How to Pick a Vacation Rental

by: Barbara Pfieffer

What you need to know about Vacation Rentals

That time of the year is finally here. You know what I'm talking about, the one or two weeks you get every year to escape from "real life" and just be you. Relax, eat and drink well, enjoy your family, catch up on some much needed sleep. But, before you pack up and head out, rethink the all-too-normal hotel stay. Believe it or not, you have options, one of which is the vacation rental.

Wouldn't it be nice to leave your own home, arrive in your destination city and settle into a "home away from home" for your next vacation? That's what vacation rentals are all about. These are homes waiting to be rented out by people on vacation. Each vacation rental owner will have different criteria in what type of renter they are looking for, each vacation rental house will vary in amenities, and each price will be dependant on the time of year and the length of stay. So, it sounds like a great idea, but how do you figure out how to make it all happen? Not a problem. Below you will find answers to frequently asked questions regarding vacation rentals. Read on, my friend, your next "home away from home" vacation rental is right around the corner.

Frequently Asked Questions on Vacation Rentals

What are the advantages of a vacation rental?

Do you ever wish your hotel room had just a little more personality? Yeah, I thought so. Well, renting someone else's home for your vacation might just be the thing you're looking for. Usually offering larger living spaces than hotel rooms, these vacation rentals are all about living like you were in your own home. They offer greater privacy than hotel rooms and most rentals have a kitchen area for cooking, which in the end will save you money if you prepare some of your own meals.

You'll enjoy several rooms, and maybe even different levels, instead of one big room where the whole family sleeps. Many owners will leave information on things to do and see in the local area. Vacation rental homes are clean, friendly, comfortable and inviting. This is because many of them aren't just rental homes, but also function as the owner's own residence for part of the year.

A majority of vacation rentals tend to be cheaper on a per night basis than their hotel counterpart. By renting directly from the owner you will avoid taxes, tips and other extraneous charges. However, there is a wide variation among costs based on a number of factors (see How Much Should I Expect to Pay below)

What are the drawbacks of a vacation rental?

Of course, there's always the other side of the coin. As vacation rentals are not usually monitored by a central managing company, 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. This is also true for 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 a managing member on site 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.

What amenities are included in a vacation rental?

Since every rental is owned by a different owner, each will include different amenities. Some come with swimming pools, hot tubs, others with golf packages, and horse stable privileges. In cities with tourist attractions, some owners include tickets to local attractions.

Most vacation rentals come with the essentials: TV, equipped kitchen, towels, linen, and everyday appliances, but it never hurts to ask these questions when searching for the perfect place. Be sure to understand exactly what you are paying for before sending in the payment.

What types of rentals are available?

Pretty much any type of dwelling that you would want to live in during your vacation is available somewhere. From studios in downtown Manhattan to a villa in the south of Spain, you'll be able to find what you're looking for. The range of available options is mind boggling. Additionally, each week, month and year there are new possibilities as owners put their homes up for only certain weeks or months of the year, the choices are constantly changing.

Are vacation rentals only available in the US?

Vacation rentals are available worldwide. They can be found in every state of the US and almost every country in the world. Don't be fooled by their different names, though. Vacation rentals are also known as holiday cottages, tourist rentals and holiday rentals. If you are looking for one in Europe, the Italians call them agriturismi, while the French say gites. If you are in Germany you will be looking for ferienwohnungen (yep, try to say that three times fast with a bratwurst in your mouth!)

Regardless of what you call it, though, a vacation rental is a great option for those getting ready to take a few weeks off from reality and enjoy the good life a bit.

How do I find a property?

There are several ways to go about finding the perfect vacation rental for your next trip. 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. Type in a search for "vacation rentals" and over 13,300,000 websites can be found just on www.google.com alone. Some websites only list vacation rentals in the United States while others specialize in vacation rentals worldwide. There are some sites that will allow the potential renter to look for a residence by specific search criteria such as a particular destination, certain number of bedrooms and types of amenities that are included in the property.

Most of the vacation rental services on the internet are only the "go-between" or the "classified" section of the newspaper. They take no responsibility for the truth or correctness of the ads that are listed on their sites. So, do your homework by making phone calls, speaking with the owner and asking specific questions. Make sure you feel comfortable with the answers, if not, move on to the next rental, there are plenty.

