This is a very uplifting article for those of us in the vacation rental business. It basically says that the down turn in the economy is creating a postive impact on the vacation rental market. Read more by clicking the link below.
Gloomy Economy Drives Growth of Vacation Rental Industry - FOXBusiness.com
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Search Ideal Vacation Rentals for some great rentals.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Tips for Vacation Rental Owners
Joyce Copeland has graciously shared her April 9th blog article with us. If you own a vacation rental, you might want to use some of the ideas below that Joyce has picked up in her travels, reviewing vacation rentals. If you have some of your own personal touches to share with us please leave a comment.
5 Personal Touches I've Found in Vacation Rentals (Not Hotels)
When I'm not reviewing vacation rentals, I review boutique hotels all over the world.
I've been treated to lots of welcome baskets with wine, cheese, fresh fruit and chocolate.
But here are five really unique, personal welcomes I've received from owners of vacation homes that I've never received at any hotel. Anywhere.
1. A handwritten welcome note.
What a concept in an age of online conformations!
Which makes it even more heartwarming is knowing that someone took the time and effort to pick up a pen, address me by name and include a few details they thought would make my stay more enjoyable.
So simple. And not so rare in vacation rentals!
2. A disposable camera.
This is especially memorable because, as fate would have it, I ran out of disk space shortly after arriving at this vacation rental.
So the camera was a lifesaver. (Still wondering if the owner was clairvoyant.)
I saw a disposable camera in a hotel minibar once, and thought how cool! Until I saw the minibar price tag.)
3. A phone card for free long distance calling.
More and more vacation rental homes offer free unlimited long distance.
So why do hotels cling to their hefty surcharges? At one hotel I visited recently, it cost $1.25 just to pick up the receiver. Kidding! (But only a little.)
4. Specially blended rosebud and licorce tea.
I'm not a tea-drinker, but this family recipe was delicious -- not to mention fragrant and beautiful to look at. (And said to be good for my skin, too!)
5. Personal recommendations.
They're like gold to me. I'll admit I've gotten some gems at smaller hotels, where the owners rub shoulders with the guests.
But vacation rental owners are champs in this area. Exactly why I included "Owner's Favorites" in every home review. Check out the Owner's Favorite listed at the end of my review of Sanctuary by The Sea Pacific Grove. Permalink -- click for full blog post
Find some Beach Homes in Hawaii
5 Personal Touches I've Found in Vacation Rentals (Not Hotels)
When I'm not reviewing vacation rentals, I review boutique hotels all over the world.
I've been treated to lots of welcome baskets with wine, cheese, fresh fruit and chocolate.
But here are five really unique, personal welcomes I've received from owners of vacation homes that I've never received at any hotel. Anywhere.
1. A handwritten welcome note.
What a concept in an age of online conformations!
Which makes it even more heartwarming is knowing that someone took the time and effort to pick up a pen, address me by name and include a few details they thought would make my stay more enjoyable.
So simple. And not so rare in vacation rentals!
2. A disposable camera.
This is especially memorable because, as fate would have it, I ran out of disk space shortly after arriving at this vacation rental.
So the camera was a lifesaver. (Still wondering if the owner was clairvoyant.)
I saw a disposable camera in a hotel minibar once, and thought how cool! Until I saw the minibar price tag.)
3. A phone card for free long distance calling.
More and more vacation rental homes offer free unlimited long distance.
So why do hotels cling to their hefty surcharges? At one hotel I visited recently, it cost $1.25 just to pick up the receiver. Kidding! (But only a little.)
4. Specially blended rosebud and licorce tea.
I'm not a tea-drinker, but this family recipe was delicious -- not to mention fragrant and beautiful to look at. (And said to be good for my skin, too!)
5. Personal recommendations.
They're like gold to me. I'll admit I've gotten some gems at smaller hotels, where the owners rub shoulders with the guests.
