Add your townhouse rental to this collection

Renting a townhouse: living like a local in the heart of the city

A hotel room gives you a bed in a city. A townhouse gives you a front door, a kitchen, a staircase and a street of neighbours. Renting a whole townhouse, row house or terraced house means you wake up in a real home, walk out onto a real residential street and come back in the evening to a place that is entirely yours for the length of your stay.

Townhouses are the classic building type of old city centres around the world. They were built tall and narrow, side by side, because land in town was scarce and valuable. This guide explains what that means for your stay and how to pick the right house.

One idea, many shapes around the world

Almost every old city has its own version of the house that shares its walls with its neighbours. Some of the best known:

• Brownstones in New York. Found in neighbourhoods such as Brooklyn and Harlem, with a raised front stoop, high ceilings on the parlour floor and a garden level below.
• Row houses in Baltimore and Philadelphia. Long, even rows of brick houses, many with their own front steps, often in walkable neighbourhoods close to the centre.
• Georgian and Victorian terraces in the UK and Ireland. From the elegant squares of Dublin, Bath and Edinburgh to the brick terraces of London and northern English cities, often with a basement, a narrow garden and rooms stacked over three or four floors.
• Canal houses in the Netherlands. Amsterdam's narrow gabled houses were built on tight plots along the canals, so they rise high rather than wide. Many still have a hoisting beam at the top, used to lift furniture through the windows because the stairs are too steep.
• Shophouses in Southeast Asia. In Singapore, in George Town on Penang and in the Old Quarter of Hanoi, traditional shophouses had a shop or workshop at street level and living space above and behind. Hanoi's tube houses are famously narrow and deep.
• Colonial townhouses in Latin America. In old towns such as Cartagena, Havana and Antigua Guatemala, houses face the street with a plain wall and heavy door, then open inward onto a shaded courtyard.
• Machiya in Kyoto. Traditional wooden townhouses with a narrow street front and a long body, sometimes called eel beds because of their shape, often with a small inner garden.
• Victorian terraces in Australia. Inner suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne are known for rows of terraced houses with decorative iron lace balconies.

Why groups and families choose a townhouse

The biggest advantage is space in a central location. A townhouse usually has several bedrooms, a proper living room and a full kitchen, which makes it practical for families, groups of friends and anyone staying more than a few nights. You can cook breakfast, spread out in the evening, and still walk to museums, markets and restaurants.

Living vertically: stairs, floors and bedrooms

The most important thing to understand about a townhouse is that it is built upwards. A typical layout might put the kitchen in the basement or on the ground floor, the living room one level up and the bedrooms spread over the floors above. That has consequences:

• Stairs are part of daily life. Older houses often have narrow, steep or winding stairs, and lifts are rare. Carrying suitcases to the top floor takes effort. Canal houses and some shophouses have stairs that are closer to ladders.
• Bedrooms can be far apart. Parents with small children may prefer bedrooms on the same floor. Check the floor plan or ask how the rooms are divided before you assign beds.
• Bathrooms may not be on every level. A house with four bedrooms and two bathrooms can mean climbing a flight of stairs at night.
• Accessibility is limited. Guests who cannot manage stairs should look for a house with a ground-floor bedroom and bathroom, which is less common than you might hope.

Outdoor space in the middle of town

One of the pleasures of a townhouse is a private outdoor space in a crowded city. Depending on the region, that might be a small back garden behind a terrace, a patio courtyard with plants and a fountain in a colonial house, an inner garden in a machiya, or a roof terrace above the rooftops. In hot climates, the courtyard or roof is often where life happens in the evening. If outdoor space matters to you, check whether it is private or shared, whether it gets sun, and whether it can be used late at night.

Neighbours, noise and house rules

Townhouses share walls, and you are staying on a street where people live and work. Sound travels through old party walls and floors more than in a modern hotel. Expect some street noise too, from traffic, bars, markets or early deliveries, especially in lively old quarters.

Most owners set clear house rules about quiet hours, the maximum number of guests and whether events are allowed. Parties are very often not permitted, and some houses are not suitable for groups who plan to stay up late. If you are travelling with a large group for a celebration, say so openly and ask whether it is a good fit.

Parking, arrival and getting around

Historic centres were not built for cars. Parking outside the door is often impossible, street parking may need a resident permit, and some old towns restrict traffic altogether. Ask the owner where the nearest car park is, how to unload luggage and whether public transport or walking is the better choice. Arriving by train and taxi is often easier than driving.

Local rules and taxes

Many cities have their own rules for short-term rentals in residential buildings, and many charge a tourist or city tax per person per night. These rules differ from place to place and change over time. In some cities the tax is included in the price, in others it is paid separately on arrival. A responsible owner will know the local situation, so it is fair to ask whether the house is registered or permitted for holiday rental where that applies, and whether any tax is extra.

Questions to ask before you book

• How many floors does the house have, and how steep are the stairs?
• How are the bedrooms and bathrooms divided over the floors?
• Is there a bedroom and bathroom on the ground floor?
• Is the outdoor space, garden or roof terrace private, and can it be used in the evening?
• How noisy is the street, and which bedrooms are quietest?
• Where can we park, and how do we unload luggage on arrival?
• What are the house rules on quiet hours, visitors and events?
• Is there air conditioning or heating in every room?
• Is a city or tourist tax included in the price or paid separately?

A few tips from experience

Pack lighter than usual, or bring bags that are easy to carry up stairs. Give the top-floor bedroom to the youngest and fittest members of the group. Bring earplugs for light sleepers in lively areas. Ask the owner for their favourite local bakery, market and restaurant, because the best tips often come from someone who knows the street.

Browse the townhouses on this page

The townhouses listed on this page are grouped by continent, country and region, so you can quickly find a house in the city you want to visit. Each link takes you to the owner's own website, where you can look at the rooms, check availability and book directly. Do you rent out a townhouse, row house or terraced house? Add your link for free with the button above and help travellers find your home in the city.