Is a Villa For You?
What to consider before embarking on the rental route

1. Am I better off at a hotel?
Many travelers have a glamorized view of a villa vacation. But staying in a private home without the array of help you get at a hotel could mean more work than you bargained for. Even with a part-time housekeeper, you usually need to wash dishes, do laundry, and take out the garbage. You typically have to buy not only groceries but household supplies such as dish detergent, paper towels, soap, sponges, toilet paper, and trash bags. And living in an authentic villa means taking care of it: In Provence, for instance, where a traditional home has shutters to keep it both cool and secure, you must close and fasten all of them every time you leave the house; you also need to collapse the outdoor parasols in case of a sudden mistral. When I spoke with villa owners in Italy, some complained to me about Americans hanging wet towels on antique bedposts and tossing them on floors, thereby damaging the wood, and failing to carry outdoor furniture cushions into the house at day's end. Lastly, you may be asked to leave a villa "broom clean" when you vacate, which includes stripping the beds and removing all the food from the fridge.

2. Do I require American-style comforts?
If you decide to splurge on a fully staffed villa, the work disappears. What probably won't disappear, however, is the inconveniences that come with old homes in rural areas. Many European villas, for instance, have no air-conditioning, no window screens, no high-speed Internet access, no heated pool, and a limited supply of water.

3. Do I have a full week?
Many villas, especially those in Europe, have a one-week minimum (usually Saturday to Saturday). You don't have to stay for all seven days, but you do have to pay for them.

4. What amenities do I require?
Say you're going with a group of couples. Do you need a bathroom for each bedroom? Standard-issue amenities in the United States—a barbecue grill, a clothes dryer, CNN—are not so standard elsewhere. Ask the other members of your group to make a list of their must-haves. One person might suffer from allergies, for instance, and require a property with no animals on it.

5. How do I envision spending my time?
A group that plans to do a lot of sightseeing may need a location convenient to a railway hub, whereas one staying put might want a shaded terrace for dining outdoors.

6. How large a staff should I have?
Before my Tuscan villa rental experience for last year's guide, I saw no need for any help other than a cook. I've since changed my mind. Many precious hours of sightseeing time were swallowed up not just in household chores and battles with foreign appliances but in having to do such things as master an unfamiliar phone system or search for a supermarket. Furthermore, my own experience from this year's Caribbean villa rental showed me how much more warm and inviting a full-time housekeeper or cook can make a property. A caretaker who has overseen a house for years not only makes life a lot easier but deepens your insight into the culture.