If you are renting an apartment for a month or more, the price you see first is not always the price you pay. Platforms add a service fee and often a cleaning fee, and each can be a larger amount on a long stay. Compare the final total, not the nightly rate.
What to Compare
- The final total for your exact dates and number of guests, on the platform and on the direct site
- Service fee and cleaning fee: whether they are charged, and whether the cleaning fee is repeated for each part of a long stay
- Utilities: whether electricity, gas, water and Wi-Fi are included or billed separately, and whether there is a cap
- Cancellation terms: the free-cancellation window and what is refunded after it
- The contract: what document you sign for a stay of a month or more
How Do I Find Direct-Booking Property Managers?
- Search "[city] apartments long stay" in Google; direct sites exist even when platforms rank above them
- Use Airbnb to find a property you like, then search for the host's name and city, since many managers have their own site
- Ask your host whether they offer a direct rate for future stays
- Use a manager that publishes its apartments and the total price for your dates, like Cosmica Rentals
Is It Safe to Book Direct?
Yes, with reasonable diligence. Check for a real company with a VAT number, transparent terms, a written contract and the national identification code (CIN) of the property. We list seven checks in Is direct booking safe?. Cosmica Rentals accepts payments through Stripe, so your card data is not handled by us directly.
What About Cancellation Policies?
With a direct booking the host sets the terms, so they can differ from a platform's. The terms for your dates are shown in the booking flow; read them before you pay, and ask us in writing about a long stay.
Ready to Book Direct?
If you are planning a long stay in Milan, Naples, or Dubai, browse our apartments and write to us for a quote for a longer stay.