Vacation Rentals By Owner

When we used to go to hotels, long before we knew there was such a thing as vacation rentals by owner, we would check in for our stay, pick up the room key and that was the last we would see of the hotel staff until check out time. This was all routine, until one day a friend told me that he and his family had rented from an owner in Hawaii and had experienced the best holiday they had ever had.

They advised me to go on the computer and do a search for vacation rentals by owner in Maui, which is where we were heading at the time. We had no trouble finding a condo that appealed to us, so we arranged to rent it for a month.

When we arrived at the condo, we were pleasantly surprised to find a letter of welcome, flower leis, a bottle of wine and a bouquet of beautiful tropical flowers.

There was a list of places of interest that we should visit, and directions for getting there. There was also a fascinationg guest book, filled with fun filled stories and recommendations af where to eat and places to visit. Read - The Best Vacation Travel Guide

The condo was oceanfront and each night the guests would blow through a conch shell, which is a Hawaiian tribute to the setting of the sun. At each sunset we joined with our neighbors in this little ceremony to say goodnight to the sun. We met so many wonderful people and had so much fun.

My family had the most wonderful holiday ever and it even led us to become vacation rental owners in Maui. We have met many owners over the years, and can say that they are fabulous people who get so much enjoyment helping families, friends, and couples to have wonderful holidays.

Vacation Rentals by owner create a two way street. The renters experience the holiday of a lifetime and the owners enjoy the satisfaction of having a worthwhile and rewarding business.

We thank vacation rental owners and invite you to comment on this article and leave a link to your vacation home.

Find some vacation rentals by owner on Ideal Vacation Rentals.

Top Ten Travel Destinations for 2007

A recent article by Sophia Banay 01.11.07, outlines the top ten travel destinations compiled by forbes.com for 2007. Following is a quote from her article.

"Once again this year, Forbes.com has compiled a list of where we want to go in 2007--and where you should, too. We spoke to industry experts and a few of our favorite globe trotters to find out what's hot this year, from wine tasting in Argentina to dune surfing in Africa and everywhere in between."

Below is the list of the Top 10 Travel Destinations For 2007:

Argentina: best wine tasting
Dominican Republic: best beaches
Ethiopia: best adventure safari
Honduras: best snorkeling
Laos: best sightseeing
Namibia: best family trip
The North Island, Seychelles: best splurge!
Oman: best bargain
Panama: best eco-tourism
Sri Lanka: best honeymoon

To read the whole article and view a slide show of the places go here

If anyone has any idea as to how they arrived at this list or if you have your own favourite travel destination we would love to hear your comments.

If you decide to visit the Dominican Republic and are looking for a villa to rent we invite you to search our Dominican Republic Villa Rentals

The Best Vacation Travel Guide

The guest book in a vacation rental by owner is the best vacation travel guide for your holiday destination that you will ever find.

We were condo owners in Maui for 12 years and our guest book became the best Maui travel guide that you could possibly get because it contained a wealth of information and tips left by our guests. It was full of comments which passed on the excitement and fun of so many wonderful Maui vacations. Better still, our guests themselves told of their favourite restaurants, snorkeling spots, drives, tours, walks and more which they were delighted and happy to share.

They also left nice comments about how they appreciated the special touches that we thought of to make them feel comfortable in their home away from home. No wonder, the first thing we would do when we arrived late at night on our flight from Canada, was to sit down and read all the nice comments our guests had left. It made us feel happy and proud that we had helped make their Maui vacation a memorable one. We also took advantage of the many useful tips on things to do and places to see, which were so graciously given from the real life experiences of our guests.

We know that this is how most vacation rental owners feel so we encourage you to try renting from an owner if you have always in the past stayed in hotels. We haven't as yet seen a guest book in any hotel room we have stayed in.

If you own a vacation rental and don't have a guest book yet, make sure that you put it at the top of your "to do" list and over time you will have the best travel guide for your area, as we did for Maui.

