Tremblant Lifestyle

It seems as if Vacation Rentals are becoming more and more popular. With the rise of the world wide web, you are able to communicate with a vacation rental owner anywhere in the world. Years ago your only option was to visit your local travel agent and book a hotel. There were no vacation rental directories or portals in the past. Now you can surf the web for the perfect vacation rental house. No need for a travel agent as you usually negotiate directly with the owner of the property. Since vacation rentals are slowly becoming the preferred method of booking a vacation, I decided to create an article to give renters some tips about finding the perfect vacation rental.

First, let’s define what we are talking about when we say vacation rental. We call it a vacation rental when a renter rents a property directly from the owner (or representative of the owner). The property usually has it’s own kitchen, living room, bedrooms, etc. They come in many shapes and sizes including condos, single family homes, townhouses, cabins, chalets, and more. Vacation rentals are usually near resort locations and activities such as theme parks, beaches, and skiing. A hotel or motel room is not a vacation rental!

What makes vacation rentals different from hotels? The comfort is the main difference. You have all of the same luxuries that you have at home. Most vacation rentals have kitchens and most of the other amenities that you have at home, plus many have additional amenities such as hot tubs, pool tables, etc. With larger groups there is definitely a cost advantage. A 3-bedroom vacation rental usually hosts more visitors than 3 hotel rooms. Make sure to keep this in mind if you do any cost analysis. Also make sure to include meal savings in your analysis since you may not dine out as often in comparison to a hotel vacation. These items alone could be substantial savings.

Imagine this scenario: Yourself and two other families pay a visit to a popular tourist destination. Your touring of the destination is complete for the day at about 3 pm. From 4pm – 6pm you dine together. It’s now 6pm with still some time remaining in the day. If you have a hotel, what do you plan to do? You can waste all of your money at numerous tourist traps (activities such as spending $3, to try to throw a ball into a bucket or $2 to throw a plastic ring around a bottle). With a vacation rental there is no need for that stuff! You can have family game night sitting in a nice comfortable home or take advatage of all the other amenities your rental has to offer. This is why it is important to learn about the amenities of the rental before you enter into a contract. As stated earlier some have hot tubs, pool tables, movies and many other activities.

Tips for Renters:

1. Bookmark as many “vacation Rental” websites as possible. This way when you are searching for a rental, you have all of the portal sites at your fingertips.

2. Always make sure to find out what items are provided and what is not provided by the owner. For example, in some rentals you may need to supply your own linens. It would be unfortunate to show up with no towels/sheets, etc.

3. Always book early. Many of the popular destinations get filled quickly.

4. Check for references if possible. The exception to this rule is if the owner is just starting out.

5. If you enjoyed your trip, try to negotiate a better price for next year. The owner would probably love to start filling his/her calendar for next year.

6. Make sure you have the owner’s contact information with you while on the trip. If there is an emergency, you may need to call.

7. Read the fine print and make sure to read all fine print on any leases or documentation that you are asked to sign. Also, read any fine print on the vacation rental web listing.

8. If you’re trying to save some money, scroll to the bottom of the list. Many vacation rental portal sites have hundreds of listings. Many times, the listings at the bottom of the list are just as good as those at the beginning. The listings at the bottom don’t get as many page views so you may find some better prices and some owner’s looking to fill a quick vacancy.

9. Make sure you ask any questions you may have before making a reservation. Questions about the amenities, pets, smoking/non smoking, handy capped accessibility, and cribs for children are some questions that come to mind.

10. Lastly, have fun on your vacation and please respect the owner’s property and follow all of his/her rules and regulations. Please remember this is someone’s personal property that you are renting.

About the author:

The author is in the business of assisting vacation rental owners in promoting their rental properties. He designed and owns the following vacation rental websites: Jersey Shore Rentals, Beach House Rentals, and Destin Vacation Rentals.

Traditionally in the travel industry, travelers are accustomed to seeing vacation packages primarily promoted by large resorts and hotels.  A vacation package typically includes stay, meals and activities all for one discounted price.

Family travelers generally prefer vacation packages because they simply don’t have the time to research restaurants and local activities to plan a successful family vacation and hope they made the right choices not being familiar with a desired vacation rental location.  They just want to “get away” with as less effort as possible.

This same principle for “vacation packages” can be applied with vacation home rentals too.  In fact, it makes more sense than ever for vacation home owners to partner with area businesses and create their own “vacation packages” to increase community interested with travelers.  Vacation home rentals in general have attracted more interest especially now that travelers are staying closer to home. 

“Vacation Packages” add tremendous value to a potential traveler, vacation owner and community, such as;

Desired stays are increasingly becoming shorter for many travelers due to hectic work and family schedules.  Vacation home owners should learn to be more flexible on stay lengths to generate more interest also. 

