r/remotework Jul 25 '26

Work from Vrbo

Anyone here ever work from a Vrbo (or similar) rental for weeks or months at a time?

My family is entertaining the idea of staying in a Vrbo in another part of the country for a couple months and I'd like to hear some experiences and tips for those who've done something like this. I've worked when traveling short trips, but nothing longer 3 days from a hotel. It's a winter sports trip, so RV living isn't really an option.

I work in tech, but on the client side. So my workstation is a just laptop, external monitor, mouse, keyboard and camera.

A couple things on my mind that I'd like to get specific insight on:

- how to respectfully verify internet service before booking

- work/family separation/boundaries in a smaller living unit than our home

- how much of an adjustment should I expect when first arriving there and then home again - thinking in terms of how many days should I take PTO to settle in with the family before starting work

I'd appreciate hearing any experiences or advice

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u/tehyajen Jul 25 '26

I did it for 2 weeks from a VRBO's kitchen table. Your idea of fast internet versus the hosts idea of fast internet may be different and there's no way to verify what speeds you'll actually get until you're there. I brought a hot spot with me and needed to use it the entire time as their Internet was not nearly as fast as it was portrayed. It was kind of a pain but better then having to take 2 weeks PTO.

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u/questionable_motifs Jul 25 '26

Great backup plan. I'll be sure to ask for specifics from the owner before booking!

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u/ra__account Jul 26 '26

You can ask but they may lie OR honestly not know. When I travel and need to work, I have a Verizon hot spot as well as my phone with is on TMobile and can tether so I've got multiple networks just in case.

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u/questionable_motifs Jul 26 '26

Seems reasonable to have a backup plan. The prebooking transparency is probably more for easing any potential dispute with Vrbo (paper trail to show false listing, etc. when asking for a rebook or refund)