Rome rentals for Mediterranean cruise . . . Home Away/Trip Advisor/Air BnB?

[Disneyfriend]

So I'm in the early stages of planning our pre-cruise stay for next year's Mediterranean cruise.

I think I've zeroed in on a property I like, and it's listed on multiple sites. Is there one that is more recommended in terms of fraud guarantees, payment protection, etc.? I know that fraud in the European vacation rental market is a danger, so although I'm trying to carefully pick properties with a long history and multiple good reviews, I would still feel better knowing which booking site I should use.

Thanks in advance for any advice you might have. It's definitely outside my comfort zone to be renting an apartment in Rome for a week!

 

[KashasMom]

My experiences with Airbnb although very good have been that I've had to pay in full in advance. My most recent was supposed to only charge half and then half just before arrival but they charged me full price at booking. Be very careful with the cancellation policies there as well. If it's strict - you will only get 50% back if you cancel after 48 hours and before two weeks of arrival. Just be sure to read all the rules!

It's been quite a while since I used Home Away/VRBO but always had good experiences. I would guess that their policies are NOW similar to Airbnb.

Haven't used TA for a rental. Be sure to read all the reviews and policies carefully! And make sure that the rentals are legal. In some places, there are restrictions.

I don't mean to scare you off. We've rented in many places and have NEVER had any issues.

 

[dcassetta]

I have not used Airbnb in Europe. Excellent experiences with home away/VRBO in London, Vienna, Prague, and Brussels.