Avoid the Pitfalls in Vacation Rentals –
Costa Rica Bedfinder Offers an Insider’s
Perspective
Dominical, Costa Rica (PR.com)-- Those
who have experienced vacationing in private
homes and villas know the benefits of
renting over staying in hotels: savings,
privacy, freedom and space. However, the
flipped side is that with vacation rentals
what you see may not be what you get.
According to Costa Rica’s largest online
vacation rental resource, Costa Rica
Bedfinder, here are a few vacation rental
pitfalls to avoid:
Photos - Do not fall in love with the photos
and base your decision on the photos alone;
a good photographer can make a tiny room
appear spacious, hide a bad spot or make the
neighboring houses disappear. Some condo
unit owners prefer to display pictures of
the model unit used for real estate sales
rather than their own. In some cases, the
view that you see in the picture is not a
view from the property; while a picture
tells a thousand words, it does not always
tell the truth.
Internet - If you must have access to
internet during your travel, you should
confirm with your vacation rental host on
internet availability and the mode of
connection before you book. Costa Rica is
not as widely wired as in the U.S. or
Canada. Some vacation rentals may indicate
internet access in the listings, but the
access is through an extremely slow
telephone dial-up connection, or the
availability in the listings actually refers
to an internet café in town.
Air Condition - Not all vacation homes that
offer air conditioning are air-conditioned
throughout; many, including some of the most
luxurious villas, have air conditioning only
in the bedrooms. And just because the
property is fitted with A/C does not mean it
is included in the rates. Due to electricity
cost being notoriously high in Costa Rica,
A/C is sometimes charged a specified extra
daily or weekly price.
Taxes – Thanks to the recent annulment of
the 3.39% hospitality room tax, tourist now
pay just 13% sales tax on accommodation. For
vacation rentals that are professionally
managed by rental agencies, 13% sales tax is
applicable but is not always included in the
advertised rates, so clarify with your host
if the rates are tax inclusive to avoid a
last minute shock if you are on a tight
budget. Vacation homes rented directly from
homeowners on the other hand are not subject
to government tax unless the owner has tax
obligation through a corporation.
Pool - It is not enough to know the property
has a pool; the question to ask is if the
pool is regularly cleaned and chemically
maintained. A family with 4 young children
recently arrived at a VRBO vacation rental
at a beachside village in the Central
Pacific coast to find the pool alive with
frogs and tadpoles.
Utilities - It is never a good idea to rent
a vacation home at a location near ongoing
construction no matter how good the discount
is. Even with the guarantee of minimum
noise, there are sometimes other graver
risks involved. A young couple with a baby
recently decided to cut short their one-week
vacation in an oceanfront community on the
south coast after enduring 3 days without
running water; the villa owner received the
bitter complaint and got hold of the
community developer, who told her that they
needed to divert water to the construction
site to meet building deadlines.
Cleanliness - No matter what and where the
vacation rental property is, renters are
entitled to a thoroughly cleaned house; at
times a property may fall short of
expectations in ways that are not within the
host’s control, but when it comes to
cleanliness, there is never a justifiable
excuse; renters should demand immediate
remedial action or compensation if
cleanliness is an issue.
Last word
To minimize the risk of disappointment, do
your due diligence by asking as many
specific questions as possible on what
matter to you the most. To get the most
enjoyment out of your stay, be prepared to
adapt and always keep an open mind. Remember
that, although Costa Rica rivals many
developed countries in terms of healthcare
and education, it is still a developing
country, and the living environment may be
very different from what you are accustomed
to. In certain parts of the country for
instance, there will be potholes on the
road, power cuts from time to time,
non-potable tap water, stray dogs in the
streets and crawlies in the house.
Costa Rica Bedfinder currently represents
more than 600 vacation rentals located
throughout the country including popular
destinations such as Conchal, Flamingo,
Tamarindo, Nosara, Los Suenos, Jaco, Manuel
Antonio and Dominical. |