If you're not comfortable with the whole renter/owner thing, there is another way to rent a vacation home. Some companies exist that strictly buy and rent out homes to vacationers. They offer a bit more security so that you feel you are truly getting what you bargained for (although nothing is ever 100% fool proof). Additionally, sometimes these agencies will give you cancellation insurance. In other words, if you cancel before arriving, they may be able to refund a portion of your deposit or payment instead of keeping it as most owners do if a cancellation occurs. With some agencies you'll find that you pay a higher price than going directly to an owner. This is how the agencies make their profits. There are always pros and cons to each scenario. Ensure you know which one works best for you.

How much should I 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. Some owners offer package deals including tickets or sightseeing events along with the rental, others include bonus days if you stay for a certain length of time. There are other owners who may offer free or add-on house cleaning service with your stay while some go to great efforts to ensure you have everything you need, even additional items such as a crib, highchair or wheelchair. Each vacation rental will be entirely different than the next. Your best bet after deciding on your destination is to review multiple rentals to determine which is better suited to your needs and overall budget.

Are there any 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... etc. Again, be extremely thorough when interviewing the owner of your prospective vacation rental. Ask about any "extra" fees, or if the house is "all-inclusive". Do you have free access to all the pantry and food items? How about the laundry supplies? All utilities? It never hurts to ask!

Vacation Rentals

In summary, cover all bases by asking lots of questions. Getting your agreement in writing is also a very smart idea. After these basics are out of the way you will be ready to take off for your home-away-from-home vacation rental. Try one this year and see for yourself that vacation rentals can be a fantastic means to really getting the full enjoyment out of your next vacation.
About the Author

Barbara Pfieffer lives in Oregon and loves it. She shares her information about things to do on an Oregon vacation. Visit her website, Vacation-In-Oregon.com for more information.

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River Thames Jet Boat Hire Experience

Developing from the RIB speed boat rides and other general boat hire in London, earlier this summer London saw the arrival of an exciting new craft, a custom built Jet Boat.

A jet boat experience is like no other speed Thames boat hire available on the water with high speed twists, turns, spins and phenomenal acceleration the Jet Boat Experience provides passengers of all ages with a unique and exciting way to enjoy the river Thames in London.


The boat is on a design used by the Special Boat Squadron and the Royal Marines and has been custom built for operation as a passenger carrying speed boat on the Thames.

With an Aluminium hull, hard cell core foam collar and mid engine twin diesel 250 Steyr on twin Rolls Royce Kamewa jets, this is a rapid and highly manoeuvrable speed boat.

The large RIB’s are still offering the traditional speed boat rides and themed adventure games such as James Bond style blasts down the river. The jet boat experience simply takes this concept of speed and manoeuvrability to a new level of raw adrenaline thrill rides.

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Plan Your Family Vacation In Greece Or Cyprus

Family vacation can be one of the great moments of life. Traveling with kids can be a wonderful and sensual personal experience. We can explore once more again our emotions and needs and find again what the routine of daily life takes away from us.

Thinking of finding a resort for family holidays we have to take under consideration not only our needs but our childrens needs as well and for sure we have to consider that there are many factors that can influence our decision.



Time along with the weather is the first factors where we have to choose between winter and summer resort destinations. Of course if we are not rich we have to take into consideration our money limitations. Family vacations could be very expensive depending the age of our children type of accommodation or distance from our place.
If we are funds of a specific sport then our decision could be narrowed to resorts offering these specific sport activities.

There are two options when you plan your holidays. In depended travel and package holidays through a tour operator. Both options have good and bad points. Experienced travelers may choose to plan their vacations by them self and a great tool for helping them is Internet where you can find almost everything about the destination accommodation etc.

If you are between these people that wants to plan their vacations alone without the help of a travel agency or tour operator, through internet a good way is to search and visit first big hotel chains that offer accommodation and lodging services.

These hotels describe in their websites all features of each hotel
and resort and they give valuable information to travelers about the area weather and other factors. They can help you determine how your needs and your children needs fulfilled and where you can stay to enjoy what you dream of a holiday.

So a good idea instead of first choosing a destination you may choose the hotel company you can trust for their services the type of accommodation, the resort activities and then you will see how the specific hotel can meet all your requirements.

As a Greek living and work in Greece for a Cypriot company I could recommend a Hotel chain presently having activities only in Cyprus and Greece but in the future on more destinations in Europe offering exceptional tourist facilities for any kind of traveler.
Of course I would recommend as well Greece or Cyprus as a family vacation destination in Europe due to the nice weather all year long and the huge number of beaches and sport facilities.

The type of the hotel that may fulfill almost all childrens need is the type that is called club Hotels. These hotels are designed for family vacations and they features animation programs all day long, pools, playgrounds, childrens TV channels, games, entertainers, dances, staff to keep your children safe and busy and many other.

