What is a Barcelona Vacation Rental and how do I reserve one ?.
The term "Vacation Rental" is a term used in the travel industry to mean the renting out of furnished apartments or houses on a temporary basis to tourists as an alternative to renting a hotel room.
Becoming more and more popular by the day many local authorities in cities around the world are bringing in new laws to control and licence them as they are now considered a treat to the hotel industry. Vacation Rentals come in all shapes and sizes, any suite-type lodging that has self-catering facilities can call it self a vacation rental but can differ greatly in size and style.
Studios apartments upwards are classed as a vacation rental and most come equipped with
fully equipped kitchens, one or more bathrooms, sometimes a balcony or patio.
Towels and linens are always provided and daily maid service and other hotel conveniences are sometimes on offer depending on the owner / operator. Some owners offer theses little extras like cleaning, telephone calls, mini bar, pre-stocked fridge etc included in the rate but many include all theses services at no extra cost.
Unlike hotels with their per person pricing, vacation rentals are usually rented at a fixed rate per night regardless of how many guests stay.
Usually one-bedroom units sleep up to four guests , 2 two bedroom units sleep up to six, three bedroom units sleep up to eight guests incorporating the double sleeper/sofa in the living room.
Always read the vacation rental descriptions to learn the specifics of what is on offer and how many people are allowed and the area of the city it is located. Visitors and tourists always like to position themselves in the centre of any city they are visiting so to avoid using public transport as much as possible. No one wants to be stuck out in the suburbs of any city.
Hotels have enjoyed the advantage of brand recognition, familiar reservation processes and on-site staff for problem resolutions. Guests trying to book a vacation rental often meant stepping out of that comfort zone of the travel agent and trying to book something private from an advert in a news paper. Perceived cons of vacation rentals include: having to communicate directly with the property owner, being unfamiliar with the property, lack of on-site staff and concerns about quality or cleanliness.
Because of the Internet vacation Rentals are now available in nearly every country around the world and can range from a budget studio right up to a private villa on a private island with a full staff to cater to you and your guests.
However, there are many vacation rental agencies that manage vacation properties like
World Escape for owners and they offer many of the same services hotels offer to their guests, like front desk check-in, 24-hour maintenance, in-house housekeeping, concierge service).
The benefits generally outweigh the potential negatives, with many vacation rentals offering more space (multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, separate living areas), more amenities (fully equipped kitchens, fireplaces, unusual decor as well as convenient locations (on the beach, ski-in/ski-out) and greater privacy than a hotel.
The figure for 2006, the vacation rental management business has become a $12 billion industry world wide.
