HouseTrip - www.housetrip.com

HouseTrip - www.housetrip.com
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Latest Reviews

“House trip owe me a refund of 1950 euros for a...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by CollinPeacock120 on 10/12/2016

House trip owe me a refund of 1950 euros for a cancellation made by a property owner. It has been over 6 weeks since the cancellation and no money. Customer service is useless. They have no answers. I tried emailing, Calling several times and nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Do not ever use their service

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“Clipper Apartments Llafranc ”

★★★☆☆

written by Burgessyh468 on 11/10/2016

Disappointed with service and response time to enquiries. Apartment was advertised as recently renovated, but only one room of good standard. Additional costs to pay on arrival for towels, bed linen and touristic tax. No wi-fi except at extra cost. Would not use again.

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“Valletta Malta newly renovated apartmenGreat location...”

★★☆☆☆

written by on 29/09/2016

Stayed for 6 nights in an apartment in Valletta Malta. No sleep due to noise from kitchen restaurant across the way plus light coming from same. No privacy unless heavy drape pulled across blocking air flow. Apartment photographed well but taken by the host who turns out to be a photographer. This apartment wouldn't pass Australian standards. Either side was a derilect apartment. Shower was in corner of bedroom while toilet and basin were in corner of kitchen. Handrail missing on top of marble stairs! So disappointing and not cheap either.

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“We have used House Trip on six occasions and have been...”

★★★★★

written by on 28/09/2016

We have used House Trip on six occasions and have been very happy with the standard of accommodation on every occasion.

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“Perfect Travel Agent”

★★★★★

written by AnnaSmoli on 18/09/2016

I used House Trip 3 times during my stays in Paris and Barcelona since they really help to find good value for money appartment offer, the communication with hosts is easy, the properties' description are real, there are many opinions that you can check. With House Trip the process of finding perfect appartment was smooth and easy.

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“Lezzeno bad experience”

★★☆☆☆

written by debcourt on 18/09/2016

We have rented self-catering accommodations in five countries on three continents and this is the worst experience we have had. Localita Sostra # 19, 22025, Lezzeno, Italy - no one else should book this studio apartment! House Trip should remove it from their list. - mildew and mould in kitchen and bathroom. Smell of mould is terrible and unhealthy. Allergies flaired up because of nould. - woefully inadequate supply of kitchen utensils - cannot use gas hob because of gas leak, so instead you get one electric burner. No microwave, no coffee maker, no toaster, no oven - inadequate lighting, can barely read or see computer screen - lots of traffic noise, right below busy road - leaky toilet - no remote for air conditioner (so can't use it) Worst is the kitchen, shockingly stinky and inadequate.

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“NICE and EASY”

★★★★★

written by on 26/08/2016

Always find what you are looking for, at the RIGHT PRICE in the RIGHT LOCATION with all your PERSONAL NEEDS. JUST GO TO HOUSE TRIP !

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“Amazing stay ”

★★★★★

written by Munro19 on 23/08/2016

Appartment very clean and close from buses and metro, Enrico did a great job by showing us around and gave all the information we needed for our stay. We recommend to all ! The neighbourhood was quiet and safe. There are shops and shopping centre very handy close bye. Great holiday Sandrine

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“Holyday in Narni”

★★★★★

written by Brutus1973 on 15/08/2016

You were very frendly and helpful if we had a question. Thank you to reply quickly.

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“No problems at all.”

★★★★★

written by WasilewskiG on 07/08/2016

We had no problems at all but what can go wrong is that host can cancel at any time and will be hard and very stressful to find another property which will suit you and on the budget specially if planning your dream holidays for months.

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“Housetrip App + Takeover”

★★★☆☆

written by on 02/08/2016

Very annoying Housetrip app was disabled mid our stay so we did not have easy access to our reservation, messaging host and other info such as restaurants nearby etc when we needed it. After our stay I was not sent anything to prompt me to write a review and when I logged on to the website to try and write a review it was difficult to find where to go to write our review via our reservation.. I stumbled by accident onto the review section and would not know how to find it again. Surely the whole point of Tripadvisor is the reviews it has??? In our case the property we stayed in did not have any reviews yet so surely our review would be all the more valuable?? I understand that as Housetrip has been taken over by Tripadvisor there might be changes but to suddenly disable the app without warning or thought about those who are using it is poor - is there even a like for like replacement yet other than standard trip advisor app - and even so with limited internet connection when abroad it is not necessarily easy to install a new app. Surely the app could have been kept live for existing reservations. More thought to transition please. Remains to be seen if take over is any improvement for consumers. I note I have already missed out on points I had earned for free stay somewhere.

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“Bookings Service good - website not great”

★★★☆☆

written by on 28/07/2016

We booked and had a successful stay as HouseTrip guests. However, I have been trying to post a review in late July 2016 (as HouseTrip appears to be transferring to TripAdvisor), and the webpages are very poor in guiding me to where I need to be to post the review. There doesn't seem to be an obvious route through to the webpage on which the review can be posted, or even anything on the Help pages to guide me through it. Eventually, I found a phone number from the internet - not from the HouseTrip website - and the girl at the end of the phone was really helpful. Some thought needs to be given to the usability of your webpages, please. I'm available for consultation at very reasonable fees !

