Rentalo’s guarantee

This item appears on page 79 of the July 2009 issue.

The free online booking service Rentalo.com (www.rentalo.com) lists more than 120,000 rental properties in nearly 15,000 destinations worldwide — B&Bs, hotels, villas, condos and vacation homes.

The website provides a photo slide show and complete description of each property plus a map, contact information and an availability calendar. You can search for the area you wish to stay in and compare properties, then book one on the website or e-mail the property owner or manager directly.

Now Rentalo offers a “Worry Free Guarantee,” free of charge, covering claims of up to $5,000 if the rental is not genuine or you are denied access.

The guarantee is subject to restrictions, and you must register for the program before you book a rental place. To collect, you must have paid by credit card and retained records of your reservation, payments and any documents from the property owner. The program does not reimburse for “renter’s remorse,” complaints about the quality of the rental nor damages unrelated to the rental payment (i.e., airfare and other travel costs).