What is a VRBO?

What is a vacation rental by owner?

 

A vacation rental is a fully furnished property, such as a condominium, townhome or single-family-style home and is an alternative to a hotel. The renter/traveler arranges to rent the vacation rental property for a designated period of time, many rent on nightly basis similar to hotel rooms, although the more prevalent vacation rental industry practice is typically multi-night or weekly rentals. A true vacation rental is not for sale to the guest; rather, the owner of the vacation rental merely allows the guest to rent the property for a predetermined length of time.

 

What are the advantages?

 

Vacation and villa rentals are generally appealing for many reasons, some of the foremost being cost savings, more space, and no tips, taxes or service charges that are associated with hotel rooms. Vacation rentals generally offer more space (multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, separate living areas), more amenities (fully equipped kitchens, fireplaces, private hot tubs), convenient locations (on the beach, ski-in/ski-out, etc.) and greater privacy than a hotel.

 

What are the disadvantages?

 

Perceived cons of vacation rentals can include having to communicate directly with the property owner, being unfamiliar with the property and lack of on-site staff.  In the United States, hotels often enjoy the advantages of brand recognition, familiar reservation processes, and on-site staff for problem resolution. For a guest, booking a vacation rental may mean stepping out of that comfort zone in order to garner some of the advantages they offer.

 

How do I rent a vacation rental?

 

The easiest way to rent a vacation rental is to search a web site like this one. Search the state and region you are interested in and then contact the owner or manager with the contact form or phone number provided. Make all arrangements with the owner/manager. Each owner/manager will have different requirements as far as price, security deposits and cleaning fees. These may be negotiable depending on length of stay and the number of people involved.

 

Happy Traveling,

NewEngland1.com