Question
What’s a safe and cost-effective way to secure a 3-4 week apartment rental in Spain before arriving next month, besides Airbnb, possibly through direct owner booking or Idealista without the risk of scams?
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
”I have property for rent here in almeria can you visit my page Inmobiliaria Pulpi i have so much property for rent long time and short time”
”Spotahome, globexs”
”We used VRbO and it worked for us! We originally booked and then needed to extend, the owner gave us a better price then!
Best wisehes”
”I used a series of Airbnb reservations that I could cancel. I ended up staying in an Airbnb for just under three weeks”
”I used Spotahome in Madrid”
”We have a place in Andulacia on the coast for rent for a month or longer starting in April or May of 2024. PM me if interested. I bought it because it is in a bike heavy use area. Avid cyclist here”
”Never book directly with an owner who lists on Airbnb. You’ll be scammed if you do”
”People who use AirBnB are scumbags? You mean there are millions and millions of people who are scumbags because they use AirBnB? I kind of resent that, having a long history on AirBnB and highly rated by the owners, in multiple countries”
”If you do 4 weeks min most places give a decent discount on Airbnb. Airbnb is cheaper than staying in a hotel and you can get a kitchen and laundry most of the time for a similar price as just a hotel room. That’s just my experience though”
”We stayed at Airbnb in the neighborhood where we thought we wanted to live. That turned out to be the perfect thing for us”
”We stayed in a hotel for a couple of weeks while looking with a realtor. I would not recommend renting anything without seeing it”
”Airbnb is a global blight on the rental housing situation”
”Spotahome is good”
”I did VRBO for the first six weeks. Just a small place”
”We used VRBO. We have 2 birds so added complexity of being pet friendly. But, we found an apartment, contacted the owner and since it was off season we got a great deal/rate (30 eu/night) for a longish stay. It was in the complex we ended up buying our apartment in so it saved us a lot of time and money. We staged our belongings in the rental until we closed and just moved it over”
Conclusion
So in conclusion, according to Spainguru Facebook group members, when securing a 3-4 week rental, people have had success with platforms like Spotahome, VRBO, and Airbnb for short-term stays. Some recommend using Airbnb initially for a short period while searching for a more permanent rental in the desired neighborhood.
Others caution against booking directly with owners who list on Airbnb due to potential scam risks. Additionally, staying in a hotel temporarily while exploring with a realtor is suggested by some to avoid renting without seeing the property. Despite differing opinions, many find Airbnb convenient for its amenities and cost-effectiveness, while others criticize its impact on rental housing situations.
Ultimately, exploring multiple avenues like direct owner bookings, reputable rental platforms, and temporary accommodations might be a prudent approach to secure a safe and cost-effective rental before arrival.