For links to vacation rentals by owner try Ideal Vacation Rentals

Internet Fraud Targets Vacation Rental Industry

Today's blog is about internet fraud that targets the vacation rental industry from time to time. As webmaster of the site, I receive copies of all inquiries sent out to owners, so the suspicious looking ones are very easy to spot. For those owners, new to this business, please read the question and answers below so that you will not be a victim of this fraudulant activity. This is also available on Ideal Vacation Rentals under the heading owners.

Q. As a vacation rental owner do I have to worry about internet fraud?

A. Unfortunately there are always people who use the internet for unscrupulous purposes. Over the last few years, there has been some internet fraud targeting the vacation rental industry. The most common of these scams involve fraudsters saying that they are booking on behalf of a third party. They usually want to book for a long period of time and they want to send you more money than required, usually by a certified check. They then, request that you send them back the overpayment balance. Their hope is that you will pay this back before their check has been found out to be fraudulent, which means that you would be out of pocket by the amount you sent back and it may be too late to rent your place to someone else for that time period.

Q. Is there any way to identify a person who is intending to implement this kind of fraud?

A. Usually emails from these fraudsters are written with poor grammar and often have misuse of capital letters such as i instead of I. Sometimes they tell you they are a doctor or even a minister attending a conference in your area. Often they don't fill out your whole form, just the comment section. They are usually very eager to pay and often say they are representing a third party.

Q. What is the best way to protect myself from being a victim of internet fraud.

A. The best way to protect yourself from internet fraud, is to not accept a check for more than the amount of the rental. If it is necessary to return money for any reason wait at least 30 days, or until a check has cleared before you return any money! To read more about internet fraud go to http://www.fraud.org for more information.

Below are two examples of emails from fraudsters that have been sent to our site.
Hello,
How are you today?,i'm writting to inquire about your property placed for rent on the property rentals ad.,and after series of choices,me and my family chose your property for our maiden visit to the United States.
I think your property will be just perfect for me and my family's vacation. We want to rent your property for ten nights starting from ( 03/15/07) thru ( 03/24/07). Get back to me asap if your property will be available for rent so that we can proceed with rental modalities. Hope to hear from you soon.
Warm Regards
Dr.Donald Miller

Good day Sir/Madam,
I am Dr. Philip Young of Regan Agency, based in London, UK.
I need to book reservation in your hotel for delegates from London coming for a Christian summit.
I need to know if there are free spaces for their accommodation. They would be 6 in Number and they would stay for 15 days starting from the 10th of June to 30th June 2005. I'll like to view your brochure also, to see what you have to offer.
Do get back to me quickly, as we don't have much time in our hands. Thank you and have a nice day.
Yours faithfully,
Dr. Philip Young.

If you have been a victim of internet fraud, we would be interested in your comments so that others may benefit from your experience.

Hotels vs Vacation Rentals Industry

It's time time to fight back at the attempts of hotels to force vacation rentals out of business.
Every year for the past twenty years, we have rented out our condo for transient accommodations. It has been a great time for us. We have met wonderful people who have come back year after year to their home away from home. Yes, it was stressful at times, keeping the place in top shape, but we loved every minute of it.
Our guest book tells a story of fabulous holidays that our guests enjoyed while staying in our vacation rental.
Most of these people, especially those with families, wouldn't have been able to come here because of the high cost of the hotels in our area, and we couldn't have afforded to buy our beautiful condo if we hadn't had the vacation rental income to help with our expenses.
As the big hotel owners continue to build more and more hotels to add to the tremendous number they already have, it just seems they will never be satisfied until they have complete control of the entire vacation industry. The vast majority of people can not possibly pay $500 or $600 a night for a hotel room, so they have to depend on privately owned vacation rentals for their family holidays.
It's time that the hotel owners accepted this, and quit trying to play God by putting pressure on their municipalities to try and discourage vacation rentals. By doing so they are depriving an average family the ability to go on a vacation.
Vacation rental owners collect and pay appropriate city or state taxes and all they ask in return is to be allowed to run their business in a fair and honorable way without being in a competition with hotels.
A home away from home, for those who can't afford the sky high prices of the big hotels is a service that should be recognized and respected. Vacation Rentals need your help.