It may take a little effort on the vacation home owner’s part in the beginning networking and creating these “vacation packages”, but they can be very rewarding and increase reservations. Some areas of interest may be in adventure, canine friendly fun, hunting, river fishing, lake fishing, ice fishing, massage-spa, relaxing, family fun, fishing, hiking, biking, kayaking, boating, golf, etc. 

Start to utilize years of personal experience and trusted relationships with local businesses from around your vacation home area and save the traveler time and energy while providing incredible value for their vacation dollar.

Joined by two friends from Chicago, staffer Marvin Nicholson, and some pals from Hawaii, the Pessident Elect books golf vacation to Luana Hills Country Club in Kailua, Hawaii for a round of golf – the second golf outing of his week long golf vacation. The candidate, donned in khakis, a red polo, and a baseball cap, carried his clubs from his Secret Service motorcade to a waiting motorcade of golf carts.With that, the entourage left the clubhouse for the “high risk/high rewards” 18-hole course that boats breathtaking views of nearby Mount Olomana and Ko’olau.What does this Balckberry totoing President Elect know about booking a golf vacation that many other golfers may not know? Obama knows that in tough fiscial times, golfers can save a substaniatl amount of money booking a golf vacation.What is even of greater value is the ability of the Obama staffers to reserve or book tee times when they booked Obama’s golf vacation.Another benefit of golf vacation is golf vacation rentals that make golfing an experience. The moment you arrive, the golf resort’s goal is to make you feel like a part of an exclusive society. There is great staffing, exceptional clubhouses, and first-rate courses with breathtaking views! When booking a golf vacation, be sure to reserve you tee times, usually can be done from the golf vacation website of choice.Golf discount trips are available in places like Arizona, Florida, California, Nevada, and Maryland. Create packages using the web while exploring more than 30 golf resorts in US, Canada, and Mexico. Include lodgings, golf course guides, prices and even scorecards. Everything is at your fingertips to make planning your golf vacations a piece of cake!If golf is your game, golf vacation rentals will fit you to a tee. Some golfers dream of playing in the footprints of famous golfers like Tiger Woods on award-winning golf courses. Some golfers like to escape winter doldrums with a leisurely golf getaway in the tropics.

For really serious golfers, the more challenging a course, the better. Bring on the hazards, tricky shots and elements like wind, rain, sleet or even snow. Since golf personalities run the gamut, here are some initial questions to consider in matching a golf vacation to your personal preferences:

Where do the Obama staffers choose to book golf vacations and golf vacation home rentals?The Obama staffers choose Your Travel Buddy Golf to book golf vacations and reserve tee times and frequently use Your Travel Buddy Vacation Rentals to search for golf vacation rentals.“I wish we could get them to use Your Travel Buddy to book all those airline tickets for staffer and the press group, but a perk of being a President Elect is the free use of Presidential airplane” said Brent Vanderstelt, owner of Your Travel Buddy.

Sad that you cannot afford a luxury room in a plush resort? Well, there’s no need to shelve your holiday plans just because of that. With the all new craze among travel bugs, you no longer need to dole out more than half your traveling budget on rooms. Inexpensive vacation rentals allow you to enjoy a dream vacation for a very low price.

Cheap vacation rentals are very attractive these days because:

Unlike hotels, vacation rentals have fewer rules. It’s almost like staying at home. For instance, many cheap vacation rentals are pet friendly and they do not have prying eyes following your every move.

In the past, travelers had little choice but depend on travel agencies to find them suitable hotel rooms or vacation rentals. As a result, most travelers had to pay a hefty price even for cheap rentals. Also, there was the element of security. Travelers to a foreign country often felt safer booking with a hotel because they could not see the vacation rental or get any opinion about it beforehand. All that has changed.

Inexpensive communication tools and the internet have made it possible for people to arrange their own cheap vacation rentals. Vacation rental websites are dedicated to offering vacation rentals in a particular area. All you have to do is enter the required information in their search boxes and wait for the listings to appear. Most of the listings come with pictures and testimonials. This makes it possible for you to make an educated decision, in the shortest possible time.

But, the plethora of information on the web regarding cheap holidays and inexpensive vacation rentals can become somewhat overwhelming. So, given below are a few guidelines that help you find the cheapest vacation rentals easily.

Do you own a vacation rental website and are asking yourself “which vacation rental availability should I use”? As a vacation rental owner, I had to ponder this question myself. After all, a Google search reveals that there are lots of free and paid options available. But which is the right vacation rental calendar to use?

