How To Rent A Holiday Apartment With Close Friends

Last updated on March 27th, 2024 at 08:47 pm

Sharing a holiday rental with your closest friends is not only a great way to make incredible memories but it also helps to keep accommodation costs down when you want to venture abroad. You’ll have a shared space that you can kick back in at the end of a long day of exploration, with the option to cook up a storm together when you don’t feel like going to a restaurant.

That being said, splitting a holiday rental doesn’t always go smoothly, with differing personalities, expectations and budgets sometimes leading to conflict. In addition, there’s always the risk of one friend not paying their fair share, which could lead to a long-term ruining of the relationship.

So how do you turn a holiday rental with friends into an experience to remember for all the right reasons? It’s all about coordinating ahead of time and ensuring you are all on the same page.

Set a budget

Firstly, it’s important to set a budget and ensure that everyone is happy to chip in their share of the costs. There’s no use searching for ultra-luxurious properties if half of your crew is on a tight budget and won’t be able to afford the stay. If someone is getting a much bigger room (the master, for example), should they pay more?

When discussing your budget, it’s also a good opportunity to chat about how you will split the costs of food during your stay, as well as any expenses you may incur if you don’t leave the holiday rental in the condition you found it in.

Understand everyone’s holiday rental “wants”

Next, it’s important to understand the top “wants” of each individual when it comes to picking a holiday rental AND be willing to compromise on your own. It is not hard to find a holiday rental that ticks everyone’s boxes, just start by figuring out what your priorities are. By determining what features are most important to the group, you can start searching for suitable properties online using sites such as Rentola, which allow you to filter search results based on your needs.

Does it need to have a swimming pool or be close to the beach? Perhaps you want to be within walking distance of historic sites and restaurants.

Discuss your expectations for the trip

There’s nothing to say you have to spend 24 hours a day with your friends when you are on holiday. But things can quickly go awry if you have completely different ideas as to how to spend your time. Some people may want to rise with the sun and head out sightseeing before the crowds while others might plan on only arriving home at dawn after hitting the local clubs. By being upfront about how you want to spend your time away, there’s less chance you’ll end up in arguments during your stay.

Know who’s in and who’s out

With most holiday rentals, you need to be upfront with the owner about how many people are staying, as this can affect the cost per night and their insurance coverage. Do you and your friends want to allow last-minute guests (such as a new partner) to join the trip and how will this affect the splitting of costs? If a friend has to drop out due to sickness or work, are they responsible for any costs already incurred (such as a deposit) or are the rest of you willing to cover the expenses?

Delegate organisational tasks

Planning the logistics of a holiday can be tricky when it’s just a couple involved and things can get really confusing when it’s multiple people from different households organising a trip. To avoid any doubling up or overlooking of things, it’s important to delegate who will do what. Who is tasked with booking the rental and contacting the host and who is in charge of plane/train fares? If you’re booking a car, who will be the designated driver and oversee the insurance policy?

Consider a cooking and cleaning schedule

Yes, a holiday should be about relaxation and escaping the daily grind of household chores. But the truth is, we have to eat to survive and nobody wants to vacation in a messy rental. Aside from eating out at local restaurants, cooking together with friends can be one of the great joys of staying in a holiday rental. For some, it’s exciting to be in the kitchen exploring new ingredients and cuisines, while for others, it’s a drag.

Figure out who will be in charge of preparing meals you plan on having at the rental and who will take charge of daily cleaning tasks, such as washing dishes, sweeping floors and keeping things spick and span. If nobody wants to, then chat with your host about additional cleaning, which will probably incur an additional charge.

While it may sound tedious, planning a getaway with your gang is actually all part of the fun and can be the difference between a holiday you wish you never went on and one you’ll rave about for years to come.