Read a related article by Christine Karpinski entitled Vacation Rental Bans and Restrictions.

We invite you to leave your comments on this blog, especially if you have related experiences of your own to share.

For listings of vacation rentals by owner worldwide, check out Ideal Vacation Rentals

Lake Michigan Beachside Vacation Cottage

This author’s beachside vacation cottage on Lake Michigan is ideal for family gatherings or just a getaway. Located one mile down the beach from Glen Arbor in beautiful Leelanau County, it is just 28 miles from Traverse City.

Rustic knotty pine interior with a cozy original red brick fireplace, this four-season resort area 3 bedroom cottage sleeps 8!
Ski out the back door or downhill from one of the nearby resorts. Boating, fishing, fall color-tours, skiing--Our LAKE MICHIGAN BEACHSIDE VACATION COTTAGE has it all! Available year-round, weekly only in summer. Weeks or weekends otherwise.

Linda Alice Dewey
author of AARON'S CROSSING:
An Inspiring True Ghost Story
lindaalicedewey.com
Drop by our Message Board and say hello!
http://www.lindaalicedewey.com/forum.htm

"Life is a mystery, until it is over and the sense of it is revealed."
-- Aaron's Crossing: An Inspiring True Ghost Story

Private Vacation Home in Barra de Navidad Mexico

Our featured property today is Casa Los Abuelos, a 2100 sq. ft. Barra de Navidad private vacation home with solar power system. Brand new in 2005, this beautiful beach home is located in a gated community called Musica del Mar Estates, just twenty minutes from Manzanillo airport near Melaque, Barra de Navidad and Cihuatlan.
Each of the king bedrooms in this top quality Mexico vacation home, has remote control air conditioning as well as Egyptian cotton sheets to make you feel truly pampered. One of the three bathrooms is on the patio, in close proximity to the pool. Windows recess into the walls in kitchen, living area and master bedroom. The living room opening is 14 ft - completely opening into a huge terraza with an eight person patio table and chair set. There is a private patio off the master bedroom. Your private 320 sq. ft. pool has a separate 200 sq. ft. pool patio covered by a large palapa.
If you stay in our Barra de Navidad vacation home you will discover that activity and noise during the day is minimal and the evenings are quiet and peaceful, with only the sound of the ocean surf in the background.

What will make your stay even more of a delight is a very private ocean beach approximately 300 feet from the front of property. The beach is 20+ miles long with no one on it.

The Grand Bay Hotel golf course is one kilometre up the road.
The drive to the small fishing village of Barra de Navidad is only 10 minutes away. This quaint town offers visitors wonderful beach living, nightlife, restaurants etc. Sea life includes dolphins, turtles, whales, sport and tropical fish. Visitors to this area enjoy golfing, sailing, fishing, surfing, snorkelling and scuba diving.

From Barra de Navidad it is only another few minutes to Melaque. A ten minute drive to Chiuatlan, a town of 50,000 people. The large city of Colima is a 1.5 hour drive on a toll highway. Puerto Vallarta is 220 kms north up highway 200.
It is a 20 minute drive from Manzanillo airport to the property.

Consider renting Casa Los Abuelous, our private Barra de Navidad vacation home, for your next holiday in Mexico.

