Vacation Rentals Blog

November 30, 2007. When the New York Times' Frugal Traveler stays at luxury vacation rentals, he seeks out the local food and drink. And although we always knew Seattle was a great place for microbrew beers, when didn't know it had such great food.

Sure, there's Pike Place, the venerable market famous for its seafood. But dining here isn't all salmon and crab legs. Cascadia is a gourmet spot worthy of New York City or Chicago.

Of course, the author found so much more to do in Seattle. The Seattle Art Museum's Olympic Sculpture Park has striking, large modern sculptures set against a stunning backdrop of the Puget Sound and snow-covered mountains. And what would be a trip to the Birthplace of Grunge without a visit to a music hall, such as Triple Door or the Music House?

The Seattle/Puget Sound area is an ideal destination for weekend trips or full-blown vacationers. Interstate 5 allows an easy drive for West Coasters, and the international airport, known as Sea-Tac, has enough traffic to offer reasonable fares.

It's the kind of place where one could enjoy urban bliss or reconnect to nature.

Posted by VRO at 01:46 AM | Permalink

November 29, 2007. Perhaps you've been driving to a luxury vacation rental in Branson, Missouri, and noticed the Elvis Is Alive Museum. Maybe you've riding across Texas and stopped at the Cathedral of Junk. Or maybe you made a special trip to Idaho just to see the World's Largest Potato.

Anyone who's ever traveled in our country knows the Roadside Attraction, a kitschy tourist spot and welcome relief from long hours on the road. According to a report on National Public Radio, however, Roadside Attractions are a disappearing phenomenon in America.

It seems that on-board DVD players, portable video games, and other electronics are keeping the children too busy to want see highway oddities. The owners of many Roadside Attractions are also getting old, and closing their businesses. In some cases, interstate systems and bypasses have rerouted traffic away from once bustling travel arteries. In other cases, local zoning laws have made these unusual ventures harder to operate.

So, if you're ever driving and you spot a 40-foot-tall gopher or a collection of oddly-painted toilet seats, remember to stop and enjoy these unusual sites. They may not be around for much longer.

Posted by VRO at 01:26 AM | Permalink

November 28, 2007. Travel writers often encourage moves such as staying in beachfront luxury vacation rentals in the winter, or visiting ski resorts in the summer, as a way to beat the crowds. So says MSNBC travel columnist Christopher Elliot, who questions the wisdom of such contrarian advice.

"Sometimes, the mob knows best," Elliot wrote. "I reached this unlikely conclusion after years of listening to my colleagues telling everyone to go against the grain."

Elliot came up with a list of "four times when you should go with the flow, and when the herd knows best." He has some interesting points.

When You're Visiting Families for the Holidays – Buck the advice to travel on the actual holidays, because it's worth shelling out the extra dough and dealing with the minor inconveniences of holiday travel.

When You're Planning a Seasonal Vacation – Martha's Vineyard is best in the summer. Florida is best in the winter. Why suffer through extreme cold or heat to save money? Vacations are supposed to be fun…

When You're Traveling with Little Ones – Enough of a challenge in and of itself…

When You're Seeing What Everyone Wants to See – Chances are, there's a reason why everyone's headed that way…

Posted by VRO at 01:36 AM | Permalink

November 26, 2007. The Thanksgiving travel weekend went smoothly for the most part, according to news reports filed Monday. Thousands of Americans took to the roads and skies, heading to luxury vacation rentals or to see relatives. The worst problems seemed to occur in the South, where rain caused accidents on crowded roads.

ABC News ran a report called "Worst Travel Day? Not This Year." American Automobile Association spokespeople noted that record gas prices didn't keep people at home, and the Federal Aviation Administration found few delays.

The news was mixed for Black Friday retail sales. According to Bloomberg, overall sales were up but each shopper spent less on average. The paradox was traced to major discounts designed to lure more shoppers in a season predicted to be lackluster.

The National Retailers Federation predicted "the slowest increase in sales in five years. Customers have cut back on spending in the face of increased costs for milk and gasoline and the worst housing slump in 16 years," Bloomberg reported.

For consumers who need to watch their spending this year, vacation rentals could provide a price-conscious alternative for winter travel. Ski cabins and beach houses with enough room to lower the per-person rate might be the best option.

Posted by VRO at 12:23 PM | Permalink

November 19, 2007. Guys, have you ever wondered exactly what your wife means when she asks for more romance? We'll offer a suggestion: a luxury vacation rental would be a pretty good start. For those readers still blinking their eyes in bewilderment, LovingYou.com published a helpful article entitled "Plan a Surprise Romantic Getaway."

AHA!

Imagine planning one of these for next Valentine's Day. She would be not only surprised by your manly prowess, but by the fact that you actually planned something months in advance! In addition to garnering untold points, you will get to spend a marvelous, all-expense-justified vacation in the Caribbean, California's Wine Country, or some other fantastic location.

Before you start thinking about a trip to your favorite football team's hometown, remember this: LovingYou.com recommends choosing a place where she has always wanted to go. Next, find out when she is free, and come up with a little white lie to make sure her schedule stays that way. Then, plan the trip.

