Hi all. I%26#39;m looking at reserving an apartment through VRBO in Paris. I%26#39;ve found several that I would like to inquire about and they all look to be avaialable on my selected dates.
For those of you that have used this site before, is there a protocol for making inquiries at more than one property? For example, is it a reservation request, and if the property is available that means I%26#39;ve automatically reserved the place?
This is probably a ridiculous question, but I%26#39;m planning my first European vacation and am not versed in travel protocol, especially for private rental property. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated!!
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Hi quillingrocks. Your question is not ridiculous; it%26#39;s sensible. Since vrbo is Vacation Rental by Owner, you are probably writing inquries to several different parties (some owners have more than one place). Your reservation will not be solid until you enter into a contract with the one you choose, so you can feel free to ask questions and confirm availability with more than one place before making your choice. Often owners offer a courtesy hold of a few days while you make up your mind, send your deposit, etc. I have had good experiences with vrbo in the U.S., Canada and in Paris. As far as the Paris one goes, I lucked into Gail Boisclair, who runs PerfectlyParis.com - after renting her Villa des Platanes property, I have stuck with her small, personal agency for my 2 return trips. I am confident renting from her, know she will steer me to the right place for the trip (I travel with different numbers of people) and, should something happen to %26quot;our%26quot; apartment, I know she will get us into a fine alternative---not from experience, from knowing her integrity and wide network. Remember to ask all your potential apartment landlords/ladies about what is important to you--quiet, sunny, how many stairs, internet, bathroom(s), location, etc. Have a great trip!
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Before you get all excited about a specific apartment, note that those availability calendars are legendary for NOT being up to date.
You initial inquiry is just that - not a reservation request. And, sometimes owners are too busy booking available dates to respond as quickly as they should when your dates are not available.
Your dates usually will not even be held until the owner/agent receives a signed agreement and deposit.
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Tellurian and dkjbooks: Thank you so much for your responses. I%26#39;ve sent in all of my requests, so we%26#39;ll see what - if anything - is still available. This just seems better than hotel rooms that are not rated very highly for the same per-night charge.
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Quillingrocks - For what it%26#39;s worth I can also vouch for VRBO. While I have not used it outside of the U.S. I have rented many places through there in various states - CA, NJ, FL, NC, NY and have always been happy with the units. The owners have always been friendly and accomodating. You wil have to settle everything with the owner, but I%26#39;ve always found them honest and helpful with reservations.
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You are welcome; while not for everyone, (people who want room and maid service, a concierge and other services) I think apartments are a great value and help me feel more a part of where I am. I love to go to food markets, but it%26#39;s frustrating if you only have a room. When you have a kitchen.....what a pleasure! Good luck with your choice.
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Thanks again to everyone. I%26#39;ve heard back from some of the apartments that they%26#39;re still available. It would be so exciting to live (sort of) like a Parisian for even a few days, so I%26#39;m definitely looking forward to the apartment experience.
As a rule, has anyone had a problem with paying up front and then the apartment not being available and there%26#39;s no way to get money back? I mean, I assume that the owners are truly legitimate, but my husband wants a little more assurance before we pay upfront. It sounds like most people have had excellent experiences, but with a lot of these being privately owned versus a management company, it could be hit or miss.
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If you go to slowtrav.com there are reviews of many apartments as well as comments on the facility of dealing with the particular owner of said apartments. Just don%26#39;t give up on an apartment if it isn%26#39;t reviewed there. You can post the info here and see if anyone has had experience with that particular apartment or owner. I have found both of these boards helpful for getting more specific apartment info.
I think it is a wonderful way to travel. We have rented apartments in Paris, Madrid, Rome, and Cape Cod with all different owners and have had great experiences each time.
Good luck,
Eve
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