Recent Tsunami Warning for the Hawaiian Islands

During our recent winter vacation in Maui, there was a Tsunami warning for the Hawaiian islands. After three hours the warning was reversed and it was all over as quickly as it had started but a lot of people wondered where they would go if something like this really did occur, not only in Hawaii, but in other beach resorts around the world.
To get to higher ground, in West Maui where we were, would not necessarily be as easy as you might think, because there are very few roads that lead up the mountains to safety.
The possibilities of enormous tragedy got me to thinking that vacation renters should be issued a detailed description of the quickest way for them to evacuate to safety. It would not be necessary to alarm people, but only to let them know where to go and what to take in the very unlikely event that the beach areas had to be evacuated.
For up to date information about Tsunamis follow this link: http://www.prh.noaa.gov/ptwc/abouttsunamis.htm

submitted by Les Roberts

Maui Vacation Rentals

Vacation Rentals on the Mayan Riviera

Yucatan vacation rentals on the Mayan Riviera of Mexico include many beachfront villas or casa rentals with pools. Some of these rentals are large homes that can accommodate a family or large party for a reunion or holiday with friends. Other forms of accommodations in the Yucatan state on the Mayan Riviera include oceanfront and beachfront condos and bungalows. Popular Yucatan vacation destinations include Chicxulub, Uaymitun, Progreso, El Cuyo, Celestun, Merida and Telchac Puerto. All these locations offer Yucatan vacation rentals. Rent from an owner for a more personal and affordable holiday.
Some great choices of rentals for your Mayan Riviera Vacation are listed below.
Yucatan Villa With Pool
Mayan Riviera Beach House
Mexico Rental Home
Yucatan Oceanfront Villa
Mexico Snowbird Rental
Beachfront Casa Vacation Rental W/Pool
Mayan Riviera Vacation Home
Mexican Casa
Yucatan Beach Home
Mayan Riviera House With Pool

Located in southeastern Mexico on the Yucatan Peninsula, the Yucatan state borders the states of Campeche and Quintana Roo. During your stay you can visit the state capital of Merida, and stroll down Paseo Montejo, the city's main avenue, which is lined with beautiful palaces, old buildings and 19th century mansions. In the surrounding area you can visit old henequen haciendas, many of which have been converted into luxurious hotels with museums, restaurants and spa services.
It is impossible to leave the Yucatan without visiting the interesting Mayan ruins in the famous archeological zones such as Uxmal, Kabah, Labna, Sayil, Dzibilchaltun and Chichen Itza. Other notable sites include the Pyramid of Kukulcan, where you can witness the shadow image of a plumed serpent descend on the pyramid's stairs every spring equinox.
Yucatan also offers beautiful natural environments, such as Celestun, the natural habitat for hundreds of pink flamingos, or Ria Lagartos, where you can go kayaking through the mangroves. Choose Yucatan Vacation Rentals by owner and enjoy the local sights from your home away from home.

A Magical Vacation In Quebec, Canada

Todays Blog entry is from my sister's travel journal. She has very nicely allowed me to share this with you.

Bon Soir mes amies. I have arrived back from Montreal safe and sound. We had a marvelous trip... very full and did so much in three days it was amazing. First arriving in Montreal at the Hilton, we booked our bags and headed for the Old Sea Port of Montreal traveling through old town, very awesome it is like going to Europe, the narrow cobblestone streets the brick houses and old style buildings.
We made our way to the sea port just in time to see the fire works over the St. Lawrence River with ...outdoor ice skaking and music (this only happens in December between 6:30 and 8:30 on Saturday night only)! That was some luck to see and so awesome, we had never even thought of such an event!! Now we are very chilled and hungry.....We made our way up to the Old Town looking forward to warming up and having a great dinner.... no trouble finding a place to warm up and eat !!
Next day, decided to go and see the Old town in the day light and find our way to Schwartz's Meats to purchase the real Montreal Corned Beef. A couple of hours later our mission is accomplished and back at the hotel and the meat is in the fridge. We still have time for a couple more hours of shopping ( they are quite civilized in Quebec, keeping shopping open only until 5PM....)

