Professionally Managed Villa and Home Rentals, an Alternative to Online Private Rentals

Written by @Hoteltravelgirl

Home, apartment, and villa rentals have grown significantly over the past few years with more people looking to enjoy homes with kitchens and living rooms instead of hotel rooms. As someone who has traveled a lot, when staying in a destination for more than a few days, I enjoy a little more space plus having access to a kitchen, to keep my expenses down and keep my diet on track.

I had a recent incident staying at a property I had booked through Airbnb that made me appreciate the times that I have stayed in a professionally managed villa or apartment. The property I had rented, was privately owned and managed, carriage house, nicely decorated, great location and quiet. That was until one evening, two mice decided to show up under my feet in the living room. Thankfully the Owner was home in the adjacent house and quickly caught them but the damage was done. Having a lifetime phobia of mice, I could no longer stay there. The Owner did provide me with a one-night partial refund but I lost the additional nights I paid for as he claimed that it was an isolated incident and that he had fixed the only possible hole they could have come in. Anyone familiar with mice knows, that if they are showing up during the day, and there are two of them in a row, you know there is a potential infestation. I searched the terms of Airbnb and found a "Hosts" forum discussing mice and several Hosts/Owners noting that it is mice and that guests should expect them, making fun of those guests that are from the city, and not familiar with living with rodents (I have lived in New York City and have seen many rodents but never in a professionally managed building where they take steps to manage this issue in advance).

While companies like Airbnb, VRBO, and Homeaway, to name a few, do offer a great service, it can be hit or miss on the quality of the property you are renting. My advice to those looking to rent a property through these companies is to understand that not all homeowners are professionally trained property managers. I have stayed in some wonderful properties through these services but have also stayed in some that did not match the description or the photos were not real.

If you don't want to take a gamble, knowing whether the property is up to your standards or taking a chance on the fact that you may not see a refund if you have any issues or the level of luxury or amenities is not what was advertised, there are alternative ways to rent villas, apartments, and homes.

Here are a few professional companies that vet and manage the property their client's rent:

Plumguide - this company started a few years ago when home rentals were, becoming popular. They vet every property and provide professional cleaning, plus they have a professional full-time team in each region that inspects each property with only 3% making the cut. Their slogan is "travel perfected by humans, not algorithms". I personally have stayed in a Plumguide rental in London, England and due to a minor flood the day prior to my arrival, they moved me to another one of their properties, with many apologies and a few follow-up calls to ensure I was happy. I was thrilled as the new property was a huge upgrade from the studio I had rented to a huge two-bedroom condo. I found their attention to detail impeccable and the condo was stunning. Plumguide features luxury properties with a set of 150 criteria that must be passed before becoming part of their portfolio, which measure everything from shower pressure to WiFi speed and design credentials.

https://www.plumguide.com

*photo below belongs to Plumguide and depicts the rigorous testing and checking they go through on the properties they offer in their program

Sonders - This company was originally started by co-founder and CEO Francis Davidson, as a university student in Montreal, managing a handful of apartments, greeting guests with a bottle of wine, and parking their cars. After a few years of experimenting with different types of accommodations, he and co-founder Martin Picard solidified the foundation that would become Sonder's today. As they note on their website, "Hotels aren’t always hip. Hosts aren’t always reliable." They are changing the home rental business with properties that are vetted and professionally managed, and they provide the service and amenities guests need without sacrificing style. I have also had the opportunity to stay in a Sonder's apartment which is one of their leased buildings in New York City. My check-in was electronic, and the apartment was spotless, with nice amenities, including a Peloton bike.

https://www.sonder.com

*the image below belongs to Sonder and depicts their attention to detail on their vetted properties.

Inspirato - This company was originally created over a decade ago when Brent and Brad Handler took a family vacation in Hawaii and recognized the need for additional bedrooms and space for their families, then partnered with Brian Corbett and Martin Pucher to create the Inspirato Travel Club. Today, members can enjoy a growing portfolio of curated residences worth hundreds of millions of dollars, a global collection of hotel and resort experiences and an impressive roster of "Inspirato Only" experiences, and custom bespoke travel itineraries. Inspirato offers a membership-based opportunity with a selection of luxury properties in over 80 countries, all vetted and professionally managed. Inspirato will lease properties, decorate them and manage them to ensure a top experience for their clients and members, similar to the other companies noted above.

https://www.inspirato.com

*the photo below belongs to Inspirato and is one of their oceanfront properties on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast

Whether you are traveling for work, pleasure, or bleisure (a new term describing travel for both business and pleasure), where you stay and the quality of that stay is important. Travel has changed and there are choices of places to stay, the level of professional services provided, and what level of gamble you will take on making that choice.

**Hotel Travel Girl does not work with or affiliated with any of the companies noted in this article. Please contact the companies directly for more information