitchen, towels, linens, and everyday appliances. However, some items, such as linens, might entail additional fees. It is a good idea to ask about such fees when searching for the perfect place.
What types of rentals are available?
Anything you want is available for the right price. No major surprise there huh? Pretty much any type of dwelling that you would want to live in during your vacation is available somewhere. From studios in downtown Los Angeles to a villa in the Italian countryside, you'll be able to find something somewhere depending on what you're looking for. Which leads to our next question: are vacation rentals only available in the US ?
Vacation rentals are available worldwide. They can be found in every State of the US ; almost every country in the world offers vacation rentals. They do however, might not be called “vacation rentals.” Vacation rentals are also known as holiday cottages, tourist rentals and holiday rentals. Regardless of what you call it, though, a vacation rental is place you do not own for which you pay a price to enjoy. You will discover that money is the universal language of the world. It speaks in all countries and anywhere you find great vacation rentals.
How do you find a property?
This site right here is a good start. But, as the saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat. So, how do you skin a vacation rental?
For starters, check with your local travel agent to find someone in your area that specializes in finding owners and renters and getting them together. Another option is the Yellow Pages. Finally, there is a wealth of information on the Internet, but you already knew that.
Type in a search for "vacation rentals" on Google.com and you will be hit with a welter of choices to begin your search – literally millions of results will pop up in a mere split second.
Word of mouth is not to be discounted as well, especially if it is from someone you trust. After all, there is no better testimony for a place than if someone you know personally rented the place and had nothing but praise for the place.
Most likely, since you are here, you will be more interested in what the web has to offer in terms of finding a good vacation rental. Keep in mind, some websites only list vacation rentals in the United States while others specialize in worldwide searches.
There are some sites that will allow the potential renter to look for a residence by specific search criteria – commonly b y destination, the preferred number of bedrooms as well as other types of amenities included in the property. Keep in mind, most of the vacation rental services on the internet are like the online equivalent of "classified" sections: they take no responsibility for the truth or correctness of the ads that are listed on their sites; so you can’t really hold them accountable for a decision the ultimately rests on your shoulders. Below are some more points to consider for finding the perfect rental for you. Again it not exhaustive, but it should prove to be a great starting point.
Do your homework
Yes, we know: nobody likes to do homework. But, when you are likely plunking down thousands of dollars, it might be beneficial to make some phone calls, speak with owner and ask some specific questions.
Are you comfortable with the choice?
Remember your gut feeling. Have you listened to it lately? Make sure you feel comfortable with the answers it gives you; if not, move on to the next rental, there are plenty to choose from. We suspect when you find one that you love and you truly know is a good deal, your gut feeling will let you know. But, say you don’t trust your gut feeling.
Some companies exist that strictly rent out homes to vacationers just like you. They offer a bit more security so that you feel you are truly getting what you bargained for but alas, nothing is ever certain in this world. But, you already knew that.
Additionally, sometimes agencies will give you cancellation insurance. What is that? Well, in other words, if you cancel before arriving, they may be able to refund a portion of your deposit instead of keeping the whole enchilada as most owners do if a cancellation occurs with short notice.
With some agencies you'll find that you pay a higher price than going directly to an owner but his is just like anything you purchase that involves a middle man. However, the benefit is you get a layer of protection. Usually the middleman is selling his service on having vetted the rentals he or she will steer your way or your money back (okay, something like that).
Ensure you know which one works best for you. How much should you expect to pay? This is a tough question to answer. The amount you pay will depend on what country or state you are visiting, number of days you are staying, and type of house you are renting.
Hidden Fees
Hidden fees usually only emerge after you have arrived. These may include extra for phone calls, house cleaning service, extra person fees, excess heat and air-conditioning bills, pet deposit, computer access.
Again, be extremely thorough when interviewing the owner of your vacation rental. Ask about any "extra" fees, or if the house is "all-inclusive" long before you get there.
Ready. Get set. Enjoy!
Now that wasn’t too hard was it? You learned you need to do a little homework before you plow ahead with deciding on what type of rental really works for you and where exactly you can find one. But, having done that homework, you should now be in a good position to determine which type of vacation rental works for you and that bell should go off when you click on that ad that has your name all over it.
You know you need to weigh many factors to determine what might be the perfect place. You need to consider where it is located, how much it costs, what kind of management agency operates the rental, and what their policies are concerning cancellations, refunds and what not. There is a lot to consider.
Most importantly you know where to start. You know that there are many places to begin your hunt, this site here being one of them (and we like to think the best). Moreover, the Internet is your oyster and somewhere therein lies that special pearl called your unique vacation rental. We hope we taught you a little bit about diving for it.
From the staff at HomeRentals – have a great vacation!
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