I Just Had the Worst VRBO Experience—Here Are My 3 Biggest Takeaways

#1: Avoid properties with no reviews.

TRAVEL TODAY Vacation Rentals I Just Had the Worst VRBO Experience—Here Are My 3 Biggest Takeaways Fifteen sticky notes. That's how many little pieces of paper our vacation rental host had posted around his 1,100-square-foot lake home. Most listed very basic instructions: Don't use two appliances at once. Close the screen door. Turn on the exhaust fan when using the shower. That was our first clue that this was not going to be an ordinary summer stay. My husband and I escaped to a Vermont lake home for several weeks this summer, where we planned to work remotely during the day and spend evenings enjoying the water. Sure enough, within the first two weeks, our host arrived—unannounced and without a mask—eight times. Later, we found evidence he entered the property when we weren't home. This would be disconcerting in normal times (everyone deserves privacy), but it was even worse during a pandemic, when we were trying our best to avoid other humans. The weirdness continued throughout our stay. Every time our host stopped by, he mentioned something we were doing wrong: The patio umbrellas weren't closed or the exhaust fan had been on too long. However good his intentions, we felt unwelcome. We ultimately felt so unwelcome that we left a few days early. But had we done some things differently, we might have had a much better stay. Vacation rentals, after all, are one of the most popular ways to travel in 2020, and for good reason: You can relax with your pandemic pod while avoiding public spaces and large groups of people. Here are a few tips to follow when booking your next stay. Avoid properties with no reviews: This is an obvious tip, but one that could have saved us some strife. Our host was renting his property for the first time this summer, so he had no other reviews. He operates another home, and those reviews were positive, so we thought nothing of it. Another risk? Sometimes hosts will pull down listings with bad reviews and re-post them as new homes (we noticed this happened to our review). Set clear boundaries: Everyone is handling the pandemic differently, but you have every right to set strict boundaries around how and when you interact with your hosts. If we had made some specific requests—please text before visiting, always wear a mask—our experience might have been very different. Research guest policies: The advantage of booking a vacation home is that you can travel with larger groups than a hotel can affordably accommodate. But many hosts have tightened their guest policies to comply with Covid-19 restrictions. Research this ahead of time so you're not turned away based on group size or charged with extra fees. So whether you're planning a holiday getaway with your pandemic pod or you're bunkering down in the mountains until we get a vaccine, I've rounded up my favorite booking sites and products to help you create a home away from home. Molly Fergus General Manager, Tripsavvy Tech & Gear These Travel Steamers are Lightweight, Portable, and Very Time-Effective READ MORE Trip Planning The Best Vacation Rental Sites of 2020 READ MORE Trip Planning 8 Online Travel Agencies for Finding the Best Deals on Airfare and Vacation Rentals READ MORE Tech & Gear Reduce Allergens in Your Airbnb with One of Our Top-Rated Travel Humidifiers READ MORE Tech & Gear 10 Compact Travel Hair Dryers for Silky-Looking Locks READ MORE Road Trips These Car Rental Companies Will Help You Get Far, Far Away READ MORE Beauty Our Favorite Travel Toiletry Bags for Storing All the Essentials in One Easy Spot READ MORE Luggage 8 High-Quality Luggage Sets That Are Worth the Investment READ MORE VACATION LIKE A PRO You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Travel Today newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here A DOTDASH BRAND 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY, 10036 © 2020 Dotdash.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.

If you believe this has been sent to you in error, please safely unsubscribe.

Why You Should Use the 4-3-2 Method for Cooking Ribeye

It will be tender, juicy, and perfect.

Why You Should Use the 4-3-2 Method for Cooking Ribeye It will be tender, juicy, and perfect. READ MORE More Tips to Try 14 Clever Ways to Organize the Fridge 7 Ways to Get Delicious Pies Delivered to Your Front Door How to Make Cozy Pumpkin Gnocchi at Home The Trick to Making Perfect, Fluffy Scrambled Eggs Every Time New From The Spruce Eats Traditional Puerto Rican Mofongo With Fried Green Plantains READ MORE How to Make Cornbread in a Skillet READ MORE More From The Spruce No-Knead Dough Takes Pizza Night to a Whole New Level Oatmeal Souffles Will Make You Look Forward to Breakfast Make Thanksgiving Extra-Special With This Fall Sangria Breads Fall Desserts Comforting Pasta Dishes Seasonal Produce Soups, Stews, and Chili Breakfast Casseroles Did somebody forward you this email? Sign Up for Cooking School by The Spruce Eats Newsletter! Have feedback? Send us an email at contact@thespruceeats.com, subject line: Newsletter Feedback. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to Cooking School by The Spruce Eats newsletter. Unsubscribe © 2020 Dotdash.com — All rights reserved. Privacy Policy. A DOTDASH BRAND 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY, 10036

18 Ways to Decorate Your Front Porch With Fall Flowers

Create a warm welcome.

 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 

18 Ways to Decorate Your Front Porch With Fall Flowers Create a warm welcome. READ MORE More Gardening Tips How to Grow and Care for Rue Anemone How to Grow and Care for Ginseng Ficus Bonsai How to Grow and Care for Cedar Bonsai Crop Rotation Planning for the Home Garden 15 Colorful Perennials to Spice Up the Zone 7 Garden How to Grow and Care for Marshmallow Plants Landscaping Gardening Basics DIY Projects Perennial Plants Houseplants Outdoors & Gardening Did somebody forward you this email? Sign Up for The Spruce Gardens Newsletter! Have feedback? Send us an email at contact@thespruce.com, subject line: Newsletter Feedback. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to The Spruce Gardens newsletter. Unsubscribe © 2020 Dotdash.com — All rights reserved. Privacy Policy. A DOTDASH BRAND 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY, 10036