Tips & Tricks For Booking Rental Homes
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
As a companion piece to Ryan Gargiulo's post on reasonably priced long-and-short term accommodation and her own on booking rental homes, TPG International Contributor Lori Zaino offers tips to help you determine if apartment and house rentals are right for you when you travel.
If you've always booked hotel rooms in the past, perhaps the idea of renting apartments or houses seems intimidating. These rentals are typically people's homes, and staying in them often means foregoing the luxuries of daily housekeeping and turn-down service, and instead immersing yourself in a more independent, residential experience.
Positive trade-offs include the opportunity to stay in housing unique to your destination—like an igloo in Alaska or a treehouse in Kenya—or simply have access to more space and money-saving perks than you'd find in the average hotel.
When renting accommodations, you're likely to find some unexpected benefits. During a recent Airbnb stay in Thailand with my boyfriend, homeowner Dennis stocked his/our fridge with beer, milk, coffee and water, waited at the house until midnight when our flight was delayed, then joined us for a beer while sharing some great insider tips about the surrounding area. We loved that the house came equipped with a pool table, but in case that wasn't entertaining enough, Dennis lent us a hard drive stocked with hundreds of movies—in the event of a rainy day—and rented us a scooter to get around. We felt just as well cared for as if we'd been staying at a hotel—and maybe even more so!
Rental accommodations can also be a great choice when you want to take a long trip but you're on a tight budget, because many provide access to a washing machine and/or a full kitchen, saving money you'd otherwise spend on laundry service and restaurants.
Payment Tips for Renters
Note that the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard cards code Airbnb rentals as "travel agencies and tour operators," which means that your bookings will earn double points. However, many other rental agencies, including VRBO and Homeaway, are coded as "real estate agents and managers," so you won't earn the double points. You could always call an agency directly and see if you can get this code changed, but be aware that this may not work.
Sometimes these rental accommodation websites don't allow credit card payments at all, in which case you'll have to pay via Paypal or check. However, if you use Paypal, you can still fund your transaction with a credit card; just be aware that this payment method incurs a 2.9% fee for the sellers, which they’ll often pass on to you. Therefore, I'd only suggest paying via Paypal if your rental is within a modest budget and you’re not overpaying for the points you would earn.
Other Tips
As most of these rental accommodation sites verify their users, you're likely to find your rental as it was pictured and described. Having rented more than 30 different accommodations around the world through various sites, I've yet to have a bad rental, but I always look at listings carefully and have come to recognize when one seems fishy.
These things are red flags for me:
- Fake-looking or blurry photos (some websites, like Airbnb, offer to send a professional photographer to the host's place, so there should be no excuse for terrible photos). On the flip-side, photos so good they look fake can also be scammers, so be aware. There shouldn't be any reason why hosts are posting digitized images instead of real photos of their own rentals. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Feel free to ask hosts to provide more photos or show you the property via Skype.
- Almost no information about the property
- Info that just doesn't add up or is confusing (e.g., the house has one bedroom, but the listing says it sleeps 10)
- No reviews
- Any reviews that suggest bedbugs, creepy owners, or unsafe/unhygienic conditions
Pay attention to the type/size of each rental. I remember the first time my parents looked for rentals, they found several that seemed great—aside from the fact that they were just single rooms in someone's home rather than private apartments they'd have all to themselves. If you want to book a private home or apartment, make sure to check the box that says something akin to "entire place."
Same goes for reading the fine print. Make sure to note cancellation fees, security deposit requirements, extra-guest surcharges, check in/check out times, if you can store luggage, and whether or not a rental comes with a washing machine, beach towels, hair dryer, WiFi, etc.
If you'll be staying a while, ask for a discount. If you plan on staying for more than a week in a rental—or even for a month or more—ask the owner of your rental if they'd be willing to offer you a discounted fee. The worst they can say is no, but if a long-term renter is an advantage for them, they might just say yes.
What kind of experiences have you had with rentals using any of the aforementioned websites or other ones (like these)?
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.