What are the most important features to you when searching for or staying in a single family vacation home abroad? Location, safety, cleanliness, decor etc. If you could stay in the most perfect vacation home, what would it look like and/or what would it have?
Responses (5)
Wife and I spent 2 years in vacation rentals, in 6 countries. The biggest problem is that you often need to make arrangements (including non-refundable deposits) before you can see the rental, except online images.
Location is very important. Choices can be very limited, if you go through companies and not individuals (which can be riskier, although companies lie too). What goes for normal varies by country. In some places, you may want a place with a doorman or guard. In Lima, Peru, we couldn't stand the apartment we had arranged for, for a 3-month rental (it smelled of mildew), and we lost money by bailing out early and renting another place. In Buenos Aires, Argentina, we did something similar, because it was right over an all-night bodega, and in front of a bus stop, with the bus brakes would make a loud screaming sound every time. Things like this you just can't know until you're there.