What You Need to Know About Renting a Villa in the French Riviera

However, read your contract to find out if it will be refunded when you leave, or if it will be mailed to you or deposited in your bank account, and how soon. (Some contracts give the owner 15 to 45 days before the deposit is refunded.) The amount you are required to pay for a breakage deposit is generally about 25% of the entire rental fee.

Cleaning Surcharges: A cleaning surcharge may be deducted from the breakages and cleaning deposit that you paid in advance. This money is not refunded, and can range from 20 Euros up to 45 Euros a person. Check your contract to verify how much this fee is.

Reservation Deposit: To reserve your French Riviera villa, most individuals and agencies require a deposit of between 35 and 50% of the total amount, as long as you're reserving your villa at least 90 days in advance. If you're reserving a French Riviera villa with less than 90 days advanced notice, be prepared to pay the entire amount up front. Also, most of the time, you'll need to pay the remaining balance at least 30 days before your arrival. (Whenever possible - and especially during high season, it's highly recommended that you reserve your French Riviera villa in advance, to ensure that you get the villa of your choice.

Refunds:

It's always a good idea to inquire about cancellation fees, before finalizing your plans. In many contracts, you may only receive part of your deposit back - and in some cases NONE of the deposit is refundable - which means that if you do have to change your plans, you may be out of your money with no recourse. (In fact, it's always a good idea when traveling abroad to buy travel insurance, in the event that you have to change your plans unexpectedly.

If you're thinking about a French Riviera villa rental, you may also have questions about what services are included in your rental contract and what additional services may be available to you, should you want them. Here's a basic list, although you should always ask the rental agency or individual host for specific details relating to your French Riviera villa:

Bed linens/Towels: These are usually included with your French Riviera villa rental. However, most of the time - especially if you're only renting the villa for one week, linens will usually not be changed during that time, unless they become soiled. If you need additional linens or towels, just ask.

Dinnerware/Cooking Utensils/Basic Household Items: These are also usually included in your French Riviera villa rental, and may also include items like fondue pots, barbecues, outdoor tables and chairs, etc.

Housekeeping: Most villa rentals will include basic housecleaning services at least once or twice during a weekly rental. If you want a full-time housekeeper or service more often, it generally costs extra. (Fees for this run anywhere from 15EUR to 20EUR an hour.)

Gardner/Pool Service: If your French Riviera villa rental includes a private pool, pool cleaning services are usually included in the contract. The notable exception to this is if you have a wild party and your guests leave the pool very dirty.

By the way, most swimming pools - unless they are indoor pools - are not heated.