What could be cozier than staying in a vacation rental while visiting Chicago? There’s plenty of upsides for this kind of relaxing, personalized stay. Whether the location is a detached guest house, a full house rental, an apartment, or even just a room, you may greatly enjoy privately rented lodgings.
What can one expect with a vacation rental? Unlike Chicago Hotels, expectations vary wildly from location to location. These aren’t necessarily bed and breakfast arrangements, so you shouldn’t anticipate being fed unless it’s specifically mentioned in the listing. While your bed, at the bare minimum, will be included, you’ll want to see if there’s an en suite bathroom and potentially even a kitchen, or at least a mini-fridge. For detached housing, it’s not uncommon for the toilet, shower, and fridge to be in the main house; you may prefer to have those things available right where you’re staying, so check to make sure they’re part of your experience before you book. Find out what’s on or off limits if you’re renting a room or sharing any space with the renters.
Guest house stay arrangements may have the advantage of being fully separated from a main house, allowing for a great deal of privacy for your vacation. That could be just what a romantic, honeymooning couple might have in mind. Writers and creative souls may also enjoy the quiet and serenity associated with being on one’s own. Then again, you may prefer to rent an entire apartment or house for yourself and your family.
Unless they’re apartments or rooms for rent, remember that most vacation rentals are going to a bit further from the city center. Research your location and see what the crime reports are like for that part of town. Once you’re checked in, don’t leave your valuables laying around while you’re out. Whether in or out, know where the locks are for all the windows and any additional doors. If the location is too far from the city center and the sights, consider the cost of transportation.
Most vacation rentals like to go the extra mile and make sure you get the most out of your vacation. Your furniture should be comfortable, quaint, and clean. You may be provided an extra snack like muffins or teas and coffees if the hosts are staying on the property. If you’re very fortunate, you’ll feel right at home and have a balcony and lovely garden view where you stay.
- VRBO: At a glance, you’ll see top-rated rentals, a map with price listings, and have multiple filtering options for choosing the ideal vacation rental.
- Home Away: This site offers collaborative, vacation board planning and trending locations to help inspire the perfect country get away or city outing.
- AirBNB: This famous home rental site is easy to navigate and is a leading source of home rental information among its competitors.
- Tripadvisor: As the name implies, this site offers insights into vacation rentals as well as things you can do and see while you’re visiting the city.
- Expedia: This classic travel site searches for the lowest prices available and has an extensive collection of vacation homes fro rent.
- Hotels.com: There’s a lot of information here, including vacation rentals, recommended travel tips, things to do, and package and flight information.