HomeAway (www.homeawayconnect.com), formerly Renters.org, really simplifies the rental of your vacation home and is FREE to use. You can save time with the day-to-day details of your vacation rental, so you can focus on what’s really important- finding the right guests and making them feel at home.

Weather you rent a little or a lot? HomeAway Connect can help you.

How it Works

Already have an account on Rentors.org, HomeAway Network (A1Vacations.com, CyberRentals.com, GreatRentals.com, HomeAway.com) or VRBO?

No sign-up or registration process is required. You will be automatically upgraded to the new Reservation Calendar.If you don’t have an account, follow these 4 easy steps to get one.

As vacation rental owners, we use the FREE HomeAway calendar because it allows you enter renter’s information, arrival time and special instructions, and contact information.

What is even better, it works across the HomeAway Network that currently includes about 8 paid vacation rental directories and your own personal site, and our FREE Vacation Rental Listing site, Your Travel Buddy.

So, when you make a reservation and you update your HomeAway calendar, just ONCE! Your calendar is automatically updated on all sites where it is featured.

You do not have to list your vacation home on the HomeAway Network to get a free calendar, but we highly recommend it, as we have our vacation homes listed with them, along with our own personal vacation rental website and our FREE Vacation Rental website, Your Travel Buddy.

HomeAway Network and VRBO is the largest network of paid vacation rental services and get receive millions of hits each and every day. The cost to advertise your vacation home on the HomeAway Network is just $299.00 per year.

We are not associated with the HomeAway Network, but we know vacation rentals and we use their FREE vacation calendar and paid listing services.

Please feel free to list your vacation rentals on our FREE vacation rental advertising website and be sure to include your HomeAway calendar link to your listing. We all could use additional free advertising and bookings.

Vacation time may be several months away, and you may be starting to think about where and what might be the perfect vacation this year – the beach, golf resort, SCUBA diving, skiing, maybe just sight seeing? And you think about places you have been – and the problems you have had. You cannot forget the time you went on vacation and discovered that the rooms that were really too small, or the room service was bad. There was also the time that the people in the next unit were loud and obnoxious, and the primary reason you had taken a vacation was to find peace and quiet. If only you could have the comforts of your home magically transported to your fantasy destination, then you could have had the perfect vacation.
Well, your dream arrangement is (almost) possible – you just have to look at vacation rental of a home, condo or cabin instead of hotels, motels and resorts. If you’ve never tried a vacation rental, there is a whole world of opportunities out there, just waiting for you to discover them.
Lots of people have vacation homes or condos that they use only part of the year. Many of these people rent out their places when they know they aren’t going to be there to use it themselves. The process is a little different than pulling up in front of a Best Western or Holiday Inn, but the principle is the same – you get to use a room or set of rooms where you are able to reside, for the length of your vacation.
Normally hotel, motel or resort rooms are relatively small. So things can get a bit tight, particularly if the kids are along, or if are there or two, three or four couples who have a routine of vacationing together. By renting a vacation home or condo you will get more space, some privacy, and you may be able to get luxury features you haven’t been able to install yet under your own roof. Another thing – you can find vacation rental units of practically all kinds, practically anywhere in the country – or, for that matter, in the world.
There are literally thousands of places available that are private homes, condos, cabins, etc., available for vacation rental. And, the facilities available in these rentals range from rustic to lavish, comfortable and spacious.
There are thousands of companies around the world acting as agents for owners. Many of these agents have listings in every state of the United States, plus Mexico and the Caribbean. They are really just booking agents, but they have information on a huge number of properties in a large number of locations. They have listings in Central America, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the South Pacific. Unless you had your heart set on a vacation in Antarctica, it doesn’t seem like there can be much of anywhere that you will not be able to find vacation rentals.
Most agents found online and offline have vacation rental homes in US destinations, and many also have access to international listings. On the Internet, you will be able to find listings provided by agents – and vacation rentals by owner. At most websites that cater to the vacation rental industry, listings will contain a full inventory of what a particular property has to offer the vacationer and most of those listings contain several photographs, including interior and exterior photos.
Many vacation home rentals can be found near the center of major tourist areas, such as Disney World in Florida, or near beaches – perhaps even on the beachfront – in many coastal states. Other vacation rental homes are located out in the boondocks, such as in the wooded and mountainous regions of Arkansas, Colorado or Tennessee.
For instance, there is the 4-bedroom, 2.5-bath, lakeside, log home at Presque Isle, Wisconsin, located on the shores of Presque Isle Lake, an hours’ drive south of Lake Superior. The property is a rustic wilderness stone and log cabin on top of a ridge, with sleeping space for up to 14 people. Overlooking the 1500-acre, crystal clear waters of Presque Isle Lake in the North Woods, this log cabin receives guest’s year-around. During the summer, many families enjoy the swimming off of the cabin’s lakeside dock, and anglers enjoy an ample supply of trophy Muskie, Walleye and Bass from the dock and by boat.
Let’s say you are thinking about taking the family to Breckenridge, Colorado for a week of skiing or snowboarding fun. A short search on the Internet will give you a sizable list of resorts or hotels to choose from. They have nice rooms, food service, probably a pool, and transit service to the slopes. But what is available in a vacation rental?
There are more than two-dozen vacation homes available in Breckenridge, Colorado. You can access descriptions and photographs of many of these homes. Facilities range from units that sleep 6 to exclusive townhouses that provide sleeping quarters for up to 22 people. Rates start at $70 per day to $20,000 per week. That would seem palatial to me. I wonder if the rates are negotiable?
Finding exactly the right-sized home, with the desired amenities, for the price you are willing to pay will take some searching. You should really take the time to decide what kind of a place you really want, the amenities, and how many people will be going with you, before you start going though lists. Of course, some people go to Breckenridge in the summer, rather than during the winter for the ski season, and rentals are available, even during the off-season.
With a vacation rental you get more space and special amenities compared with a conventional hotel, motel or resort. The cost per square foot is usually less, but the amount of space is usually more. You have more privacy, but you will probably have to do your own cooking and wash your own dishes. As with everything else, you have to decide how you want to spend you time and your money – what do you value and how much is it worth to you?
Picking and booking the right vacation home may require some time, but it is also time well spent with people you love. Compared to the hotel experience, a vacation home rental is an excellent option that you should consider for your next vacation. It might create that perfect memory you have been looking to achieve for your family.
Suppose, instead of Breckenridge and skiing, you are interested in a week at the beach, a weekend in the woods, or a week following your favorite NASCAR event. On January 20th, 2008, it is estimated that four million people will be in Washington D.C. for the inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama. Hotels were sold out weeks ago… but there are still plenty of vacation rentals in the greater D.C. metropolitan area, looking for renters. Some people are even renting their homes to visitors coming in for the inauguration and taking the opportunity to visit grandma, while someone else is renting their home.