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“Five great experiences so far!”

★★★★★

written by Dudleyeu207 on 16/07/2016

We discovered HouseTrip just a couple of years ago and have now been delighted with five apartments in France, Spain and Italy. It has become our default holiday accomodation site. All the descriptions have been fair and accurate and the locations easy to check out with online maps (and Google street views) of course. Hosts have all been friendly and helpful. Thoroughly recommended.

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“true to every word”

★★★★★

written by Kaydenv138 on 15/07/2016

Every step of the way the House trip people were there to help,settle and solve. Fantastic all rhe way!!!

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“loved this site”

★★★★★

written by Kelley135 on 14/07/2016

It was very easy to communicate with them and the host. Everything went as planned. I will be using this site the next time I travel. Loved it.

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“Good and fair value”

★★★★☆

written by danlazar2007 on 13/07/2016

Rich in offers. For all pockets. Reasonable cancellation policy (although not experienced) Helpful in the relationship with the owner. No things to comply about. Really. After all it's my first House Trip experience and I found it fair and I enjoyed it. I hope to remain happy after the next one(s). Keep it like this !

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“Nice clean website, good experience from start to finish.”

★★★★★

written by charlieduk on 13/07/2016

In amounst all the competition for holiday homes, HouseTrip really stands out. From the initial searching process, to booking, to the communication, and support if you need it, it all works. Very impressed.

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“House Trip is the best holiday rental site I have used. ”

★★★★★

written by Jakayla26 on 12/07/2016

The site gives an easy to use search facility to identify suitable properties and the properties are described clearly and, in my experience, accurately. Unlike other rental sites, the property owners seem to respond to enquiries very quickly. The booking process is very easy. I have had one experience where the property that I wanted to book was not available and a member of House Trip staff worked very hard to find me an alternative property. I have not had a bad experience with any House Trip rental. My only small gripe is that I am sad that Housetrip are discontinuing their free nights that could previously be earned by making bookings.

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“Smooth easy transaction”

★★★★★

written by Karmar64 on 11/07/2016

For anyone considering booking a vacation through house trip I would reccomend. Easy transaction with great communication

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“very clean, quiet, with a marvelous view”

★★★★★

written by Kirkland194 on 11/07/2016

good location close to the city center,very quiet, very clean, very modern arrangement, with everything you need

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Asked by mandy2017 on 6th April 2016 Report this content
I have never used house trip before. I am inquiring if you can rent whole house out?

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Answers (5)
Report this content simonapoceviciute Written on: 08/04/2016
Last year I used HouseTrip for the first time. We went to Amsterdam and rented whole flat. Owners set rental conditions. If they offer whole house rental then you can. It is better to contact the owner directly and find out :)
Report this content Lindasbeau Written on: 08/04/2016
Absolutely you can
Report this content Irishdollybird Written on: 08/04/2016
We rented an amazing house in Portugal through Housetrip last summer. Didn't even meet the owners, just the house keeper for key exchange.
Report this content Guestdownunder Written on: 09/04/2016
Yes you can rent a whole house. Just ask about refundable deposit. That some owners charge when you get there. This way you won't get caught out when you arrive for your holiday. Enjoy your holiday.
Report this content Timetravellingcook Written on: 11/04/2016
Sorry for late reply. Yes you can. However, I do know (during the time I was searching) that some properties do have owners living on site either in an adjoining flat/apartment or in a cottage if the rental is part of a large property. The owners will mention this in information about the property. Hope this helps.
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Asked by MontyM on 15th March 2016 Report this content
What rates of commission do HouseTrip charge?

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Answers (3)
Report this content staveira Written on: 17/03/2016
Hi MontyM. For guests, the guest service fee is a 3.3% fee added to the price of your accommodation. This fee is clearly displayed before entering any payment details, and can be found once you initiate the booking process by clicking Book now. This small charge pays for the process that keeps your online transaction secure. If you're renting, you choose the amount you want to receive per night (or per week) from your guests and House trip will add their service fee (typically between 10% and 20%) to the amount you specify and display the total in your HouseTrip listing. The amount you set as your rate will therefore be the amount you receive. You can always see the total price paid by your guest in your HouseTrip inbox in the relevant booking’s conversation. Hope it helps
Report this content Timetravellingcook Written on: 18/03/2016
Hi MontyM, you can find the answer on the HouseTrip website in their FAQ's for both guests and hosts (as answered by staveira). I was charged less than 6% plus an admin fee for my booking in 2014. If you are not sure contact HouseTrip by email or phone - they are very helpful. Have a good trip!
Report this content nat-starkina Written on: 21/03/2016
I applied for House Trip services in July 2014 and was not charged by any fee from House Trip at that time. Since than I have not used these services, so, I do not have exact information about current conditions. I recommend to contact directly to House Trip consultant for clarification of this question.
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Asked by liw434 on 15th May 2015 Report this content
I have been having positive experience with house trip in the past with help center. But this year I just returned from Rome after 20 days visit, I have not received my free nights. The drop down menu of the help center does not have a "free night" choice, and I made a mistake by choosing "voucher". But they did not read the content of my inquiry. I returned home on the 6th of May, but so far they haven't assigned me the free night I earned. What should I do?

