This is Going to Be Good!

Over the last several months this idea has been coming back to me time and time again. Initially it came on strong and I put it behind the more pressing things on my plate. A little over a month ago the sky opened up and creativity settled back in and sure enough boom… there it was again, dead center: an idea with a purpose that has every chance to change and enhance the vacation rental industry, and people’s experiences.

My usual method when starting a new project is to grab a piece of paper, pencil and ruler since I cannot draw any better than my seven year old. For some strange reason this approach did not work this time as I was overcome with thoughts of “You know what you need to do so just crank it out.” This is usually the second step.

For the next week or so all my waking energy went in to tapping on the keyboard, using the copy and paste feature in Word, capturing all those thoughts that had been rumbling around and applying them to this new concept. The phone rang, email filled my email inbox. I think I was a bad dad for a while by not paying attention to the family but this just had to get done. My mind was simply tired of storing up all the little ideas. Those ideas needed to fall into place. So I had to let it happen and put everything else on hold.

Days went by, and then weeks. I worked deep into the late night hours (this is when I do my best work) and finally it all fell into place. Everything that had been stored was now in digital format ready for the next step. The click of a button and off this project went to land on the desktop of my friend that is much more adept than I.

Upon first glance he said, “It’s a winner,” and something that “should have been done long ago.” I actually think he was as excited as I was which is hard to believe because I do tend to get a little wound up. You should see me at professional hockey games when the refs are out of line.

By now you may be wondering, “Just what the heck is this guy blogging about?” Or you may just think I’m nuts. Whatever the case may be, the vacation rentals industry will take notice. Perhaps not today or tomorrow or even this year but this idea will be launched and I believe will make an impact for the better of the wonderful vacation rentals industry I am involved in. The initial announcement will take place right here on WEDNESDAY MARCH 31, 2010 so…

Be Ready. Be Excited. It’s Going to Be Super! Coming April 2010.

Picture your kitchen in your home. Now picture your family in your kitchen. Sleeping. Showering. Playing. For a week. Your kitchen is about the same size as a hotel room. Now picture a fully stocked kitchen. Surrounded by 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a living room, a dining room, a laundry room. Add your family to that picture for a week. Aaaaaah, much better. Space for meals. For the kids to play. For you to relax with a book. No hotel room has that much space (not even the fancy end suite) – at least no hotel that your average vacationing family can afford.

Hotels have to cover extraordinary costs with their nightly rate, their room service and restaurant prices, and their fees for services. That’s why even tiny 400 square foot rooms can be so expensive (and that’s before you’ve even eaten or gone anywhere). Vacation rental owners have much more modest costs to cover to maintain their property. And they pass those savings on to travelers. Vacation rental homes begin less expensively, allowing you to enjoy more of the things you’re on vacation to enjoy: the attractions, a couple of really good meals out, peace of mind.

The power of choice. It’s worth a lot. And it costs a lot when it’s taken away by Housekeeping entering your room at 7:30 am, or by noisy neighbors in the room above or next door, or by the raucous partiers returning to their room at 3:00 am. In a vacation rental home, you have the choice – party all night, or curl up with a good book next to a fire. Take some friends along to enjoy the company of others, or keep it low key. Either way you like it, the choice is yours.

Have a party and where does everyone end up? All together now: THE KITCHEN! The most important part of any home, it’s where home cooked meals are created and eaten. We can’t say enough about the kitchen. From a “these are the moments life is made of” perspective, having your own kitchen on vacation is priceless. From a hard cash perspective, having your own kitchen on vacation can save you bundles. Eat out two nights instead of every night. Pack picnic lunches instead of dining out. Enjoy breakfast in bed, and not for those exorbitant room service rates. Put leftovers away to enjoy the next day. That extra money? Sock it away and save it. Or spend it on one more day of lift tickets, Sea Doo rentals, a Mickey hat, or one last fabulous meal at a fabulous restaurant.

Book your travel fun on your own time! Eat the leftovers instead of paying $50.00 for lunch at the hotel. How about the silverware and refer stocked with great snacks at 75% off. Book a vacation rental clearly has its little benefits that add up to huge savings. The amenities found throughout vacation rentals, well those are FREE!

Vacation Rentals in The Gulf Shores are everywhere situated along the beaches but did you know that most all top visited travel hot spots offer vacation rentals, beach homes, villas and condo rentals? Families traveling with kids or in groups are finding some great deals on these amazing properties around the world.

Here are some of the more popular areas for vacation rentals. Cape Coral, Myrtle Beach, Indian Shores, Orlando, Destin, Breckenridge, Vail, Keystone, Telluride, Steamboat, Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Lakes, Big Bear Lake, Table Rock, Shawnigan Lake, Davenport, Hilton Head, Fripp Island, Scottsdale, Cancun, Palm Desert, San Diego, Las Vegas, Oregon, the Virgin Islands…just about any destination you can think of, you will find a vacation rental, not just hotels. Beach rentals in The Gulf Shores, Orlando, Florida or any beach house travel destination and ski cabins where you as a kid grew up still exist and make great family trips for you and your new family. Areas like Lake Tahoe and Breckenridge, Colorado make for some great ski adventures. The Gulf shores and Santa Cruz, California offer beach rentals that will have the kids filled with enjoyment throughout the entire day. It doesn’t get any better than vacation rentals in Maui, Hawaii for a completely relaxing vacation. In no time you will be on the phone extending your stay with the owner of the beach home or condo.

The cozy cabin perched on the creek with the swimming hole that reminds you of being a kid simply cannot be passed up for that next family vacation. Ski home rentals are some of the best deals around. Take Lake Tahoe rentals for example; every Tahoe Vacation rental has a world class ski resort within minutes of your mountain getaway. Hotels are easy but to truly relax on your next road trip vacation rentals and beach home rentals are a more affordable solution for a family vacation.

It is important to remember to always do your research BEFORE booking a vacation rental. There are a ton of scams in this market place. Your hard earned money needs to go to an owner that is verified as a good manager. ALWAYS USE WEBSITES THAT VERIFY THEIR RENTALS! NEVER BOOK VACATION RENTALS THAT ARE NOT VERIFIED! These days anyone can post a few pictures and some rates on a vacation rental listing site but getting to know who stands behind that home is very important!

There is only one really good way to determine if the Tahoe vacation rental or the Gulf Shores beach home is verified. Only search vacation rental websites that verify all rentals posted on the site AND accept credit cards. These advertising sites should have strict guidelines and owner-provided documentation that is reviewed before the listing is made available to travelers. Be very careful with sites that provide renter reviews. Inquire who reviewed and posted this information. As a general rule, take an average of the best and the worst reviews and draw your own conclusion right down the middle. Booking your vacation rental through a reputable, local property management company is always a good idea. You might pay a few extra bucks, but surprises are never good while traveling in groups. Remember to use the new adage “know BEFORE you go.”

Searching for vacation rentals to book? Simply type in “BOOK VACATION RENTALS IN LAKE TAHOE” or “BOOK VACATION RENTALS IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA” or whatever destination you and your family have in mind. Many sites that list vacation rentals provide you with fantastic resources for your next holiday adventure. Remember to spend a little time on the site and most of all look for vacation rental listings that are NOT too good to be true! Talk to the owner of the site to inquire about their process of verification. And when you get tired of hotels with views of the parking lot check out a mountain top vacation rental with views of the canyon may be right for you and your family for your next family vacation.

Learn more about vacation rentals stop by ReserveMyHome where you can find out all about vacation rentals from Lake Tahoe to the Gulf shores, to the Island of Maui and Beach Homes for your next family Gulf coast family holiday.