Tips when booking vacation rentals
Vacation rentals are a relatively new yet popular addition to the travel market. Such rentals, which are typically homes, apartments or condos rented by private citizens via websites such as Airbnb, provide tourists with alternatives to hotels.
The market research firm Technavio estimates the global vacation rental market will grow at a rate of 7 percent between 2017 and 2021. In the United Kingdom, data from the Smarthosts Vacation Rental Forum indicates holiday rentals are now the fastest-growing sector of tourism.
Rentals may offer more space, additional amenities and more affordable prices than hotels. Families often enjoy rental properties because they can provide a home-away-from home feel. Rentals also may feature fully functioning kitchens, allowing renters to prepare some if not all of their vacation meals themselves, saving them money on food and beverages.
Even though vacation rentals are quite popular, and there are many booking resources that will put interested parties in touch with private renters or rental organizations, vacationers must recognize that booking and paying for a vacation rental is very different from booking hotels. The following are some tips for travelers to consider before booking their next vacation rentals.
• Consider an aggregator site. Aggregator websites showcase properties from multiple rental sites on a single page so that renters can easily compare their options.
• Read the fine print. Read all of the information about rentals carefully. Details like lack of parking or no cable service should not be ignored.
• Look at reviews. Read all of the reviews of a property on sites such as TripAdvisor, Google, Yelp, and the vacation rental site itself. Pay attention to the important details on where the property may be lacking.
• Do an online map search. Plug in the address on a satellite mapping site and see what is around the property. This will help renters determine if the property really is “steps from the beach” or if those steps are actually miles. Mapping also helps identify restaurants, shopping and recreation in the area.
• Verify rates and payment information carefully. Price quotes may differ from the final price when other “fees” are added on. Certain rentals may have cleaning fees or require renters pay for cable or internet access. Determine all fees before booking a rental. Verify with the rental owners that credit cards are accepted. A credit card offers more protection against fraud than cash or personal checks.
• Call the owner or manager. Speaking to the property owner or manager can give potential renters a feel for the person with whom they are doing business. If it’s difficult to get in touch with the manager or owner, or if he or she doesn’t answer promptly, it may be best to look elsewhere.
Rental properties should be properly vetted before travelers book their vacations.