{"id":7923,"date":"2017-03-31T19:11:25","date_gmt":"2017-03-31T17:11:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ortalloggi.com\/?p=7923\/"},"modified":"2021-05-06T18:20:43","modified_gmt":"2021-05-06T16:20:43","slug":"holiday-homes-advantages-and-disadvantages-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ortalloggi.com\/en\/holiday-homes-advantages-and-disadvantages-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Holiday homes: pros and cons"},"content":{"rendered":"

Holiday homes: pros and cons<\/span><\/h4>\n

This time the topic is very different when viewed from the perspective of an Italian or a foreigner. That’s why I decided not to write an article personally (I am Italian), but to publish the one of Walks Of Italy. This is written for foreigners, by foreigners. It can be a best point of view for you.<\/span><\/p>\n

From here on, what you see is the exact copy of the article that you can find at this link<\/span> \u00a0Short-Term Apartment Rentals in Italy: 6 Top Tips<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

Renting an apartment can be particularly fantastic if you\u2019re traveling on a budget, especially as a family. In the center of Rome, for example, there are hundreds of apartments that go for less than 125 euros a night; good luck finding a hotel room where you can comfortably sleep a family for the same price!<\/span><\/p>\n

A short-term rental in Italy is also a great option if, say, you want to save money on eating out (you\u2019ll have your own kitchen), like the idea of having a living space to relax in (but don\u2019t want to pay for a swanky hotel suite), or want to experience really \u201cliving like a local\u201d (in a local\u2019s own home).
\n<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

For \u20ac30 a night, you can have a bedroom to yourself and enjoy breakfast in this sun-filled kitchen at \u201cTemporary Residence for Artists\u201d in Florence, Italy, on AirBnB<\/span><\/p>\n

That said, staying an an apartment doesn\u2019t always go perfectly. Every apartment is different, so conveniences and comforts vary. Photographs can be misleading (as they can for hotels). And all but the most popular apartment rentals might have only had a handful of guests in the past, so there are fewer reviews to go on.<\/span><\/p>\n

How can you make sure you\u2019ll get the most out of a short-term apartment rental? Here are some tips to keep in mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

When booking, there\u2019s no reason to use Craigslist<\/span><\/h4>\n

Craigslist<\/a> has its uses. But when it comes to finding a short-term apartment rental, it\u2019s just too risky. Scams abound, and given the free-for-all nature of the posts, there\u2019s no way to know if people are who they say they are\u2026 or if apartments are actually what they look like, either!<\/span><\/p>\n

Luckily, lots of other, far safer options have popped up. Some of our favorites include Wimdu<\/a>, AirBnB<\/a>, and HouseTrip<\/a>. All of them have built-in protections for you. When you book an apartment on AirBnB, for example, you submit your payment to the website. And AirBnB holds onto it, only releasing it to the owner two days after you\u2019ve actually checked in. So if you arrive and the apartment doesn\u2019t exist, or isn\u2019t what the description says, the owner never sees the money. Owners also can\u2019t cancel on clients more than once a year, and get penalized for even that one cancellation.<\/span><\/p>\n

They\u2019re also good because they have a review system where only people who have actually booked and stayed at the property\u2026 can write a review. Seems like a no-brainer, right? Sites like TripAdvisor don\u2019t work that way, because anyone can submit a review; there\u2019s no check on whether they\u2019ve actually stayed there. But because you book and <\/em>review through the same system, with sites like HouseTrip and Wimdu, there\u2019s a way to tell.<\/span><\/p>\n

So play it safe. Stick with the major short-term apartment rental sites. There\u2019s no reason to play Russian roulette with your vacation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Know upfront what you\u2019re getting (breakfast? air-conditioning? an elevator?)<\/span><\/h4>\n

Apartments in Italy aren\u2019t like apartments elsewhere. For the most part, they tend to be older. Bathrooms, and especially showers, are smaller. Because the buildings are old, there often isn\u2019t an elevator, only stairs. And many Italians don\u2019t like air-conditioning, so it\u2019s not <\/em>an amenity every apartment has. Always check the list of amenities for the apartment to see what\u2019s offered.<\/span><\/p>\n

As for breakfast, most apartments don\u2019t have it\u2014at least not in the sense of a breakfast cooked for you in the morning. The most they might have is some breakfast items, <\/em>like fruit, milk and eggs, in the refrigerator. If they don\u2019t, there\u2019s usually a nearby market where you can pick some food up. But you can always ask before you arrive (or book) the flat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Remember that verified photos aren\u2019t always better<\/span><\/h4>\n

Some of these websites have \u201cverified\u201d photos of certain properties. That means that a photographer sent by the company has visited the apartment and photographed it. The benefit, of course, is that you can be sure the photographs are real. But keep in mind that they\u2019re also taken by a professional <\/em>photographer\u2014and can make the apartment look more attractive, bigger, or brighter than snapshots taken by the owner.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t hesitate to ask for just a night\u2019s stay\u2014or for a discount, if you\u2019re staying longer<\/span><\/p>\n

At the \u201cVenitian apartment new and clean\u201d in Venice via AirBnB, you can sleep 6 people for \u20ac139 a night!<\/span><\/p>\n

The idea that you can\u2019t rent an apartment in Italy unless you\u2019re staying for at least a week is a complete misconception. A few places, particularly countryside villas, do have that rule. But in cities, it\u2019s rare. Some apartments might have 3-night minimum stays, but many others let you stay for as little as one night.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even if you do see a property with a minimum stay that wouldn\u2019t work for you, ask anyway. Particularly if it\u2019s low season, the owner may well decide to be flexible.<\/span><\/p>\n

And if you are <\/em>booking for more than three days, ask the owner if there\u2019s any discount when you first contact them. Sometimes, it\u2019s built into the system\u2014they might offer a 10% discount on a week or more, for example\u2014but sometimes it\u2019s not. And asking is a good way to see if you can get that price down.<\/span><\/p>\n

Take advantage of local knowledge<\/span><\/h4>\n

Staying in a short-term apartment rental means you won\u2019t have a concierge. But what you do have is, we think, even better: a direct line to a real local, and one far less likely to be getting commissions or kickbacks on his or her suggestions than a concierge! Often, the apartment owner will have an information sheet with suggestions for restaurants, stores, and sights near the apartment, but if not, ask. It\u2019s one of the best perks of renting an apartment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Remember you\u2019re not staying in a hotel<\/span><\/h4>\n

It\u2019s not just that there won\u2019t be a concierge. You probably also won\u2019t have toiletries provided, so bring your own. (You should, however, have linens and towels provided). And if something minor happens\u2014like you run out of paper towels\u2014you\u2019ll usually be expected to handle it yourself. (Of course, if there\u2019s any kind of emergency, or even if you have a question about where <\/em>to buy paper towels, you can always contact the owner).<\/span><\/p>\n

The fact that this isn\u2019t a 24-hour hotel also means it\u2019s even more important to be clear about when you\u2019ll arrive. Often, someone will have to come meet you to let you in. So get your stay off to a good start by giving as much of an idea as you can about when you\u2019ll arrive! And if you\u2019re going to be late, call, text or email to say so.<\/span><\/p>\n

Keep these tips in mind, and we promise: You\u2019ll have a wonderful, and rewarding, apartment stay in Italy!<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally I leave infographic prepared by me (Alice) with the pros and cons of staying in a vacation home.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"hotel<\/a><\/p>\n

Alice – www.ortalloggi.com\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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