Last week I wrote “Experience the Real Tuscany”, describing types of vacation rentals and areas where you might want to stay. This week’s blog is “finding your perfect vacation rental” and this is where the fun starts – reading vacation rental descriptions!
Searching for Vacation Rentals
I used the Tuscany Villas website to find vacation rentals for this article.
Steps for finding your perfect vacation rental:
- If possible, start searching six months to a year before your planned stay. Many properties book up ahead of time, especially for high season. But don’t worry if it is only a month or two before – you can search by date and see what is available.
Steps for finding your perfect vacation rental:
- When? Where? Decide when you are traveling and which part of Tuscany you want to stay in.
- Search! Start your search on the Tuscany-Villas site. Narrow your search by type of property, number of people or bedrooms, and any amenities you really want (e.g. Satellite TV, pool). Remember, the more amenities you select, the fewer listings you will see in your search results. You may want to start with no amenities checked so that you have a more comprehensive list to choose from. If your dates are not decided, don’t search on date.
- Put interesting places on your shortlist (Notepad). Start reading through the list of search results. When you find one you like, add it to your Notepad (click the “Add property to your notepad” link at the top of the right sidebar on the description page). Your Notepad contains your “short list” of properties you are considering.
- Get some advice from the pros. Contact Tuscany-Villas by email or phone and tell them what you are looking for. They will send you a list of recommendations. Review these and add the ones you like to your Notepad.
- Study your shortlist. Now you have your shortlist of properties. Go to your Notepad (click the “Notepad” button on any listing to open the notepad) and start reviewing each property listing in detail. (More about this below.)
- Compare the properties. Make a spreadsheet comparing location, cost and amenities to help you decide which place is for you. Remember to check the availability calendar to be sure it is available for the week you want.
Reading the Vacation Rental Descriptions
Nearly everything you need to know about a vacation rental property is on the website in the detailed description, location map, photo gallery, price list, and availability calendar. Keep in mind that vacation rentals in Italy are different from ones in the US. Next week I will write about what to expect in Italian vacation rentals. (Hint: You may find a washing machine but you won’t find a dryer.)
Accommodations Description: Read the description carefully. Check the size of the apartment/house. A comfortable 1 bedroom/1 bathroom apartment is 50 square meters (500 square feet) or larger. Smaller than that feels like a hotel room. Note the number of rooms, if there is a shower (some vacation rentals only have a bathtub), if there is a patio or garden area. The Tuscany-Villas listings use Amenities icons to show some of the information for a vacation rental. Don’t assume that it will have a TV or phone.
Location Map: The Google map shows you where the property is located. Is this location that you want? Do you want to be close to a town/village for shopping or café/restaurant?
Photo Gallery: A picture is worth a thousand words, so examine those photos carefully because they tell you a lot about a place. Check the furnishings – does the furniture look comfortable? Are there enough chairs in the living room and at the dining table for your group? Look for windows in the photos - is the apartment/house bright? Is the bedroom a good size? Does the kitchen look good? Is the bathroom nice? Does it have a tub or a shower? Are there photos of the outside area? Examine them to see what this is like. Is there a patio or a garden area for sitting outside?
Price: For most properties the price is listed per week and changes by season. With Tuscany-Villas there is usually an additional (small) booking fee. You may have to pay extra for cleaning. If you are going in colder months, see if heating is extra. When comparing prices of different listings, make sure you are comparing apples to apples.
Reviews: Tuscany-Villas shows reviews written by other travelers. These reviews give you good information. If you are looking at a farm/estate, do the reviews mention the people who run it? Are they available if you need them? Friendly? Speak English?
If you still have questions about a place, contact Tuscany-Villas and they will get you answers.
Accommodations Description: Read the description carefully. Check the size of the apartment/house. A comfortable 1 bedroom/1 bathroom apartment is 50 square meters (500 square feet) or larger. Smaller than that feels like a hotel room. Note the number of rooms, if there is a shower (some vacation rentals only have a bathtub), if there is a patio or garden area. The Tuscany-Villas listings use Amenities icons to show some of the information for a vacation rental. Don’t assume that it will have a TV or phone.
Location Map: The Google map shows you where the property is located. Is this location that you want? Do you want to be close to a town/village for shopping or café/restaurant?
Photo Gallery: A picture is worth a thousand words, so examine those photos carefully because they tell you a lot about a place. Check the furnishings – does the furniture look comfortable? Are there enough chairs in the living room and at the dining table for your group? Look for windows in the photos - is the apartment/house bright? Is the bedroom a good size? Does the kitchen look good? Is the bathroom nice? Does it have a tub or a shower? Are there photos of the outside area? Examine them to see what this is like. Is there a patio or a garden area for sitting outside?
