The number of travelers renting vacation homes is continuously on the rise, but we do still have a long way to go to educate the world on the advantages of renting a vacation rental as opposed to hotels. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when renting to a traveler booking a vacation rental for the very first time to ensure they will enjoy their stay and continue to book vacation rentals for the long run.

1.       List very thorough information about your vacation home throughout the listing process on whichever vacation rental listing sites you are a member of. Too often the mistake is made that the owner lists very little information and simply tries to direct the traveler to their own personal website link. While it’s great to list a link to the property’s site, you also want a lot of information available to make them want to take the next step of visiting your personal website.

2.       Be patient with all of your communication with a potential renter. Keep in mind that if this is the first time a traveler has rented a vacation home from an owner that they will have a lot of questions. You want to make them as comfortable and at ease about the rental as possible. Provide as much information as you can and be as patient as possible. Those “newbies” might just turn into repeat guests.

3.       Use a rental agreement. To help avoid any confusion and to let your guests know all of the rules and policies of staying in your vacation home, send a detailed rental agreement before you take any form of payment for the booking. This will give the renter confidence that you are running a reputable business and allows them to review all of your policies before taking the next step of sending a deposit.

4.       Keep your calendar up to date. One of the more frustrating obstacles a potential renter faces when looking for a vacation rental online is knowing which properties are actually available for the dates in which they are looking to book. Keeping calendars up to date makes it easier on them…and easier on you because you don’t have to waste time responding to inquiries for dates that your home is already booked.

5.       Put full contact information on the listing. Travelers want to know there is a real “live” person when they email or call to inquire about a property. You want to have your name and every possible means of contact listed so you are sure not to miss a valuable inquiry and booking.

6.       Respond in a timely fashion to inquiries. This is one of the absolute best ways to instill confidence in your potential guest that your home is right for them, as well as establishing a relationship early on before they have time to browse more and get a response from another owner before you contact them. Email is undoubtedly to most used form of communication these days, but nothing establishes a relationship more than a phone call. You’ll be able to know the guest a little better and answer questions they have faster.

7.       Post GREAT photos. Last but DEFINITELY not least! Take photos that showcase your property the best. No one wants to rent a property with dark photos or messy photos. Take photos in the best sunlight and make sure the shots you take look exactly like what the guest should expect when they arrive. If you change furnishings or update any features, take new photos to publish right away and replace the old photos.

All in all, it’s really not difficult to rent to a traveler that is new to the vacation rental industry. You will likely do a little more hand-holding than you would with veteran vacation rental guests, but it is worth it in so many ways! Not only are you gaining a booking and a potential repeat guest but you are also helping educate the public about all of the wonderful advantages of renting a vacation home! Good Job!!!

* Wonderful bedroom photo in a spectacular listing in Haiku, Hawaii. See it at: http://www.vacaconnect.com/Vacation-Rental.aspx?id=811 

The vacation rental market continues to grow, along with the competition to make your vacation rental stand out among the other villas, homes, cottages, lodges, beach houses and apartments. To grab the attention of potential renters, there are three easy tips you can do to pump up the traffic of potential renters, including:

1.      Make sure to list all the special features of your property that other local competition may not have. Things such as hot tubs, saunas, free wi-fi, water sports equipment, etc. will likely set your vacation rental apart from the rest and attract more renters.

2.      Great bedroom photos are a must! Potential renters place a lot of attention on making sure the bedrooms are comfortable, so adding some fluffy bedding and taking photos in the right lighting could really increase rental traffic.

3.      Make the potential guest feel right at home with the right descriptive words. Appeal to the potential guest’s senses by using the right text to help them understand what your property has to offer. Describe the scenery surrounding your VR and some of the fun things to do in town or fun festivals or markets that occur throughout the year.

Standing out from the crowd and capturing the interest of potential guest means appealing to all senses through photos, great text, past guest reviews, additional features and any little extras that set your rental above the rest. The more information you can offer…the better!

** This is one bedroom photo from a beautiful property in Quintana Roo. You can see the listing at: http://www.vacaconnect.com/Vacation-Rental.aspx?id=903 

TEN IDEAD FOR ENJOYING A MORE COMFORTABLE FLIGHT THIS SEASON:

1. STOCK UP ON THE AQUA! Bring along a bottle or thermos of water for the flight. One of the main challenges while flying is staying hydrated. Make sure you don’t fill it with caffeinated beverages because those are diuretics and won’t keep you all hydrated and feeling great like good old water will.
2. REQUEST AN AISLE SEAT. Aisle seats give you more freedom to pop up and go to the restroom when you need to without having to climb over other passengers and you can get up and stretch regularly, which is a GREAT idea for long flights!
3. BRING AN EYESHADE OR EYE PILLOW. These can be lifesavers for catching some zzzz’s on a flight. Even if it’s night time, there is always the chance your neighbor wants to turn on the overhead light to read. This way you can shut out the light and catch some snooze time no problem!
4. BRING EARPLUGS. We all know how much noise there is on airplanes. Even if you don’t get stuck sitting next to Chatty Kathy, there are still the seatbelt warnings, restless babies, snoring passengers….and the list goes on and on.  Block out the noise for a little more peace.
5. BRING THE IPOD! Even one step up on bringing earplugs, bring your IPOD and load it up with your favorite relaxing music and even audiobooks. These are wonderful to listen to, especially on longer flights. Makes the time go by much faster!
6. BRING A NECK PILLOW. These are wonderful to have on flights! You’ve probably seen them before. The donut shapes pillows that lots of folks are walking around with in the airports. They are much more comfortable than the flat little pillows planes provide, and most planes are even charging a fee for those flat pillows and blankets.
7. BRING A SWEATSHIRT, JACKET OR BLANKET WITH YOU. Most of the time it can be a little chilly on flights and these days with airlines charging for blankets (besides the fact that the paper thin blankets don’t do much anyway), you want to have something to cuddle up with to stay warm.
8. WEAR COMFORTABLE CLOTHES. Nothing is worse than being uncomfortable in your clothing on a long flight. You can always bring a change of clothes in your carry on if you feel like you need to change into something more formal after you land.
9. BRING SNACKS. With the tough economy the airlines have cut back hugely on what they offer free anymore. All snacks for the most part cost money and there isn’t much variety to choose from. Go ahead and pack some snacks you like in your carry on so you’re not hungry and wishing your stomach would quit growling. J
10. THE OLD TRIED AND TRUE…BRING A BOOK! These function as a "do not disturb" sign to potentially chatty seatmates and they’ll make the time go by much quicker. Try to pick up an easy read mystery or fun novel to get a little lost in for a few hours. Time will fly!