So you are tired of all those all-inclusive vacation packages where you just take the plane for the sake of flying, crossing an ocean or two and land on a foreign land. By “foreign land”, you mean of course the beach (with many low self-esteem persons that constantly put their body in doubt), the sun (that will fry you if you don’t bother to take a 1 minute pause of macarena in order to put a little sunscreen) and of course your bracelet (aka the tourist tag to tell everyone that you are drinking all day long).

Now, if you are a true adventure-seeker-crocodile-hunter-type of traveler, you may be interested by all the dangers often ignored by many tourists. The world is so vast, we are sharing our planet with fascinating creatures… fascinating creatures that can kill you. Some destinations may seem innocent, but let’s take a little moment to list some popular vacation destinations with their nearby dangerous animals that would injure/attack/eat you if you are not careful.

Surfing Hawaii

Aloha! Yeah, it feels good riding those waves right? But wait, before drowning in your Jack Johnson tube rides dream, have you ever thought of shark attacks? Did you know that sharks are responsible for more than 100 fatalities every year? (and no, I didn’t get this fear fact from Jaws)

Scuba-diving in Papua New Guinea

We all have seen Finding Nemo eh? (just be honest, there is no shame in watching family movies and fall for the cuteness of those little turtles dude!) Let’s not mix fiction and reality here, but do you remember when Marlin and Dory got caught in a colony of jellyfish? Well yeah, those jellyfish are quite dangerous, they are also responsible for more than 100 fatalities every year all over the world. So better be careful during your scuba diving.

African safari, visiting the Victoria Falls

During a safari (on the road to visit the largest waterfalls of the world), we may encounter many creatures. At this moment, you may be guessing that I was going to tell you something that you already know: that lions, crocodiles kill… Well, I thought that I would choose another animal less talked: the hippopotamus. Without getting into a National Geography coverage type, let’s just say that these 4 feet wide mouths can do some serious damages, about 150 fatalities every year.

India, Taj Mahal

I know I know, there is way more wonderful things in India than just the Taj Mahal. I only wanted to focus your attention on the animal that cause about 500 fatalities every year: the elephant. It can weigh up to 6 tons and is quite unpredictable, have you ever heard stories of a 15 years worth zoo keepers killed? Elephants are just too mighty.

Cambodia, Angkor Wat

Unfortunately, this Wonder of the world, like many vacation destinations are located in diseases zones. Many travelers need to take shots in order to protect themselves against malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, West Nile virus, etc. Paradoxical to say that the #1 killing creature is the little-annoying-easy-to-squash mosquito, responsible for 3 million fatalities every year.

Travel safely!