10 Vacation Rental Myths Busted

10 Vacation Rental Myths Busted - Holiday Rentals

If you haven’t stayed in vacation rentals yet, it’s probably due to the myths below. Don’t let these unfortunate holiday rentals myths prevent you from taking the most affordable, memorable and luxurious vacation of your lifetime!

Vacation rentals are expensive
In reality holiday rentals are one the most affordable ways to spend holidays. Of course, vacation rentals range from affordable holiday rentals to luxurious vacation rentals. The broad range allows them to meet most renters’ budgets.  Vacationers will find great value in most affordable or luxurious holiday rentals.  Families and groups of friends save thousands of dollars renting a vacation villa rather than having to reserve 5 rooms in a traditional hotel. Though hotels may offer good deals, they will never match the deals that you can get when reserving vacation rentals.  Chances are that if a hotel offers special discounted rates, they will be matched by holiday rentals owners.

It is difficult to find vacation rentals
With access to the internet, it has become much easier to locate great holiday rentals. People looking for the perfect vacation rentals will find plenty of options on the internet. With a few minutes on the web, you will find thousands of holiday rentals available for rent. Of course it might take a little bit longer to book than a hotel but the savings that you will get can be substantial. Holiday goers might browse specialized holiday websites (for one location) or general holiday websites in (for several locations). They may send requests to vacation rentals agencies or to owners that take care of their properties themselves. After a few emails sent, vacationers will locate plenty of great holiday rentals. Long gone are the days where paper catalogues were needed to secure vacation rentals.
 
It is difficult to reserve holiday rentals
Once vacation renters complete the back and forth phase with several owners and finally decide on a vacation rental, the process is pretty simple. Vacationers will need to sign the reservation contract for their vacation rentals and then pay a reservation fee to secure the property. The rest of the full amount will be paid prior to arrival. Each owner or holiday rentals agency might have their own policy. Renters should find a vacation rentals owner that they feel comfortable working with. Reservations are made easily. Most owners accept all methods of payment from credit cards to pay pal and bank transfers. A reservation is complete after a few clicks.
 
Vacation rentals require a lot of work
People that have never rented holiday rentals often think that they have to bring things like towels, sheets or cooking utensils. The vacation rentals industry has evolved dramatically over the past 15 years and owners and managers have become more professional, providing ease to the renter. Most holiday rentals come with sheets, towels, soap, dish soap and everything you might need. Vacation rentals were not as carefree as a hotel where you have a maintenance and cleaning staff on the premises, but they have caught up very quickly.

Some owners offer cleaning services and other vacation rental agencies may go as far as providing a home with full concierge service included. If renters have specific needs, they should ask the owner or manager of the holiday rentals if their needs can be met. Most vacation renters will have to do some work to attain the pleasure to feel like you are home away from home. Others might hire help to remedy and free themselves.
 
Vacation rentals can be boring
Holiday rentals come in all shape and sizes. Hotels usually provide amenities but so do vacation rentals. Some holiday rentals apartments are located in buildings that offer full fledge amenities such as concierge, valet, pool, gym, tennis, spas and more. Renters that are looking for such vacation rentals will find them. Of course, the more amenities there are, the more expensive the holiday rentals will be. Renting a vacation rentals villa may provide you more than what a hotel may offer (i.e., private pool, Jacuzzi, boat and private gym).  

Vacation renters that want multiple attractions and sporting activities should select holiday rentals that are located near all the activities. The most popular holiday destinations offer a large variety of vacation rentals in the busiest tourist districts and therefore, offer plenty of things to do like shopping, eating, cultural events and sports activities
 
It is Difficult to find good deals on holiday rentals
Lodging options such as hotels and vacation rentals obey the same rule of supply and demand.  In difficult economic times, such as that experienced today, people look for deals. Of course, it might be easy to find good deals when calling hotels or browsing a hotel aggregator that features all discounted prices in a few seconds.

Getting good deals for holiday rentals will undoubtedly require more time and more negotiating skills, but sending the same email to several homeowners requesting the best offer is a good way to start. Once you have decided on the vacation rental that you really want, you will enter phone negotiations. Vacation rental owners will offer you great deals if they need too. Get ready to negotiate.