Thankfully we made our way back to the hotel..after several hours shopping.. After a nice glass of wine, we decided to walk back into the Old town and find one of the restaurants that we had seen in the morning....We walked in and perused the menu .. very nice all looks well (no wine list)?? We asked what was the house wine and we are then informed, they don't supply any wine or beer, you need to bring your own , they will serve it to you...Interesting enough we only had to go just around the corner to buy a bottle of wine ($12.95/bottle)no corking fee...

Next day ... no time for breaky ..made our way to the airport and off to Quebec City..

Arrived at Quebec City Hilton, just before noon, booked into the room and put the Montreal Smoked Beef in the Chef's Fridge for the night....Headed for the Quebec City Old town, it is just magical, the lights glistening with the crisp chill of snow; there is a skiff of snow on the grass and it is -3, without the wind chill, very nice though (not damp at all and very pleasant.) We walked the Old Town, had lunch and returned to our Hotel..... Not wanting to miss a thing we headed for the swimming pool in our Hotel, (it is one of those that goes from inside to the out side), we enjoyed a great relaxing swim....Hungry we made our way to dine ....this is an other story ( the dinner was worth a story of it's own). After having great conversation while dining we made out way down just meters from our hotel to a fabulous out door skating rink, it was very magical, with the bright Christmas lights refecting off the ice and the skaters ....
I am truely amazed at Quebec City it is so Canadian and everyone is so polite, I see now why people say Canadian's are so polite and nice I have never really noticed it until going to Quebec !!
Had a great time...
written by Sylvia Haftner

Check out Quebec Vacation Rentals

No Passport Requirement for The US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

It has been brought to our attention by a property owner in the Virgin Islands that some US citizens are not aware that the new passport requirement which requires all US travellers returning or entering the US from the Caribbean to have a passport, DOES NOT APPLY TO THE US VIRGIN ISLANDS OF ST. THOMAS, ST. JOHN AND ST. CROIX, nor does it apply the the US island of PUERTO RICO.
In an article by Teresa Plowright on About.com, she states "The US Virgin Islands, on the other hand, offer a Caribbean experience that's still part of the US: no passport needed. Each Virgin Island -- St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix-- is distinctive, and offers great lodgings and activities for families. " Click here to read the whole article

Villas to Rent Around the World

An increasingly popular way to go on vacation, is to get together with family or friends and rent a villa somewhere in the world.

If you are like me though, before you pursue a topic, you are curious to know what it is you are talking about. By this I mean, How does one define a villa? According to Wikipedia, the online free encylopedia, "A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class ..." read more. A definition from another source describes a villa as a country mansion together with farm and farm buildings and yet another as a superior type of suburban house with its own garden. The spanish word Casa is also used synonymously with villa as far as vacation rentals go and even though the word casa means "house", it somehow conjures up a grander picture in our minds. Other words associated with the word villa, are castle, tower, estate, home, cottage, lodge, chateau, to mention but a few. For me the word villa, always implies a luxurious home, usually with a pool, a garden and often within a private gated estate or a resort area. Definitely a place where you can experience the most magical vacation of your life!

The advantages of renting a villa are many, especially if you are travelling with a large group. For example if you decide to go on a vacation for your next family reunion, why not consider renting a villa or casa in the Yucatan, on the Mexican Caribbean.

If you are thinking of a spot for your wedding and would like to have accommodations for your family and friends have a look at some of the villas for rent in Puerto Vallarta. The island of Puerto Rico also has some wonderful choices of Casas, or villas to rent. If you wish to use the synonyms castle, tower or mansion for the word villa, you may want to travel to Europe where there are many fine castles, towers and historical mansions that have been converted to very excellent and unique accommodations. Scotland has some of these types of accommodations which are well suited for corporate get a ways and fishing vacations. England has many villa type accommodations also. Some of these are converted farmhouses, which are worthy of the title villa, even though a farmhouse may bring a more basic dwelling to mind. You could consider renting a chateau in France. The Chateau de Villette in France, which was a major setting for the movie "The da Vinci Code would be a memorable place to spend a holiday.