Helpful hint: Have the bills and travel literature sent to your office, so you can keep it a secret until the right moment.

LovingYou.com didn't recommend this in its article, but we suggest waiting until you're in the doghouse to announce the surprise trip. Or, just give her the reservation confirmation in a Christmas card.

Posted by VRO at 01:54 PM | Permalink

November 17, 2007. Ask anyone staying at a luxury vacation rental for their favorite travel activity, and the answer will often be "shopping." These days, shopaholics are increasingly looking for green goods.

That's green as in earth-friendly, or environmentally sustainable.

A new niche of shops have popped up all over the nation, carrying everything available in the traditional marketplace, but with a green spin. That means clothes made of organic cotton, furniture made from sustainably harvested wood, and jewelry made from recycled materials.

Not surprisingly, many of these shops can be found in popular travel destinations, according to an article in Travel + Leisure.

New York City – America's fashion capital has clothing shops like and Ekovaruhuset. Patrons will find hand-woven "flip" skirts that convert into dresses, and organic canvas sneakers with natural Amazonian-rubber soles.

Seattle – The brands may not be everyday names, but stores like Juniper carry emerging designers who specialize in unusual fibers such as bamboo.

Asheville, North Carolina – Although only a fraction of the size of NYC and Seattle, this mountain town boasts several shops. Just to name a few, Nest Organics specializes in baby clothes and kitchenware, Spiritex has eco-conscious clothes, and A Natural Home offers bedding and linens.

Posted by VRO at 01:02 AM | Permalink

November 15, 2007. It's that time of the year again, when parents are busy reserving luxury vacation rentals for the annual ski trip. This year, check out the new website, WeJustGotBack.com. It's a travel website for families, by families. They recently published an article called "More Snow, Less Dough: How to Save on a Family Ski Vacation."

Here are some of their tips:

Aim off peak – At Smuggler's Notch in Vermont, lift tickets cost half as much during the slow weeks as they do around the holidays. Forget about three-day weekends such as Presidents Day and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Go mid week – Weekends also cost more in many cases than weekdays. Use weekends for travel time or for off-slope activities. Many resorts and nearby towns have plenty of attractions to keep everyone entertained.

Get free kids lift tickets – In the contest to attract families of skiers and snowboarders, many areas offer free or discounted lift tickets for children.

Consult the deal watchdogs – Some websites have dedicated themselves to searching out the deals. Try Liftopia or SkiCoupons.com , for example.

Posted by VRO at 01:17 AM | Permalink

November 14, 2007. One week after CNN published a story about the advantages of luxury vacation rentals, USA Today offered a more thorough examination of this rising phenomenon.

According to the story, homes and condominiums are gaining on hotel rooms as the preferred choice of many travelers, and major companies are taking note. Europe's two largest vacation rental companies have begun to eye the American market, and discount travel websites that previously focused on planes, hotels and rental cars are adding vacation rentals.

"The Internet is doing for vacation rentals what eBay and similar online marketplaces have done for merchandise sellers," the article said.

"Travelers are benefiting from more choices and better websites, including some with video tours of each property. They're also demanding and getting a higher degree of assurance that the vacation property they rent meets expected standards, and that they won't be fleeced."

Consider these numbers:

* $63 billion in revenue annually, or nearly half as much as the hotel industry.

* A 12% rise this year in the number of rental homes being managed.

* A 5% rise in the sale of vacation homes, to a record 1.07 million last year, with 18% of buyers saying they bought them to rent to others.

Posted by VRO at 02:16 PM | Permalink

November 13, 2007. The first snow reports in the nation came in this weekend from various luxury vacation rental destinations. In any given year, some parts of the country may still be too warm, or may not have received any snow. But there are always the lucky resorts that get to open before Thanksgiving.

As usual, Colorado is reporting some of the first winter storms. October storms and chilly temperatures allowed at least five resorts to open, according to the Denver Post. Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Wolf Creek have already started, while Crested Butte and Winter Park will open this week.

A cold front that passed through the Southeast allowed three North Carolina resorts to start up the snowmaking machines. Sugar Mountain and Cataloochee opened limited runs, and other resorts expect to open around Thanksgiving, according to the Asheville Citizen-Times. Weather experts seem to disagree over how much snow the region might get this year, but a forecast for cold season will be enough for nightly snowmaking.

Another cold front passing through the Northeast allowed Pennsylvania skiers and snowboarders to hit the slopes. Big Boulder in the Poconos opened its terrain park and a beginner slope, according to the Pocono Record. The headline read, "Resort's Early Opening Pyschs Skiers."

Posted by VRO at 05:42 PM | Permalink

November 9, 2007. It has long been our opinion travelers should find the best accommodations for the price, and we believe luxury vacation rentals almost always fulfill that role. Now, CNN and National Geographic Traveler have become the latest media outlets to support our contention in the article "Inn Is Out: 5 Reasons to Skip a Hotel."

Here are our comments on the author's reasons:

1. More room – This one is a no-brainer. Many hotel rooms remind us of studio apartments, while luxury vacation rentals tend to be converted homes and condominiums.

