• What is a vacation rental?


• Is it like a timeshare? Is any ownership involved?


• Why would I stay in a vacation rental instead of hotel?


• What is there to do in a vacation home?


• How do I find the right vacation home for me?


• How do I know if a vacation rental company has reliable services and facilities?


• How do I make a reservation? Is it secure?


• Do visitors have to stay for long periods of time?


• Where are most vacation rentals located? Will there be other vacationers around?


• What are the benefits of renting from a professional vacation rental management company?


• If I have questions during my stay, do I have someone I can call for assistance?


• When renting a vacation home, will I receive the same services that I’d experience from a hotel, like room service, spa treatments, etc.?


• Is a daily housekeeping service available?


• How many people can stay in one vacation home?


• Economically, how does a vacation rental compare to a hotel stay?


• What if I need wheelchair accessibility?


• Can I bring my pets?


• What if I want to stock my vacation home rental with food and snacks?


• How do I check-in to my vacation rental once I’ve arrived? Is there a designated check-in and check out time?


• Will I have Internet access and cable television?


• How can I get to and from area activities and the airport?


• Are vacation homes rated for their quality and services?

Vacation rentals are a preferred alternative to the traditional hotel stay. Often costing less than a single hotel room, vacation rental homes, condos and villas allow families and groups to stay under one roof while providing considerably more space and, in many instances, amenities not found in one’s own home.

Vacation rentals are not like timeshares, as they don’t involve any type of ownership, maintenance fees, or commitments of any sort. Travelers can simply rent a vacation home for their getaway rather than staying in a hotel.

Many guests choose to stay in a vacation rental for a combination of reasons – value, location, privacy, amenities, and overall comfort and convenience. In a vacation rental, travelers are able to reserve a fully furnished home with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms underneath one roof, rather than splitting up and booking multiple hotel rooms. Visitors enjoy their own private amenities, a contrast to a shared resort-style perks, as well as a full kitchen in-home, and often in-home game rooms, billiard tables, home movie theaters and more.

There are amenities available in-home to fit every travelers’ recreational lifestyle. Vacation rental visitors often boast easy access to nearby activities, parks and attractions, and sometimes, their own private pools, spas, and patios, in-home fireplaces, private televisions, DVD players, and often wireless internet access, stand-up arcade games, billiard and air hockey tables.

The VRMA’s Discover Vacation Homes website has made it easy for travelers to find their ideal vacation rental among the millions currently available across the country. Visitors can visit the organization’s website, www.DiscoverVacationHomes.com, for a list of North America’s most reputable vacation rental management companies. Guests can then visit each of these websites, and can often virtually tour a variety of homes and available amenities, then book conveniently online or by phone.

Travelers can be assured that the VRMA’s members have committed to providing quality accommodations, and to adhering to the highest standards of business and ethical practices.

Booking a vacation rental is a convenient and secure process, as many association members offer both accredited phone and Internet reservations systems. Guests can often view photos and amenities of individual homes prior to booking, making it easier for travelers to find a home to fit their specific needs.

Some vacation rental management companies require a minimum stay for reservations. Guests can contact the management company’s customer service team or website for further information and to confirm.

While some vacation rentals offer seclusion, they are sometimes concentrated into various vacation rental or tourism communities, as well, allowing guests with large groups to stay nearby or even next door to one another. Some communities are gated for additional privacy. Travelers can certainly expect to see other vacationers in the same neighborhood, and may even stay nearby to permanent residents.

When renting from a professional management company, guests experience the benefits of a traditional hotel stay with additional amenities and many added values, including:

• Professional managers are available 24-hours a day
• From 1,050 to more than 4,000 sq. ft. of vacation space
• One to seven or more bedrooms and multiple bathrooms under one roof
• Fully equipped kitchen
• Spacious living area and furnished dining room
• Washer and dryer in-home

Many vacation rentals also come equipped with extra amenities for private recreation in-home, including:

• Game rooms featuring popular arcade games, billiard and/or air hockey tables
• Private pools, patios and/or spas
• Home movie theatres with cinema-style seating
• Plasma or flat-screen televisions
• Free wireless or high-speed Internet access
• Multiple DVD players
• Video game systems
• Multiple televisions
• Private fireplaces

Smaller groups staying in studio, condo or townhome rentals often enjoy:

• Access to resort and water park-style pools
• Community clubhouse with game rooms, sundry shops and fitness rooms
• RV and boat parking
• Tennis, basketball and volleyball courts

VRMA’s member companies offer an emergency contact that guests can call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for questions, maintenance issues, and more. Be sure to inquire about any guest services phone numbers or contacts upon check-in to your home.

Guests experience all the benefits of a traditional hotel stay with additional amenities and an inherent value that can’t be matched by even the highest quality resort, often including a concierge, as well as options for in-home massages, spa treatments, a personal chef to cook meals, pre-arrival grocery delivery services, child care, and more. Most vacation rental management companies also boast partnerships with local vendors to offer guests discounts on tickets to area excursions, attractions, golf courses, as well as special rates on car and equipment rentals, to name a few.

While each vacation rental is thoroughly cleaned and prepared before and after guests’ arrivals, management companies often offer mid-stay or daily housekeeping services, upon request, for an additional fee. It is recommended that visitors inquire directly with their vacation home’s reservations team for further information.

