Rental housing in EU capitals for winter holidays

Recommendation points

• Prague
• Vein
• Madrid
• Paris
• Helsinki

Each of us at least once in his life dreamed of spending winter holidays somewhere abroad. Sometimes we even made it to the offices of travel agencies and were slightly shocked at how much it would cost us a week’s trip for Christmas, say, to Austria or Italy..

Indeed, prices for seven-day hotel stays on New Year’s holidays in European countries often go off scale, and for this reason, we ultimately abandoned the idea of ​​arranging an unforgettable New Year thousands of kilometers from home. It is also interesting that while “wringing” a considerable price for accommodation, average hotels in most EU countries cannot boast of special coziness and comfort. Ultimately, this led to a conflict of interest. Tourists began to look for an alternative to living in cold hotel rooms in European cities, and their enterprising residents offered such an alternative.!

Since the early 2000s, most active travelers who know a foreign language at least at a basic level prefer short-term apartment rentals to hotels. How does this happen? It’s simple!

1. You go to the site, of which there are several dozen on the Internet today for every major European city.
2. Choose an apartment from thousands of proposals that suits you in terms of price, size and furnishings.
3. Call the appropriate rental agency for this property, and some sites ask you to speak directly to the property owner.
4. Agree on the length of stay and the cost of living. All!

For an amount much lower than the cost of living in an ordinary hotel room, you get a completely comfortable home in which you will be protected from the intrusive service of modern hotels, as well as from the need to live “according to the rules” that sometimes defy common sense. For example, in some Spanish hotels, guests are prohibited from returning to their rooms after 22.00. Just like in the barracks, isn’t it?

Moreover, by renting private housing, you get not only a roof over your head and undoubtedly a cozy sleeping place, but also everything that is in the apartment, that is, an equipped bathroom and kitchen, sets of dishes and household appliances, and even hygiene items – all apartments, which are rented for short-term rent, they must be provided! The good news is that in every major city you will find hundreds of options that differ in cost, layout, design, location – the choice here is undoubtedly wider than any hotel can offer. In other words, by contacting a travel agency, you will have to live in the room that is offered, and not in the one that you choose yourself..

In general, after the opportunity to rent housing for a short time appears, hotels suffer considerable losses, and tourists gain long-awaited benefits, and, more importantly, in any travel – comfort..

Below we suggest that you study the approximate prices for short-term rental housing in a number of capitals of the member states of the European Union. Perhaps you will finally go to one of these cities to celebrate the New Year holidays.?

Prague

Prague is a city famous for its European beauty and friendliness. Prices here fully comply with European standards, so a classic hotel room is not cheap.

Rental prices in Prague, as in many European cities, directly depend on the tourist season. For example, national holidays (New Years, Christmas, Easter), and months such as: May, June, September and October are considered an expensive holiday season.

July and August are considered average in cost. Low seasons include the months November to March. Thus, a considerable part of the costs will depend on the cost of housing, so a short-term apartment rental is an adequate replacement for a hotel..

A short-term rental is a reliable way to have a good rest and at the same time save money.

Let’s consider the main advantages of a short-term rental in Prague:

1. Renting an apartment in Prague is one and a half to two times cheaper than a regular hotel room.
2. Convenience, comfort and all the advantages of full-fledged housing (cooking, hanging out with loved ones, work, rest – at any time convenient for you).
3. You do not adjust to the hotel schedule – you live according to your own schedule.
4. Since the prices for rental housing in Prague are set for the entire object as a whole, renting a 2- or 3-room apartment will significantly save the budget for guests traveling in a large company.
5. A wide selection of short-term rental apartments ensures that you are sure to find apartments that suit your desires and financial possibilities.

Renting an apartment for a few days in Prague near the Old Town and the main attractions is not difficult – you can easily find suitable accommodation, the main thing is to determine the requirements and move confidently in the right direction.

The price of a daily rent of an apartment includes: the number of residents, the location of the residential property, as well as the state of interior decoration of the rented housing.

Taking into account the above, on average, the price of a daily apartment rental is:

1. 1 person – 40–70 €.
2. 2 persons – 45-80 €.
3. 3 persons – 50-110 €.
4. 4 people – 55–120 €.

It should be noted a characteristic tendency – during the New Year holidays, prices for rented housing increase by 50%. In addition, as a general rule, for stays of less than 3 days, the rental price increases by 20%.

Thus, renting an apartment in Prague for the weekend costs about 120-180 €.

