Seasoned travelers often tire of the standard routine of airplane, hotel, restaurant and visiting museums and cultural attractions. So as an alternative, some of these travelers look for ways to get more in touch with the local culture of the place they're visiting. One way of doing this is short term, vacation apartment rentals.

Thanks to the Internet, renting a private apartment for a few days or a few weeks is fairly easy. What was once a niche market of rental properties available only in specialized catalogs, classified ads and by word of mouth, has grown into a cottage industry. Nowadays many landlords make their rental properties available only for short-term business or vacation rentals. Entire agencies are devoted to this market niche as well.

In fact finding accommodation in a private residence during your trip is quite easy. An Internet search turns up hundreds of available properties and dozens of agencies. In fact, the biggest challenge is not finding the apartments, it's finding something that suits you, for a reasonable price, that is available when you need it.

Once you find a place, you'll also want to have some way of knowing that what you see is what you'll really get, so many travelers choose to work with reputable agencies or via a vacation rentals website. That way they will at least have some neutral authority to give them recommendations on their particular needs, as well as some recourse in the event of problems.

Of course, finding a rental apartment in a city you've never seen presents its own particular set of challenges. Most importantly, you'll want to make sure that you do research on the neighborhood that you'll be living in. In many large cities, neighborhoods can change dramatically in the space of just a few blocks. Doing your homework up front will help to make sure that your stay is an enjoyable one. Additionally, you need to try to have a basic idea of what you want from your vacation rental. Will it just be a place to sleep, or will your trip be a stay at home getaway for rest and relaxation. Different situations require different amenities, so be sure to ask about such things up front.

All in all, renting an apartment for a short period of time during a vacation is a sure way to a unique and rewarding travel experience. And one that let's you get closer to the culture than you would by staying in a hotel.

Joshua Green lived in Paris for nine years and writes about travel and tourism.

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