Is Renting a Luxury Vacation Home Share Safe Right Now?

With COVID-19 flare-ups occurring across America, lots of people are seeking a safe alternative to large hotels and resorts for their next luxury vacation. If you’re in that camp, we’ve shared ideas about recreational vehicles, luxury hotels and resorts with standalone accommodations, and lovely driving-distance destinations to consider right now. Another option? Renting a luxury home or villa from a source like Airbnb or VRBO. But is renting a luxury vacation home share safe right now? Our correspondent Julie Chang Murphy has the scoop on what you need to know about safely renting a luxury vacation home in this coronavirus era.

Is luxury home sharing safe right now?

Summer vacation, that time-honored tradition looks a little different this year. The American passport, once considered the golden ticket to barrier-free travel around the world, has suffered a loss of prestige and privilege as coronavirus continues to spread unabated through the country. Maybe next summer we’ll be allowed to dine along the French Riviera or shamelessly sip a frozen cocktail on a Bahama resort.

Until then, many of us are making the calculated risk of vacationing closer to home. Rustic cabins in the woods no longer seem like the setting of thriller, but a bucolic retreat where one can commune with woodland creatures like in a fairy tale. Luxury villas with their own lap pool instead of far-flung wellness retreats with Ayurvedic massages in a cabana…we’ll take it!

If you’re thinking of salvaging the remaining days of summer by renting a vacation property via home-sharing sites like AirBnB and VRBO here are some tips you need to know to protect your health and finances. Summer doesn’t have to be cancelled if you know how to plan.

What you need to know before renting a luxury vacation home right now

1. Brush up on your quantitative reasoning skills

Even if you’re traveling stateside, there are a complex patchwork of rules and regulations in place. That sprawling estate next to a vineyard that you’ve been eyeing in the Finger Lakes of New York? You’ll need to quarantine yourself there for two weeks if you’re coming from any of these states.

Going to Miami? Not for a long weekend. Right now, short term rentals (defined as less than 1 month) are currently prohibited. For easy reference, AirBnB has a complete list of travel restrictions and advisories by state. But as we all know too well, it is essential to check frequently for updates.

Consumer Reports notes that it also a smart idea to research local infection rates. Monitor the rate of positive test results for each state in the last 7 days or on Johns Hopkins’ site which provides numbers by county.

If you are coming from a state with a high rate of COVID-19 transmissions, it is the responsible and neighborly thing to do to self-quarantine before or after traveling to the destination. Alternatively, if you’re traveling to a state with worse COVID-19 rates, you may want to find a property that is remote and features more amenities to lessen contact with the local community.

2. Read the fine print

We’re not going to sugar coat it — the fine print does not look so fine for renters. While home-sharing sites generally covered cancellations if bookings were made on or before March 14, 2020, the situation now is less flexible. Still, there are some things savvy travelers can do to book with confidence.

As much as possible, book the desired property last-minute. The situation in every state is so fluid right now and new jurisdictions are rolling out everyday. If you are willing and able to be spontaneous, the potential heartache of losing your vacation days and deposit will be much less.

If that’s not possible, be aware that every host’s cancellation policy may vary and will apply as usual. At AirBnB, their extenuating circumstances policy will no longer be applicable “because COVID-19 and its consequences are no longer unforeseen or unexpected.” The one exception is if the guest or host is currently sick with COVID-19 (which needs to be formally documented by a medical professional). In that event, AirBnb will help facilitate a refund or travel credit.

VRBO’s policy in regards to cancellations is also at an individual property owner’s discretion,  though they “strongly encourage” them to offer a full credit for a future booking, or at least, a partial refund. Although owners are not obligated to provide a refund beyond the terms of the rental agreement, VRBO will be rewarding owners and managers who do offer full refunds.

Lesser known home-sharing sites might not have as much inventory but they seem to have more straightforward and flexible cancellation policies. Innclusive allows hosts to choose among three standardized cancellation policies (Flexible, Moderate, and Strict). Flexible rentals allow for a full refund 1 day prior to arrival, except fees. The Moderate policy allows for a full refund 5 days prior to arrival.

Onefinestay offers a collection of select homes that offer a flexible rate for bookings 30 nights or less. Renters may cancel or change their stay up to 7 days prior to check-in with no charges. For their other properties, the company will offer eligible guests vouchers which are valid for 12 months and can be used toward a stay in any one of their 5,000 luxury homes and villas worldwide.  On Getaway, a full refund is given if the cancellation is made at least 15 days prior.

3. Connect with your host

Now, more than ever, is a good time to make travel personal again. When AirBnB first started, it was about travelers seeking out localized and personal experiences. Successful hosts might have breakfast with their renters and give them impromptu tours or introduce them to the best hole-in-the-wall joints in town.

The Covid-19 crisis might necessitate a return to these roots. As Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky writes, “People will want options that are closer to home, safer, and more affordable. But people will also yearn for something that feels like it’s been taken away from them—human connection. When we started Airbnb, it was about belonging and connection. This crisis has sharpened our focus to get back to our roots, back to the basics, back to what is truly special about Airbnb—everyday people who host their homes and offer experiences.”

If you’re making the calculated risk of traveling during the pandemic, your potential host should be able to help you work out the details. Recently, we rented a lake house that was booked solid and we would be arriving only 5 hours after another group was checking-out. Enough time to clean but was it enough time for virus globules to dissipate? Who knows! But luckily, we had established a correspondence early in the booking process by introducing ourselves and the members of our group and knew that our host was responsive and hospitable. His solution to put fans in all the windows after cleaning to air out the house assuaged our worries.

Other fair requests include checking with your host about local mask wearing compliance, whether local stores and restaurants are open, and even, confirming the cancellation policy again. Renting out someone’s home doesn’t have to be an anonymous transaction.

All you need to know about summer vacation house rentals

With a little planning, the benefits of travel– even if it’s not bucket-list worthy, can be yours this summer!

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Crediting her training as a cultural anthropologist at Wellesley College, Julie has immersed herself in various industries in the last 15 years including fashion design, event planning, and fitness. Julie lives in New York where she loves trying every ramen and dumpling restaurant with her husband and three children. She finds joy in bold prints, biographies of fierce women, kickboxing. And spending way too long finding the perfect polish color to express her mood.

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