But vacation rental owners are champs in this area. Exactly why I included "Owner's Favorites" in every home review. Check out the Owner's Favorite listed at the end of my review of Sanctuary by The Sea Pacific Grove. Permalink -- click for full blog post
Find some Beach Homes in Hawaii
Thursday, April 9, 2009
How to Find the Best Vacation Rental
I just came across a great article by Heather Bayer on how to find the best vacation rental. Her points are very well taken and give a perspective from an owner's point of view, that potential renters should consider when choosing a vacation rental. Read on:
There are many thousands of vacation rental properties available on web sites, through rental agencies, and listing sites. Finding the perfect one for your vacation can be quite a challenge, and sometimes even when you feel you have found just the right one for your family, there is a good possibility that someone gets there before you, and you lose the week you want.
Here's a few secrets from vacation rental owners that may help you find the perfect place, create a great relationship with the owner, and have the most amazing vacation.
1 Remember that you are not reserving a hotel room. Owners who rent out their homes are real people who have spent much time and effort on making the place comfortable, ambient and fully equipped for their rental clients. A good rental will provide you with all the comforts of home, a well decorated environment, entertainment systems, a kitchen with everything you need to create family meals, and comfortable bedrooms. The owners are likely to be very proud of their home and only want to rent to people who will appreciate it. This means that if you treat them as you might a hotel or resort reservationist, they might just turn your request down. From my own experience, I like to have people in my cottage who I think will respect and enjoy the experience of staying there, so I want friendly renters that I can chat to on the phone and assess if they are right match for my property.
2 When you speak to the owner or agency, don't be vague about the number of people in your rental group. When they ask 'how many people do you have', don't reply with, ' I'm not sure yet', or 'we haven't decided how many people will be coming', as this will start alarm bells ringing in the owner's mind. One of the greatest fears that a vacation rental owner has is that they will rent to a group of people who see the property as a 'party house' and invite all of their friends to come along and share the accommodation. Be specific about the people who will be in the rental group and respect the owner's accommodation limits.
3 Accommodation limits are usually determined by several factors. Firstly, the owner may simply decide to set a limit on how many people he will accept in the property based on the potential for wear and tear. This is his choice, and should be respected. So even if the property listing says it has five bedrooms, however the accommodation limit is set to six, resist the temptation to argue that since there are beds for at least 10 people, that is how many you will bring, as this will not endear you to the owner who may well end of the conversation there and then. The second factor is one that is common to many country properties that are not serviced by township septic and drainage systems. These places will have holding tanks or septic tanks, both of which have capacity limits which will place a restriction on the number of people the property serviced by the systems can accommodate. These limits are usually based on headcount so there is no difference between adults, children or babies. We often hear rental clients saying, 'they're only babies, they don't use any water, and they are in diapers anyway'. Even though it's quite a long way in the past, I can still remember that I bathed my babies quite regularly, and usually in the bath tub using more water than a shower would take.
4 Before you start e-mailing or telephoning an owner with a long list of questions, please check that the answers are not already shown on a web site or rental listing. Many owners have comprehensive web sites that provide all the information you need, and although they are happy to answer any additional questions, it is very helpful to them if you have already read the listing. If the property is very attractive and popular the owner may be receiving numerous enquiries every day and may be very selective about who they will rent their property to. Bombarding them with questions about features and facilities that are clearly shown on the listing may not result in a favourable response.
5 Many vacation rental owners welcome pets; many do not. Please don't expect an owner of a non-pet-friendly property to accept your 'adorable, well-trained, hypo-allergenic, Labra-doodle-poo', even if it is crated, kept under control at all times, and 'never allowed on furniture or beds'. If the owner doesn't like dogs or cats, you won't change his mind by pleading or asking in a dozen different ways. It would simply be better to either accept you have to put your pet into kennels, or find another property. In any case, wouldn't you prefer to bring your much loved pet to a property where he or she is welcomed with a few dog treats?
I have owned several vacation properties over the past 20 years and have met many people, some of whom are now good friends. Along the way, I've learnt a lot about my rental guests, what they expect, and how I should provide a space that is just right for them. As a responsible owner, I work hard to create that space and offer good value for money, and in return I simply look for respect for my property and an appreciation of the special nature of a rental vacation. This type of vacation is not right for everyone, and if you are looking for the type of sterile, impersonal environment found in many hotels and resorts, then v not be right for you. On the other hand, you may find that once you experience vacation rental for your family, you will never take any other type of vacation again.
