Apartment rentals

Elane: vrbo.com does not charge a fee. Neither does homeaway.com or the others you see suggested so often. They merely serve as a way for home owners to post their properties and for interested persons to get in touch with them and also as a way for previous users to post reviews. Once the initial contact is made, it's solely between you and the owner. They determine their own rates, security deposit, reservation deposit and the like.
I personally love and prefer staying in vacation rentals. For a night or two a hotel/hostel works but for a few nights or longer, it feels great to have a 'home' to return to at night. Not to mention having more space, a kitchen or kitchette which goes a long way toward convenience and saving money, and in many cases, the ability to negotiate with the owner or gets discounts for lengthy stays can mean a great deal of savings too. Its a great option for a traveller.

Have rented with vrbo and homeaway several times while vacationing in Italy and Spain. Have been very satisfied. It's very relaxing to have your own "place." Somewhere to relax and not have to every meal in a restaurant. Apartments are always bigger than hotel rooms and everyone has his or her privacy. Wouldn't consider any other options. Enjoy!

One more thing in answer to your question: I am not sure why people prefer hotels. Some may not know that vacation rentals is even an option, which I didn't when I first started doing a lot of travelling. Other may fear getting ripped off which is a definite threat if you are not careful. And others may just want the convenience of staying in a hotel: room service or having your beds made or whatever. To each his own. But if you haven't tried it yet, I definately suggest it.

Elayne, I have used VRBO for our Rome trip last year & for our upcoming Florence trip this year. You deal directly with the owners of the apt. You can establish a good relationship and have a great experience. I'm not crazy about hotels myself. I have always asked the owners for their best price since you can negotiate a bit with the owner sometimes. Just in case you hadn't noticed when you searched, some apts are just a converted space with maybe a loft and a kitchen area while others are apts that someone has actually lived in at one time. Our Rome apt was one that was owned by a young man whose sister sometimes lived there. She would come by and we got to know her. Some people might not like that but everything was fine and they were all a lovely family. Just be aware and choose what you would be comfortable with. I also try to get a washer in the apt to save time. I guess that most people either don't know about the apartments or they may fear getting ripped off. I feel that most of the owners are honest people that are providing a service.

Elane, we have used VRBO for many of our rentals in the EU, in Hawaii, and other places in the States. It is just like the others have told you: a contract between you and the owner, and each contract is different. It is always a good idea to read the general terms for each rental site. Some offer some fairly decent "rental insurance", others do not. We have also used Homelidays.com in the EU, with good results. It is like buying a used car or seeking a good hotel: you have to use "due diligence" and do your research; location, reviews from other travelers/ Trip Advisor, etc., payment terms, etc. all have to meet your needs. Any time we are going to stay in a location for more than 4 days(and sometime less!) we investigate an apt. And we cover our bases by buying a separate trip insurance policy, that covers us if the apt is not available when we arrive.

Thank you all for your responses. I am now considering two apartment options.
One is much larger than the other in the Collaseum/Palatine area, 3 bedrooms, with only five photos (none of bathroom) and eight positive reviews; the other close to Spanish Steps, 33 reviews with good things to say about the landlords, neither has a map for some reason. Both are about $450 Euros for four nights. Both are available on my nights, and I'm not sure of what questions I should ask, using "due diligence". They will both take credit cards, according to the site. The ball's in my court, and both apartments would do very well I think. What are the important questions?

I would ask for more pictures especially the one with no bathroom pictures. I would also as kfor a map and if the apartment has wifi. What floor is it on and is there a lift or only steps? How close is the nearest food market, what kind of shops and restaurants are in the immediate neighborhood, and is it on a busy street or a quiet one. Those are the questions I start with. I love staying in apartments and there is so much more room but be sure to read the recommendations that are with each apartment very carefully.

I prefer to stay in apartments and usually use vrbo. I have also used homeaway. To me, the beauty of an apartment is more room (hotel rooms are usually very small) and having a kitchen available. Many apartments also come with a washer, and sometimes a dryer. As has been mentioned before, the terms are between you and the owner. One thing to look out for is whether the apartment you are interested in has an extra charge for cleaning. So far, that has been a deal breaker for me. This doesn't apply to you, but many apartments have a rate for two people. If you have more people they can charge more per person for the additional people. Don't be afraid to negotiate. I am renting an apartment in Paris and I did not want to pay a 400 euro security deposit by cashiers check when I arrive. I asked the owner if he would be willing to accept a credit card number as the deposit. He agreed. Have a great trip!!

Definately feel free to ask for more pictures. If there is a hesitancy on the part of the owner to show you pics of other parts of the apartment, be wary! Some questions I like to ask include: what is the deposit needed to reserve the apartment? Is it fully refunable if I need to cancel? Do they require a security deposit? Is that given back the day I leave or is there a waiting period? Is there a final cleaning fee? Does the price include gas and electricity? Are there specifics hours to check-in and is there a fee for checking-in earlier/later? How close is it to public transportation? What method of payment do they prefer for the deposti? etc... and basically any and all questions that might mean more money out of my pocket. Also, if there is an email address or if the house has a name (for example, La Casa Tina, or something) do a google search for it and see if you can find other info on it. The owner may use other vacation rental sites and you might find more reviews/pics from persons using the other site (some owners post on vrbo and homeaway or they may even have their own website). Hope that helps!