I'm a villa virgin, please give me your wisdom!

[meeplepeople]

We are considering booking a villa holiday next summer, perhaps on Crete, but I am a holiday novice and a total villa virgin.

I've noticed that there are different ways of booking, such as airbnb, vrbo, booking.com, or through a package. Are there particular advantages or disadvantages to each one?

For example, I have found one villa on airbnb, who would like 50% up front, but the same one on booking.com doesn't need paying until next summer. Is there an advantage to paying half up front? Am I less likely to get gazumped? (Something I am worried about).

Also, how can I ensure that the villa is real, clean, and looks like the pictures? Anything else I should be thinking about?

Dreaming of quiet days and evening swims, but it's all such a minefield. Might have to stick with a hotel???

Looking for 2 bedrooms, quite luxe, nice pool and sunbeds if anyone happens to have any recommendations.

Just spotted your question and we always use villas so a few tips:-

• no advantage paying a higher deposit, never been gazumped on a rental
• we’ve used vrbo the most over the years and also booking.com. We then try to see if we can find the owners own website. Advantage here is you can then chat with the owner (if you’ve not been able to via vrbo website) and ask for further photos. This helps to check it’s genuine and you can verify finer details such as sun beds/ is aircon in every room etc. We’ve booked directly with the owner sometimes, most accept credit cards so you’ve got cover for the booking if not genuine plus sometimes it’s cheaper. Villa owners like to get to know who’s renting too and have appreciated getting to know us. The only fake villa booking I’ve known (happened to a friend) was via airbnb and the Villa didn’t exist. Only realised one week before the holiday when full directions/key pick up details weren’t being provided.
• using villa details, find it on google earth. You can check that the quiet area/sea view/easy road access descriptions look reasonable.
• take out travel insurance that includes independent traveller. This should include that if your flight is cancelled, for example, the villa is covered as well. Also ensure it covers if the villa didn’t exist and you need emergency accommodation. In 25 years of villa booking, this has never happened to us though but, like any travel insurance, you take it out anyway so you are covered and hope you never need it.

Hope that helps.

Same as above. I also read all the reviews. I also try and find ones that are newly listed as they are generally in super condition.

I pore over the photos and also google earth the property. Look at the surrounding area to see what's nearby, walking distance to shops etc.

Careful with airbnb. Sometimes terms and conditions are not in your favour. I recently booked an airbnb but chose the wrong dates by mistake, which I realised too late. I was unable to change it or move to a different date. In this instance the owner was living in it and would randomly rent it out when away. I lost nearly £300. So it can be really inflexible.

Booking.com is extremely flexible in most cases. I have also had good experiences with vrbo.