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Answers (1)
Report this content Timetravellingcook Written on: 19/05/2015
I suggest you email or phone them for clarification. The Call Centre was very helpful to me when I had an enquiry.
Asked by ginette.laroche54 on 7th March 2015 Report this content
When I rented an apartment, the owner confirmed the amount of $266 Canadian. However HouseTrip says they will take 242 Euro which is approximately $377 Canadian. I contacted the owner who confirmed again the $266. Can you explain where is the error and how can I make sure that I pay what the owner asked (plus app 8. fees)?

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Answers (7)
Report this content DrBenjaminP Written on: 10/03/2015
I suggest you print off confirmation emails from the owner, giving the price you think is correct and with which the owner agrees and, settle on that basis. I cannot explain the discrepancy between the owner and HouseTrip.
Report this content moonrakre Written on: 10/03/2015
242EUR is about 266USD or 331CAD. So I suspect that your house owner is quoting USD rather than CAD. They may even think they are the same although that could be a bit of an insult to a Canadian!
Report this content Carlos0624 Written on: 10/03/2015
I agree with moonrakre. The owners are making an assumption both denominations are worth the same.
Report this content Ansophia Written on: 10/03/2015
I The difference may be the Vat tax ? Ask house trip for the breakdown. Also, sometimes the owner is not understanding the monitary conversion
Report this content Timetravellingcook Written on: 11/03/2015
I agree with moonrakre - it looks like the owner is quoting USD and may not know the conversion into CAD. Contact HouseTrip either by email or telephone. I did both and received explanations on their charges. They also contacted the owner and confirmed the price with him then confirmed the price with me. The resulting discrepancy was deducted. Everything was fully explained and then confirmed in writing. They should do the same for you. Hope this helps.
Report this content atiq10 Written on: 12/03/2015
You can be sure about the amount said by the owner! You don't need to pay extra amount. The error could be due to system update failure! Owners are in most cases very much honest, cooperative and sensible!
Report this content cateve Written on: 16/03/2015
Insult? Don't be raduculaus and owners do not do any conversions and you should know they totally limited for anything on that site, even for moneytheymade. If you book with House Trip you should know they are only once who make money no matter what and they don't just take, they take a lot - about 96$ per night for property price 350$ per night, so you will see extra 96$ per night on the top. Question is who makes money from your booking - HouseTrip - who is loosing - home owners and guests as they did not book directly with owners. Besides, there is a chance that HT wouldn't even pay to the owners at all, nothing. We had renters from France who before even waked in already were talking about pulling back all the payment and not paying for any stay with HT. So they contacted HT on anything they see and even it was proved that no changes were made or there is nothing wrong - they lied and complained about little things that is totally normal. Besides guests were rude and were cursing. HT reps asked us let them stay at least 1 night and promised payment as long as apt is the same. In spite of all the proof and agreement that it is all the same,we got paid nothing and 2800$ were taken from us for this reservation. Now we do not book anymore on HT and about to cancel all the reservations that were made with them as it might be another trick like that one. No more French people to stay with us as it very often problems with them in understanding things and strange demands (we had a few really nice) For NYC rental or use Flipkey.
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Asked by NikkiIljins on 10th February 2015 Report this content
I have read a lot of reviews about loosing deposits, houses/apartments being nothing like the pictures and being dirty and damaged, also double bookings.  What assurance can they make that if we book our holiday through them, that this won't happen? We are travelling as a group of 5, my three year old daughter being one of the 5 so cleanliness, safety and value for money are all important to us. We will be spending a lot of money on our one holiday for the year.  

