I so need a vacation. But when faced with planning a trip–booking tickets, renting a car, figuring out where to stay, even where to go–I get overwhelmed and my brain shuts down. I think the best trips are when you know someone in a great city, with an amazing place to stay, who can tell you about the good places to go. Even better if you get the place to yourself!

That’s what Inhabit Vacations offers: A perfectly curated selection of over 80 vacation rentals in San Francisco, Sonoma Wine Country, and Portland, with Paris to launch at the beginning of June and Seattle in late June. Inhabit carefully screens each vacation rental property to make sure it’s stylish, comfortable, well-kept, and representative of the essence of its location. “We say ‘no’ to a lot of properties,” says Founder Rebecca Rosenfelt (also founder & editor of Real Savvy Real Estate). “We’d rather have a handful of perfect spots than 100 that are just ‘ok.’”

High on the list of importance when selecting properties is aesthetic appeal. “Architecture is one of the most important things we look for when selecting properties,” Rebecca says. “We want our homes to reflect the local area, and one of the strongest aspects of local culture is the architecture. Santa Fe wouldn’t be Santa Fe without the adobe style homes. Can you imagine San Francisco without the Victorians? Same goes for Los Angeles and its famed mid-century architecture. Beyond the bones of a home, we look to see that the owner has carried that style inside as well, and perhaps added their own personal twist. That is the ideal Inhabit home.

Aside from architecture and local character, all Inhabit rentals come with the little extras that make for a perfect stay, plus basic amenities like linens, fully equipped kitchens, Internet access, and safety considerations. Inhabit also creates lists of recommendations based on insider information from locals. “The idea is to go beyond standard guidebook fare and list interesting things that you might not know about unless you’re from the area,” Rebecca explains.

Since Inhabit is careful about their rentals, so they are not growing overly fast. However, their ultimate goal is to go global. “So anywhere you want to visit, you can find a great recommendation,” Rebecca says. Right now they’re working on developing the Portland and Seattle markets, but next up are properties in New York, LA, and perhaps a couple Caribbean islands.

“LA is definitely next on the list for West Coast locations,” Rebecca continues. “We hope to add properties in the Silver Lake/Los Feliz/Echo Park area. I love finding gems in neighborhoods where locals actually live. Helping tourists live like locals, or helping grandparents find somewhere to stay while they visit their grandkids, is so gratifying. Rebecca adds that West Hollywood and Santa Monica also have a special place in her heart and those spots might make the list too. “You and your readers are the experts though,” she says, “so I’m open to suggestions about where we should focus!”

Do you have suggestions for great vacation rentals or areas in LA for Inhabit Vacations? Leave a comment!

(Photos from Inhabit Vacations rental properties. From top: Modern Urban Retreat in Petaluma, CA; entryway & kitchen at White Designer Mansion in San Francisco; and Stylish Treat Retreat in San Fransisco.)