I am researching an apartment with housetrip.com for a booking to Barcelona and unsure whether this website is reliable or not

Sorry - never heard of it. Make sure this is a reliabe site before giving any deposit.

Just a copy of AirB&B...I avoid the later, maybe I should avoid this one too.

Be careful of Housetrip! AirB&B is much better, because they offer legal protection against theft and damage, and because guests and hosts can both be reviewed. Housetrip do not offer ANY legal protection for either hosts or guests. I had a terrible experience with Housetrip, after a guest staying in my apartment received a €1000 fine for illegal internet usage. Housetrip refused to provide me with any assistance whatsoever, and I was left having to pay the fine and cover all of my own legal costs. Housetrip advised me that their terms and conditions state that they are not under any legal obligation to assist hosts in the case of theft, damage or illegal activities.

ebmemma, If you supplied internet as part of the rental package and you signed the contract with the service provider than I would have thought you were responsible...I assume the way you are writing about the fine your property is located in France, is that correct?

Bringing this to the top. Coincidentally I was all ready to book an apartment in Cordoba using housetrip.com and now am a little apprehensive.

Anyone use Housetrip.com for Spain? Any other ideas for reputable companies with apartments for rent in Cordoba?

Hello,
I would like add a comment about Housetrip site that we tried to use to have vacation in New-York for a week.
we reserved an appartement ,1,5 month before the trip and we fully paid the price.
but 2 days before the trip, the site has explained us that the reservation had been canceled without explanation. they have reimbursed without problem but we had to search an other solution by ourself.
It is amazing that the site give a lot of information if you cancel your reservation (you always lose money) but no remark on that the appartement can be cancelled only two days before the trip( without compensation of course).

SO, BE CAREFUL WITH THIS SITE !!!

You can visite Tripadvisor site to be convinced (french only)

Thanks - cancellations are actually a fear of mine considering I'll be visiting during Semana Santa. I'll be really in a bind if the apartment cancels at the last minute as hotels may be difficult to find (at least the ones with reasonable rates).

Ironically the apartments are on TA in the Cordoba apartments section but they are managed via Housetrip.com

After having Housetrip cancel two properties on us, I would be very dubious of them. They were keen to rent me other places but I wasn't interested. I had to specifically ask them to release preauthorisation of our credit card, even after the cancellation. Often the places on Housetrip are on other sites, at times for much less.

Some are listed on rentvillas or flip key or other sites, but I suppose it comes down to your budget does it not?

Cross-Pollinate.com is a little agency based in Rome that takes only a small up front deposit and checks all their locations personally. They have apts. in Rome, Florence, Venice, Paris, Barcelona, Lisbon, London and Istanbul (10 euros cacellation deposit in 2009). I stayed in an absolutely gorgeous little place in Venice (for 70 euros a night!) and then again at the last minute the week later, found a great place in Paris for 90 euros when a hotel wanted to move me to a more expensive room than the one I was in. Of course, prices will be higher now--that was deep in recession times--but still quite reasonable. They do have some places in Barcelona though I haven't looked closely. I would really recommend them. Unless they've changed (don't think so), they are really honest folks.

Never use HouseTrip. I booked a family vacation to Orlando, Florida. The host cancelled with only a week to go. HouseTrip were unable to find any alternative accommodation and simply refunded me the money they had charged at booking.

There was no other compensation. Booking with HouseTrip means you are risking arriving at your destination with no place to stay. That will be your problem. HouseTrip takes no responsibility.

Why dig up a 4-year old post? Must be AirB&B or another competitor...

people who want to complain about a bad experience often just type the name in a search box and find a post related to the company. It's not that unusual.

Then why post it on the Spain Forum? It concerns some incident in Orlando.

I had a very poor experience with them. I booked an apartment in Paris 9 months in advance of travel and the host cancelled on me. Housetrip sent me alternative listings NOT in the area I was looking for at all. I found a subpar listing that would work for my family and asked housetrip.com for a 10% discount ($60) and they wouldn't do it. So disappointing. I would never use them again as they don't seem to mind their hosts cancelling. I wish I had read reviews before using them.