I was daydreaming the other day about slipping off for a little warm beach time this winter. How nice would it be to just take off for a few days of fun in the sun and escape the cold for just a bit? I knew if this daydream were to become a reality, we would have to choose somewhere close enough to just jet away for a few days because of the busy holiday season. I haven't been to Mexico in years and it just kept popping back into my head. The few times I have been I have absolutely loved the culture, the friendly people, the beautiful landscapes and of course the ocean! Sounds like the Perfect place for a little get-away with friends. Now I just need to convince the hubby. Shouldn't be too hard ;) I'll just keep sending photos of vacation homes for rent in some beautiful locations like Playa del Carmen and shots of the ocean (maybe a few hammock shots to top it off)...that should do the trick!

Most of us plan vacations in different parts of the country with fishing trips in nearby lakes, tanning on the beach chairs along the sea side or even hiking or spending the outdoors on the mountains. If skiing, snowboarding and watching the snow fall sound most appealing for a vacation, there are numerous mountain vacation homes for rent. Whether you are looking for a ski-in and ski-out lodge or a cabin that is a little off the beaten path, many vacation home owners are renting out their homes around the world in some of the most beautiful ski towns around.

There are many mountain cabin rentals around the world to choose from. Simply spend some time looking for the most economical and spacious for your next trip to accommodate the entire group and you will enjoy the privacy and space of your very own vacation home in the mountains.  

A great use of a mountain ski lodge vacation rental is for a corporate trip or family reunions. It is a great alternative to spending lots of money on expensive hotels and offers a lot more space for everyone to roam. It can also be a great time for everyone to spend more time together in a relaxed atmosphere instead of meeting up in crowded common areas of a hotel. Many mountain ski lodge rentals are known to have up to 10 bedrooms, so accommodating a large group is not a problem at all. Corporate trips and family reunions can be enjoyed like never before when you can all stay close to one another, dine together and enjoy fun activities all day.

If you are looking for something more off the beaten path, there are plenty of mountain cabin rentals available to choose from.  These well-crafted wooden cabins are fully equipped with modern day amenities including television, furniture and a full sized kitchen with its very own stove and chimney. You can choose a mountain rental cabin that is just right for you depending on your requirements, including location, view, color, cost and the number of bedrooms and bathrooms.

Whether you are looking for a fabulous ski lodge vacation rental for an entire group or a mountain cabin rental tucked a little out of the way, vacation rentals are a wonderful alternative to hotels in so many ways. You will enjoy the privacy, space and economical advantages just to name a few.

Beach house vacation rentals are becoming very popular. Travelers have the opportunity to enjoy the lovely sand and deep turquoise waters of the ocean, all while kicking back for some R & R in a spacious, fully furnished beach vacation rental. Imagine having the space of a 2,000+ square foot beach house for your family to enjoy as opposed to a 400 square foot hotel room. The amount of privacy it affords is absolutely priceless. You can enjoy all of the amenities, including fully furnished kitchens, in the comfort of your very own vacation rental and step out for a dip in the pool or the ocean without bumping into strangers left and right.

When planning a beach get-away, always try to plan in plenty of time beforehand and consider the basics, like how many people are coming and for how many nights you want to rent the beach vacation rental. Some vacation rentals charge rent on a weekly basis while some charge on a daily basis. The rent of the beach vacation rental depends on the number of days you are planning to stay as they offer you discounted prices for a prolonged stay.

The next thing to do is to study the amenities, along with the location and what all you can expect for the price of each beach vacation rental. After you narrow your options down, simply compare the beach house rentals and choose the one that is best in terms of quality, service and price. Have up to three options in order of preference because your top choice may not be available for the time you are looking to book it. You can get most of the information about the rentals you are looking for in the description of the vacation rentals on the website in which they are listed. For any further information, simply shoot a quick email to the owner directly from the site and you will have a response normally within a day or two tops.

You should try to reserve your booking as early in advance as possible to get the best price and dates. Most vacation rentals have seasonal prices, just as hotels do, with high and low season offerings. Sometimes booking early will get you a discount because the prices can go up as the season gets closer.

As well as getting all of details on the amenities that are provided in these beach vacation rentals, it is always helpful the check into all the activities offered in your vacation destination. This allows you plenty of time to prepare and pack all the clothing you need and know how much time you have to get out and explore all of the fun things awaiting you on your trip.

Beach house vacation rentals are a wonderful option to choose for any beach destination get-away. It is wonderful to leisurely participate in different activities around the beach in your own sweet time, without having to share common areas and amenities with other vacationers. Just pick your next beach destination, do a little research online on numerous vacation rental sites, pick your favorite, book your vacation dates and get ready for some fun in the sun!