In summary, for the saying "Every Man's Home is his Castle" we could substitute the word castle for villa, casa, chateau or any of the other synonyms discussed above. Whichever way you look at it renting a villa somewhere in the world will provide you with a glorious home away from home for your next vacation.

Please leave a comment if you have a favourite villa that you would like to tell us about.

Citation: Villa. (2007, January 11). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:03, January 18, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Villa&oldid=100098204

Great Spots For Your Winter Vacation

Yes, I have to admit that I prefer to be warm in the winter. However I am very much aware that there are many people in the world who love a winter holiday. They love to downhill ski, cross country ski, snow board, ice skate on real frozen lakes, or just enjoy the cold. As for me, a person with cold extremities supreme, all I can remember is how I suffered waiting for ski lifts, while my poor little pinkies froze big time.

But let's forget about me and move on to more important issues. Where in the world do you go for a winter vacation?

There are many great spots for winter holidays. Whistler in British Columbia Canada is renowned the world over. Also if you visit Invermere in the Kootenays of British Columbia, you can find great ski homes for rent such as the Alpenhous Panorama Vacation Home or this Rocky Mountain Log Home to rent from an owner for your winter vacation. Other ski resorts in British Columbia include Apex Ski Resort near Pentiction, or Big White near Kelowna and Silver Star in Vernon. All these ski resorts are in the amazing Okanagan Valley, which incidently is also a very popular summer destination for travellers to BC.

Lets talk about some USA destinations for your winter vacation. How about Lake Tahoe, Nevada, where you can also find some great and affordable Lake Tahoe Vacation Rentals if you require lodgings for your winter get-a-way. In southern Lake Tahoe for example there is a Spacious Two Story Ski Chalet, which has accommodations for up to 12 people, allowing you to enjoy a fun ski holiday with family and friends. Let us not forget Utah, where the winter Olympics were hosted not so long ago. Here you can find a brand new Luxury Ski Condo nestled between Park City/Deer Valley and the beautiful Heber Valley. It is perfect for either a golf vacation in summer or skiing in the winter. In Colorado, try a Historic Rocky Mountain Get-A-Way. Don't forget Mt. Baker in Washington, near the Canadian border. Here you will find great Mt. Baker Ski Lodgings for an unforgettable winter vacation.

Europe also has many prime winter holiday destinations. I have first hand knowledge of that because in the mid 70s I had the most memorable winter vacation of my life in Westendorf, Austria. We skied down to the village and our hotel, where we were treated like royalty with accommodation and wonderful meals. Our daughter was enrolled in a ski kindergarten which allowed us to take ski lessons and then experience the wonder of skiing in the Austrian alps. Did you know that in Norway there is a place called the Orter Stolen Ranch and Lodge Inn? It is located on Gol Mountain and is a mountain park with 14 cabins.

So, even though I love to be warm in the winter, I can certainly appreciate that everyone has different vacation needs! For now I am staying in Maui and keeping warm!!!!!

If you have a favourite winter vacation spot, please leave a comment and tell us all about it. If you log in as "other" it allows you to leave a URL of your own. Looking forward to your comments.

Where Have All The Snowbirds Gone

As I sit on our lanai in Maui, I close my eyes and breathe in the sweet plumeria scented air, while listening to the pounding of the surf, and the mina birds' plaintiff calls.

As I come out of my glorious self imposed meditation, the headlines of the Vancouver Sun catch my eye. "Another storm, Another Weather Warning", I read. And then "We've been blown away by the wind, blanketed with snow, and drenched with relentless rain." The writer, Glenn Bohn, goes on to say "Environment Canada issued yet another weather warning for the Lower mainland Wednesday, this time about the frigid air coming in from the Arctic".

Should I feel guilty that I have escaped this terrible fate or just relieved and grateful that we are able to be snowbirds in this, our very favourite home away from home?
We are not alone in our need to escape the Winter, and as the baby boomers come up to retirement age more and more people are flying south. "Where do they go ?" and "Where do they stay?" are questions you might ask.