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Answers (16)
Report this content michele.beers.94 Written on: 10/02/2015
The apartment I stayed in was clean and tidy, supplied refrigeration, a microwave and cooking facilities including utensils, a coffee machine, electric kettle, but not a washing machine, which you may feel is an essential requirement for a group of people including young children. The lighting on the stairs is programmed to switch off, giving just enough time to get down the stairs, as this is operated on the landing, extra care must be taken especially with children. I have not experience problems with double bookings. Once your booking has been confirmed and payment made, the property will not be available to other customers during your stay.
Report this content flyck Written on: 10/02/2015
Hi, I understand your concerns. If you are asking for the specific property and host (flat at Casanova Str / Barcelona) - me and my family spent wonderful time and everything was good. Before booking I had long chat with the host (Eli) and somehow from the I got impression that she is honest and the apartment is as advertised. I don't know what assurance you can get - but the host wants you to write positive review. And of course having negative review is the last thing they want (as no one will book this property again). My advice - look at reviews and choose place with several good reviews
Report this content irisdebbie Written on: 10/02/2015
I have rented through House Trip twice once in Spain and once in Paris both were as the picture and how the renter described. In my experience they were clean and both renters were very responsable persons. I also received my deposit as was determined in contract. Also my recommendation do not do any renting directly with any owner, do your renting contract through House Trip because the owners will not receive pay until the second day of you receiving the key. Giving you the chance to check the property before. I had a great experience. I hope this is useful!! Irisdebbie
Report this content mike.gladwin.14 Written on: 10/02/2015
I am sure that most people have good experiences, however this is because most owner's are honest, which means the site gets good reviews, this is however very misleading. We booked a 3 bed, modernised apartment - this turned out to be a 2 bed that had bare wires in several places and it had last had a coat of paint cica 1960. The pictures on the site, were of another apartment. We left immediately and booked into a hotel and then followed House trips complaint procedures. We had reassuring automated emails, then months of lies. It subsequently be clear that they had paid the owner - in breach of their rules. We eventually had a refund from the credit card company, who House Trip also lied to! Do not be mislead by the positive review's, if anything goes wrong House Trip will not help.
Report this content Carlos0624 Written on: 10/02/2015
I rented at four different places in Italy for myself, my wife and 12 yo son. All the apartment/houses/flats were immaculate and spacious. We had to postpone our trip for two weeks and Housetrip staff worked with us and the renters to everyone's satisfaction. No increase in the prices nor additional fees. Did I mentioned the locations were more beautiful than shown in the pictures? All the places included private bathrooms, kitchen with all appliances, and linen. You need to discuss with the renter abut WiFi availability. Housetrip staff are more than helpful setting communication between both. We are planning to use Housetrip in the future. Hope this helps.
Report this content JTGUN Written on: 10/02/2015
I can understand your concerns very well as all of us are having the same fears crossing our minds when we book holiday stuff (houses, hotels, cars etc on line. As you said lots of negative reviews do not help the situation either. I think, like any other thing in life we are taking a metered risk. Fortunately for me so far no major problems with house trip, every thing went on well. The last property in Grimentz in Switzerland I booked with them was exactly as described and services were as promised. House trip worked as a middle man and the property is owned and dealt with by a local company called IMMOBILIA-GRIMENTZ.ch. All transactions were smooth and error free. I cant exactly tell you if some thing went wrong what would they have done, your guesses will be as good as mine (negotiations insurance claims etc. But if you do plenty of research for reviews about the exact thing you are going to book through them your risk will be less. House trip seems to be pretty reliable but the local companies they hire may be quite diverse in reliability, so look for the same property in a few different web sites and read the reviews thoroughly about the local company, which is more important. Good luck
Report this content not-a-red-shirt Written on: 10/02/2015
In general, read many reviews to get a sense for what others experienced. Bad reviews of problematic owners or poorly maintained properties should be pretty evident. Also, reach out and speak or email the owner with some very specific questions to see how well he/she responds or addresses your concerns. Part of House Trips process is that you must confirm that the property is satisfactory and as described before they will issue the payment to the owner, so you do have some degree of guarantee that you won't get ripped off. However, this presents others problems if you need to find alternate accommodations the day of your arrival, a major inconvenience to be sure but at least you won't have also lost $$.
Report this content Tunicate Written on: 11/02/2015
I have only used HouseTrip once, in Sicily, and the property and its owners were great. The accommodation was to a very high standard and lived up to the photos. The owners even ended up bringing in our favourite pastries for our breakfasts. However, each property is owned by a different individual. If you are at all concerned I would contact HouseTrip direct to get further assurances and guarantees.
Report this content PCorso Written on: 11/02/2015
Hello, Although I can not speak to what has been other peoples experience, we chose to use house trip for a few reasons, 2 of which were there customer response, they always got back to me to answer a question within 24hrs, I felt supported through their customer service department. Also they assured me that the host does not receive any money from house trip till 24 hrs after your check in time. If you are not satisfied when you arrive you can contact house trip. The money would be withheld from the host. It would be an inconvenience for where to stay, but your money is secure. Our 4 experiences have been very good, the Hosts have all been very easy to deal with, even through language barriers, and the places we have stayed have all been as good as or better than expected. We rarely book a hotel anymore we only use sites like house trip. Wish you the best in your choice.
Report this content Olga27 Written on: 11/02/2015
Thanks God, I've never experienced anything like this. Housetrip always controls the situation and they won't transfer Yr money to the owner's account if You report in first 24 hours that You are not satisfied with property under some serious reasons. They will find You another accommodation even if You are already staying in front of the some "shack" instead of booked "castle". Please read carefully the description of the room/apartment, the reviews. For example, I always avoid proposals with deposits that supposed to be returned on Yr departure. You can contact the owner before confirmation and ask all questions.
Report this content kathandron2010 Written on: 11/02/2015
I can honestly say that I have never suffered any of the above things with any house trip property that I have rented. All my rentals have felt like a friend was allowing me to use their home. I always check reviews before booking especially ones written by people in my own age group. You can also ask the owner any questions before agreeing to rent.I have found that everyone has been very helpful providing assistance with directions or by supplying a welcome pack of basic commodities to help you before you shop. Please remember that these people are running a small business by renting out and bad reviews harm this so it is in their interest to provide accurate descriptions etc.Hope this has helped and that you find the right place for you and your party enjoy!
Report this content Timetravellingcook Written on: 11/02/2015
Your concern is valid and one which I faced when I first decided to use online booking websites - I have used many for different reasons. I used housetrip.com for a booking in Madrid in October 2014. The website was clear and easy to navigate and once I had made my enquiry an answer was waiting in my inbox when I woke up the next morning (8hr time difference). I was also put in touch with the host/owner of the property and we began an online correspondence where he answered my questions. The description and photos of the property were exact and even better once we arrived. The owner greeted us on arrival and gave us maps, booklets, information and two contact telephone numbers. If he is an example of the type of host which housetrip.com contracts with then you have nothing to worry about. Housetrip.com is also very responsive. We had a pricing difference which they clarified with the owner, rectified and returned to our credit card account within the time specified. I would use their service again and would recommend them to anyone looking for holiday accommodation. We are an older couple in our 60's and like you safety, cleanliness and value are important considerations. Have a lovely holiday!
Report this content HLOsborn Written on: 11/02/2015
I've only had one experience with Housetrip, a wonderful stay in an apartment in Lisbon, and we plan to keep using Housetrip until we have reason to look elsewhere. Not having had a bad experience to test Housetrip's policies, all I can advise is what others have said: read many reviews on multiple sites and be prepared to act within the two Swiss business days if you think you have been mislead.
Report this content alicefinnigan Written on: 11/02/2015
The appartment we stayed at was clean and tidy and exactly as described. It was in a beautiful spot and we met the host as we got off the boat and she took us to her appartment. She did not live inthe apartment but up the road and was available if we had any questions. We did not have a problem with money/deposits it all went very smoothly.
Report this content brierlymom Written on: 13/02/2015
I had no trouble with house trip in Cinque Terre, Italy. If we don't put in a complaint to House trip by the second day, the owner gets his money. If we have problems he doesn't until the problem is solved. Be careful about the second day, a couple booked an apartment in France only to find out they had other people move in on the 4th day. Because they hadn't complained by the second day, they were out of luck.
Report this content afsteel Written on: 28/02/2015
I had the same concerns and even became skeptical after reading some posts over the internet about HouseTrip. Anyway, my experience with the site and the owner was superb. Really recommendable. I stayed in Paris for a week and how the property owner treated us was just amazing.
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Asked by Susiehenderson on 6th February 2015 Report this content
Please can you tell me if the host actually stays in the property too? I understand that the idea is to rent a home but still not clear how this differs from renting a villa through Owner's Direct? Thanks

