How To Choose Your Vacation Rental – 5 Tips – Before You Book
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Know your needs..
Location and get the address and look it up and make sure it’s where you need on Google Maps. How many people are you / what kind of beds do you need,(single, double?) how many bathrooms, parking and do you need more than one spot, and are there any stairs? Know your minimum needs so that you don’t get locked into a vacation rental that doesn’t have the basics you need to have a smooth stay – like an elevator.. etc.
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Recommendations..
Look for comments from other guests on websites.. like Airbnb or ask for some references from previous guests from the owner/manager. Especially from the last guest to be current.
At Tzion Apartments our guests come from word of mouth, friends of guests have received recommendations.. and on Airbnb the guests’ comments can give a lot of insight into any issues and how the host/manager dealt with things.
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Ask lots of questions…
Feel comfortable to ask questions from the host/manager on your needs and let them know if you have allergies, mobility issues, sensitivity to noise, and need the kitchen to be kosher. Ask for pictures of items in the kitchen. Make sure there’s a washer and a dryer and all items are working properly and if they can let you know if any construction or issues with any of the appliances.
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Look at each picture to know the layout…
Make sure to look at all the pictures. Many photographs of properties can look nothing like the apartment once you’ve arrived and you might not see any issues from the images. If you have time, try to visit the apartment or have a friend or the house manager take a video or do a conference call showing you the apartment during a normal day and you can go through and make sure it has what you need like enough plates/pots etc for your needs.
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Get it in writing…
Make sure you get a signed agreement with all the details of your stay like check in and check out.. Plan to arrive and leave at the correct time to keep things smooth and make sure costs are all clear and documented.. or go through a website that does the contract for you like Booking.com, VRBO, Airbnb etc.