Vacation rentals promise the space, privacy, and home-like comfort that hotels can't match — a full kitchen, outdoor space, room everyone to relax and do their own thing. Finding a great vacation rental is a combination of research knowing what questions to ask.
Whether you’re looking for a whole house, or hoping to find a special property with local charm and a sense of place, or if there simply aren’t any professionally managed extended stay options at your destination, VRBO.com can help you find your home away from home.
The most important difference between renting a VRBO and checking into an extended stay property is that in the first case, you’re renting from an individual owner, and in the second, you’re dealing with a large corporation that’s in the hospitality business. A great host will be a great VRBO experience.
Figure Out What You’re Actually Looking for
Before you search for anything, get specific about non-negotiable must haves. How many bedrooms - and actual beds - do you need? Will you have a car, and is there parking? Do you need a fully equipped kitchen, or are you mostly eating out? Are you bringing a dog? Make a second list of things that are nice to have and that you can reasonably expect in many or most properties.
Reserve Your VRBO as Early as Possible
Rental properties are booked on a first come, first serve basis, and the best ones are scooped up the fastest. In popular seasonal destinations, owners accept bookings up to a year in advance.
When you do your first search on VRBO, put in all of your must-haves with your top 4-5 would be nice features, and set your price range. Make sure that you list the number of people who will be traveling, as many VRBO rates are based on how many people will be staying. Run your search based on total price, not nightly price, so that you can see the actual total price with cleaning fees, extra person fees, and any other charges included.
Use the map feature to look first at places that are in your ideal location and also meet your criteria. If you got more than 10 results, add in some more nice to have’s, or narrow your price range. If you have too few results, do the opposite!
If you have 5-6 nights at your destination, consider looking at weekly rentals. You will definitely see more choices, and some of those choices will the same (and sometimes better) price as what you would pay for your original time frame. Hello, early check-in and/or late check-out!
Take a Close Look at the Top Listings
The VRBO listing is an advertisement for the property, designed to show the rental in its best light. Be thorough when you read the ad, and wonder what it doesn’t say.
Sleeping arrangements. "Sleeps 8" sometimes means two queen beds and four people on pull-out sofas. Look for specifics on bed types, especially if you have kids that won’t share a double bed.
Kitchen. If you expect an oven or a dishwasher, check the listing to make sure it’s there.
Laundry. Is it in the apartment, or in a common area? In Europe, washer and dryer means an electric washing machine which may be an all-in-one washer/dryer, or it may mean just a washer and a drying rack. It’s worth asking about!
What's included (and what isn't). Does the listing include basic toiletries, cooking oil, or starter coffee? Or are you expected to bring everything?
Look carefully at the photos. Rooms that look spacious in photos often feel cramped in person because wide lenses exaggerate depth. Look for reference objects — a door, a standard sofa, a table with chairs — to get a sense of actual scale.
Look at all the photos. The last few images often show the less photogenic spots: the parking area, the view from the bedroom window, the bathroom. These tell you more than the glamour shots.
Look for what's missing. If a kitchen photo doesn't show the stove, that's worth wondering about. If there are no exterior shots, you don't know what you're walking into.
Check upload dates if possible. Some listings use photos that are years old. The property might look very different now.
Too good to be true? Maybe it is! If the price is much lower than similar properties in the area, be suspicious.
Read the Reviews Like a Detective
Reviews are the most valuable information on any rental platform, but you have to read them strategically.
Look for patterns, not outliers. One complaint about a noisy neighbor might be a fluke. Three reviews mentioning the same issue — slow Wi-Fi, a musty smell, an unresponsive host — is a warning.
Pay attention to recent reviews. A property that was excellent two years ago might have changed owners, declined in maintenance, or updated its policies. Sort by most recent and see if the tone shifts.
Read the negative reviews carefully. Some complaints reveal deal-breakers. Others reveal that a reviewer had unrealistic expectations ("the beach was a 10-minute walk away" — which was stated clearly in the listing). Learning to tell those apart is key.
Notice what reviewers say about the host. Host responsiveness and professionalism matter enormously if anything goes wrong. Phrases like "the host went above and beyond" or "we had an issue and it was resolved immediately" are strong signals.
Before you Book: Meet Your Host
VRBO hosts are looking to rent their properties as much as possible. Good hosts take excellent care of their guests, and know that good reviews from happy guests is good for business.
You can learn a lot about your host by how they answer questions during the booking process. Do they respond quickly? Do they have a friendly tone? Do they seem genuinely interested in giving good and helpful details?
A Week or Two Before the Trip
Waiting for check-in instructions until the day before is a little stressful for me, so I email in advance to let my host know I’m excited to come. This is a great opportunity to get some insight into a good local restaurant, the best nearby beach, etc.
After You Arrive: Set Yourself Up for a Smooth Stay
Save the host's contact information somewhere you can access without Wi-Fi, in case you can't find the property or need to reach them on arrival.
Read the check-in instructions carefully the day before. Many hosts send these separately after booking.
Take photos when you arrive. Document the condition of the property before you unpack. If anything is already damaged, notify the host immediately and in writing so you're not held responsible at checkout.
Review the house rules one more time. It's easy to forget what you agreed to weeks ago.