Vein

Short-term apartment rentals in Vienna, the capital of Austria, the city of coffee, waltz and opera, are no less popular. Prices for rental housing here do not go beyond the average European, while the rental market in Vienna does not suffer from a shortage of demand. That is why, when choosing an apartment, you should act prudently and at the same time promptly..

In high season (and in Vienna it comes in spring, summer and early autumn) it is not so easy to find a hotel room, therefore, renting an apartment instead of the classic version of a hotel room is a convenient alternative.

A short-term apartment rental in Vienna will save you money, save your nerves and make your stay in the hospitable capital especially comfortable.

Renting in Vienna: the closer to the center, the more expensive. Prices for rental housing in Vienna are formed according to the same principle as in all European cities – the remoteness of a property from the center affects the cost of its rental. The central area of ​​Vienna is the territory located inside the first transport ring – Grutel. The most prestigious areas are the Inner City, Wieden, Landstrasse, Leopopedstadt and Margareten. Here the rental price of real estate will be 20-50% higher than in other outlying districts of the Austrian capital.

It should be noted that Brigitgenau is considered a relatively inexpensive central region, a third of the population of which consists of emigrants from the Balkan states and Turkey..

In general, the cost of short-term rental housing in Vienna depends directly on the proximity to the metro, the availability of parking, neighbors, the age of the house, the quality of the finish, and the amount of prepayment.

Throughout its history, Vienna has attracted leading European architects, thanks to which traces of the work of eminent masters have remained in many apartments. Architectural sophistication is very common in ordinary residential buildings, so do not be surprised if extravagant owners increase their rent due to a special arched window, unique ceiling moldings or unusual mosaic floors..

Reservation of hotel rooms in Vienna is several times higher than the cost of short-term rental of city apartments. Consider why spend more for less comfort?

Thanks to the reasonable organization of living space in the apartment, you can fully spend time with your family and loved ones.

The average cost of a weekly apartment rental in Vienna is about 200 €. For this amount, you can rent a decent one-room apartment near the city center, with a good kitchen, as well as the possibility of living with pets. Therefore, you can rent an apartment in Vienna for a weekend for only 60 €, but if you take into account some factors that affect the cost of renting a home, this amount can increase by half.

Madrid

Spain is the most popular European resort among Russians, regardless of the season. However, renting an apartment in Madrid or any other major Spanish city is very problematic, since finding and renting accommodation via the Internet is only a small part of the hassle..

First, you need to decide on the form of payment: you can rent an apartment in Madrid both daily and with a weekly payment. Payment for renting an apartment for a day, a week or a month has some peculiarities. For example, the price per day will be significantly less if the apartment is rented for a month, and vice versa – in the case of the cost of short-term rent.

Of course, from the point of view of convenience and comfort, it would be logical to start looking for housing located in the immediate vicinity of the city center, so that you can visit architectural monuments, museums, galleries or do shopping at any time..

Properties rented for a short period are usually furnished, so you don’t have to worry about comfort and coziness.

Renting residential real estate in Madrid implies the conclusion of an appropriate contract: temporary or short-term. As a general rule, the contract is signed by both parties when the property is rented out. Rent is charged in advance.

It should be noted that the cost of short-term rentals is slightly higher than long-term ones, especially at the height of summer or winter holidays – about 75-160 euros per day. The location of the property can also affect the increase in rent.

Paris

For more than six months in Paris, a law has been in effect, according to which it is prohibited to rent furnished residential real estate for short-term rent without the appropriate permission of the mayor’s office. This law applies not only to individuals, but also to real estate agencies. In case of non-compliance with the provisions of the above law, liability is provided in the form of a fine of up to 25,000 €, as well as a penalty of up to 1,000 € per 1 m² in a day. The law, of course, protects city hotels from total ruin – in recent years, short-term rental housing in Paris has reached its climax.

So in April 2012, a Paris court ruled to impose a fine of 15,000 € on one landlord who illegally rented out four residential apartments to tourists. This landlord is obliged to return the objects to their previous status of residential premises within two months, otherwise he will have to pay 200 € for each of the apartments for each day of delay.

Real estate objects covered by this regulation include furnished apartments rented to students for up to nine months or to tourists for a period of up to one year, while the owner of the apartment does not live in the apartment. It is in such cases that the permission of the authorities is required. If the real estate object is the permanent residence of its owner, then he has the right to rent it out for several weeks a year without the appropriate permission of the mayor’s office..

There is another legal option for renting out real estate. To do this, it is necessary in the same area where the owner’s residence is located, to build an object of a similar area, not intended for permanent residence, for example, an office.

