How to Check Out European Apartments Before You Check In

With the Euro now above $1.50, there are far more reasons than mere coziness to start looking away from hotels and towards apartments in Europe.

Savvy travelers have settled in empty apartments across the pond for years seeking to get under the skin of the cities they're visiting, but nowadays it's the value that should draw you. Not only are apartments typically cheaper than hotel rooms -- especially for families -- they allow you to cook your own food, saving your tiny dollars for more fabulous meals out.

Almost every European city now has a slew of websites offering rental apartments to travelers. Without local knowledge, though, it's tough to tell which sites are too good to be true.

You'll also find sites that negotiate directly between owners and tourists, such as Craigslist and VRBO.com. Rentals will likely be cheaper at these sites than on agency sites, but you're adding in a level of risk -- it may be more difficult to find bonafides for an individual owner than for an agency, and if something goes wrong, an owner can't move you to a different apartment the way an agency can. Apartment rental agencies want repeat business, so they're more likely to help out if an apartment is unacceptable.

Fortunately, our own Pauline Frommer has made it a major mission to seek out the best "alternative accommodations" available worldwide. Yes, this is a plug for our guidebooks, but it's a really good one: if there's a Pauline Frommer book on your destination, go and get it. Her recommendations for agencies in Paris, London and some cities in Italy are thoroughly vetted and checked out so you don't have to do the work yourself.

Unfortunately, Pauline's crew can't write guides fast enough, so for other cities, you're going to have to do some research. Don't worry. We've got tips.

The first thing to check when scoping out an apartment rental agency is to check its bonafides. Those come in two varieties: registrations with local government agencies and independent traveler reviews. In Paris, the tourist office lists their approved rental agencies at http://en.parisinfo.com/paris-hotels. To get officially approved London apartments, use the search engine at www.visitlondon.com/accommodation. In the Catalonia region of Spain, three organizations keep an eye on rental apartments: APARTUR (www.apartur.com) around Barcelona, AT (www.atcostadaurada.org/index_eng.htm) near Tarragona, and ATA (www.apartamentos-ata.com) near Girona.

At the very least, APARTUR founder Franck Granados says, ask your apartment rental agency whether they're registered with the local government, and who to check with there to make sure they're telling the truth. (Along with running APARTUR, Granados also operates the company that manages apartments rented through Barcelona On-Line, so they're on the level.)

Not all solid rental agencies are registered. John Knutson, proprietor of the perfectly decent www.parisholidayapts.com said he hasn't signed up with the tourist office because they charge money for their imprimatur. He says to always make sure to get referrals from prior guests from your own home country -- if you're American, get some names and emails from US residents who've used the service.

Make sure to do your prep before renting, and to have the right expectations.

• Location is critically important. Get the exact street address of your apartment before booking. Many affordable holiday apartments are in residential neighborhoods that aren't the tourist centers of cities, but are fine places to stay nonetheless. For instance, there are relatively few hotels in the Barcelona neighborhood of Gracia, but it's a thriving, bohemian area. Use guidebooks, message boards and Google Maps to scope out the exact location of your holiday apartment in relation to transit, and to make sure it's in a safe neighborhood.
• Remember European apartments are typically much smaller than US lodgings, and that the photographs on websites are shot to make them look much larger than they are. Expect your holiday apartment to be smaller than you think it is, Knutson says. Frommers.com Editorial Director David Lytle once stayed in an apartment in Rome that was so small, he jokingly called it "the compartment" -- but it still filled his needs.

What else should you ask your rental agency or owner?

• Ask if the broker inspects the apartments regularly. While some large agencies don't do inspections at all, if you're picky, this will set your mind at ease.
• Get lots of photographs of the apartments, so you aren't surprised by the size or the décor. Frommers.com online editor Jason Clampet had one friend who stayed in a rental apartment in Paris decorated with "erotic art."
• Ask about noise. If your apartment is on a street with lots of pubs or next to a school, local sounds may keep you up late or wake you up before you're ready. Construction nearby can also be a rude surprise.
• Ask if there's a handyman on site or nearby in case things go wrong during your stay.
• Ask what happens if you don't show up at the appointed time. If your plane is delayed, will there be someone to hand over the keys?
• Ask if you can use the telephone. Sometimes you can't.
• Ask about hidden charges. Some apartments even charge for electricity!

Here's what not to worry about, and what to do instead:

• Don't worry too much if the apartment owner wants payment in cash. What's most important is to get a rental agreement in writing and a receipt. Yes, you'd be far better protected if you could pay by credit card, but many perfectly legitimate apartment owners don't accept credit cards, Granados says. If you're still nervous, see if the owner will take Euro-denominated traveler's checks.
• Don't worry about whether the apartment broker actually owns the apartments they're renting out. Many brokers aggregate the holdings of owners of individual apartments, Granados says.
• If draconian anti-cancellation policies worry you, don't go the rental apartment route, Pauline Frommer says. At the very least, get travel insurance protecting your stay, because it's very tough to get your money back from most agencies once you've laid the usually quite-large deposit down.

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