Rentals Italy

Italy Vacation Rentals

Range of accommodation

Italy provides a wide choice of vacation rentals that cater to all tastes and budgets. It has something to offer for everybody, right from backpackers traveling on a shoestring budget to those who want to enjoy their holiday in the lap of luxury. Depending on your situation you can rent anything ranging from a modest one bedroom flat to a luxurious private villa or a castle with dozen bedrooms and private pool. You can choose a farmhouse, a rural cottage or a downtown apartment. Those of you who worship the sun and the sand can specially ask for beachfront houses. A special category of romantic villas is also available for honeymooners. You can even get accommodations that have wheelchair access.

Types of Rentals

Italy vacation rentals italy are basically two types - commercial holiday homes and secondary residences of the local families. The former are run by professional vacation rental companies/agencies. Many of them maintain a network of vacation homes across all places of tourist interest such as Venice, Rome, Tuscany, Umbria, Capri, Amalfi, Chianti, Florence, Sorrento etc. so that you don’t need to worry about searching for a new accommodation whenever you go to a new place in Italy.

Some local families maintain an additional residence or a holiday home where they spend only a part of the year. Instead of keeping the house idle during the rest of the year they rent their holiday home to tourists. The owners of theses private holiday homes are registered with the vacation rental agencies.

Living with a Local Family

There’s also a third category - families who let out a room or two in their primary residence. But such an arrangement may be suitable only if you are holidaying alone; usually two guests would be the maximum. Italians are known for their warm and hospitable nature. Staying in such family accommodations adds an altogether different complexion to your vacation. There’s absolutely no need to go to a restaurant to taste authentic Italian cuisine.

Living with a family may not give you as much private space as an exclusive rental house or a hotel; sometimes you may have to share the bathroom with the family. But living with a family is the most economical arrangement; it also gives you an opportunity to experience the Italian way of life. Students and backpackers who cannot afford exclusive residences generally stay with local families. Usually women traveling alone tend to prefer this kind of arrangement as it offers them better protection in a foreign country. If you are planning an extended stay you can make it the ‘home base’ in Italy and make short travel to other places of tourist interest.

You must confirm the credentials of the family before taking up their offer. Many of them are registered with vacation rental agencies. Choose unregistered ones only on the references of friends and relatives who stayed with the family earlier.

Amenities at the accomodation

A vacation rental is a ready to occupy accommodation. You are provided with standard furniture such as beds, chairs and tables, air-conditioner, refrigerator, telephone, a well-appointed kitchen, cooking pans and pots, crockery, dishwasher, washing machine etc.

Usually fresh towels, clean linen and a roll of toilet paper are also provided. Sometimes only blankets and pillowcases are included in the rental and you may have to pay extra for linen and towels. You should verify this before booking the accommodation. Generally list of the amenities is given along with the description of the property. If you want an additional facility, such as a child cot, you must inform the agency/owner of the property at the time of booking. You are charged extra for such additional facilities.

Some Italian appliances may work in a different way from the ones in your country. For instance, in Italy you usually find gas stoves instead of electric stoves. Some of them might be covered with a glass panel, which needs to be removed before starting the stove. Generally an employee of the agency or the owner of the property would be with you when you first arrive at the property. S/he would acquaint you with the property and give necessary instructions to use the appliances.

American tourists should know that most of the Italian houses don’t have a separate shower stall. They usually have a bathtub with a shower rod. Also, plumbing and drain system of some houses may be a little antiquated. Beds in Italy are a little smaller than the standard size beds. Instead of one king-size/queen-size bed you may find two single beds joined together.

In Southern Italy washing machines don’t have dryers because they have a blazing sun. Another thing you might find different about Italy is that washcloths or mittens are almost non-existent here. You can contact the agent or the owner of the property should you face a problem during your stay.

The property should be neat and all the appliances should be in their normal working order at the time of your departure. The owner of the property or an employee of the agency takes an inventory when you vacate the property. If you break anything or damage the property the money required for the repairs is deducted from your security deposit.

Booking your holiday home

April-May (spring) and October-November (autumn) are usually the busiest tourist seasons in Italy. However travel experts advise that Italy is one of the most visited countries of Europe irrespective of the time of the year. So you need to book well in advance. If you plan to visit between June-August, you need to book at least 12 months in advance; if you plan to visit in May, September or October you have to book at least 8-9 months in advance. You must reserve 12 months in advance, irrespective of the season, if you want a large property with a private pool. Budget accommodations for one or two persons are usually available at a short notice of one or two months.

All most all the vacation rentals italy providers are accessible through the Internet. You can search for a suitable property by giving details of the geographic location of the city/town/village; your price range; number of people occupying the property, number of bedrooms and bathrooms you need etc. Photographs and description of each property listed with the agency are displayed on the website which gives you a basic idea about what to expect when you arrive at the property.

Rent is charged per week. Usually prices are displayed in two denominations - Euros and American Dollars. The amount would basically depend on three criteria – location such as city, village or coast; type of accommodation such as budget apartment, luxury villa, farmhouse etc; and facilities provided such as private pool, wheelchair access etc. The lowest rental charge may be around $400 per week whereas the highest rental may be up to $9000-10,000. Peak season and off-season rates are different.

All details of the rental along with the picture of the property are provided on the agency’s website. You can make the reservation through an on-line booking form. If you want more details you can contact the owner of the property through e-mail or telephone. Usually reservations are made from Saturday to Saturday. But there are some agencies that offer three-day rentals. Discounts are given if you book for a month or longer period. If you want a house with a pool you should know that in Italy pools are open only from June to September.

The property you choose is kept on hold for a period of three days. You must confirm the reservation within those three days by making a down payment towards security deposit. The amount ranges from 25%-50% of the rental. Balance amount should be paid at least 60 days before your visit to Italy. Cash payments are not accepted; you can use only check, credit card or wire transfer.

Only major credit cards are accepted. Preference is given to Visa, MasterCard, Discover and Diner’s Club. Some accept American Express too. However, credit cards are not accepted for large payments. You should pay amounts above $4000 only through check or wire transfer. On receiving your complete payment you are mailed with the directions to reach the property.

According to the cancellation policy of the rental agency it might be possible to cancel your reservation by giving sufficient advance notice. But a cancellation fee is deducted from your security deposit. It is possible get back the entire security deposit amount only if you have cancellation insurance.

Conclusion

A vacation rental might be the best choice if privacy, homely atmosphere and flexibility are your top priority during the holiday. They lend a very personal touch to your holiday and provide an opportunity to absorb the local culture from close quarters. Italy vacation rentals will definitely come as a fresh breath of air to those of you tired with the sterile and impersonal atmosphere of hotels.

Related Articles

» Apartments Rentals chicago
» Auto Rental europe
» Apartment rental vancouver