Occupancy levels may not exceed what is posted for each home according to each state’s law. Some seven-bedroom homes can sleep up to 16 people, with larger homes accommodating even larger groups.

Vacation rentals often provide huge cost savings as compared to the typical hotel stay by allowing guests to make just one reservation, rather than multiple, for a group or family. Rates for some three-bedroom vacation homes start at just $120 per night, but sleep up to 8 travelers versus just one or two. Having a fully equipped kitchen in-home also offers great value to travelers who want to save on the costs associated with dining out for every meal. Rather than spending hard-earned vacation dollars on a full restaurant breakfast every morning, vacation rental guests have the exclusive ability to simply stock up from the supermarket on their favorite cereal, snacks, eggs, or pancake mix.

Many VRMA member companies offer wheelchair-accessible accommodations. Please contact individual association members for additional information, accessibility details, and specific property amenities.

Many of the rentals managed by VRMA members are pet-friendly, and some even offer welcome packages for guests’ favorite four-legged friends. Pet deposits and breed restrictions may apply. For more information, please contact individual member companies.

There are a variety of supermarkets nearby to most vacation rental communities for guests who wish to have their favorite snacks and meals on-hand and in-home. Many companies also offer guests the ability to pre-order groceries online to be delivered prior to their arrival. For the ultimate in culinary convenience, guests may also request a personal chef to prepare their vacation’s meals from breakfast to supper, plate-ready and chilled in the refrigerator upon check-in.

Some rental companies offer a central office nearby to their vacation rentals for convenient check in, pickup of guests’ keys, information about the area, and more. Others offer pre-arrival check-in, providing information electronically prior to guests’ arrival, including directions to/from the airport and local highways, maps of the area, a key-code for entry to the home, vacation ideas, and more.

And yes, consistent with most hotels and resorts, vacation rental companies do designate a specific check-in and check-out time. Early or late arrivals and departures may also be requested.

Most vacation rentals are furnished with cable television, DVD players, and multiple TV sets, and many are equipped with free high-speed, and sometimes, wireless Internet access. Some VRMA members additionally offer complimentary usage of computers and connection to the World Wide Web at central guest office locations. Be sure to ask about specific requirements when selecting a home.

Each vacation rental management company can provide convenient directions to and from area airports, activities, landmarks, nearby services, shopping, and more. For those arriving by air, some member companies have established partnerships with local vendors to offer discounted car rental rates. Information may appear on member websites, and for additional information and rates, guests can contact association members directly.

Many professionally managed vacation rentals have been rated by the American Automobile Association (AAA) based on their level of lodging excellence, as well as the features and amenities offered. The highest AAA Rating that a vacation rental can achieve is three coveted Diamonds. Other sports associations and tourism groups have also offered their stamp of approval for various member companies, which can be found on each of their websites.

Member companies themselves also designate specific levels of accommodations, the highest usually including homes with up to seven bedrooms and valuable added features like home movie theaters, arcade rooms, designer furnishings, and more.

Guests are encouraged to look for the AAA Ratings of vacation rentals when seeking accommodations, as well as a designation of membership with the Better Business Bureau, of which all VRMA members are proudly affiliated.

• Rent a professionally managed vacation rental to ensure you’ll get consistent hospitality services and quality assurance standards, as well as professionally cleaned and managed homes, ongoing & objective inspections and concierge type services that provide destination expert advice.
• Request and evaluate past guest reviews, testimonials and references, like those listed on Flipkey.com.
• Just as consumers inquire about bedding types with hotels, make sure to do the same for vacation rentals, especially for multiple bedroom requests (make sure bedding matches your group’s needs – whether two twins, three queens, one king etc.).
• If maid service is only included once a week from your management company and you prefer daily service, you usually can pay an additional daily nominal fee which, when added to the rate, is still less than a traditional hotel room alternative.
• If driving on vacation, bring a care package with some food and beverage items you enjoy at home and may not be able to find or wish to pay for in bulk at a local supermarket (i.e.: spices / coffee / wine / condiments).
• Check to see if there is an accessible customer service number for 24 / 7 emergency needs and after hour requests.
• Inquire about the privacy of your rental, if desired, as well as the type of community it’s located within (gated, nearby to golf courses, beaches, etc.).
• Look for third-party endorsements on the websites of rental management companies, including approval from AAA, as well as membership in industry associations like the Vacation Rental Managers Association, Better Business Bureau (BBB) and local property management groups.
• Rather than spending hard-earned vacation dollars on a full restaurant breakfast every morning, stock up from the local supermarket on your favorite cereal, snacks, eggs, or pancake mix.
• Traveling during low season, as with any accommodations, can save you big money.
• Find out if your vacation rental company has partnerships with any local vendors, attractions, etc., and whether or not they offer discounts or recommendations for area services, including dining, shopping, local activities, transportation and more.
• Inquire about whether or not a security deposit is required to reserve your vacation rental, when it’s returned, and when it’s due.
• Before your trip, confirm what amenities are included in the rental home to assist you in planning and packing more efficiently. For example, will the home include linens, towels, any kitchen equipment, pool toys, DVD players, video game stations, computers, wireless Internet, or other recreational features?
• If planning to bring a pet, check with your management company for any applicable fees, breed restrictions, and any specials or pet welcome packets.
• Some management companies provide concierge-type services that allow guests to utilize the services of local partners, including grocery shopping and delivery, personal chefs, in-home massages and spa treatments, and more.