Things to Know Before Booking Your Vacation Rental

Booking vacation rentals has become a trendy task in this era, thanks to the Internet. Now, everything can be done online.

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Unlike hotel rooms, with rentals you might have to deal with quirks and potential conflicts with the owner.

What if you find out that your host has restrictions you can’t keep up with? Well, we wanted to save you from all this drama, hence this article. Here are some of the tips for renting a vacation home.

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Booking Your Vacation

Do Not Be Afraid

First, do not be afraid of rentals because, unless otherwise, you will enjoy your stay at an apartment compared to a hotel. There are very few hotels that will give you access to a garage full of bikes, a backyard bordering the ocean or tide pools, a killer view of the Olympic mountains, and so on.

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Who knows? You might get the surprise of your life in the homeowner’s backyard. Who knows when you are going to be hosted by your long lost friend or your grade eight teacher? What if you end up staying next to that celebrity you have always admired? After all, it is a small world.

What to Ask Your Host Before Booking

To eliminate any doubts and travel in peace, be sure to ask questions, such as will I need a car? Your answer, however, will depend on whether you plan to leave the house or not. You might want to relax, but your booking agency will help you figure all this out.

Does the rental have enough parking spaces? If you are traveling by car, you need to find out, as some streets might ask you to pay for parking fees or ask you to park a few blocks away. Also, find out if there is a grocery store nearby in case you have to grab something for yourself.

Is it in a noisy place? The last thing you want is to end up in rentals that are clustered together. The idea of relaxing will then lose meaning. It’s also essential to find out if the neighbors are aware that the home is being rented. Some people might cause chaos after seeing a stranger in the neighborhood.

Find out whether there is anything on the property that will be off-limits for you. There might be utensils, bikes, sports equipment, music CDs, or candles that you should wait to use until you get permission from the owner. To avoid conflicts, be sure to ask your host before you can use any of their stuff.

Find out if there are any cleaning services offered. If yes, will you have to pay for it? How much? How often will the cleaning take place? How about cleaning the premises, who is responsible for that? All these questions have to be answered so that you plan accordingly.

You might also have to find out if the owners will be coming over during your stay. This has its advantages and disadvantages. If they are showing up to answer your questions and fix whatever is broken, then fair enough. On the other hand, if they are showing up to hang around, it might make you feel uncomfortable.

Also, ask how you will pay for the rental. Is it by credit card, cash, or bank wire transfer? Always get a signed receipt after making your payment.

Conclusion

These are some of the questions that you might have to ask to make your stay comfortable. If you are using an agency for your booking, you might be lucky enough to have all these questions answered, and in case of any mishap, you can always reach out to them, too.