Reliability of Online Sites for renting apartments for vacation in Italy

Michael,
Slow Travel has a huge base of user reviews and you can sort by rental agency http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/vr/reviews.asp

Check out www.cross-pollinate.com they are an apartment and bed and breakfast booking service operated by an American family living in Rome. I have used them many times and they are the best!! The prices are very reasonable and there are many good locations in Rome, Venice and Florence. Rick Steves also recommends them in his books. Have fun!!

Michael, www.cross-pollinate.com rents apartments in each of those cities. They are recommended in RS's book. We are traveling for the first time this Spring, and have reserved an apartment in Rome for 4 people for 110 euros/night. The process was fast, efficient, and they spelled all the rules/regulations, including if you're not happy with the apartment.

Thank you so much for advise. We really appreciate it!

I once booked an apartment with RentalinRome, then changed my plans. I was really sweating when they ignored my cancellation request day after day,week after week. After constant emails on my part, I finally got an acknoledgement. Again, after more persistence on my part, I finally got my refund back after about 6 weeks. They were very apologetic about taking so long, but I wish they were as quick to refund my money as they had been to take it in the first place. That being said, however, I love their website,I have heard very nice things about their apartments and I would probably book with them again.

Contact Lori Hetherington with Pitcher & Flacommio in Florence.

www.pitcherflaccomio.com/new/index.php

Last September she found us a two bedroom apartment for five nights after we lost the one we had reserved on short notice because of a water leak. She was wonderful to deal with and we promised to call her when we go back next year. Ours was three blocks from the Ponte Vecchio and we walked everywhere in Florence from there. On their website noted above they have a monthly newsletter that is very informative. If you contact her, tell her Jim and Melinda from Louisiana said hello. Oh yes, she is also from California, but went to Tuscany some 20 years ago and never left.

I like ItalianVillas.com and have rented from them several times. They were bought by AAA a few years ago. They do have some apartments, but are a better choice if you want to rent a villa or house -- which you may want to do with a family.

Mathew

http://lodgephoto.com/blog

We used italy-accom for places in 4 locations. Overall the service was reliable. 3 of the 4 places presented an awkwardness in contacting the owner/landlord at the site, and in acquiring keys. I did not expect this. I wonder if other rental sites operate like this.

www.romeby.com

Found on the Graffiti Wall of this very web site. LOVED the Rome apartment I booked in Nov. of 06. No surprises. When I left the property and checked my emails 2 days later they had posted a follow up to my stay. Problems, was the property as you expected, etc. I was extremely pleased and highly recommend.
Have a wonderful trip. Fabulous country!

have rented apt in Rome starting March 16 for my son's honeymoon from listing on VRBO and dealt w/owner directly--via emails--courteous, usually fairly prompt--pretty good English.
VRBO has lots of rentals for Italy--not all of them are by-owner as the site says. Some are apartment agencies trying to increase their audiences.
The SlowTravel site and Trip Advisor boards are also good sources of info for rental agencies--the TA boards do not have separated apt reviews like SlowTrav site which is very well organized.
The apt we rented was not known to either board--but think my son will be happy.
Would definitely check both of them for info about your agency though---