At the moment, prices for short-term rentals in Paris are 2-3 times higher than those for long-term rentals, and are also approaching the cost of hotel rooms.

Thus, the authorities in Paris provoked an increase in sales prices, rental rates and a shortage of rental housing..

Renting an inexpensive apartment for a day in Paris is not so easy. For example, you can rent a studio apartment with a balcony on the outskirts of the city for 40 €, while the cost of a weekly rental will vary from 150 to 350 €.

The tourist season in the French capital lasts all year round, because Paris is beautiful at any time of the year. However, price reductions usually occur in November-December..

Today the conditional division of the city into 2 poles is absent: on the left bank of the Seine it is simple and prestigious, and on the right bank it is expensive and of high quality. The most expensive and luxurious apartments are located directly in the center of Paris, and occupy from the first to the eighth arrondissements. Here, the cost of short-term rent is equivalent to living in an expensive hotel room. Meanwhile, the highest prices are found in the seventh and eighth districts. Why? Here are the Champs Elysees, the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.

When looking for real estate, pay attention to houses located near metro stations – this is really convenient if you are not traveling by your own car.

Helsinki

Helsinki is the capital and also the largest city in Finland, where you can find many interesting places: hundreds of monuments, theaters, museums, sports grounds, bars and discos. Helsinki is a city of culture and leisure in all directions. Every year, forgetting about their household chores, thousands of tourists come here who want to feel the atmosphere of this unique city.

Many Petersburgers also like to relax in Helsinki. Some of them rent a cottage for a week and go with family or friends on all New Year’s holidays, some take the ferry and have fun there for several days. Many residents of St. Petersburg go for several hours to Imatra or Lappeenranta (to the nearest cities on the Russian-Finnish border) to simply buy high-quality and cheap European food a week in advance..

Unfortunately, such trips give only 30% a real idea of ​​the life of the country, so you can immerse yourself in the Finnish environment and get the remaining 70% only after living for a week or two in some small town. Moreover, the options for hotels and cottages should be immediately excluded due to their high cost.

When renting an apartment in Helsinki, you can admire the works of the famous architect Alvar Aalto, visit the Olympic Stadium, Government House, Senator’s Square and the famous Cathedral, built in 1825.

Toolo, Kruununhaka and the Center are the most popular neighborhoods in the city, with housing prices among the highest in Helsinki. However, only in these places are the famous antique and designer shops. Kallio also known as the trendy neighborhood for young travelers is one of the most beautiful places in Helsinki.

In general, short-term rental of residential real estate in Helsinki has several advantages:

1. You choose exactly the area that suits your requirements.
2. You save money if the group you are traveling with plans a budget together.
3. Get a complete immersion in the daily life of the city.
4. Unimpeded access to local markets and the opportunity to experiment with local cuisine.

Thus, by renting accommodation in Helsinki, you get more comfort and privacy..

Meanwhile, prices for short-term rentals in Helsinki are quite high, especially in the city center. In 2012, the cost of renting apartments in the capital region of Finland increased by 2%, and in other areas – by 4%. The increase in rental value is due to an increase in rent.

The entire housing stock of the Helsinki metropolis consists of one third of apartments for rent. The greatest demand is represented by one- and two-room apartments in multi-storey buildings. The apartments for rent are often unfurnished, so the rent for furnished apartments is much higher. You can find several dozen options for inexpensive furnished apartments on the forums of Russian-speaking residents of Finland.

Depending on the size of the apartment, the distance from the city center, and the availability of furniture, the average cost of a daily apartment rental in Helsinki is:

1. 1-2 people – 85-200 €.
2. 3-4 people – 155–255 €.

The new year of 2013 is coming very soon, followed by the long-awaited New Year holidays, which give us the opportunity to have a good rest and gain strength. Often, most of this rest comes down to watching holiday TV programs lying on the couch and eating various goodies. But, perhaps, this holiday should be made truly bright and unique, having finally set off on an exciting journey through the capitals of Old Europe?

If you cannot imagine the New Year without fluffy snow and no less fluffy Christmas tree – a week spent in the Czech Republic, Austria or Finland will be an ideal holiday for you and your loved ones on these holidays – it simply cannot be boring.!

We hope that those readers who dare to follow our advice and abandon everyday chores, going on holidays to one of the European capitals, will get unforgettable pleasure from this.!

The site team sincerely congratulates you on the upcoming 2013 year!

On this holiday, we wish you love, comfort, the radiance of the New Year tree, and the mysterious flickering of candles! May the “thirteenth” year be the most successful for you!