"Vacation rentals are a great alternative to staying at a hotel. Not only will you save money on your accommodations, but you can also prepare your own meals using fresh food bought at local markets while enjoying all the other conveniences that come with renting a full home. Since many rentals are weekly, travelers have a chance to spend more time in one region and explore the surroundings in more depth, and can meet the hosts and interact with local people on a deeper level than most hotels allows. In addition to articles about staying in vacation homes, we have also compiled a list of online resources where travelers can look up vacation rentals from all around the world and book their stay directly online." — Volker Poelzl
"In most European countries, you can rent apartments in towns and on farms and houses in the countryside through agencies or directly from the local owner. The Italians call them 'agriturismos;' the
Brits call them 'self catering apartments;' the French call them 'gites;' the Swiss and Germans call them 'ferienwohnungen.'
Vacation rentals come equipped with everything you need to live comfortably: sheets, towels, pots and pans, dishes, and cutlery. The house or apartment is cleaned before you arrive. Food is generally not
provided, so you will need to shop for basic groceries when you arrive.
Rentals range from very simple apartments on working farms that rent for $500 or less per week to luxury villas that sleep 12 or more and rent for $5,000 or more per week." — Pauline Kenny from Slow Travel: Settle Down in a Vacation Home Rental