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"travelingtolisbon.com apartments?"

  • 30-08-2007 1:21pm
    #1
    donaghs
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,820 ✭✭✭


    Hi,

    Does anyone have any experience with "travelingtolisbon.com". For renting apartments. They seem reputable enough, deposits taken by credit card in advance.

    But what I don't like about them is that the apartment has to be paid for in cash on arrival at the apartment. This is a lot of money to carry around with you, and to hand over to someone in advance of getting a service.:confused:


Comments

  • #2
    P. Breathnach
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,089 ✭✭✭✭P. Breathnach


    I have no experience of this particular outfit, but have rented apartments in a number of cities. It's fairly standard that you are asked to pay in full on arrival, and in cash.

    I use a moneybelt when carrying such amounts.


  • #3
    cailinoBAC
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,113 ✭✭✭cailinoBAC


    We booked an apartment with them last Friday after much debate about which of two to go for. They confirmed and then came back to us later in the day saying the owner had taken a booking for the same days 'that morning' (yeah right).They offered us 2 other apartments, neither of which were as good as the one we wanted. This was late last Friday afternoon. When we got back to them on Monday morning and asked about the other apartment we were told that it was free, but the price had gone up since Friday. When we questioned this we were told that it had been on discount and the discount was only offered if you booked in a certain time period. We politely suggested that we should get the discounted price as we would have booked it last week if we had known the other wasn't free, and that if we weren't to get it at that price, we wanted a refund of our deposit. They didn't reply for 2 days so we wrote back again yesterday,saying if we couldn't get the reduced rate, we would like a refund of the amount charged to the credit card, so they replied, saying they hadn't replied earlier due to 'internet problems' and unfortunately we couldn't get the reduced price, but recommended another apartment (with 1 bedroom and we were 6 people!). Also, if we chose a refund, we wouldn't get the full amount credited to the card because some of it was paypal transfer fees.

    So we sent back a less polite email, saying we weren't interested in any of the other apartments and that we would never have made the booking if we had known the apartment was taken so we thought we should be refunded the full amount and we'd be calling the credit card company etc. Suddenly we got an email back saying they'd spoken to the owner of the 2nd apartment and we could get the reduced rate. It was a nice looking apartment so we decided to go with it. Hopefully it turns out ok, but I think I might avoid the complimentary wine they leave for us.

    However, in the mean time while we were looking around, we found some apartments advertised with them that are much cheaper elsewhere, not the one we went with in the end, but others. For instance, there was one that would have been 540 with them, but 411 with others, so I'd be careful.

    As for cash, we asked about paying credit card, but we'd have to pay a 4% fee. Why do you have to carry the cash around? Go to an ATM at the airport on arrival. Or ask the owner where there's an ATM when you get there. They'll wait for you.


  • #4
    donaghs
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,820 ✭✭✭donaghs


    Worked out ok in the end. Handed over the cash on arrival at the apartment after having a look around it. Also, unless you have a Cirus ATM card, you cant make withdrawls abroad.

    It was a nice looking apartment. Like the photos. However a few things let it down. It was up 4 flights of stairs rather than 2 as specified. This makes a difference in a hot, hilly city like Lisbon. There were also ants in the apartment, in the bathroom, kitchen and bedroom. The beds were of a temporary fold-out variety - just about acceptable.

    Still, enjoyed my stay in Lisbon. Unless I'm with a big group of people I think I'll stick with hotels rather than taking the risk of an apartment again.


  • #5
    cailinoBAC
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,113 ✭✭✭cailinoBAC


    Well, despite the difficulties we had in the beginning, it worked out perfectly for us. The price was a bit more than most apartments but it was huge and very new and clean. This is the one we stayed in
    http://www.travelingtolisbon.com/apartamentos_detail.php?cat=LIS&aId=1813
    Also it was a good location, near the train for going to the beach, last stop on the airport bus, walking distance from most places.


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