The time has come to plan your next holiday and you are looking for the perfect accommodation in Italy. Finding the right accommodation in Italy can be a real challenge, especially with so many options available. But don't worry, you've come to the right place!
In this article, we introduce you to the best sites for renting holiday homes, also called OTAs in the jargon of the tourism world, Online Travel Agencies, to help you find the ideal option for your needs and make your holiday unforgettable.
Holiday homes offer a comfortable and inexpensive alternative to traditional hotels, giving you a more immersive experience during your stay. That is why it is crucial to choose the right website to book or rent your holiday home. Thanks to our list of the best sites to rent holiday homes, the best solution will be customised to your taste, guaranteeing you a stress-free and emotion-filled travel experience in Italy this summer.
Without further delay, these are the best websites for renting holiday homes in Italy.
Booking.com
When it comes to online bookings, Booking.com is undoubtedly one of the most famous names in the industry, used for booking accommodation in Italy and beyond. Known primarily for hotel bookings, this site also offers a wide selection of holiday homes around the world.
Its user-friendly interface makes searching and booking your accommodation a breeze. One of the most popular features of Booking.com is the possibility to book your holiday home with instant booking, avoiding long waits for confirmation from the owner. Moreover, in many cases, it offers free cancellation within a certain period of time, allowing you to change your plans without worries.
Customer support is available 24/7, to help you in case of problems or doubts during the booking process. Another positive aspect of Booking.com is its transparency in fees. In fact, there are no additional commissions for travellers, while homeowners pay a commission of between 15 and 20 per cent for each booking made through the site. This makes the final cost clearer and easier to understand for both guests and owners.
It also offers numerous traveller benefits through loyalty programmes, such as Genius, which offer discounts to frequent bookers. Booking.com is a reliable and convenient choice for those looking for a holiday home, thanks to its vast offer and features designed to make the booking process as simple as possible.
Airbnb
Without a doubt, Airbnb is one of the most popular and well-known sites for renting holiday homes worldwide. Its wide range of accommodation, from private rooms to entire houses, villas or apartments, offers solutions for all tastes and budgets.
In addition, Airbnb allows you to have an authentic experience, immersing you in the culture and daily life of your chosen destination. One of the most interesting aspects of Airbnb is the possibility to participate in so-called 'experiences', activities and tours organised by locals. These experiences give you the opportunity to discover hidden places, taste the local cuisine or learn new skills, making your trip even more memorable.
In terms of costs, in some cases, Airbnb charges travellers a fee that varies according to the price of the accommodation and cancellation policies. In terms of booking, Airbnb's model is mixed: some houses can be booked immediately, while others require confirmation from the owners. This can involve a bit of a wait, but it allows you to communicate directly with the host and ensure that the apartment meets your needs.
Another interesting point is that you can read reviews about the host that other travellers have left, and also have a traveller profile where hosts can leave their comments.
If you are looking for accommodation that makes you feel at home and offers a unique and engaging experience, Airbnb is definitely one of the best options available on the market.
Rentalia
Rentalia is a holiday rental portal that was founded in 2003 focused on the domestic and neighbourhood tourism market and is part of the idealista group. The platform has expanded over the years, and today includes destinations such as Portugal and Spain in addition to Italy, making it an ideal choice for travellers interested in these destinations and for accommodation owners located in these areas.
Rentalia's platform allows home and flat owners to publish their accommodation for short-term rental, offering travellers an alternative to hotels and hostels. Users can search and book accommodation based on specific criteria, such as destination, travel dates, number of guests and accommodation features.
It is a user-friendly platform with a simple and intuitive interface that facilitates the search and booking of accommodation for users. Rentalia is distinguished by its intermediary-free approach, allowing owners to directly manage bookings and communicate with guests. This can result in more flexibility and control for hosts, as well as a better experience for guests.
It also offers a system of reviews and ratings that allows users to share their experiences and helps future guests make informed decisions on their choice of accommodation.
Vrbo
Vrbo, which stands for 'Vacation Rentals By Owner', is a holiday home site that is part of the Expedia Group, one of the leading companies in the online tourism sector. Its reliability is guaranteed by the experience of the group to which it belongs, thus offering a wide range of accommodation to meet the needs of travellers.
