Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Renting at the same time of year, they can rent a 2,053-square-foot, three-bed-
room, two-bath vacation home with a private pool within easy walking distance of
Disneyland for $375—a saving of $27 per night over the Fairfield Inn rate. But that's
not all: The home comes with a washer and dryer; an outdoor hot tub; a large, grassy
play area; a barbecue grill; lounge chairs; a game room with pool table; a family room
with a 52-inch high-definition TV, DVD player, and surround sound; a stereo system;
a dining room with seating for eight, plus a covered patio dining area; and off-street
parking. The only trade-off for our hypothetical family would be having two bath-
rooms instead of three.
You can see the specific home described above at
vrbo.com/175261
.
VRBO
stands for
Vacation Rental by Owner,
a listing service for owners of vacation prop-
erties nationwide. One thing we like about the VRBO website is that it offers detailed
information, including a good number of photos of each specific home. When you
book, the home you've been looking at is the actual one you're reserving. On the
other hand, some vacation-home rental companies, like rental-car agencies, don't as-
sign you a specific home until the day you arrive—these companies provide photos
of a “typical home” instead of making information available on each of the individual
homes in their inventory. In this case, you have to take the company's word that the
typical home pictured is representative and that the property you'll be assigned will
be just as nice.
Location is everything, especially in Southern California with its legendary
traffic. Before renting a home, contact the owner and get the address. Then, using
google.com/maps
,
obtain exact directions fromthe home toDisneyland. This will tell
you how long and how complicated your commute will be. Avoid homes for which
it's necessary to drive on a freeway for more than a couple of miles. Don't worry if
the home isn't in Anaheim per se; it's the distance to Disneyland that counts.
The only practical way to shop for a rental home is on the Web. Going online
makes it relatively easy to compare different properties and rental companies. The
best sites are easy to navigate, let you see what you're interested in without having
to log in or divulge any personal information, and list memberships in such organiza-
tionsastheBetterBusinessBureau.Beforeyoubook,askaboutminimumstays,dam-
age deposits, cleaning charges, pets, and how any problems will be addressed once
you're in the home.
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