Quiz: What is a Vacation Rental?

What is a vacation rental? I recently realized that this question doesn't have an obvious answer for the majority of Americans. For many across the globe, vacation rentals are THE way to travel, however, in the US its a very niche industry. So what is it? Well, the idea is this: Say you want to go on vacation. You book your flight, you plan your activities and you pack your bags. But, uh-oh, you forgot to find a place to stay (just stay with me here). Most Americans would go right to an expedia or orbitz and book a hotel. Trouble is hotels are expensive. And crowded with a bunch of other people that you may not want to be next door to. This is where vacation rentals come in.

A vacation rental is, basically, someone else’s house. No, you don’t take up in their spare room or sleep next to them in bed (unless you’re into that kind of thing). No, not like that at all. Some people out there are wealthy enough to be able to afford a second home. Typically, they spend a few weeks out of the year there and the rest of their time in their regular home. So what happens to this other home when they’re away? Well, it pretty much goes unused. Months can go by with the home completely vacant. The homeowners figure, “Why not put the place to good use?” They then rent their properties to vacationers.

Many travelers have concerns about the safety of this kind of arrangement. I totally agree. If you were to respond to some craigslist ad you are dancing with danger. That’s why it’s always best to go with a reputable site such as MetroFlats that screens their hosts. Another benefit of using a specialty service is that they take care of the transaction. The vacationer’s money isn’t transferred to the host until both people agree that it’s a good match. Some people may miss the room service but it’s balanced by the fact that you get your OWN KITCHEN to cook in. If you want orange juice for $4 you can buy a carton and keep it in the refrigerator instead of a single glass.