Ever have a first time Vacation Rental Guest, a “rookie guest”?

Vacation Rental Homes have been long available Europe, but have only recently become popular in the United States. The Internet has made it easy and quick to find Vacation Rentals all over America.

With availability calendars and online payment systems at our fingertips; it is easy to book a vacation rental home. And with pioneer Internet sites such as VRBO, people are finding vacation rentals less expensive, spacious, peaceful, and more accommodating to pets, children, and senior citizens.

However, with an influx of first-time renters looking to rent vacation homes instead of a hotel, “rookie guests” may be lacking in wisdom and often have unreasonable expectations. The “rookie mindset” sometimes expect owners to cater to every whim. It is up to us to educate them about the differences between Vacation Rental Homes and hotels.

We have delineated 12 rules of etiquette for vacation rental guests, to help educate them about Vacation Rental Etiquette. We offer the first 3 rules here, and the complete e-book may be found at our website.

Vacation Rental Guru’s

GOLDEN RULES of Etiquette for Vacation Rental Guests.

1. Do not assume you will be chosen. When calling about booking a home, understand homes are most personally owned, and you are likely being screened. You may be asked to fill out an application and may be turned down. Vacation Rental Properties are personal homes, and owners may reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.

2. Price Negotiating: If you ask for a special discount, let the homeowner know if they did not win your bid. E-mail them a thank you, and let them know you have booked elsewhere. And if you are given a special price, book right away, don’t expect them to hold it while you shop around. It’s OK to negotiate, but play fair.

3. Cleaning: You pay a cleaning fee, but keep in mind that cleaning and disinfecting an entire house is often 3-5 times the work of the standard hotel room. There is the kitchen, washer/dryer to clean and sanitize, several bathrooms, multiple beds, yards, fireplaces, microwave oven, lots of floor space to vacuum, door jams/handles to wipe down, all have to be cleaned. Cleaning and preparing a home for guests can take 2 persons 3-5 hours to complete. Then there are the extras--cut flowers, food baskets, and security codes. When you leave the place, be considerate to the cleaning people. Take out your trash, wash your dishes, and put all the laundry into a hamper or in one corner of a room. Pick up after your pets.

Deborah Nelson is the Author of VROM-Vacation Rental Owner's Manual--Rev up Your Vacation Rental Revenues, and The Vacation Rental Guests Golden Rules of Etiquette. You may find the e-booklet at her site, http://www.vacationrentalguru.org or you may purchase the PDF version which can be e-mailed to your guests with their check in information. Ms. Nelson is also a published writer of Dreams to Reality Series at http://www.authoryourdreams.com and is a two-time nominee of the Entrpreneurial Excellence Award given by Working Women's Magazine.