If you’re heading off on vacation for more than a week or two, and you want to enjoy the home away from home perks of an apartment, you might be better off looking for a private rental. Of course, even if you’re only going away for a standard two weeks, you could still privately book somewhere and relax in more comfortable surroundings, away from the mass tourism hotspot hotels, and their loud entertainment programmes!
Sometimes it’s much more authentic to relax and enjoy a vacation when you stay somewhere more residential, and many property owners recognize this, letting out their properties, or even their rooms, to travelers of all different types. If an apartment isn’t for you, check out our list of the best hotels.
How do you start looking for an apartment?
The Internet is your friend here! Googling vacation apartments in your particular destination will bring up all manner of sites, but how do you know which ones are reputable, and which ones could be a scam? Well, you don’t really, and that’s why it’s best to stick to the best-known sites out there, who all have strict guidelines for their properties. These sites also allow property owners to be reviewed, so you can read about the experiences others have had in that particular place.
Airbnb is a relatively new site to come forward, but it is a hugely popular one, having grown massively in a short space of time. This basically allows property owners to rent out their house/flat/apartment/room to other users of the site. It’s all based on good feedback and choice, and there are some seriously cheap sources of accommodation to be found. This is particularly good for those who are looking to visit a city, and are finding that hotels are extremely expensive. Check out Airbnb and you will probably find a flat or room for a fraction of the cost, in a residential area, which will allow you to have a much more authentic experience.
If you would prefer to stick to a more touristic way of booking, e.g. a vacation apartment then there are several sites you can use. Owners Direct is a good one, and this covers houses and villas in particular, usually in the centre or just on the outskirts of popular resorts. Again, you get a quieter stay using a site like this, because villas will always be slightly away from the main tourist streets, but you are in easy reach of everything at the same time. Vacation Lettings is also a good site to check out, which is very similar in type, and also offers some bargain stays. Similarly, check out Wimdu, which will search countless different private rentals for you to choose from.
You are going to need to book quite far in advance for this type of accommodation because throughout the year there is limited availability, but if you can manage to find your ideal place to stay, you will have a much more authentic experience as a result.
