How to Find the Perfect Vacation Rental

It's always difficult to choose the destination for your vacation and choosing where to stay creates another level of stress. Most vacationers will call the nearest hotel chain, where the biggest decision is whether to book a room with a queen- or king-size bed.

But there is another option: renting a private home. While it sounds like a lot more work -- the options, after all, are even more varied than hotels -- the benefits often outweigh the effort you put in to find the perfect vacation rental.

"The great thing about renting a home, as opposed to a hotel, is the in-between time on vacation that you get to spend relaxing," said Hank Hudepohl, director of Vacation Rentals for TripAdvisor.com, an online site that collects reviews on vacation destinations. "In a hotel, you might be sitting in a room planning your next outing, in a rental, that after-breakfast time or the late-evening time that you can spend just lounging, and spread out, makes it so much more comfortable."