The site focuses mainly on the direct booking of entire holiday homes, mostly large houses, villas with swimming pools, and accommodation of a certain level and size, which means that you will not find private rooms or shares as on Airbnb. This makes it ideal for those looking for an entire house or apartment for their stay, and due to its international presence, Vrbo offers attractive options in different destinations, both for beach holidays and city breaks.
Over the years, Vrbo has worked to improve its online booking system, making it simpler and more intuitive for users. However, it is important to note that some holiday homes require confirmation from the owner before they can be booked, which can result in a bit of a wait.
If you are looking for a reliable site that offers a wide selection of holiday rentals worldwide, Vrbo is definitely an option to consider for your next adventure.
TripAdvisor Vacation Rental
TripAdvisor Vacation Rental is another big player in the online holiday rental industry, with an offering that has expanded through the acquisition of several platforms, such as FlipKey, Holidaylettings, Housetrip and Niumba. Thanks to these integrations, TripAdvisor Vacation Rentals now offers more than 800,000 accommodation establishments worldwide, with plenty of options in Italy, providing a wide variety of options for travellers looking for the perfect holiday home.
TripAdvisor Vacation Rentals' booking model falls somewhere between that of Airbnb and Booking.com. This means that you can find both accommodation that requires owner confirmation and others that allow instant booking. This flexible approach adapts to the needs of different types of travellers, offering a wide range of solutions for short or long stays.
Another advantage of using TripAdvisor Vacation Rentals is the possibility to consult user reviews, which will help you choose the most suitable accommodation for your needs. In addition, the platform also offers detailed information about the surroundings and local attractions, making it easier to plan your trip.
In conclusion, TripAdvisor Vacation Rentals is a reliable and comprehensive platform for searching and booking holiday homes, with a wide range of accommodation and a flexible booking model that adapts to the needs of every traveller.
We all know this platform as the world's largest search engine. Few know, however, that Google has recently introduced an online booking service, called Google Travel. This is a section of Google where you can search for accommodation for your holiday, but also for flights and activities in your chosen destination, Italy included.
This integrated search, which combines various functionalities in the same platform, allows the user to plan an entire trip without having to change pages. Google Travel draws from different sources and aggregates offers from various booking sites, allowing travellers to easily compare accommodation options and find the holiday home that best suits their needs.
In addition, it offers numerous search filter options that allow users to find accommodation based on specific criteria and factors they consider most important for their holiday.
Being integrated with Google Maps, it provides additional local information, such as restaurants, tourist attractions and transport, helping travellers to better understand the surrounding area and plan their stay.
The platform also includes reviews and ratings from previous guests, allowing travellers to get a more comprehensive view of the accommodation and make an informed choice. For all these reasons, it is important to also consider this option in the process of finding the perfect holiday home in Italy.
Other websites to consider
Besides the sites mentioned above, there are other interesting options for searching and booking holiday homes in Italy this summer. Below, we present some alternative sites that you could consider in your search for the ideal holiday home:
- HomeToGo: This is a German platform, focused on tourism in Northern Europe, consisting of 23 web domains with a strong local presence. It started out as a price comparison site, but then specialised as a search engine.
- Housetrip is a platform that, despite being acquired by TripAdvisor, retains its identity and offers a wide selection of holiday homes worldwide. It is characterised by its simple and intuitive interface, which facilitates the search and booking of accommodation.
- If you are looking for a luxury experience, OneFineStay might be the ideal solution for you. This site focuses exclusively on luxury homes and villas and offers a concierge service to guarantee an unforgettable stay. In addition, the accommodation available on OneFineStay is carefully selected and is located in some of the world's most exclusive destinations.
- For those looking for holiday homes in Italy, CaseVacanza.it is a platform specialising in accommodation in Italy. With a wide selection of houses, flats and villas, CaseVacanza.it offers an attractive alternative for those wishing to discover the beauty of Italy.
By exploring these options and comparing the available offers, you will have the opportunity to find the solution that best suits your needs and preferences. Always remember to read the reviews and booking conditions carefully before making a final decision.
