By Holy Cow Publications Staff Writer
(HCP has no affiliations with any links in our articles)
Use these 5 Rules to search for the best vacation rental. We ALL love a getaway whether it’s a long weekend or a grand two week excursion! Even homebodies (myself included) want to explore outside our boundaries sometimes. Honestly, some of our best work at Holy Cow Publications has been inspired by taking trips to National Parks or theme-inspired destinations. Check out my other Blog 10 Great Ideas for Sisters’ Trips for those ideas.
However, we all have different designs on what shapes a great vacation. One thing we can all agree on is that we want every hard-earned dime and hour off work to be well spent and there is no room for disappointment!
Not Just a Bed and A Toilet
Yes, there are those times where “just the minimum, no amenities, we’re only in the room to sleep” is the directive. This article is for those vacations when some amenities are important. I’ve booked lodging using various sites over many years and I’ve been both thrilled and disappointed for various reasons; location, cleanliness, house not as described, loud, poorly stocked, etc. Here’s some basic advice on how to ensure your time and money is well spent. Here are 5 Tips for Choosing the Best Vacation Rental.
1. Search on More Than One Site
If you shop only on Airbnb or only on VRBO, you may be missing other possibilities, savings, and travel ideas. I suggest comparing your favorites from Airbnb, VRBO, Hometogo (metasearch), Expedia and/or Tripadvisor, and Vacasa. Here’s a couple reasons:
The same listing may be on multiple sites with different fees and reviews
Using multiple sites widens your possibilities of home type and listings and allows for more comparisons
Sites use different filters that may help you get exactly what you want or even change your mind
Even if I know I’m looking for a condo or a house, I’ll do a cursory search on Tripadvisor or Expedia, these sites will show hotels, resorts and B&Bs that will provide you with other stay options that may interest you, possibly for less money (no fees). Vacasa is a less popular site with amazing rentals - check it out. Make it easy on yourself, by using a favorites list on each site for easy comparisons.
2. Use GOOGLE Earth
Property owners will use their best pictures to dazzle you visually on the booking site. I’m not saying they aren’t honest - just that the “whole” picture may not be presented. It may be a great house but they didn’t show the railroad tracks 50 feet away, the highway in front, the dump, quarry, or sewage plant next door or the building obstructing your views.
Google Earth just keeps getting better at showing you street level views, including unpaved roads like this picture! Even if you don’t have an exact address, usually you can get an idea of cross streets from the map on
the property page - good enough to “Google-Earth-it”.
Oh, you’re going somewhere remote and you can’t get a street view? Still, in this case, from a close aerial view, you can get a feel for paved or gravel roads, how high up the mountain you’ll be, how close you are to shopping and the nearest highway. You may also see the tops of buildings nearby.
2. Read the Reviews
Reviews can make or break a booking. If someone wrote that “all was great but the wireless was terrible” that is a no-go for someone planning to work remotely. Pay close attention to the reviews written during the season that you are traveling.
Also look at the responses from the owner - what tone does she set? Don’t bother with reviews older than 2 years - a lot can change with the listings and most complaints have been rectified over time.
Another good reason to use multiple sites to search for the same listing is to read the reviews from as many renters as possible.
4. Use the Filters - But Some are Misleading
All of these sites use filters to help you narrow down your perfect vacation home. But remember that the more filters you use the fewer choices you’ll have (if you are working in a particular price range).
Price Filters
The Min/Max Price Filter on some sites allows you to choose a nightly price or a total price for the amount of nights you’ve selected. Remember that the search results page will normally NOT include the fees for the property until you actually click through to the property page.
For example if your budgeted total price is $3,400 and the results page says $3,357 - this property will most likely NOT be in your price range. Added fees, such as Host and Cleaning fees and tax can add anywhere from hundreds to thousands depending on your details and the property.
Yet another reason to check multiple sites as fees are different depending where you search.
Property Filters
The necessary and basic filters are: type of property (condo/house/apartment) and number of beds/baths and pets. If you want the ENTIRE HOUSE, be very specific and ask the owner to clarify - many homes list their basements as an “Entire House” since it has a separate entrance. You may also find that the owners live on the property and you have a backyard bungalow as your “Entire House”. Just ask.
Some listings say Pet Friendly - but the small print might say “no dogs over 30 pounds”, just be sure. Additionally, there may be a pet fee on top of your total price even if you filtered Pet Friendly.
The popular filters are WIFI, Air Conditioning, Laundry, Parking, Number of Beds/Baths, and Dishwasher. There are MANY more but these are the most popular. Be sure to read the listing carefully. Is a bed a fold-out couch in your eyes? Air Conditioning may be a couple window units - will that do? The hot tub is actually shared by other renters on the property. Don’t be surprised when you arrive.
Most hosts will happily answer your questions honestly and in a timely manner.
5. Start Early and Look For Discounts!
Some of the best vacations can be spontaneous, but if you’re the type that is particular, there is no “too soon” for choosing your accommodation.
I recommend starting your search 3-8 months before your trip depending on the popularity of the location. For example, if you want to stay in or around Yellowstone NP, you need to book 6 to 8 months in advance to get a place that fits all your needs. But if you're headed for Hazleton, PA - a couple weeks should be fine! (no offense Hazeltonians)
Who doesn’t love a GREAT DEAL?? There are lodging deals but they're not always easy to find.
Use the discount filter!: VRBO provides a search filter for 3 discounts - new listing, weekly and monthly stays. Definitely try that filter to see if any of those properties work for you.
Book mid-week stay: Most properties know weekends are the most booked - so they offer discounts to fill the weekdays.
Consider properties a little farther away from the draw: homes that require more travel time to the destination draw often are cheaper and offer discounts
Look for discount deals, promo codes, and coupons: not so much for Airbnb and VRBO - but on others like Vacasa and their competing websites and Hometogo.
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