Vacation rentals are riskier
The internet is certainly a great medium to use for holiday rentals. Vacation rental seekers will be able to pinpoint properties in a matter of minutes and get access to all information needed to book great vacation rentals. However, there may be risks involved and renters should do their homework. Unfortunately, the internet has witnessed an explosion in scams of all sorts including unethical individuals defrauding holiday goers. Some scam artists are creating or “stealing” information on holiday rentals, putting up advertisements, collecting rent and then they disappear.

Scammers are everywhere; you will find them in all industries from finance, insurance to vacation rentals. You need to be extra careful. Dealing with a vacation rental agency will probably be safer and more protected because you can research a holiday rentals company; dig and see if the company is legit or not. We encourage all renters to get in contact with multiple owners and ask a ton of questions including proof of ownership. You should also get background information on the company; investigate if any complaints have been filed. Scam artists usually work alone and are easy to trap.
 
Vacation renters don’t know what they will get
The internet has made it easy to share information. Most websites are very thorough and provide plenty of photos and accurate descriptions of vacation rentals being advertised. You should only select holiday rentals that are well described; if it is not, this may indicate that the owner is negligent or simply has something to hide. Vacation rentals should have plenty of information displayed including a text description and pictures of the property from all possible angles.

Request more pictures from the owners if you are not convinced, or move on to another vacation rental property. Finding the right vacation rental property is a must if you wish to enjoy your holidays. You should be in a position where you can undoubtedly SEE what you will get. Renting holiday rentals should not be a mystery and thanks to the ever-evolving technology, it is not in most cases. We also strongly suggest that vacation rental seekers look and analyze reviews on the specific vacation rental property of interest. If previous renters have complained, you will be able to avoid that property all together.
 
Vacation rentals are often categorized as rustic
The reality is that holiday rentals come in all shapes and sizes, from the most basic vacation rentals apartment to the most luxurious holiday rentals villa.  Your taste and budget will determine which vacation rentals are best for you. Renting a cabin in Whistler or a multi-million dollar vacation chalet in Aspen or Mont Tremblant is definitely an experience (as is the budget).

Generally speaking, the most popular destinations will offer a large selection of the most affordable holiday rentals to the most lavish vacation rentals villa. The choice is yours! Vacation rentals are known to offer the best value. Hotel holiday goers may also end up staying in a rustic hotel if they are not careful or do not have the budget.
 
Holiday rentals are not safe
Owners of vacation rentals are always preoccupied with the safety of renters and of their property. Often they equip their properties with alarms and safety box to ensure that vacation renters and their properties stay safe at all times.

We believe that staying in a vacation rental property is safer than staying in a hotel because there are less “strangers” or guests that will be around the vacation rental that you rent. Hotels have hundreds, if not thousands, of guests. Additionally, when staying in a hotel, you will have cleaning and maintenance people coming in and out of your room. Holiday rentals have more privacy and safety than hotel rooms. If you have specific safety requests, please address them with the owner of the vacation rental home that you wish to rent. The selection of vacation rentals is large and therefore, you should be able to find holiday rentals secured with a gate (such villas are abundant in Miami, i.e. Sans Soucis) or 24-hour security.
 
Vacation rentals have maintenance problems
The client is king, and therefore does not tolerate maintenance issues. Home owners do not like to have to resolve emergencies and therefore, most take preemptive action by maintaining their property in good standards. Of course there are also owners that are negligent or that don’t care. Renters need to search and eliminate properties that pose risks. How can potential renters differentiate between ethical and unethical owners? One hint would be to look at the way the information is presented on websites. If it is not well organized, beware.  Test their level of organization when dealing with them during the booking process; if they are not attending you in a timely manner or are vague in their answers, beware.

Always ask the owner questions such as how can I be sure that the property is well maintained? What will you do in the case of any problems? Do you have a maintenance person on call?

By choosing a professionally managed vacation rental, you reduce the risk. Vacation rental agencies are well organized and have full time maintenance crews to prevent or repair problems when they occur. Any house or apartments may have problems but a good maintenance and prevention program may significantly reduce risks.