Heather Bayer is CEO of CottageLINK Rental Management, specialising in cottage vacations in Ontario and Southern Quebec. http://www.clrm.ca. She is a sought-after expert on vacation rental and writes regularly at Cottage Blogger
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Heather_Bayer
For a great choice of vacation rentals worldwide try Ideal Vacation Rentals
There are many thousands of vacation rental properties available on web sites, through rental agencies, and listing sites. Finding the perfect one for your vacation can be quite a challenge, and sometimes even when you feel you have found just the right one for your family, there is a good possibility that someone gets there before you, and you lose the week you want.
Here's a few secrets from vacation rental owners that may help you find the perfect place, create a great relationship with the owner, and have the most amazing vacation.
1 Remember that you are not reserving a hotel room. Owners who rent out their homes are real people who have spent much time and effort on making the place comfortable, ambient and fully equipped for their rental clients. A good rental will provide you with all the comforts of home, a well decorated environment, entertainment systems, a kitchen with everything you need to create family meals, and comfortable bedrooms. The owners are likely to be very proud of their home and only want to rent to people who will appreciate it. This means that if you treat them as you might a hotel or resort reservationist, they might just turn your request down. From my own experience, I like to have people in my cottage who I think will respect and enjoy the experience of staying there, so I want friendly renters that I can chat to on the phone and assess if they are right match for my property.
2 When you speak to the owner or agency, don't be vague about the number of people in your rental group. When they ask 'how many people do you have', don't reply with, ' I'm not sure yet', or 'we haven't decided how many people will be coming', as this will start alarm bells ringing in the owner's mind. One of the greatest fears that a vacation rental owner has is that they will rent to a group of people who see the property as a 'party house' and invite all of their friends to come along and share the accommodation. Be specific about the people who will be in the rental group and respect the owner's accommodation limits.
3 Accommodation limits are usually determined by several factors. Firstly, the owner may simply decide to set a limit on how many people he will accept in the property based on the potential for wear and tear. This is his choice, and should be respected. So even if the property listing says it has five bedrooms, however the accommodation limit is set to six, resist the temptation to argue that since there are beds for at least 10 people, that is how many you will bring, as this will not endear you to the owner who may well end of the conversation there and then. The second factor is one that is common to many country properties that are not serviced by township septic and drainage systems. These places will have holding tanks or septic tanks, both of which have capacity limits which will place a restriction on the number of people the property serviced by the systems can accommodate. These limits are usually based on headcount so there is no difference between adults, children or babies. We often hear rental clients saying, 'they're only babies, they don't use any water, and they are in diapers anyway'. Even though it's quite a long way in the past, I can still remember that I bathed my babies quite regularly, and usually in the bath tub using more water than a shower would take.
4 Before you start e-mailing or telephoning an owner with a long list of questions, please check that the answers are not already shown on a web site or rental listing. Many owners have comprehensive web sites that provide all the information you need, and although they are happy to answer any additional questions, it is very helpful to them if you have already read the listing. If the property is very attractive and popular the owner may be receiving numerous enquiries every day and may be very selective about who they will rent their property to. Bombarding them with questions about features and facilities that are clearly shown on the listing may not result in a favourable response.
5 Many vacation rental owners welcome pets; many do not. Please don't expect an owner of a non-pet-friendly property to accept your 'adorable, well-trained, hypo-allergenic, Labra-doodle-poo', even if it is crated, kept under control at all times, and 'never allowed on furniture or beds'. If the owner doesn't like dogs or cats, you won't change his mind by pleading or asking in a dozen different ways. It would simply be better to either accept you have to put your pet into kennels, or find another property. In any case, wouldn't you prefer to bring your much loved pet to a property where he or she is welcomed with a few dog treats?
I have owned several vacation properties over the past 20 years and have met many people, some of whom are now good friends. Along the way, I've learnt a lot about my rental guests, what they expect, and how I should provide a space that is just right for them. As a responsible owner, I work hard to create that space and offer good value for money, and in return I simply look for respect for my property and an appreciation of the special nature of a rental vacation. This type of vacation is not right for everyone, and if you are looking for the type of sterile, impersonal environment found in many hotels and resorts, then v not be right for you. On the other hand, you may find that once you experience vacation rental for your family, you will never take any other type of vacation again.
