Be a Smart Vacation Shopper

If you have stayed in vacation rentals or holiday villas and have booked the same place for your next vacation, you are really, really, REALLY, lucky. Finding the ideal vacation rental is part science, part prayer, but mainly just plain hard work. They are not all Gates Hotels and you must have heard horror stories from your relatives and friends of places they have rented as featured dream castles, only to find out they had been sentenced to a week in an undrained bog at the end of an unmarked road with a leaky roof. Pictures, nowadays, can be easily...ahhhhh....enhanced to look magnificent and descriptions can be twisted to Wordsworthian flights of bucolic fantasy.  Well, it is not too late to learn to be a smart vacation shopper. If you take the time needed to do your homework, chances are, you will be rewarded with gems you will always treasure. So, here are some tips:
Step 1:

Do your research thoroughly. Go to the internet and check the range of offerings at your destination. This will give you a general focus on the type of rental you can get. Take note of the ones you might be interested in and keep the site address so it is handy to get back to it. Some travel agencies can help and most newspapers have vacation rental sections. Check out farm holiday sites, too! And, house swapping. Gather all the information you can about rentals at your intended destination and things you need to hammer down. Phones? Mobile range? Internet access, how far to a store? Whatever.

Step 2:

Make a list of the must haves based on your own preferences. If you are traveling with a group, make sure you ask them their own preferences as well. Location is important. Choose one that is easy to get to transport, groceries and important sites to visit. If you want the beach, be right there. Make a list of the must haves like the number of bedrooms you need, the amenities you want to have such as a pool, beach, public transport close by, laundry, cleaning service, grocery close by, and others that may be of value to you and your group. Now, match the "must haves" with the "maybe haves" there are from Point 1 above.

Step 3:

Ascertain the price range you can work in. It is always helpful to have a budget. When you search, it is good to look at the top and the bottom of your range and locate where you will be most comfortable. Remember, saving $100 will be a memory in moments if you've cheapened out so badly the vacation becomes toast!

Step 4:

Identify properties you are interested in. OK. Flex the fingers. It's action time. Bring up the spots you liked and get a match with the must haves and the budget. Get a short list of 3; more than 3 and you will just dither.

Step 5:

Have a list of questions you want to ask of each of these properties. This is a good practice to do as you review and prioritize your list of properties. Find out the amenities that are included and the extras you have to pay for. If there are memberships that go with these rentals, ask for the rules and privileges that go with these. Maybe, there are big savings to be had in these such as golf fees, club house discounts, boat rental discounts and others.

Step 6:

Communicate with the contact person for these properties. Ask the questions on your list and listen carefully. You will have a sense of how thorough these people are and how much care they put into their rentals. Ask for pictures of these properties. Ask if you can speak with the family who last rented it. If there are reviews in the internet, you are lucky. If not, then you just have to rely on your gut feeling and the closeness of alternatives. If despite all your work, you end up in a dungeon, spend most of your time visiting beautiful places or if you can stretch your budget, move. Save your vacation.

Step 7:

Ask a friend who might be in the area to check it out. This is important if you are a big group or you have a big family. You can afford to spoil your own holiday, but you have to think twice about including other people's holidays, too.

If vacation rentals are your preferred holiday option, keep your ear tuned to vacation stories of your friends and acquaintances. In some cases, you just have to take the risk; but, make it an informed risk.