These HomeAway Vacation Rental Tips will help make sure your vacation goes smoothly! There are pros and cons to every vacation rental, and I’ll share my experience to ensure your vacation is amazing!
Thank you HomeAway for providing accommodations to us during our visit.
I just returned from a long weekend in Philadelphia, so I wanted to share my HomeAway experience while it is still fresh on my mind! Also, because I’m still feeling that post-vacation high which always makes for a better post!
There are lots of options available in terms of vacation lodging, but as first time HomeAway users, I feel the need to share our experience! We’ve typically gone the standard hotel route when planning vacations for a couple reasons: it’s auto-pilot and it requires little thinking.
That’s basically it! But what inevitably ends up happening is that we show up to our hotel room and wish we had more space!
I bark at the kids to not eat on the beds, and they let me know there is literally nowhere else to eat except the beds. We try to figure out the sleeping arrangements (a teen boy and teen girl don’t exactly like sharing a bed) while one of us calls down and asks about cots. My daughter immediately spreads her bathroom stuff over 92% of the bathroom counter. When we finally leave to go out for dinner, we debate on whether or not the room had a fridge or microwave and if it’s worth it to take our leftovers with us.
Sounds like the start to a fun vacation, huh??
How to Successfully Book with HomeAway
It was just a tad bit different for our HomeAway rental! From the beginning the process was seamless, and I loved the personal confirmation email I received ahead of my stay. It provided everything from directions to arrive, restaurant recommendations and more.
When we walked into the condo building, the concierge greeted us and was as friendly as could be. Seriously. There were 2 different concierges we met over our 4-day stay, and they were both so friendly and helpful if we had any questions about the area.
When we walked into the condo itself, rather than moaning about the lack of space, it was a lot of gasps! Both over how spacious the place was and how modern it was. A kitchen with full-size appliances is pretty much a dream for our family when we’re on vacation.
Actually, maybe I spoke too soon. Separate bathrooms for the kids and my husband and I is the real dream! I swear, it makes our whole vacation more peaceful and enjoyable!
But the truth is, originally my family wasn’t supposed to join me. I was planning on having a few friends join me as a girls’ getaway weekend. HomeAway rentals are practically made for that! We can pretend we’re young and still having sleepovers, while still recognizing that adults want their own bedrooms at the end of the day!
It’s so ideal for a girls’ getaway weekend or even to gather some couples for a few nights away! Separate bedrooms, your own bathroom, split the cost and you still have a living room to gather in at night!
That’s the best part! I can’t tell you how many times we’ve gone away with friends for a weekend and have nowhere central to hang out. We’re not big club/bar type people and would much rather hang out “at home” playing games, snacking and chatting the hours away.
All things that are hard to do in a small hotel room with adults just sitting around on the bed you’re going to sleep on later that night. All things that are incredibly easy to do when you have a HomeAway vacation rental like the one we had in Philly!
HomeAway Vacation Rental Tips
- Be sure to check how many people the rental sleeps not just how many beds are in the rental. Oftentimes there is a sleeper sofa in the living room. I’ve even seen some rental descriptions that provide air mattresses. Sometimes there is an additional fee for guests over a certain number, as well.
![Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square Homeaway vacation rental bedrooms]()
- Be sure to read other reviews. They’re full of golden little gems about the apartment itself, parking suggestions, tips on what to do in the area and more!
- Each of the rental listings has a Google map embedded in the listing that gives you lots of insight into what’s available around the rental unit.
![Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square Homeaway vacation rental restaurants]()
- If you have any questions, you can ask the property manager a question before booking. I’ve asked numerous questions and everyone replies so quickly and is very helpful!
- Be sure to pay attention to the amenities too: is there free wifi included, is parking included or will you have to pay extra, is there a pool or gym included, is the rental close to the subway or other public transportation, is there a washer/dryer in the unit, etc. Some of these amenities really make the nightly price a pretty sweet deal if they’re included!
![Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square homeaway vacation rental with washer dryer unit]()
Some of those extra amenities are what made our stay so enjoyable! We loved having a fully-stocked kitchen! In fact, the one night we met up with friends for dinner but couldn’t find a restaurant for our size group that wasn’t less than a 2 hour wait.
We ended up getting take-out and bringing it back to our HomeAway rental to eat dinner! We never could have done that in a hotel room! It was the perfect night! We didn’t feel rushed at a restaurant, it wasn’t loud and noisy and we could just relax and enjoy our time together!
I also loved that this unit didn’t feel like I was intruding in someone’s home. It very much felt like I was staying in a rental unit with rolled towels, professionally made beds and toiletries provided. A lot of times the reviews can give you a clue into how the rental home presents itself.
Just look at how that kitchen sparkles! This unit gets a thorough cleaning between renters and it was very obvious! It made our stay so much more enjoyable!
If you’re in Philadelphia while the weather is warm, you should definitely consider staying in this HomeAway property if for no other reason than the rooftop deck! With sofas, tables and even a grill it is the perfect place to spend a relaxing evening! You could even invite friends over to your rental to enjoy a get-together on the rooftop deck!
But even if the weather forces you to stay inside, just take a look at this gorgeous view!
I quite honestly mean it when I say this HomeAway property was the perfect location! I have 4 college friends who live in Philly and all exclaimed over what a great spot I was staying in! The Rittehouse Square area of Philadelphia will provide you with endless options for dining, shopping and sightseeing! We never touched our car or public transportation once for our entire 4 days!
If you’re interested in seeing more information on the HomeAway property that I stayed in, you can check out the listing HERE.
If you want to explore your options a little more for the Philadelphia area, I also have a link to all of the Philly HomeAway properties!
Wherever you go, just be sure to check into HomeAway while planning your next get-away! With over 2 million unique properties in 190 countries, HomeAway has something for every budget and every size group!
