NEW YORK -- The fantasy: Renting a villa in the countryside, dining on food grown by local farmers, and relaxing with your family in a beautiful setting.

The reality: Getting lost on unfamiliar roads, worrying that the kids will be injured because the house is not childproof, and suffering through malfunctioning appliances, plumbing disasters and heating problems.

That's what Wendy Perrin, who writes for Conde Nast Traveler, discovered when she rented a villa for her family in Italy. Perrin describes her experience in the June issue and provides plenty of advice for others.

For one thing, are you prepared to do your dishes, take out your garbage, buy household supplies like toilet paper, and strip your beds and clean the place when you leave? If not, you might be better off in a hotel. Or if you're set on a villa, consider paying for a housekeeper and cook, which are offered with many villa rentals.

Perrin also notes that whether a villa is a good value depends on how many people stay there. A weekly rate of $5,400, including part-time household staff, seems steep, but if the villa has four bedrooms, four couples can share the bill. Nightly rate: under $100 per person.

Perrin adds that a good rental agent who knows the property is the key to finding the right villa for you. She recommends 35 rental agents in 16 countries, including http://www.justfrance.com and http://www.villaeurope.com. For the complete list, check out the June issue, or look for more villa guidance online at http://www.cntraveler.com/villarentals.