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Answers (16)
Report this content Sinidana Written on: 10/02/2015
No, the host does not stay in the house. We have met our hosts upon arrival (for the keys etc) and then on the day of departure for the check-out. All my experiences with house trip have been just great!
Report this content stubstub Written on: 10/02/2015
No the host does not stay in the property. You arrange with the host to pick up the keys from an agent. The concept is similar to Owner's direct.
Report this content mike.gladwin.14 Written on: 10/02/2015
No - you are renting an empty property - I would strongly advise against booking through House trip though. They do not vet the properties, so any information regarding the properties is entirely down to the 'honesty' of the owners. If you are unlucky enough to book from a dishonest owner then House Trip, in my experience will not follow their own dispute procedure and will then lie to try and prevent repayment from the credit card company, if you are lucky enough to have paid with a UK issued card!
Report this content Katja_M Written on: 10/02/2015
Hello, the host doesn't stay in the property, at least not at the places i've stayed at. the difference from renting directly from the owner is that the payment doesn't go to the owner before you've checked in, so this is a kind of security of your payment. i hope i have answered your question. have a great holidays. regards Katja
Report this content michele.beers.94 Written on: 10/02/2015
The hosts do not reside her, but will be there by arrangement to hand over the keys on arrival. It is a good idea to have a contact number if you have any queries during your visit. Hosts do provide a selection of travel info in several different languages. I rented the first floor apartment. There is a ground floor apartment that is also rented out to tourists. I hope you enjoy your visit, there are lots of interesting places to explore. I recommend the botanical gardens in Limoux, well worth a visit!
Report this content JacquiBooth Written on: 10/02/2015
I agree with the other answers. We contacted the owner when we landed and he met us at the property.
Report this content flyck Written on: 10/02/2015
It should be explicitly indicated in the property listing. The host doesn't stay in the flat I rented.
Report this content irisdebbie Written on: 10/02/2015
No, the host does not stay. The hosts meets you upon arrival to give you the key and to clarify any doubts. Usually they are very helpfull and welcoming.
Report this content lemitarjane Written on: 10/02/2015
It depends on the property. You have to read all of the fine print on the listing. Each property owner has different requirements. You might also want to read the fine print on Housetrip, the company policies. They cancelled my reservation the night before we were to arrive. The one they found me as a replacement was not comparable, was in a different neighborhood than I wanted to stay, cost the same and they charged ME re-booking fees. I personally would never let them ruin another vacation. If you do use them read the reviews very carefully and realize if they haven't been used that much or are a new listing you could have a bad experience. Good luck.
Report this content Carlos0624 Written on: 10/02/2015
Not in our case. Four different locations and the hosts were extremely helpful and out of our way. That is something you discuss with the hosts.
Report this content Tunicate Written on: 11/02/2015
It depends on the property - the place we rented in Sicily was more like an upmarket B&B and the host lived on a lower floor and came up to the guests' shared kitchen and dining room and set the breakfast each day. They were very friendly and the property was immaculate.
Report this content laurac1968 Written on: 11/02/2015
Hi I have used house trip twice. Both apartments have been as good, better than described. The first time we used house trip the owners vacated for the weekend and the second time the owner remained in the property and we were offered the spare room which we weren't expecting but it was ok. In future I would just ask the owner if they plan to be there. I would definitely use house trip again. Hope this helps. LP
Report this content Olga27 Written on: 11/02/2015
Sometimes the host lives in the same house/apartment, sometimes not. On the stage of choosing and before confirmation You'll be able to contact the owner or his representative/agent and ask all questions. Please read carefully the description and previous guests' reviews. Small fee that takes HT means a lot as they are responsible for Yr satisfaction and are always in touch especially during first 24 hours of Yr stay. If You don't report on problem during this period, then they transfer money to the owner. That's why the owners are interested and will do everything to make You happy on arrival because otherwise they won't get their money. My first experience with HT in Rome was renting a room in some antic villa close to Termini (main station), with garden, marble statues etc. for the price much lower than in most of the hotels. I expected separate room on the upper floor but it had been a room in a small apartment with very interesting design. The hostess is a sculptor, very interesting lady, lives in this apartment. She forgot to mention that there would be a free breakfast, so it was a good surprise for me. Additional bonus is that now she is a good friend of mine!
Report this content kathandron2010 Written on: 11/02/2015
No they or their agent will arrange to meet you to hand over keys take deposit if applicable and explain the workings of the property. I have always been left a contact number for any problems that might crop up. The host has always been there for me and on all occasions friendly and helpful
Report this content Timetravellingcook Written on: 11/02/2015
Hi, the host did not stay in the apartment we used in Madrid in October 2014. He greeted us on arrival gave us maps, booklets, information and two contact telephone numbers. He visited us one night to check that we were okay and happy. Once I had made the initial enquiry I received emails from both housetrip.com and the host. The host answered my questions before I confirmed the booking. I have used Owner's Direct too and housetrip.com is similar. Housetrip.com is very responsive to enquiries so you can always contact them with questions. They are very helpful. Have a nice holiday!
Report this content kianfoo Written on: 11/02/2015
No, the owner of the apartment in Istanbul did not stay at the property and as he was hospitalized at the time of checking-in, there was someone who was staying in the basement of the apartment building to meet us to hand over the keys.
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Asked by LindaPerez on 26th August 2014 Report this content
I hear renting an apartment in New York for less the 30 days is illegal. Is this safe to book?

