One of your favorite spots on earth is probably your home. Beyond a place to store all your stuff, your home is where you can be completely yourself, in a style of your choosing and with the kind of amenities you like most. Rent a vacation home for your next trip, and take that great feeling of home with you, wherever you travel.
Finding a villa rental is very similar to finding a home or apartment—there are a vast number of options (depending on your desired destination) and it can take some time to find a place that’s just right for you. Enter an experienced travel agent! Working with a travel agent can make the process a pleasure—we will help you discover what you want most in a villa rental, and then will provide choices that best match your “wish list”. To get you started, here are a few things to keep in mind when planning a villa rental.
Know the Basics
A “villa rental” is a catch-all term that encompasses more than just a villa (or a private vacation home that’s available for rent). You can rent a condominium, city-center apartment, beach house, country house or even a castle that is privately owned and you can also rent a villa or condo from a villa resort or hotel managed condominium. When you rent a private home or villa rental, you’ll probably find yourself in a place full of unique personality (like the owner’s favorite books on the shelves and music in the CD player) as well as a truly local experience. When you rent a villa or condo from a resort, the rental cost will often include resort amenities like spa services, kids’ clubs, restaurants and more.
Know the Benefits
Whichever villa rental option you choose, there are many benefits you’ll enjoy with this style of vacationing, like:
- A Sense of Style: Take your time to pick the villa rental that best reflects your personal style . . . or try a different style on for size . . . or take your style up a notch (or two) and opt for the ultimate in luxury—whatever you’re looking for, chances are there’s a villa rental to match.
- The More, the Merrier: A villa rental is a great option for families and groups traveling together—you can most likely find a vacation home for rent that has the space and privacy you require.
- Think Local: You travel the world not to leave your mark on it, as much as to have the world leave its mark on you, and there’s no better way to do that than to completely immerse yourself in a local experience. Like trying the destination’s signature dish, using as many native words as you know, following the customs as best you can.
Know Where to Go & What to Get
Popular choices for villa rentals include cottages in Ireland and England, apartments in London, Paris and Rome, villas in Tuscany and the Caribbean and condos in Hawaii, Costa Rica and Belize. This is a vacation, of course, and you might not want to make the beds each morning or make dinner each night; if that’s the case, ask about staffed villa options – in destinations like Jamaica, staffed villas are common and, for a reasonable fee, you’ll find yourself in the company of your own cook, housekeeper and gardener. Need help picking your perfect place? That’s where we come in! Not only do we have experience coordinating condo & villa rentals but we also enjoy staying in rentals ourselves. We’l work with you to find out what’s most important to you, and where you can find your best match.
Know a Few Tips for Renting a Villa
1. Be Flexible: There might not be a villa rental that’s a perfect match for all of your criteria. Think about what’s most important to you, and start there.
2. Think Real Estate: With villa rentals, price often reflects location—a beachfront villa, therefore, will often cost more than a similar villa located up the hill.
3. Think Amenities: When comparing villa rentals, look beyond number of bedrooms and find out if the homes have the amenities you most desire, like air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, outdoor living space, onsite staff and a pool.
4. Buy Insurance: Most villa rental reservations are non-refundable, so getting appropriate travel insurance will cover your investment in the event that you have to cancel for covered reasons.
5. Be a Good Guest: You might be fine with putting the kids to bed on the couch, but the homeowner may not approve, or there might be local fire codes that prohibit such behavior. Know the homeowner’s rules, and then follow them.
Ready to get started?
Travel by Darcy specializes in upscale vacation rentals and works with reputable property management firms in the following locations:
Apartments in London, Paris, Rome, Florence, Venice
Villa/Cottage/Castle rentals in England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Italy, Spain, Greek Isles
Villa rentals, villa resorts & condos throughout the Caribbean, Mexico and Hawaii
Most apartment rentals have a 5 night minimum stay (surcharge for fewer nights). Villa rentals are available on a weekly basis from Saturday to Saturday.
Unlike websites like homeaway, flipkey, vrbo etc. where an owner can list their property without going through any type of vetting process whatsoever, I only work with professional property management firms for apartments and vacation rentals. This is essential to ensure my clients are staying in a legal vacation rental and that the home is routinely maintained and inspected. In addition to this level of quality control, this means there is a local office available to assist you should you have any questions or issues during your stay. Professionally managed homes do tend to be slightly higher (10-20%) but the peace of mind is truly priceless.
Contact me today with your group needs. You’ll want to have an idea of:
-Where you want to go
-When you want to go
– The budget you’d like to work with for the week
– The number of people in your group including any children
– Any special needs or requests (ie. location, view, # of bathrooms, pool or any other must-have amenities)