So ending this article I would say stay tuned with internet, search hotels of the country you are interested in as a destination and leave these hotel professionals guide you finding the vacation of your dream.

Choose a company that has high standard of operation and excellent on all fields and has a good reputation in the tourist industry. Finally I wish you and I am sure if you follow these advices you will have incredible holidays for your self and your family.

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Travelling on a budget - Live with the Natives!

When traveling we all want to stay in the best hotels and have the best service possible. In reality however, our budget might not be able stretch this far and we're left struggling in lousy hotels and fighting for food! Often renting a villa is beyond beyond our finances so what should be an enjoyable time is slightly deflated by bad accommodation. It doesn't have to be this way though. You could always stay with someone from the country you're visiting.


Thanks to the rise of social networking sites on the internet contacting people from other countries has never been so easy. There are many sites out there that are set up for the purpose of people offering accommodation to travels who are visiting the place where they live. Obviously, this can save you LOTS of money and means you have more to spend on actually enjoying your vacation! What's more is that, by staying with these people, you get to see their unique cultures and get a 'first-hand' look at the way they live. Something you'd never get in a hotel room or private villa!

In fact, this is something I have now done a couple of times and would highly recommend it. I visited Chicago last year and stayed with a lovely couple. They showed me their city by day (and night), made me welcome in their home and gave me lots of information that the average tourist would not be aware of. A privilege that you wouldn't get in private accommodation!

Of course, doing this kind of thing has it's risks but there are precautions you can take to minimize them. A lot of these networking sites have a 'feedback' feature. This is where a persons previous guests can give a rundown on their stay with that person. Obviously, the more feedback a person has the more trustworthy they are likely to be. However, be sure to check that the feedback comes from verifiable sources and has not been done from that persons own PC! Also, I would recommend a woman to NEVER stay with a man she has met on the internet. It's far too risky and there have been many cases of things going wrong. It is best to stay with a female if, as a woman, you are traveling alone. And, one last thing, always leave contact details for those back home. It's best they know where you are in case you need to be contacted for any reason.

So, traveling abroad needn't be so expensive. Staying with the natives can be a rewarding experience.

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A Wonderful villa holiday

Our trip to Florence was long awaited. We took time to plan our holiday carefully and after much research we finally came across http://www.villasinflorence.com/ they had a nice selection of large villas and were also very, very helpful in helping us make the right decision. Nothing was too much for them and they were also happy to answer my endless questions. I just wanted to ensure that everything would be perfect.
We finally went for a Florence villa rental called villa Paradiso right in the heart of the Chianti area between Florence and Siena.


The property was in a fantastic location and was very charming, as were the owners who were most helpful. Although our holiday was in some ways quite hectic as we wanted to see as much as possible in a short time span, we found that this particular choice of rental allowed us to be able to relax in a most wonderful setting, very reinvigorating, and yet was so conveniently placed, close to the wonderful city of Florence.

We never tired of Florence and so we found that we ventured very little away from this magnificent place, just to sit in the square having a coffee was sheer pleasure. We saw absolutely everything
in Florence, the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio (went here everyday) the buildings, the museums, the markets.

The village nearby called Radda in Chianti was absolutely enchanting. A mediaeval hamlet perched on a hill and surrounded by vineyards.
We particularly enjoyed the Italian food and one evening we had a chef come in and cater for us at the villa; it was a great experience and he even made a special cake for us as we were celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary, a very nice thought and much appreciated. Eating out in Florence, was on the whole quite cheap and the food was excellent. We used to laugh and say: "they must have their granny in the kitchen doing the cooking", it all tasted so genuine and home made. After such culinary experience we decided that at least a one day cookery class was a must, so that we could take home our knowledge of the Italian cuisine and maybe cook ourselves a plate of home made Italian pasta on some rainy evening.

We thoroughly enjoyed this experience and although we are under no illusion that we will create perfect pasta and will probably have to nip down to the supermarket for our "pasta fresca", we would not have missed it for anything.
This was our first visit to Italy and was a truly memorable one. There villa was perfect and the location was perfect, close to the town, but far enough away to feel peaceful. The perfect place for us all, we only wish we could have stayed longer! . We will most definitely be back.

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Vacation Rentals Web Directory Announces the Launch of the Trusted Vacation Rental Seal

Miami, FL September 10, 2007 – VRWD.com announces the launch of the Trusted Vacation Rental Seal. The Trusted Vacation Rental Seal allows vacation rental owners to display VRWD.com’s trust in their rental listings, providing a great platform to earn the public’s trust and increase rentals.