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Report this content LilacL Written on: 26/08/2014
i stayed in NY in April for 4 nights. didn't have any problem.
Report this content Munwa Written on: 27/08/2014
I don't know about the law, but I rented an accommodation in NY for just a week. My holiday was for just a week and I enjoyed my stay there. Take a leap.
Report this content Carlos0624 Written on: 11/02/2015
I live in NY and can tell you that it is illegal to rent an apartment for less than 30 days from a person who leases the apartment. However, if the apartment belongs to the person renting it to you (i.e. the owner of the place), there should be no problem for you.
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Asked by ljupkica on 13th February 2014 Report this content
We would like to book the apartment from the 15th to 17th February. Can we release our payment on the 14th February (one day before arrival). Is it too late for booking?

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Report this content DrBenjaminP Written on: 14/02/2014
Hi there. With a firm booking, I am sure this would not be a problem. Once you have a booking, you will be able to communicate direct with the owner. She speaks good English also - a bonus.
Report this content ivanak Written on: 14/02/2014
I think it's not too late, but you can ask the owner, he will answer any question.
Report this content Mura-Mura Written on: 14/02/2014
Hi, i did the same - booked in 1 day before arrival & everything was ok, just i needed to be in net all the time cause wanted to know more details about the place & check address where y are planning to stay - site didnt show me the full adress & I didnt mention that, then it was a little problem - i coudnt find number of building ;) but at the end i enjoy place, owner & so on. Good luck!
Report this content LadyLu Written on: 14/02/2014
Dear Sirs, Thank you for your letter. About your question regarding booking, it is better to contact the site, or owner directly... But, please, keep in mind, that it needs 100% prepayment, and if you will change your mind, you will be charged anywhere 15-100% of this amount... This is House Trip rool... Best regards, LadyLu
Report this content DamieninDublin Written on: 14/02/2014
Having used this excellent Housetrip service for renting a house in London in July 2013 I am happy with how the service works. Basically, the person renting the property has to wait 24 hours after you have begun using the property to get paid by Housetrip. The Housetrip company do this to allow you to cancel the property if you find it is not as advertised. This being said you need to pay a company - Housetrip in advance based upon their terms not yours. Your request seems unrealistic in terms of the closeness of the booking time to the rental time. Ok having paid upfront your money is still with Housetrip but I am confident you will get it back rwasonably quickly should you cancel or get some of it back if you complain about the accomodation within the first 24 hours.
Report this content diamondebb Written on: 17/02/2014
I booked for overseas. There was a process, I applied, they had to approve me before anything was confirmed. This all took time. I would recommend applying in advance. I know this is late but it may help in the future. The link provided for me to answer would not connect. I hope this helps.
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Asked by europetrip1 on 31st January 2014 Report this content
I am thinking of booking accommodation at 'New Bright & Spacious Flat In Central Paris' which is posted on your web site, however, when I tried to book they wanted payment in euro's. When I calculated the amount back to AUD I found it was more than what is advertised on your site. How do I contact the owners to find out why this is so? If there are additional fees, I would like to know what they are for. Your help with this would be appreciated. Thanking you, Kerry Berton

