How Many in Your Party?

First determine how many people are going. If you're going solo, could you sacrifice space to save money and rent a studio apartment? If so, you can usually find rentals in all the major cities and conveniently located. There are also small cottages and bungalows suitable for one person that are available in mountain and beach resort areas .

Finding room for two doesn't present much difficulty unless you won't be sharing a bed. Do you need an extra bedroom or will two beds suffice? Is there a snorer among you? If you want to remain friends after the vacation, you should probably get either a two bedroom rental or a place that has a sleeper couch in the living room.

Are you taking the family? If family members don't share bedrooms at home, don't count on them to co-exist peacefully on vacation. It's worth the piece of mind to rent something that comfortably handles your family's lifestyle.The bedroom is the most important room in the home only at night. The rest of the time that honor belongs to the bathroom. How many bathrooms do you have in your home? Do you still have to wait? Guess what happens if there's only one bathroom in the rental. A bath and a half may be all that you need for your family on vacation, but you'll be thankful a thousand times over for that one half. Be honest. Can your family members hang out in the den for more than an hour without getting on each other's nerves? Can you watch TV together peacefully? If you answered "no" to either question, make sure that your rental property has a few quiet areas where family members can disappear as the need arises. Typical getaways include a garden, terrace, or lanai.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Does your family enjoy laid back vacations where they mostly sit around the house and read or do they want to be engaged in more vigorous activity throughout the day? If you have a type A family, consider only property that offers enough to keep your family entertained. Does the property have cable or satellite TV? Is there a DVD/CD player? Is there a pool? Is the property within walking distance of tennis courts or basketball courts or hiking trails?

Dude, Where's the Car?

If you're taking your car or renting a car, consider property that has a garage. Parking the car in a garage instead of on the street reduces the risk of theft and the possibility that the car could be damaged. If no garage is available, is there a safe legal place to park the car within sight of the property?