We know many Canadians who like to drive across the border in their RVs and head for Arizona, Nevada or Mexico. These people have their home with them so do not have the extra worry of finding affordable accommodations. If you are not an RV person and you find that you would like to spend at least 4 months a year in warmer climes, then how can you find an affordable place to rent? Renting from an owner has become a popular way to solve this problem. It is possible to find vacation rentals in Arizona, Nevada and Mexico that are affordable for long term rentals.
Many snowbirds on the eastern coast of Canada and the US, like to get away to Florida, as it is easy for them to drive there. This is especially attractive for those who dislike flying. But however you get there, you must now find lodgings that are affordable and comfortable. An example of such a place is a condo in Clearwater that you can rent from the owner for a very reasonable monthly rate.
Then of course there is the enticing Caribbean, offering many fabulous villas which allow a winter get-a-way with your family or friends. Yes these places are more expensive, however if you are sharing the cost with others, it is possible to pamper yourself and enjoy a luxurious vacation.

Now we are back to Hawaii, our favourite snowbird destination. Whichever Hawaiian island that you choose, you can be assured that the weather will always average at least 80 degrees over the winter months. We used to own a condo in Maui, but for the last 3 years have rented from owners for at least 3 months each Winter. Even if you are just a snowbird for 2 or 3 weeks, it helps you to get through the winter. There are many Hawaii vacation rentals to be found and it is nice to know that you can rent from an owner for a fraction of the cost of staying in a hotel. Taking your family is much more affordable when you can cook most of your own meals, and have comfortable accommodations for everyone.

So where have all the snowbirds gone? South of course. If you can suggest any other good places for snowbirds please leave a comment.

How Ideal Vacation Rentals Got Started

In 1997, a Kindergarten teacher in British Columbia Canada put down her chalk and took up html. This was to be the beginning of an exciting new career listing vacation rentals by owner worldwide.

In 1993, Les and Julie Roberts, a couple from Canada bought a vacation rental property in Maui, Hawaii. They decided that instead of hiring a manager to handle their rentals, they would do it themselves. At this time newspaper advertising was the way to go as the internet was only just coming into its own.

In 1997, Julie took out an RRSP to buy her first computer. Before that she barely knew how to turn one on. Little did she know that it would be her vehicle for success. She taught herself basic html and went to work making a website for their vacation rental in Maui. She also discovered that by listing their vacation rental on various vacation rental websites, that they had no trouble booking their vacation home as much as they needed.

One summer day in 1999 Julie’s computer illiterate husband asked her if she might be able to start a vacation rental computer business of her own. They brain-stormed for names and came up with idealvacationrentals. In November 1999 Ideal Vacation Rentals was launched and Julie was in business. She now had to juggle teaching kindergarten with operating all aspects of the business so would get up at 5:00 AM, work on the business for 3 hours and then head off to the school house. At noon she checked e-mails and then in the evening she would again put on the hat of the owner of Ideal Vacation Rentals. It was a joke among her colleagues that it was the kindergarten teacher that everyone went to with their computer problems.

Soon the demands of running a business and teaching young children became too much, so she gradually cut back on teaching and eventually retired in September of 2003 so that she could dedicate all her time to Ideal. As Julie states, “It is rewarding being able to offer vacation rentals by owner as an alternative to staying in a hotel, while at the same time providing owners with a place to advertise their vacation homes.”

As an owner from Hawaii states: “Aloha Julie and Staff at Ideal Vacation Rentals – It is with great pleasure that I can whole heartedly recommend your vacation rental web site. Since listing with your service you have become one of the top three providers of inquiries for our business and one of the best investments of our marketing plan. So long as I own/manage vacation rentals I’ll be looking at your company for marketing above and beyond what is expected.”

In Summary, Julie is proud to join the thousands of women who have succeeded in starting and running their own business.