Short-Term Apartment Rentals:

The Hotel Alternative

A short-term rental is an excellent way for travelers to experience a foreign city or country.
Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, you can find a holiday flat that is centrally and conveniently located in any of the sought after residential areas in most major cities and vacation spots around the world.

Price is the main advantage to renting a vacation apartment. For less than the cost of a hotel room, a short-term apartment rental can offer you more spacious living quarters. This is a major advantage for families who would otherwise need to book two or three hotel rooms, or share an expensive hotel suite.

Besides price, there are additional advantages to renting a holiday flat.
Another advantage is the comforts afforded in a “home away from home”. Many short-term rentals offer amenities that are only found in the finest hotels, such as cable or satellite TV, VCR, stereo, Internet access, fax and answering machine, hair dryer, iron/ironing board, crib, high chair, or even a babysitter and cleaning service.

But one of the greatest conveniences that most hotels cannot offer is a fully equipped kitchen and a washer/dryer. These are valuable amenities that can save you both time and money.

A kitchen is a particularly useful convenience not only for families with children, but also for anyone who wants to avoid the costly expense of hotel dining. A short-term apartment rental offers the flexibility of cooking and of enjoying the fresh local foods, fruits and vegetables. It can also be a great convenience for travelers who keep Kosher, or are on a restricted diet.

A short term rental also allows you to entertain family in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere and, perhaps most of all, enables you to experience a city more like a native and less like a tourist.

Many short-term rentals can be rented for as briefly as one night, while most owners can offer flexible arrival and departures on the dates and at the times of your choice.

It is recommended that you book a vacation apartment as soon as you decide on your destination.
Make sure to provide the apartment owner or manager with the following information:

• Desired destination and location;
• Exact dates of your stay;
• Purpose of your trip (helpful in finding the most suitable apartment);
• Special needs (elevator, parking, business services, washer-dryer, cleaning service, dietary needs, babysitter etc.);
• Number of guests (adults and children);
• Type of beds needed (twins, doubles, folding beds, crib / baby cot, etc.);

It is also important for you to obtain the following information before you book a holiday flat:

• Reservation and payment procedures;
• Terms and conditions in case of cancellation;
• Services included in the rental fee (i.e, Are linens, towels and electricity included in the price? Is a cleaning service extra?)
• Any additional costs that apply (security deposit, telephone charge deposit, etc.);
• Check-in and checkout times

Once you obtain all this information, you are well on your way to ensuring that your dream vacation is the enjoyable and exciting experience that you deserve.

Have a great trip!