Can we talk VBRO?

[Deleted]

I have been using VRBO for a few yrs in the Caribbean. It works out well.

[Deleted]

I used it last Thanksgiving to rent a cabin for a long weekend. We did it kind of last minute (2 weeks out) and had no problems whatsoever. It was exactly as described and the woman who owned it was really nice and easy to work with.

H has rented large houses for bachelor parties a few times and it's always worked out perfectly for him too.

[emilyinchile]

Airbnb is another one. No problems using it in Lima recently, just make sure to choose a place with a bunch of positive ratings.

[hz80408]

We used homeaway (I prefer their search options) for rentals in Amsterdam, Barcelona and Paris.

Each check in had it's complaints (Amsterdam the woman was 4 hours late to meet us (private owner), BCN the girl was an hour late (company rental) and Paris the key was in a lock box but the cleaning lady collected our money and only spoke french.

It was enough to deter my husband from wanting to rent again in a foriegn country; but I had no major issue with it and for the cost savings; I will book us in foriegn rental apts again

[Moe]

I've stayed at many vrbos in South America and Europe. They're fantastic, IMO, it gives you that extra feel of being immersed in the culture of the place you're in. Of course, it really depends on the specific apartment/house that you use, but we've been lucky to have had amazing "suppliers?", very happy to help, give us tips, always in communication, giving us tours, introducing us to neighbours, sending us to their fave local hang outs. It's awesome that some of them also leave you welcome treats of food and wine, admittedly is such a nice touch after a long flight.

I even left a pair of gloves in the VRBO that I stayed at in Portugal and the owner sent it to me.

I usually go by location and by ratings.  It has to have a LOT of positive ratings (usually over 100) for me to consider it.  I won't lie, I usually feel a bit conflicted when I have to send them money in advance (some of them require a paypal advance, others a credit card) but I've always been satisfied with everything they've provided.

[neonpink]

I've rented a VRBO in Rome,Barcelona and two in the U.S. Every times the owners were on time and very helpful. In Rome the owner had a translator there to help explain the house. (specifically the insane trash pick up rules and days.)

I would definitely go with one that has good reviews and is in a location you want to be in.

I have used paypal for a deposit and a credit card for the rest of the balance.

I absolutely loved it and if I am ever staying anywhere for long enough periods of time I will use them. Having a home away from home is really nice. I also love in European ones that the homes can have such fantastic history.

[frlcb]

We have used vrbo many times and have had no issues at all. I prefer it to hotels when traveling with our kids.

[lifewithpants]

We used Airbnb in Paris and Sicily in April, and both experiences were great! One of the things that I really like about Airbnb is that although you pay the entire amount with your cc upfront, your money sits in escrow until after your check in (24 hours, I think) to ensure that both parties are satisfied.

[sunshinedaydreams]

I've used VRBO, Homeaway and Flipkey multiple times each all across Europe and the US and have never had a problem with any of them. I just make sure to thoroughly read all of the reviews, and open communication with the owners to see what kind of response/vibe I get. If I have any sort of uneasy feeling after communicating with the owners (which has only happened once), I find another place.

I do my best to always pay deposits, etc. with my CC through Paypal so I can dispute the charge if need be.

VRBO/Homeaway has a policy that if you follow all of their rules (something like calling ahead to confirm your reservation before you leave, etc.) they will guarantee your reservation and reimburse you if things fall through. Which doesn't really help if you're stranded with no room, but at least you know you'll get your money back.

[Deleted]

We just used VRBO for the first time on our trip to Tokyo. We had 5 people - an awkward amount for hotel rooms (hard to get one for three adults) - and wanted to keep lodging costs down. We got a discount for booking one day because another group was interested and we had asked about it first. We made sure to pick a place with good, detailed reviews.

We paid the deposit and cost through Paypal. The owner was really helpful and met us as soon as we got in, and the place was amazing. I'd definitely do it again.

[rachelgreen]

This isn't going to be the most helpful but we're going to be renting a house through VRBO next month. The owner has been extremely nice and very great with communication so far. The only tip I have is to ask if they would discount their online prices. I happened to mention that I was shopping around different properties and this owner gave us an insane rate for a great house in a very nice neighborhood (it's for a family wedding so we had a family member do a drive by before we signed the rental contract).

[Deleted]

We've had very good luck with renting homes.

We've used holiday-rentals.co.uk a couple times

[bettyfinn]

I'm also a fan of VRBO and have rented apartments in various European countries for years. It is definitely a better way to go with children in tow. While I initially filter my searches by what matters most to me (washer/dryer and location), I wind up choosing apartments with many reviews. If you are nervous renting this first time, I can suggest something that I did my first time with VRBO - I chose a rental that was handled by a real estate company and not a private owner. I felt that I was less likely to have issues/be scammed/etc. if the rental was with a large local rental company. While you end up paying a little more (the owner has to cover the cost of renting it through a company), I found it was well worth it, so much so that I've sought out other properties rented by agents. I find that you stand a much better chance of communicating with someone who speaks good English and who is very responsive. The contracts are always well written and clear. In general, the transactions go extremely smoothly. That said, I've yet to have any problems with private owners through VRBO and if I was choosing between a perfect apartment rented privately or a good one with a company, I would choose the former. However, it may give you some reassurance your first time out.