There are several different ways of reserving a house on the web--you can rent from a local owner, a website, or an owner who just might be in your own country.
Renting from a European owner is usually the most difficult. Often an overseas owner will require you to provide a deposit into his bank account overseas--and that can be expensive for both parties, as banks charge each a huge percentage to transfer and convert funds. Ask about the terms before you decide to rent, and figure in the bank charges into the mix--a wire transfer may cost up to $40--plus you'll take a hit on the exchange rate as well.
Renting from someone in your own country is easiest, especially if you can call and ask questions about the property.
A cooperative of owners or large corporations on the web will often offer an easy way to pay the deposit and hold the property with a credit card. You may pay a premium to rent through a large rental company, but it'll often be easier to deal with payment through them.
Sometimes you'll have to pay a deposit to hold the house and another one for breakage. While this might be a hassle, I'm not sure it's a bad thing. If the owner is sure that breakage will be paid for, it's likely that he or she can offer the property for less. So I wouldn't pass up a bargain just because there's a breakage deposit.
Other Hints and Tips when renting a house in Europe
Kitchens and food
Kitchens can vary wildly as far as suitability for actual food preparation goes. On a recent trip to Italy I was told by an agency that more than half the renters of their vacation homes don't cook a single meal in the kitchens. So if you're planning on doing some serious cooking, ask about the facilities.
A "corner kitchen" is a term used to designate a small area in the corner of a room where you'll find a couple of burners and perhaps a microwave--perfect if all you want to do is make coffee or tea in the morning but less than adequate for serious cooking.
Don't expect sharp chef's knives in rental kitchens. If you're serious, bring your own or buy one there. A vast majority of renters will slash away at their meat and produce on marble surfaces--would you like to see your $75 dollar knife abused this way? And another thing I've learned--most of the pans will be warped on the bottom. I don't know how people get them this way but if they'd use their heads--oh, wait, that just might be the problem....
Oh, and here's one that's got me twice--if you can't find the silverware in a rental home, look for a drawer in the dining room table. It's in there, probably.
Towels and Sheets
Outside - Terraces, patios, and the likee
For a summer rental in southern Europe, you'll probably want to eat your supper outside. Some
apartments don't have facilities for such things. If the house is on a side street, you can always set up a table on the side of the road like most everyone else--if you're a brave soul and don't mind the occasional Alfa Romeo bombing past your table with inches to spare. You might want to ask if there's a more private outside area to dine in.
Phones and Internet Connections
A few cottage offer some kind of Internet connection, or allow you to use the telephone. Don't count on it, however. A wired phone in UK is very expensive to use, even for local calls. One of the reasons everyone has a "free" Internet account is that the Internet provider gets a piece of the per minute telephone charges--and in Italy this can amount to .7 Euro per minute. So, don't expect to get free use of the telephone. Get a prepaid phone card to use at a public phone or buy a cell phone if you really need to make lots of calls.
Resources for Self Catering Vacation Rentals
We've assembled some links to respected rental companies with English language web sites: Self Catering Vacations in Europe.
Have fun. I highly recommend a self catered vacation--especially if you're looking to blend in a bit with the locals in a place you really enjoy.
Vacation home rental, called self-catering accommodation in the UK, is a British institution and a great way to spend a week or two on vacation in England, Scotland or Wales. Once just a cheap way for a family to get away, today's more sophisticated home vacation rental/self-catering accommodation is also popular with couples or groups of friends.
What is self-catering?
Maybe you remember going away to a "bungalow colony", renting a cabin or a house at the beach for a couple of weeks. If you grew up in grander circumstances, your family might have called it a cottage, or even a family camp.
All these are variations on self-catering - essentially a vacation home rental - a house or apartment you rent in a vacation destination, where you cook and clean for yourself, come and go as you please.
Self-catering accommodations come in all shapes and sizes: tiny cottages or apartments for two, family homes, substantial houses for larger groups of friends. They might be purpose-built; converted barns, byres and stable blocks; or self-contained areas of stately homes.
What to expect from a UK vacation home rental
Self-catering accommodations have come a long way from the days when people had to bring all their own linens and pots and pans, and expected to eat off an assortment of mismatched plastic dishes.
UK and European vacation home rentals today are often the owner's weekend place or summer house, rented out only part of the year. Or they might be houses on a large estate or farm.
They are generally nicely furnished, often to quite a high standard and are usually equipped with everything you might need. That includes:
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a well supplied kitchen with, pots, utensils, an electric kettle and such extras as microwave ovens, blenders or food processors, and enough matching dishes, glassware and cutlery for the number of people that the house can sleep.
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television and often DVD players or video recorders
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CD players, radios and alarm clocks
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washer, dryer and dishwasher
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comfortable outdoor furniture, if it's appropriate
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towels, blankets and linens.
What you won't find in self-catering accommodation
Telephones and internet access are uncommon, though wifi hotspots are beginning to appear here and there.
And don't expect a swimming pool as you might find with self-catering accommodations on the Continent. The climate just doesn't suit.
What's the upside of self-catering in the UK?
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It's usually cheaper than hotels and B&Bs of a comparable standard.
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You can cook for yourself and your fussy eaters, saving your dining out budget for a few really special meals. And mealtimes are whenever you want them - not always the case in some parts of the UK.
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You can take part in the local life - meeting people in the village shops and so forth. Afterall, without a handy hotel bar, you'll just have to drop in at the local pub.
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Accommodations can be in particularly scenic or desirable locations.
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You have a base for exploring an area or a region in depth.
And the down side?
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You are tied to one area for your vacation. You can get around this by taking a two centre vacation. And some self-catering is available for shorter weekend and mid-week breaks.
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You may need a car to get around.
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You have to clean up after yourself and make your own beds.
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You'll probably have to pay in advance and if the lodgings don't meet your expectations, you're stuck. So make sure you look at a few pictures and ask as many questions as you have to before you book.
A few last tips about vacation home rental
Don't forget to ask how the house is heated: The temperature can drop at any time of year and, even in summer in the UK, you may need to warm things up a bit. Avoid storage heating or bottled gas heaters if you can.
Storage heaters contain a heat retaining material that warms up overnight, when electricity rates are lowest. Then they release heat slowly throughout the day. If you are on vacation, you'll probably be out most of the day. By the time you return for the evening the heaters will have cooled off.
If there is an open fire or a
wood burning
stove, find out if the landlord provides
firewood or coal for burning. These fuels should
be included in the price if they are essential
for heating the house or the hot water.
The film 'The Holiday' starring
Cameron Diaz was filmed in the Cotswolds, UK.
Although the holiday cottage was a 'house swap', this is
what you can expect with a self catering holiday,
or a vacation home rental
- but obviously with less personal effects!
Cameron Diaz plays the character Amanda who
comes to the UK for a holiday and finds herself in a cosy cottage in Surrey. Although the English
scenes are set in Surrey, UK, the cottage is
typically Cotswold, as is the "restaurant" used
in lunch date scene, which is ironic as "The
Cotswolds" was first rejected by Amanda.
The first location
that Cameron Diaz's character clicks on
for a vacation location - The Cotswolds
- is the region in which Kate Winslet
lives in real life.
Chipping Campden in
Gloucestershire is the best location to spend
your Cotswold holiday vacation. The villages and
towns are made up of beautiful Cotswold stone
cottages, Miller Cottage one of them. What other
way would you want to spend your UK holiday
vacation other than in the midst of the
Cotswolds and the English countryside.
Book
your holiday cottage vacation home rental now
for the perfect self catering holiday in
Gloucestershire!
Useful Words
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Gloucestershire, vacation
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