You are planning to travel to Santa Rosa on vacation and you are searching for Santa Rosa vacation rentals. However, you are not sure where to find good rentals. Of course, the internet is a wonderful resource but there are thousands of options. How do you compare rates and deals to find something that is right for you?

Here is what you must do.

Plan your trip: Once you have the dates ready, you can easily start checking for bookings online. Most people start booking their summer vacations right after New Year. To get the best selection, start searching as soon as possible. Try to be a little flexible with the dates as some rental owners may offer a discount if you book in advance. Other rental agencies also offer a bulk discount if you pick up vacation rentals during off-season.

Check rental sites: Sites like AirBnB, HomeAway and VRBO are the best places to find vacation rentals anywhere in the world. However, travel sites like TripAdvisor and Expedia also offer rental options. You can also use Google search to find vacation rentals in Santa Rosa. One benefit with Google is that you can see the same rental across multiple websites to compare rates.

Compare features: You may be planning to travel with friends and family, or you may be looking only for a room with a beach view. Make sure you have a list of everything you are looking for and compare them with the benefits offered by the travel company.

Negotiate: Vacation rentals are offered by homeowners and the features offered may be variable. As a renter, you can easily negotiate with the homeowner to get a better rate. If the homeowner is not offering a discount, ask for additional benefits to compensate. Most homeowners throw in linen, use of private pools and clubhouses, outdoor grill facilities, and use of their vehicles.

Always check reviews: When buying online, it is always buyer beware. As a result, what you get may not always be what you get. We recommend checking reviews for almost every shortlisted vacation rental. Read all the reviews but make an informed decision. Its not always possible to please every customer and negative reviews will always be there. However, if there are more than 60% negative review online, we recommend avoiding the place completely.

We recommend taking as much time as possible to compare features and deals before finalizing a Santa Rosa vacation rental.