Last Updated on March 30, 2021 by Candy Wafford

Vacation rentals are a great option when traveling.  But how do you know what to look for in a vacation rental? And how do you choose a vacation rental with an overwhelming number of options?  Not sure what the differences are between Airbnb and VRBO? Here are ten tips to help you find the perfect vacation rental for your next trip.

I love hotels and stay in my fair share of them for my corporate travel.  But when traveling with my family of three or a group of girlfriends, I find vacation rentals provide more options, often for less money, and offer a more comfortable experience. 

There are many vacation rental companies out there and I usually use Airbnb or VRBO. I have found that vacation rentals are one of the best ways to save money on travel.

Is A Vacation Rental Right for You?

If this is your first time considering a vacation rental, make sure you know that this will not be the same experience as staying in a hotel.  There may be more noise from the street or neighbors.  No one will come and clean your room, and there isn’t a guest service desk if you have a question or this is a problem.

But for me, vacation rentals give me the opportunity to live like a local.  We have found that many hosts greet us personally upon arrival and take great pains to make us feel welcome by providing small welcome gifts.  Would I have known that Pasteis de Nata is one of the most incredible pastries ever if my host hadn’t brought them to me?  Would I have gone my entire life not knowing how incredible empanada de vieto and tomate de arbol juice are if our hosts in Quito hadn’t shared them with me?

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We also appreciate having extra space that vacation rentals offer.  At the end of a long day of sightseeing and togetherness, it’s nice to scatter a little in an apartment.  A hotel doesn’t give you that option. 

1) Know What You Want

The first step to finding a vacation rental is to know what you want and need in your temporary home.  Make a list of locations, amenities, and what you want to spend.  What are your priorities? 

Having a clear picture of what you want will allow you to start your search with those parameters and weed out a lot of properties that aren’t what you are looking for.  For example, if you know you don’t want to share a space, use search filters to see only entire homes.

2) Vacation Rental Location

You can definitely save money by renting outside of a city or the main tourist areas.  But will that increase the total cost of your trip by adding transportation costs?  It can take quite a while to get around some cities. Are you ok using your time in this way?

Being close to public transportation is very important to me when traveling so I always look for a rental that provides information about the nearest metro stations. 

Most listings will not include the exact location of the rental for safety reasons.  But they will include a map with the general location.  Use this map to find the general location and then use the street map feature on Google maps to see an interactive view of the area.  This view can help you see businesses in the area and anything that may be a deal-breaker for you.

The Airbnb we booked in Copenhagen was lovely, but the street noise was loud and went on all night.  I loved the convenience of the location but I would look for a location not right above bars next time I’m in the city.

3) Read Reviews

Vacation rental reviews can provide many nuggets of information and details about the host, space, and location.  For example, do reviewers comment on the soft beds/hard beds?  Would you be unhappy with a soft bed/hard bed?  Then this may not be the place for you.

I’ve been tempted by a beautiful rental, but if there aren’t any reviews, I’m not willing to be the first guest.  Sorry hosts!  But taking a chance on rentals that don’t have a lot of reviews can be a good way to get a bargain as hosts may charge less than they could initially while they are building up some reviews.  Also, be wary of any listings that don’t have recent reviews.  It could be that the host hasn’t made the property available for rental in a while, but it could also indicate an issue.

Read through a good number of reviews to get an overall feel for the place and the host.  Do the hosts regularly bring guests breakfast, how responsive are they, does it sound like the interaction with the host adds to the experience?  Look for commonality in reviews and take those that are overly positive or overly negative with a grain of salt.

I also notice how hosts respond to reviews.  Do they respond appropriately to critical reviews?  I was recently looking for Airbnbs in Italy and found one place that looked perfect and overall had good reviews.  But if a reviewer left any comment that was critical of the rental the host responded very rudely.  It was a total turn-off and I would never rent from that host.

4) Find the Amenities You Want

Refer back to your list of what you want in a rental. For me, I gotta have wifi. And air conditioning. And my husband likes to watch TV in the evenings so we need a TV and preferably one with some English speaking channels if we are traveling internationally. We also prefer a lower floor in a building or that it has an elevator.

Staying for a while and need a washer/dryer?  Plan on cooking your own meals?  Staying in a home enables you to have these types of amenities that may not be available in a hotel.  Make sure that the amenities you must have are included in the rental. 

Use the filter options on rental sites to filter by amenities. These features help you see only those vacation rentals that fit your needs and makes searching and choosing the right vacation rental that much easier.

5) Look at Photos – Carefully!

I like to see a lot of photos of a rental.  Seeing all of the rooms and from different views gives you a better idea of the space.  However, I don’t like seeing twenty pictures of every vase or piece of art. 

Review the photos not only for room size and amenities, but also review the décor.  This isn’t about finding a space decorated in the latest decorating style but looking for clues to cleanliness and upkeep.  Do the couches look old or uncomfortable?   Does the carpet look clean? 

I also like to see photos of the exterior of the building which is helpful when finding your rental.  And photos of the views from the rental.  Many hosts will add stock photos of attractions in the area.  Make sure you read the captions to see if it is a photo from the rental or a stock photo.

6) Look at the Total Cost

Many times you’ll see what appears to be a great rate, but when you see all of the fees, the price increases substantially.  Look at the total cost and not just the daily rate.  Do the same with a hotel as resort fees are common now. Also, include any special taxes a city may impose on tourists.

Here is an example of a rental on Airbnb for the same location and dates. Notice that one includes a cleaning fee and a higher service fee.

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7) Review Check-In / Out Times

Arriving in a new city after an overnight flight and having nowhere to go is terrible.  Review the check-in and out times to make sure they work with your travel plans.  If the check-in time is later than your arrival, check with the host to see if they can store your luggage.  Or can they store your luggage for a few hours after checking out? 

Many hosts will also help with transportation arrangements. Our host in Quito picked us up from the airport which was incredibly helpful. This type of service is another reason I love renting a home when traveling.

8) Review Your Responsibilities

Sometimes rental agreements require you to do things like take out the trash or remove sheets.  Is there a separate cleaning fee?  If there is, I expect not to have to do these things.  I believe in keeping a place clean and tidy and leaving it in the same condition as I found it.  But I don’t particularly want to do housework while on vacation.

Review all of the house rules to make sure this is the right rental for you. Make sure you follow the rules as hosts have the opportunity to review you as well.

9) Ask Questions

Ideally, a well-written description will answer any questions you may have about a rental.  If you still have questions feel free to contact the host with those questions.  Not only will their answers help you decide if this is the best rental for you, but it will also provide information on how responsive they are.

Communicate through the platform provided by the rental company.  This will ensure that there is a record of all communications should there be any problems.

10) Review the Cancellation Policy

Life happens and plans change. Review the cancellation policy to make sure it works for you. I prefer to book rentals that have a 100% cancellation policy.  If not a 100%, then a generous cancellation policy until close to check-in.

Conclusion

A vacation rental is a wonderful option and can help you make the most of your time and vacation dollars. Using these ten tips will help you choose the right vacation rental which in turn will help you have the best travel experience possible.

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