- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
Comments (3)
Print
Save/ShareIf you’re considering a vacation rental in lieu of a hotel or other lodging option for an upcoming trip, you should definitely check out our new “Vacation Rental Handbook.”
I recently took a family trip to Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. There are a few things that happened that made me wish we’d asked a few more questions before the trip. BT's rental guide would've spared us some heartache!
Let's start at the beginning. There were six members of my family heading to the resort area for a relative’s wedding, so our choice of accommodations was easily narrowed down by the list offered by the bride and groom with discounted rates. The condo we got gave us exactly what the website said it would and exactly what the pictures showed: two bedrooms, one with a king bed and one with a queen bed, and a pullout couch in the living room. The rooms were spacious and ideal for fitting the six of us—and the rate broke down to $60 per person total for a three-night stay. I’ll take a beautiful condo with a screened in porch by the lake for $20 a night any day.
1. We had to turn on the water. Luckily, my uncle and cousin arrived before the rest of us did, and they figured out that the water wasn’t working and figured out how to turn it on. However, they didn’t figure out that it involved a two-step process, namely that...
2. We had to turn on the hot water. Unfortunately, no one discovered this until after I’d submitted myself to an excruciatingly cold shower.
3. We couldn’t take advantage of the recreational opportunities the condo complex offered. There was a pool, tennis courts, and a basketball court, but our calls to the management company found out that no, they didn’t have any tennis rackets or balls or basketballs for guests to borrow or even rent—not even at the on-site “clubhouse.” And although it was still 80-plus degrees out, the pool was filled with about a foot of water and assorted leaves. We managed to get some physical activity in because my brother thought ahead to bring a football with him.
To its credit, the management company did emphasize in the guest manual that it reserved the right to close the pool for maintenance at any time. And it was technically the start of the off-season. But it was still a shame, especially considering that all the pools at the upscale lodge where the wedding was held were open. But I guess if we had wanted hotel amenities we should’ve stayed in in a hotel, right? (Tell that to my uncle, who didn’t bring any shampoo. I have a feeling the nearby Wal-Mart gets a lot of business from uninformed guests.)
One other plus was that our check-out “chores” only consisted of taking out the trash and washing any dishes that we’d used. I thought that was pretty nice, considering that my previous vacation rental experience consisted mostly of staying in a condo my aunt and uncle owned—we usually vacationed there with them and other family members, so we felt right at home—unfortunately, that also meant making sure the place was completely spick-and-span before we left so they wouldn’t have to hire a maid service.
Now, I wouldn’t call this a “bad” experience by any means. I had a great time and actually wish we’d stayed longer. This experience just made it clear to me how important it is to ask specific questions about the property you’re going to stay in and to have realistic expectations going in.
Budget Travel's new “Vacation Rental Handbook"
User reviews and comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions.
While I sympathize with the author about the sometimes strange quirks of vacation rentals, I don't find any of the problems so horrendous so have caused any real "heartache".
Sorry, but shampoo and other little amenities (like toilet paper) that we often take for granted at hotels, usually aren't included in vacation rentals. Taking a little trip to the local Walmart isn't likely to crash your budget and you're really lucky to be within a short distance from any store that carries these things. Though I do agree that if hot water is shut off, the management should have let you know and shown you how to turn it on. It's not an obvious question and I totally place the blame on the management.
I just recently got back from a fantastic vacation in Costa Rica. We rented a villa that was listed on HomeAway.com for an incredible bargain. I think what made us choose this property was all the detail that the owner listed as part of the amenities and services that came with the rental. We did ask about a few things that we didn't see on his list (e.g. internet access, cleaning fee, etc.). He was always prompt with his answers. That's a big tip off for me. If they take days to answer some really simple questions, it can give you a good look at how they'll be when you're actually onsite. When we booked the rental, he sent us a little FAQ list and info about the place since he has always gotten the same questions (this shows an organized mind, hence the villa itself was going to be organized too).
When we got there, the place looked even better than the photos that were online. I'm always a little skeptical about photos, which can be taken at more advantageous angles and neglect the less impressive parts. This place was sparking clean and well equiped with many of today's modern technology (e.g aircondition in each bedroom, satellite tv, ceiling fans, ADT alarm system, etc.). There was an onsite manager who showed us how to arm the security system, lock the gates, and work the shower (the villa had one of the most unusually shower heads and control system that I've ever seen). He even acted as our concierge arrange surfing lessons, a private chef, and a visiting masseuse. The rental fee also included daily maid service (yahoo!). I have often seen rental ads that had a final cleaning fee in addition to the rental rate itself. Either way, it meant that we didn't have to clean up before leaving. Towels were changed daily and the pool man came once every other day. All of this was, of course, listed on the ad. I felt like a VIP at a 5 star resort and we probably paid about $60 per person per day.
Even if you don't have any real concerns, ask a lot of questions. The answers and how promptly you receive them says a lot about what you are getting.
Posted By Annie on October 27, 2008, 8:14 PM
We own a bunch of timeshares and have rarely had a problem. Those we don't use we rent at cost, and have never had a complaint. On balance, we have had as many problems with hotel rooms as condos--at two or three times the price.
Posted By Beverly Mumma on October 28, 2008, 11:00 AM
Well, it's the old saying "you pays your money, you take your chances". The worst situation I've run into was a place we had rented in the Florida panhandle. Everything was great until I got up one morning and discovered what they called palmetto bugs (a polite name for overlarge cockroaches) wandering across my kitchen floor. Would have vacated immediately, but rent had already had been paid so there was no chance of getting it returned. So we just went down cautiously every morning, and eventually we beat them out. But all in all, it was one of the best times that we had.
Posted By cjfitz on November 2, 2008, 5:40 PM