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How to Book a Villa in Italy - Farmhouse, B&B or Apartment.
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1. Choose the type of property ? There are four types of vacation rental properties:
Villa ? This type of rental is normally an independent house that can be either rented as an entire house or, in some cases, as individual units within the house. When rented as individual units, the pool and the grounds are usually shared with the other guests. In most cases, there is also some private area outdoors reserved for each unit. If rented as an entire house, the pool and grounds are not normally shared. This type of property is commonly referred to as a Private Villa with Pool. Villas can be found in villages, as well as, in the countryside. Villas are rented on a per week basis from Saturday to Saturday with few exceptions.
Country House/ Farmhouse - Similar to a villa, the difference being that this type of property is normally an old restored farm or country building. These buildings usually have retained the 'old farm' quality and feel. Many have exposed brickwork with very thick stone walls. They may be located on large plots of land that provides a very tranquil setting. As with a villa, these can be rented as complete homes or, in some cases, as individual units. If individual units are rented then you can expect to share the pool and grounds with the other guests. Country Houses and Farmhouses are rented on a per week basis from Saturday to Saturday with few exceptions.
Bed and Breakfast - As you would expect a B&B is almost always located in a private home. The bedroom is private but, in almost all cases, the balance of the house is shared either with other guests or the owner. This includes the interior and exterior of the accommodation. B&B properties can usually be rented on a per day basis but are also available as weekly rentals in most instances.
Apartments - Found in city and villages, apartments are independent units within a larger building. The range of apartments is vast, from small one-bedroom units to large multi-bedroom units. Apartments can be rented on a per week or per month basis. In some cases they can also be rented on a daily basis.
These are general guidelines meant to give you a general understanding of the property types. Each property listed on the site has a detailed description that must be relied upon for the actual property description. Individual properties vary widely so please be sure to read the description for each carefully. Amenties for each property are noted with icons, please note, if satellite TV is noted, it normally means the unscrambled channels are available for free. If you have questions that are not answered by the descriptions, please don't hesitate to ask us for more details. We are here to help in any way we can.
2. Browse the selections - We offer more than 350 properties for rent so it's easy to quickly become overwhelmed with the choices. Our search engine can help pinpoint all the properties that match your requirements. You can search by area, price, date, number of people, number of bedrooms and number of bathrooms. You can further drill down by selecting the amenities you desires such as pool, phone, TV, handicap accessible and many more. Also be sure to check the online availability calendar for each property. Read all policies regarding the property. In most cases, the policies are found on the pricing page. Become familiar with the cancellation and payment policy of each property you select.
3. Make a list - We suggest you use the Notepad feature of the website to keep track of all the properties that are of interest to you. Once you have narrowed your search down to a few properties (we suggest choosing 2-3 properties) make a list of all your questions regarding each property.
4. Ask your questions - At this point you have two options, you can either e-mail your questions to us or you can give us a call. Many times a quick phone call (yes, our staff speaks English and Italian) will be the fastest and easiest way to get the information you need. If you have only a few questions we suggest a phone call. To save you the cost of an international call, we have established local numbers in the USA, England and Italy.
However, if you have several questions regarding multiple properties an email would be a better choice. This will give us time to contact each property owner, if necessary, and compile all your answers for an accurate reply. To send an email simply go to the property page then select the 'Contact Owner/Book' option. A request information form will open. Please complete one form for each property selected. We answer all requests promptly, normally within 24 hours or less.
5. Finalize your selection - After you receive the answers to your question you will need to decide on the best property for your individual needs. If you are still unable to decide between a few properties we will be more than happy to help you choose. At this point, a phone call is always the best way to resolve the issues. Of course time zone issues may make a phone impossible, in this case, an email is welcome.
6. Pay the deposit - This is very important because while we can hold a property for a day or two while you decide, in order to be fair to the other renters looking at the same property, we cannot hold properties indefinitely. No reservation is final until a deposit is received. Deposits can be paid online through a secure web page with a credit card. The deposit amount is normally 40% of the total rental price. The actual details can be found in the property description in the pricing section. A voucher will be sent to you electronically once the deposit has been paid.
7. Pay the balance - Property owners all have their own policies concerning payments. Please check the website for the policy concerning your property. We will also include this on the deposit voucher. It is important that you know when the balance is due and to make the payments on time.
8. Arrival - Upon arriving at the property you will be greeted by the owner or manager unless other arrangements have been made beforehand, they will go over the details of the property with you. In most cases, a damage deposit will need to be paid on the spot. This deposit will be refunded after your stay by the owner/manager if no damages have been incurred. There may be additional 'on the spot' payments due for such things as heat, phone, electricity, etc. This varies from property to property so please check the details of each property to be familiar with your responsibilities.
There is nothing left to do now but... ENJOY Your Tuscany Vacation! |
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