2. More privacy – Ever had to turn up the television to drown out the noise from next door? And where in a hotel room do you find privacy from roommates? Hint: The lobby.

3. Better price – It's not as simple as comparing the flat nightly rates. Compare what you're getting for those rates. And consider the economy of scale – if more than two people will attend, a vacation rental usually beats multiple hotel rooms.

4. More local flavor – Hotels the world over hardly seem to differ sometimes, except for their level of luxury. A rental house, one the other hand, most likely incorporates some regional architecture and may be located in a real neighborhood versus a sanitized tourist district.

5. Extra flexibility – Want to add an extra guest to your hotel room? You'll probably pay for it. Renting a cabin or a condo? One flat rate will likely cover everyone.

Whether you're staying in Cozumel or Canada, we recommend a luxury vacation rental.

Posted by VRO at 01:42 AM | Permalink

November 7, 2007. When it comes to choosing a luxury vacation rental, the ideal destination is a matter of opinion. The divergence in tastes ranges from ski vacation versus tropical escape to urban amenities versus country living.

The Washington Post Travel section always has a great Q&A feature, and this week's column featured two locales that lie on polar opposites of the getaway spectrum: Montreal and Buenos Aires. One will be rather frigid, the other will be sizzling.

A concerned reader asked whether there would be anything to do Montreal in the depths of winter, specifically over the holidays. To which writer Scott Vogel replied:

"You're kidding, n'est-ce pas? Are we being punk'd? Given Montreal's love of the season, not to mention its deep French Catholic roots, you'll be stumbling over buches de Noel at every turn."

Apparently, Montreal has serious Christmas celebrations. To protect its denizens from the cold, the city also has a 20-mile pedestrian network linking shops, restaurants and cultural institutions.

The second writer asked whether she could travel to Buenos Aires if she didn't speak Spanish, to which Vogel replied an emphatic yes. Another South American hotspot where English is often spoken is Venezuela's Caribbean Coast.

Posted by VRO at 06:36 AM | Permalink

November 6, 2007. The headline said it all: "A Long Weekend? How About a Whole Year?" So asked the New York Times of its readers in a look at families who took extended vacations to see the world.

The locations were mostly exotic, from Dubai to New Zealand, and the travel style was often somewhat fast-paced. But one family noted that their biggest goal was to spend long enough in one country to truly get to know the place.

The notion got us wondering – why not spend a few months in a luxury vacation rental in the United States?

How about a winter in a Colorado ski vacation rental? The goal would be to ski every resort in the Rocky Mountain state. Some trips to Denver's museums and cultural institutions would be appropriate for children who need to be homeschooled. The family could head to the Four Corners region if they get sick of snow.

Or try a month in California's Wine Country, immersing oneself in the culture of the aficionado. Mornings could be started with invigorating bicycle rides on the pastoral country roads. Afternoons could be spent visiting the vineyards and wineries. And evenings would consist of sampling the gourmet restaurants.

The possibilities make us dizzy…

Posted by VRO at 02:34 AM | Permalink

November 3, 2007. We often find that it's easy to eat healthy at home or while staying at a luxury vacation rental, but not during the trip to the vacation destination. The longer the drive, the more we move away from our good eating habits. No wonder, when the source of nutrition comes from fast food restaurants, gas stations and the continental breakfast bars at hotels.

IndependentTraveler.com has an excellent guide to the healthiest menu choices at major fast food restaurants. Sorry, but burgers and fries aren't mentioned. Grilled chicken tops the list at most establishments. Ask them to hold the mayonnaise and other sauces, which are likely high in fat. And if you order a salad, go easy on the dressing, which can add enough calories to cancel the benefits of the greens.

About.com offers suggestions on how to approach each meal on the road. To begin with, avoid the excess sugar often found in donuts and other easy-to-grab breakfast items. At a hotel breakfast bar, for example, opt for a whole grain cereal and some fruit. At a gas station, look for the same or pick out the protein/energy bar with the least amount of sugars and calories.

Posted by VRO at 09:02 PM | Permalink

November 1, 2007. When we think of all the great places to rent a luxury vacation rental in the "off season," our minds go into overdrive. As the fall colors wind down, we enter the stage before epic snows and tropics-bound winter escapes. A few items inspired us.

The Washington Post ran an article titled "Key West: In the Off-Season, It's Even More Laid Back." An even more laid back Key West? Sounds good to us. Writer Diane Roberts incorporates the six-toed cats living in Ernest Hemingway's home as metaphors for the way life should be:

"The Hemingway cats embody the lazy hedonism of Key West, drinking, eating and sleeping when they feel like it."

The Toronto Globe and Mail promotes the savings and wisdom of off-season travel combined with tried-and-true frugal travel tips. Stories of sterling deals in exotic locales like the Caribbean are combined with tales of frequent-flier-mile pros. In our experience, the off-season is one of the easiest times to redeem frequent flier miles.

There are also a few weeks left in the shoulder season at ski locales, of which Canada has plenty. If you don't ski or snowboard, but don't want to pay summer prices for a Canadian vacation, these next few weeks might be the time for spontaneous travel.

Posted by VRO at 02:25 AM | Permalink