Heather Bayer is CEO of CottageLINK Rental Management, specialising in cottage vacations in Ontario and Southern Quebec. http://www.clrm.ca. She is a sought-after expert on vacation rental and writes regularly at Cottage Blogger
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Heather_Bayer
For a great choice of vacation rentals worldwide try Ideal Vacation Rentals
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Puerto Rico Vacation Rentals
If you are looking for Puerto Rico vacation rentals, you are probably interested in learning more about this wonderful Caribbean destination.Puerto Rico is an island located in the Caribbean, approximately 1,000 miles south of Miami, Florida. The island of Puerto Rico is 110 miles long and 35 miles wide and is one of the larger islands in the Caribbean.
Puerto Rico was discovered by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas and was claimed by the Spanish crown in the same year. The island came under United States sovereignty by the Treaty of Paris in 1898 and in 1950 the US Congress enacted Public Law 600 which provided that existing laws which defined the political, economic and fiscal relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States should remain in full force. It also authorized Puerto Rico to draft and approve its own Constitution, which took effect on July 25, 1952 giving Puerto Rico's relationship with the US commonwealth status.
Over the years Puerto Rico has become a major Caribbean travel destination offering Puerto Rico vacation rentals in many locations.
San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean. Old San Juan, founded in 1521, boasts the largest and best-preserved complex of Spanish colonial architecture in the Caribbean and is the oldest capital city under the US flag. Puerto Rico has many tourist destinations and as a result a popular form of accommodations is vacation rentals by owner.
San Juan vacation rentals include villas, homes and condos and many travelers who have chosen this form of accommodation find it much more affordable and personal than staying in a hotel.
Other popular vacation destinations in Puerto Rico include Ponce city with fine art museums, Mayaguez, Rincon, Vieques Island, El Yunque tropical forest, Luguillo, Guayama, Condado, to mention a few. From the charm of Old San Juan with colonial architecture, to the fascinating El Yunque Rain Forest, to beautiful beaches, natural beauty and wonderful people, a holiday in Puerto Rico is unsurpassed.
You will want to search for Puerto Rico vacation rentals for an unforgettable holiday in the Caribbean.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Why Choose Vacation Rentals in Mission BC
For those who like to get away from city life and relax on a beautiful lakefront property, Mission BC is the perfect vacation destination.
Mission, British Columbia is a quiet and relaxing community nestled in the foot of the Coastal Mountains overlooking the lush Fraser River Valley. It has great public transit with the West Coast Express train which has an express service twice in the morning and twice in the evening every day to downtown Vancouver, just 70 kilometres away. Throughout the remainder of the day the service is by bus. If you choose Mission vacation rentals you get the best of both worlds because you can enjoy the excitement of city life by day and return to your quiet retreat in the evening.
Mission has a rich history which began when the Sto:lo, First Nations People founded the community in 1892 and is home to the oldest known First Nation's archeological site in British Columbia. It was also the site of Canada's first train robbery, BC's first rail link to the United States, and one of the earliest Hydroelectric dams and Fraser River bridges.
A visit to the Mission Museum, will reveal more of this fascinating history.
The ideal climate, incredible mountain vistas and natural forest settings, not to mention the surrounding lakes and streams make Mission an ideal vacation destination, especially for those who like to stay in a waterfront vacation home. Some of these lakefront vacation homes like one on Silvermere Lake have private docks and boat lifts, allowing water skiing for lots of family fun at the lake. Outdoor recreation is plentiful and the 32 parks offer dozens of hiking trails as well as fishing, camping and skiing. Also the area boasts two golf courses for the golf enthusiast.Bird watching enthusiasts will be in seventh heaven in this home to bald eagles, trumpeter swans and blue herons.
The annual Mission Folk Music Festival has been a popular event in July for over 20 years, and attracts thousands of music lovers each year. For links to more Mission attractions click here.
In summary choose Mission vacation rentals if you are looking for a quiet, laid back holiday with lots of outdoor recreation.
Check out Ideal Vacation Rentals for more vacation homes in British Columbia Canada.
Would love to hear your comments and suggestions for other lakefront vacation rentals in BC.
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