Price: For most properties the price is listed per week and changes by season. With Tuscany-Villas there is usually an additional (small) booking fee. You may have to pay extra for cleaning. If you are going in colder months, see if heating is extra. When comparing prices of different listings, make sure you are comparing apples to apples.
Reviews: Tuscany-Villas shows reviews written by other travelers. These reviews give you good information. If you are looking at a farm/estate, do the reviews mention the people who run it? Are they available if you need them? Friendly? Speak English?
If you still have questions about a place, contact Tuscany-Villas and they will get you answers.
Overwhelmed by the choice? Ask for help!
If you want help going through the listings, contact Tuscany-villas. They ask you a series of questions, by email or on the phone, to help them determine what you are looking for. Then they send you a list of five to ten properties to look at. This gives you a good start on your search. They will work with you to make your selection.
I did some searching for a vacation rental in Chianti and came up with two good listings.
Let’s look at some properties!
I did some searching for a vacation rental in Chianti and came up with two good listings.
Apartment on a Farm
Villa Fabbroni (#4233) – Il Portico apartment – 2 bedroom/1 bathroom apartment near San Polo in Chianti
This farm is 20 km from Florence, so will be a good location for day trips into Florence. The farm is near San Polo which looks like a large village which will have a bar/café. I like to be close to a town or village with a café so you can easily stop in for coffee or an evening drink.
I selected this listing because the estate looks lovely! There are six units for rent (all are larger than Il Portico), so I will get to meet other travelers. They have a restaurant for guests only, open on the weekend, and that would be fun. And they have wireless Internet which you don’t often find in European vacation rentals (I like to check my email and write to my blog when traveling).
Read the description – Il Portico Description
Look at the photos of the unit – Il Portico Photo Gallery
Look at the photos of the estate – Villa Fabbroni Photo Gallery
Be sure to look at the farm/estate photos as well as those for the apartment you are considering.
The price for a week in October is $758. Heating is extra at 10 Euro/day if needed. No cleaning fee. 30 Euro booking fee.
There really is no “perfect vacation rental”. They all have pros and cons. What I try to do is stay in different area and types of vacation rentals on each trip. Stay in Chianti on one trip, stay near Montepulciano on another. One year, spend a week in Florence. A smorgasbord of travel in Tuscany! Have fun searching for your vacation rental in Tuscany!
Coming Next Week: Everything you need to know about Italian vacation rentals
This farm is 20 km from Florence, so will be a good location for day trips into Florence. The farm is near San Polo which looks like a large village which will have a bar/café. I like to be close to a town or village with a café so you can easily stop in for coffee or an evening drink.
I selected this listing because the estate looks lovely! There are six units for rent (all are larger than Il Portico), so I will get to meet other travelers. They have a restaurant for guests only, open on the weekend, and that would be fun. And they have wireless Internet which you don’t often find in European vacation rentals (I like to check my email and write to my blog when traveling).
Read the description – Il Portico Description
- The size of the apartment is not listed so I would ask about that. If it is at least 50 square meters (500 sq. feet), it will feel spacious.
- The kitchen has an oven (many vacation rental kitchens do not have an oven) and a dishwasher, so this is a well equipped kitchen.
- There is a private terrace.
- The amenity icons show there is a satellite TV, microwave, phone, etc.
Look at the photos of the unit – Il Portico Photo Gallery
- The kitchen is small but very usable. It has a nice table by the window. There is a gas stove (which I like). You don’t need a large kitchen in a vacation rental because you are not making all your meals there.
- You can see the living room from the kitchen photo. I see one large couch. I would ask if there is more seating
- The bedroom looks small, but has a nice window.
- The second bedroom is open to the apartment (no closing door), so the apartment would be good for a couple and a child or a couple using the second bedroom for storing clothes and suitcases.
Look at the photos of the estate – Villa Fabbroni Photo Gallery
Be sure to look at the farm/estate photos as well as those for the apartment you are considering.
- The buildings are historic and beautiful.
- There is a swimming pool and nice areas for sitting outside (lawns, gardens, terraces with furniture).
- It looks like there are good views. It is a peaceful location out in the countryside.
- The restaurant looks very nice.Read the reviews – Villa Fabbroni Reviews
- Everyone seems to love the villa and the hosts. This is important because it means the people who run the villa will be good to deal with.
- Some mention the dirt road to get to the villa. Most countryside estates are down the end of a dirt road. It can be shocking on arrival but you get used to it quickly.
The price for a week in October is $758. Heating is extra at 10 Euro/day if needed. No cleaning fee. 30 Euro booking fee.
There really is no “perfect vacation rental”. They all have pros and cons. What I try to do is stay in different area and types of vacation rentals on each trip. Stay in Chianti on one trip, stay near Montepulciano on another. One year, spend a week in Florence. A smorgasbord of travel in Tuscany! Have fun searching for your vacation rental in Tuscany!
Coming Next Week: Everything you need to know about Italian vacation rentals
