Wait for 'last-minute' deals
Many people start booking accommodation six months before the start of their vacation or at least a few months in advance. However, in reality, it's still possible to organize everything now – experts even advise relying on chance and waiting for 'last-minute' options. You can allow a little spontaneity into your life and choose a vacation destination or at least a specific house right before your vacation – discounts should still appear by summer.
"It is very difficult to find decent options in terms of price-quality ratio in Montenegro, Croatia, and Cyprus right now. These destinations are popular among our tourists, especially since no visa is required to enter Montenegro, and for visiting Cyprus, a free visa obtained online is enough", says Anna Utkina, development director of the travel center Pack Bag.
But right now you can discover new destinations: this year, Mediterranean countries such as Spain, Italy, and France have 'slumped'. There are also decent options left in Bulgaria. "Previously, civil servants liked to rent apartments for the entire summer season in Bulgaria, but due to restrictions on foreign travel for this category of tourists, they had to give up their favorite vacation," explains the expert.
Calculate Your Budget
What definitely needs to be planned in advance is the budget. In addition to rental costs, you need to include flights, insurance, visas, and food expenses. In any case, renting a house will allow you to save significantly.
Renting resort accommodation in the private sector is 30-50% cheaper than staying in a hotel room, experts say. However, when renting resort accommodation, you need to be realistic: a five-bedroom villa with a pool within walking distance of the beach typically costs no less than 2,000 euros per week, and more often the price for such a property ranges from 4,000 to 5,000 euros, according to Tranio.com.
But if your vacation falls outside the peak season, you can save on rent. On the coast, there are three types of seasons: high (summer), low (winter), and shoulder (spring and autumn). In summer, the rental cost increases by 30-50%, or even two to three times compared to the low season.
When planning your budget, you should pay attention to additional expenses. For example, sometimes owners may charge a cleaning fee. And in some countries, particularly in Spain, Italy, France, Montenegro, and the UAE, a tourist tax of about 1-5 euros per person per day is collected (not counting children under 18). This amount is not always included in the rental rate, and for two people you would have to pay 60-300 euros per month.
Contract and Prepayment
The rental contract, like the prepayment, is not just a whim of the owner but also a guarantee for the vacationer that the place is reserved for them. The contract should specify: the exact address, area, number of rooms, bathrooms, all services included in the cost and those paid separately (utilities, Wi-Fi, garden and pool maintenance, staff services).
The contract is usually concluded in English. And if your own knowledge is insufficient, it is better to consult at least with acquaintances who know the language better.
Only the contract will guarantee a refund if the deal falls through. Therefore, it is not recommended to make a prepayment before signing the agreement. The prepayment amount varies from several hundred euros to the monthly rental cost if the house is rented for the entire summer or longer.
"Most often the prepayment is 30-50%. This is done to ensure that the selected apartment or villa is booked specifically for you. The remaining amount is paid 30 days before the start date of the booking or upon check-in," says Kristina Yayloyan, a foreign real estate rental expert at Tranio.com. For payment, it is safest to use a bank transfer, as well as credit or debit cards.
A security deposit may also be paid, or simply a deposit. The amount of such a payment is about 200 euros. "The security deposit is paid at the beginning of the rental and is returned if no damage has been done to the property by you. The security deposit is paid in cash or frozen on a card," explains Kristina Yayloyan.
Inspect the House Inside and Out
If the area is unfamiliar, you need to examine not only the internal furnishings of the house but also what is within walking distance. For example, if you plan to cook yourself, the house should have a stove, refrigerator, and dishes, and a supermarket nearby.
Also, find out where the nearest beach is, restaurants in your price range, and entertainment venues. If you are traveling with young children, check that the neighboring house does not have a nightclub playing loud music at night.
Check-In and Check-Out Conditions
Do not forget that check-in and check-out conditions are different everywhere, and you must familiarize yourself with them in advance. To avoid problems, you should get the phone number of the manager or owner, and also arrange the meeting place and time in advance. If you arrive at night, it is better to spend the night in a hotel and get the keys to the house the next day to see the house in daylight.
"Arrange to have the rental property shown to you during the day and to be told about all the nuances, and also document everything in the condition it is in when you check in so that property damage is not deducted from your security deposit," says Kristina Yayloyan.
Upon departure, problems may arise if, at the contract signing stage, the clauses related to payment for additional services, particularly cleaning, were not carefully studied. "Tourists told us that on the day of departure, the owner came and said he would not return the security deposit until they washed the floors, washed the curtains, and defrosted the refrigerator. As a result, the tourists left without their deposit, which was 3,000 euros," says Anna Utkina.