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Answers (22)
Report this content irisdebbie Written on: 03/02/2014
When I booked there were no hidden fees, the owner will answer any question, just contact her through the contact owner link on the site. Ok
Report this content MBDtravel Written on: 03/02/2014
Hosts set their payment in the currency they need, and the housetrip is giving you only and indication of price on your currency which is changing daily as you know. We are mbd-apartments host, and we know what are you talking about. Cheers
Report this content diamondebb Written on: 03/02/2014
When I booked, I had to be approved first by the person renting the facility. There should be an e-mail address to discuss the cost and contact that person. I suspect that there may be a refundable deposit, to cover the cost of any damage or repairs required should anything occur during their stay. I had to pay a 400E CASH deposit upon arrival, which was refunded upon departure.
Report this content SumanGupta Written on: 03/02/2014
All the people that have posted their properties do want the payment in local currency. The rate of exchange can be in your favour or not depending how strong your own currency is against theirs. You will have to convert, take in account the conversion rate and fee to arrive at the true amount you are paying for an accommodation. Also included sometimes in the final rate is a cleaning fee or late check in fee which is usually mentioned separately on the page. You can contact the owner by writing to them through House trip, when they respond back to your query about availablity, write back asking for clarifications.
Report this content afsteel Written on: 03/02/2014
Hi, since I did use Housetrip in the past, I received a email from review center and was asked to answer your question (if I could). The fact is that I didn't experience your problem, since I performed my payment in US$ and charged it to my Credit Card. When I payed my credit card company... I did it en Pesos (since I live in Argentina). The back took care of the exchange rate. What I can say, is that my entire experience with Housetrip, and with the owners of the apartment we rented in Paris, was fabulous. We certainly enjoyed our holidays, and the apartent was exactly how it was advertised... not more, not less, and the hospitality from the owners was overwhelming.
Report this content J-Dawg45 Written on: 03/02/2014
I think you contacted the wrong person. We did not stay in Paris, the only place we stayed using house trip was in Vienna, sorry I can't help you with your request.
Report this content Olga27 Written on: 03/02/2014
As far as I know all additional costs are usually quoted in an advertisement. Some hosts seek some additional charges but they always write about it. HouseTrip' fee depends on the room/flat price and You can see this information before booking. Cross rates such as EUR/AUD, especially now are not very 'good' because of the current economic situation and because of bank's or agency's commission that is added to the official currency rate that is valid for the payment date. If it is possible, I suggest to choose another dates. Or You can always write to the support team and ask these questions. They reply very quickly. Good luck!
Report this content lemitarjane Written on: 03/02/2014
In my experiece with Houstrip I would think the extra charge is booking fees. Unlike other accommodations they charge to book. Not only that, if it has to be rebooked they charge you again. Last fall, we booked with them and at the very last moment the apartment owner cancelled leaving me in a panic. This was two days before our arrival. Housetrip found us a new (not what we wanted) property and charged us to rebook. I would also study the extra charges the property owner will charge you upon arrival and all the reviews for that property. We also had to sign a binding contract and give the owner our credit card to back it up. Their practices were stressful to deal with. Bon voyage!
Report this content Vonnan Written on: 03/02/2014
We had no additional costs when we rented the Parisian apartment. I tend to convert to either AU$ or NKR when I read the posts so I get an understanding of the 'real" cost in my head. Did not have any problems with our host or the accommodation in Paris. Very central, clean and bright, and the elevator to the 5th floor helped, as the apartment was on the 6th floor.
Report this content Sladge Written on: 03/02/2014
This is my experience with online booking. When I found the place I wanted to stay in, I send my request to the owner for the information if the flat is available. When we confirmed all the necessary details (I wrote to them who i am, with who I am coming and why, etc.) I was sent instructions for payment. I paid with my credit card and with some 17 euros of agency fee, it was just as it was stated in their offer. Also, when I arrived in Paris, the agency sent me few sms massages, instructing me what to do in the case of dissatisfaction: first to try to settle it with the owners and then to do something else. Fortunately, we were satisfied with our accommodation. Also note that there are some owners who insist on deposit, which is supposed to be returned on the end on your stay, but honestly, I avoided such offers. Hope that my answer will make things clearer for you. Good luck and all the best,
Report this content LadyLu Written on: 03/02/2014
I hope I woll help you with my experience. I booked apartments with House Trip 2 times. First time in Firenze, it was more, or less OK, if do not take into consideration bad room service (the room was dirty) and the TV wasn't ajusted. Second time I made booking in Sevilla, but when I checked by Google Earth, that there are massive repair works near by this apartment, I asked to change it to something different. The point is , that House Trip will give you the address, only when you make 100% prepayment... So, Touse Trip charged me 15% of stay, because I cancel this reservation... After that I decided never make deal with this company and make my booking with other sides Booking.com, Venere com., Expedia com etc. I wish you to find a nice apartment and have beautifull vacations !!!