“Our Trusted Vacation Rental Seal is a great benefit to vacation rental owners and consumers alike,” says John Romano, founder of VRWD.com. “When a rental listing has this seal, consumers know that the listing is approved by our site, the world's first and only marketplace that reviews and rates vacation rental Web sites and rentals. In turn, vacation rental owners that post listings on VRWD.com can reap the benefit of the public’s trust.”


Vacation rental owners that place the Trusted Vacation Rental Seal on their Web site and link to it in e-mails provide consumers with instant access to their reviewed, rated and trusted vacation rental listing on VRWD.com, the first and only vacation rental directory that provides a single gateway to thousands of vacation rental Web sites around the world.



In addition to building public trust, the seal provides a way for VRWD.com listed properties to stand apart from competitors. Both the seal and e-mail link differentiate a user’s rental from the thousands of others found on the Web. According to a July 2004 study sponsored by VeriSign, 80 percent of online consumers expect to see a trust mark displayed on a Web site’s home page. Listings without the Trusted Vacation Rental Seal lack the assurance that the seal provides consumers. The VRWD.com seal shows consumers that the rental listing is recommended and is not a potential online fraud threat.



VRWD.com’s Trusted Vacation Rental Seal can also help a vacation rental owner or business increase profits. According to the VeriSign study, 75 percent of online consumers will only make purchases through sites that include a trust mark. A vacation rental listing with the VRWD.com Trusted Vacation Rental Seal will appeal to the many consumers who are searching for trusted listings, bringing monetary benefit to the rental’s owner.

To display the Trusted Vacation Rental Seal, vacation rental owners and businesses must be listed in the Vacation Rentals Web Directory, must adhere to the Vacation Rental Code of Ethics and must not modify the Trusted Vacation Rental Seal code in any way.

To generate a Trusted Vacation Rental Seal, vacation rental owners and businesses must add a listing in the Vacation Rentals Web Directory and generate html code for the Trusted Vacation Rental seal and link.

For more information about VRWD.com and its Trusted Vacation Rental Seal, visit

About Vacation Rentals Web Directory
Vacation Rentals Web Directory (VRWD.com) is the world's first and only marketplace that reviews and rates vacation rental Web sites and vacation home listings from around the world.

The VRWD.com human-edited directory provides a single gateway to everyone involved in vacation rentals: Renters can find trusted vacation rental websites and homes for free, while vacation rental owners and publishers can become trusted members for free and receive many marketing benefits.

VRWD.com is committed to quality and reviews every submitted listing before approval. The site only lists vacation rental-related Web sites. VRWD.com is led by an experienced team of vacation rental experts who are dedicated to making vacation rentals a more consolidated and trusted marketplace.

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Should You Rent Vacation Rental Homes or Hotels on Your Next Trip?

The trend that has seen increasing numbers of travelers finding their true vacation paradises in elegant, vacation rentals instead of standardized "hospitality industry" hotel rooms is likely to escalate substantially within the next 5 years.

The growing popularity of private villa and vacation home rentals is the result of two developments that just happened to coincide. The first is the desire of many people to get out of a pre-packaged vacation environment and into something with more luxury, something personalized and private. The second development has been the rapid advance of the internet as a commerce facilitator. The web enables companies like Masterpiece Rentals to offer luxury vacation home renters and owners a chance to find each other at little cost and in real time.


The key to finding perfect luxury vacation rentals is to carefully consider what makes a vacation special to you and yours. Travelers can find almost every kind of vacation accommodation conceivable on Masterpiecerentals.com. The important thing is knowing what you want to do on your vacation. If your idea of a perfect vacation is snorkeling and beachcombing, a million-dollar mountain top chalet is not a place you'd be happy in. If you enjoy golf, a perfectly wonderful tree house on a deserted island is probably not for you.

Depending on individual interests and needs, other important factors in choosing a vacation rental can include area restaurants and nightspots, outdoor recreation activities, cultural attractions such as museums and art galleries, international airport access, and availability of family fun places such as theme parks. The reality is that there are private, luxury vacation homes for rent in far more places than there are five-star resorts. Many of the most desirable beaches and picturesque villages in the world are hundreds of miles from the nearest high-rise, 7,500-room hotel, but they virtually all have vacation homes for rent.

MasterpieceRentals.com makes it easy to find and book your ideal vacation rental. Unlike many other portals, we provide visible phone numbers on each listing so that you can easily call and talk directly to the property owner. We display even the smallest details on our listings so that you can make the most informed decision when you book your next vacation home. You can search for properties by type, price and number of bedrooms. You will also be able to refine your searches to find only vacation homes that allow smoking and are pet friendly.

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