A Guide to Self-Catering Apartments

Worldwide 800/259-6914 oakwood.com. Short stays or longer throughout the U.K. (Also: Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Nether-lands, New Zealand, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, U.S.)

Italy Italy Weekly Rentals 011-39/6-9014-0602 italy-weekly-rentals.com. Many varied rentals available, details regarding amenities, rates, owners. Venetian Apartments 011-44/20-8878-1130 venice-rentals.com. Beautiful apartments, good locations, views, short stays of three to five nights, also weekly and monthly rentals.

Northern Ireland and Irish Republic Self-Catering Ireland 011-353/53-33-999 selfcatering-ireland.com. Comprehensive reservation service for Ireland. Three- and four-star apartments from economy to four bedrooms. Irish Tourist Board/Bord Failte 011-353/1-602-4000 ireland.travel.ie. Listings of apartments throughout Ireland, ratings, descriptions, phone numbers, and contacts.

Norway Norway Apartments 011-47/22-60-3666 norwayapartments.no. Apartments sleeping two to twenty; all with complete kitchens, full baths. Many apartments in Oslo and cabins throughout Norway. Norwegian Tourist Board 212/885-9700 visitnorway.com. Links to agencies providing apartments and other rentals. Information and assistance for travelers.

Spain Hometours International 866/367-4668 or 865/690-8484, ask for Moti  thor.he.net/~hometour/link1.htm. Many lovely apartments in all sections of Madrid. (Also serves France, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, U.K., U.S.) International Lodging Corporation 800/SPAIN-44 or 212/228-5900 ilcweb.com. Apartments and villas in Spain for a week or longer. Tourist Office of Spain 212/265-8822, 305/358-1992, 312/642-1992, or 323/658-7188 okspain.org. Assistance in planning your trip, referrals to sources and agencies that rent apartments.

Greece Elysian Holidays 011-44/15-8076-6599 elysianholidays.co.uk. Apartments, villas, and houses in Greece and the Greek Isles. (Also serves Caribbean, Cyprus, Portugal, Spain.) Portugal Owners Direct 011-44/13-7272-2708, ask for Chris or Marie Goddard ownersdirect.co.uk. Fully furnished, courtyards, scenic. Agency gives you direct addresses, names, phone numbers to book with owner/manager. Good photos of apartments and details on rates. (Also serves Canary Islands, Caribbean, Cyprus, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, U.S.)

Netherlands Barclay International Group 800/845-6636 or 516/759-5100 barclayweb.com. Amsterdam apartments and all types of apartments, lodges, and villas throughout Europe. Offers assistance for special needs such as for handicapped travelers. (Also serves Belgium, Caribbean, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, U.K., U.S.) Netherlands Board of Tourism 888/GOHOLLAND or 212/370-7360 holland.com. Assistance in planning trips and locating resources for lodging.

United States 

No More Hotels 212/897-0572 nomorehotels.com. From the humble to the ritzy in New York City. Apartments and condos in Hawaii and other locations. Wide variety of types, locations, prices. Provides name, address, and phone for direct contact with owner/manager. Good photos of apartments. (Also serves Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Mexico, Middle East, New Zealand, South America, South Pacific.) a hospitality company 800/987-1235 hospitalitycompany.com. Studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, owned and furnished by the company, in safe, fun neighborhoods away from the high prices of the Times Square area. CANADA Vacations-Abroad.com 819/688-2228 vacations-abroad.com. Self-catering apartments in Montreal, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, British Columbia, and elsewhere. (Also serves Belgium, Caribbean, France, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, U.K., U.S.)

Caribbean and Central America

Zoomaway.com 011-44/20-7976-6514 zoomaway.com. Rental apartments, villas, condos on Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, Trinidad, and Tobago. All fully equipped. You can book direct with the owner or through Zoomaway.com. (Also serves Australia, Bulgaria, France, India, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey, U.K., U.S.) LateLet.com 011-44/161-819-5100 latelet.com. Many types of vacation rentals in the Caribbean, as well as in San Jose and other areas of Costa Rica. (Also serves Africa, Australia, Europe, Middle East, New Zealand, South America, South Pacific, U.S.) Solapartotel Vacation Apartments 506/384-7990, ask for Franco Solano. A lovely, privately owned apartment building in residential San Jose; kitchens, fully equipped, garage.

Australia

Globalstore Reservations 011-61/7-5471-1013 mxp.com.au. Beautiful apartments, all sizes and prices, in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Queensland's Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. The Apartment Service 011-44/20-8944-1444 apartmentservice.com. Apartments throughout Australia. Fully equipped. (Also serves Africa, Belgium, Canada, Caribbean, China, eastern Europe, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malta, Mexico, Middle East, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, South America, South Pacific, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, U.K., U.S.) China Moveandstay.com 011-66/2-891-2231 moveandstay.com. Apartments in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and elsewhere; weekly or monthly rentals. (Also serves Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, U.K.) Harbour Plaza North Point 011-852/2187-2888 or 011-852/2185-2888, ask for Bredon Lam or Tracy Yam in reservations harbour-plaza.com/hpnp. Inquire about the home-stay package. Luxury apartments at budget prices in Quarry Bay on Hong Kong Island. Weekly or monthly rates. All amenities including fitness center, swimming pool.

Other contacts for self-catering 

Untours 888/868-6871 untours.com. Minimum two-week stay (with some seven-night exceptions). Packages combine airfare and a stay in a self-catering apartment or house offered in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and Vietnam. English-speaking Untour guides meet travelers and provide orientation. All apartments are personally inspected. Drive-Alive Holidays 011-44/870-745-7979 drive-alive.com. Motoring holidays. Pick up vehicle in U.K. and cross the English Channel via ferry or tunnel. Motor to self-catering apartments or homes throughout Europe. Stay in one location, then drive to others arranged by the agency. Many listings. Great vacation for families.