Vacation Rental Tips and Tricks

Hotels are certainly the most common type of travel accommodation, but vacation rentals are a great option if you’re hoping to save money and have a more comfy, private holiday. You can choose from condos, homes, and cabins, and most all come with professional cleaning services, a full-service kitchen, and all the electronic conveniences (cable TV, air conditioning, laundry machine) you’re accustomed to at home. To get the most out of your rental experience, follow our vacation rental tips and tricks. We’ll help you find a rental, save money, and have the best vacation possible.

First, think about what you want in a rental. Are you more concerned about the property’s location or ammenities? Do you plan to do a lot of cooking at your rental? Are you hoping for laundry machines? Figure out what you want first because all rentals have their pros and cons. Once you’ve sorted out your priorities, do a little homework and research rental properties located in areas you like. Scour online reviews and be sure to check out each property’s details, management, and ammenities. If you want to save even more money, try booking during the off-season.

Once you’ve decided on a property and date, contact the owners or management company and be sure to get a good look at the contract. Some properties ask you to pay for items like utility bills, cable, phone service, internet, propane/gas, and cleaning services. If you don’t get a good look at these details beforehand, you might be confronted with unexpected costs later on. For example, some vacation rentals ask that you clean the house after you leave. If you don’t, they will charge you an extra fee for housekeeping. Book the rental only after you’ve read and understood all its details.

Now that you’ve found and booked your vacation rental, save money wherever you can by taking advantage of the rental’s features. If your rental comes with a kitchen, cook meals at home. At the very least, you could try to eat breakfast and lunch at your rental home and have dinner out. If your rental offers laundry services, try to limit the amount of clothing you bring along. You could pack just a few outfits and then wash them whenever they are dirty or stinky. This will help you lighten your luggage and could even save you on airfare fees. Finally, if you’re traveling with family, you could book just one rental for the whole group or book multiple vacation rentals at once (and ask about a group discount).

Vacation rentals are perfect for families that want to feel like they’re at home when they’re on holiday. If you want the convenience of a kitchen and laundry machine while you relax at the beach for a week, use our vacation rental tips and give rental properties a try.