Renting a vacation house offers a lot that hotels
or other accommodations often don’t provide: keeping your large group together,
cooking out and eating family style, and unique amenities such as a private
pool or hot tub. Finding the right rental for your group isn’t always easy,
however. Here are some tips from The New
York Times and Frommers.com to
help you make a decision on a rental this summer.
DO YOUR
RESEARCH: These days, there is no shortage of information about
available rentals. Sites like VRBO.com, FlipKey (which is run by TripAdvisor),
and HomeAway.com list thousands of rental homes in North America and across the
world. Once you’ve located a few rentals you like, make sure what you see is
accurate. Check the owner’s website, online reviews and comments from past
users on sites like Yelp or Facebook.
IDENTIFY WHAT YOU WANT: Determine your priorities
before you start looking. A beachfront place may be more expensive, but if your
family loves the water, it may be worth it. If you know your group is more
likely to be out and about and just use the house as a place to
sleep, you probably want to go for a less expensive option.
DECIDE EARLY ... OR DON’T: Good rental properties are tough to find, and that
is doubly true if you’re heading somewhere during popular vacation times such
as Christmas or spring break. So if you locate a place you’re particularly fond
of, book it as soon as you can finalize your plans. However, if you’re the
spontaneous type, you can sometimes find big dis-counts by waiting until the
last minute because discounted renters are better than no renters at all for
property owners.