Report this content moonrakre Written on: 03/02/2014
If you have already made an enquiry for availabilty you can message the owner by clicking respond in their answer. If you haven't make an enquiry as to availability first. Bear in mind that there are lots of different exchange rates about, so if the difference is small then it is probably the difference between buy/sell/average or various bank rates. Hope this helps
Report this content DrBenjaminP Written on: 03/02/2014
I suspect that the problem here is the exchange rates being used. If you send me your email address I will contact the owner directly via email with a cc to you and you can communicate with her. I can't do it here for privacy reasons. The Australian dollar has fallen against the euro a lot since were were there last year. We actually bypass banks which are terrible with their rates and use instead OzForex where you can set up an account and do your own transfers, provided these are at least $2000. We actually own a house in the south of France so have a bank account there as well, which simplifies things for us. However, given your situation and needs, I am not sure what might work best. It might be an idea to pay any deposit via credit card and then the balance in cash in euros when you arrive. There is a returnable 300 euro damage and breakage fee on top of the cost of your stay. Again, I was able to give the owner a cheque drawn on my French bank which she returned at the end of our stay as there was of course, no damage. The owner's cleaning lady gave it back prior to our departure and following an inspection. In fact, we had cleaned the apartment totally and there was really nothing much to do other than change the bedding. The apartment is very compact but one of the best we have used. Places in Paris can be like shoeboxes. Also, the area is really conveniently located, a step from Arts et Métier metro but also in easy walking distance of much. Best of luck!
Report this content rayrabbit Written on: 03/02/2014
Having just been to Paris, albeit not with Housetrip this time, I will attempt to answer your question. When travelling Europe, there are certain 'hidden' costs that the owners do not always advertise. In most European cities there is a 2Euro "city tax" that all letting agents must pay. Many will also charge a "cleaning fee" of up to 20 Euro. A third option is a "Breakage deposit" which may be levied. These charges are often not reflected on the website because the website charges commission on the total sales value. As these amounts are not part of the 'profits' and are paid directly to third parties they are often hidden so the website owners do not charge commission on these charges. You are normally permitted to contact the owners through the website portal, but not directly. Go to the message centre and by all means ask the owners for a break-down of the quotation and if you are not happy - look elsewhere. Finally, remember that the exchange rates differ slightly from bank to bank, and if you are working off an exchange rate from a news broadcast, these are not that accurate and the websites add forex commissions when calculating the amount you would pay. Rather go into your banks website, look for the foreign exchange rates and use the rate under 'Bank selling' to do your calculations, then add on a few dollars (20 to 40) to cover your bank charges. I hope this helps. Kind Regards
Report this content nik_boump Written on: 03/02/2014
Good evening! You should contact the owner and let him/her answer your questions. The price is in euros and there is a slight change day by day when you have to calculate the price in your local currency. My advice is to read all the information thoroughly.
Report this content drpbailey Written on: 03/02/2014
Exchange rates can often be a problem, but I found the owners of this flat to be very accommodating and approachable. As soon as we had made the booking we established a friendly contact and I think you would be able to resolve this speedily. (And the apartment is so good that a premium exchange rate would be a small price to pay!)
Report this content Retroseeker Written on: 03/02/2014
You will see on the page of the listing will be contact information for the owner. Just send them an email asking for a breakdown in costs and ask why there might be a difference. I found communication with owners to be fairly quick and easy. Happy travels
Report this content raminta.silkarskyte Written on: 04/02/2014
I had no difference in prices.Currency I use is EU. Re:contact the owners, you need to send a request to book the place first,then if they accept it you will get the email address. The best of luck! If there is anything else I can help, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Report this content AHToHeo Written on: 04/02/2014
Sometimes exchange rates have increased volatility, and then the bank insures its risks on currency conversion. Apparently at the time of ordering the conversion rate of the Australian dollar was not very good and had increased sprad for conversion into euros. I do not think that the amount differed significantly.
Report this content Brodie13 Written on: 05/02/2014
It stated on the info that payment was required in Euro's so you can calculate how much that is in whatever currency you use, before making a booking. There are no hidden extras - but be aware that you will either have to clean the apartment yourself, or for an agreed flat fee the owners would do that.
Report this content rve1707 Written on: 05/02/2014
1. be aware that the prices on housetrip are stated as "From €.. per night". 2. Perhaps your chosen dates are in a more expensive period. 3. send a request and after that you can contact the owner. 4. look at the extra costs, listed in the summary. My overall experience with housetrip is perfect!
Report this content lindylou40 Written on: 08/02/2014
I've not booked this venue however found that direct contact with owner is always best policy. As previously monitored currency changes quite quickly and advert may have been set a while ago.
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