February 8, 2009 in Travel

Home away from home

Rental houses offer an affordable option for vacationers

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Associated Press photo

This undated photo released by Wendy Flint, shows her vacation rental home located in San Francisco, Mexico. The tiny village on the Mexican Riviera has been nicknamed San Pancho.
(Full-size photo)(All photos)

My cousin booked an amazing wedding at the adventure resort Costa Azul, in the tiny Mexican village of San Francisco about a half hour north of Puerto Vallarta. The town was perfect: cobblestone streets, a beach known for its surfing, turtle releases at sunset.

There was only one catch: Costa Azul wasn’t a big resort and it was booked solid within hours of her save-the-date e-mail. For guests still looking for a place to stay, there were only a couple other small hotel options in town and they were rapidly filling up.

Costa Azul suggested renting one of the town’s many beach houses, so I turned to the Web site Vacation Rentals by Owner ( www.vrbo.com) and quickly found a four-bedroom that could easily fit my family, my sister’s family, my mom and two more cousins.

It was the perfect option. With a full kitchen, our meals weren’t subject to the whim of the hotel restaurant, especially when it came to the demands of two toddlers who preferred boxed mac-and-cheese over fish tacos.

Everyone had their own room and bathroom. No bunking up. No fighting over who got to shower first before the wedding.

And, with a full house, it turned out to be a cheaper and more flexible option than most hotels.

We could hang out with the wedding guests at Costa Azul’s pool, or wander home and relax with homemade margaritas on our rooftop terrace overlooking the ocean.

As spring break approaches, vacation homes can be a great alternative to large, impersonal resorts, especially for large groups or those who prefer a home-away-from-home setting.

But it may not be the right choice for vacationers who want to be spoiled. There are no waiters prowling poolside, waiting to take your food and drink order and bring it to you directly. Maid service may only be once or twice a week.

And you can’t dial reception and have them book a massage for you later in the afternoon at the in-house spa.

But there are definite advantages, especially for:

Big groups: Everyone can easily stay in the same place, and it is usually cheaper than a hotel, both in terms of nightly rates and food. If you don’t feel like cooking, some houses recommend local people who will come and cook for you – for a small fee that is still usually far cheaper than eating out.

For large families, vacation homes can be a great alternative to squeezing into the same hotel room together or sending your kids to an adjoining room where it’s hard to keep an eye on them. It’s also a great option for church or school groups planning ski or beach adventures.

The home-away-from-home crowd: Do you have special dietary needs, or maybe you’re just an early riser who grows impatient waiting for the hotel kitchen to set up brunch? Or do you want to spend a month living somewhere warm but can’t afford a second home?

A vacation rental gives you a chance to set up a home-away-from-home. Our Mexican beach house not only had a full kitchen, but books, games and DVDs.

The off-the-beaten-path crowd: Don’t want the resort to dictate your vacation? Instead of having the amenities right outside your door, you can explore and find your own entertainment, restaurants and spas. If you find yourself really missing the hotel life, most resorts will let you drop in for the day and use their facilities, as long as you spend a minimum amount on food and drink.

Many vacation rentals also include insider tips on local sites. The owners of our rental home in Mexico, Americans Bill and Wendy Flint, sent us an e-mail with pages of great local advice, including good restaurants, recommended day trips, and even what to expect in terms of pesos versus dollars.

Got a dog?: Vacation home rentals often accept dogs and cats, for those who want to bring the family pet along. Just double-check that the listing is “pet friendly.”

That can be invaluable, especially overseas. While a growing number of U.S. hotels will accept pets, most resorts in Mexico won’t allow them.

But make sure to check legal requirements at your destination before bringing pets. Mexico, Canada and even Hawaii all have different regulations on proof of vaccinations for dogs and other requirements.

© Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

One comment on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  alfred on February 09 at 10:38 a.m.

  The author of this article is quite right about the benefits of booking a vacation rental instead of a hotel. And kudos for helping to bring to light this largely unknown—and economical—lodging option!
  
  VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owner, www.vrbo.com), the site mentioned in the article, is the largest online vacation-rental advertising site in the world. But travelers should also check HomeAway (www.homeaway.com) when looking for VR properties. (In the past few years, fueled by venture capital, HomeAway has acquired VRBO, as well as the other three leading sites — CyberRentals, GreatRentals, and A1Vacations.) There are hundreds, if not thousands, of VR advertising sites out there, but most VR owners who are truly serious about offering a great vacation-rental experience will be on VRBO, HomeAway, or both.

  And here’s a tip: Pay special attention to how long a given property owner has been advertising on a site. Both VRBO and HomeAway include this valuable piece of information in their listings, and they have something like a “three-strikes-and-you’re-out” policy regarding complaints. If a given owner has been on a site for a year or more, it is a pretty good indication that there have been no (serious) complaints and that you can rely on the property being what the listing says it is.

  Also, it is customary for owners in many locations to rent by the week and to ask for half of the rental amount immediately to secure the booking and for the remaining half 30 to 60 days before the arrival date. A growing number of owners now accept credit cards, because the credit card companies have finally discovered this market. And leading VR advertising sites are moving to accept credit cards on behalf of their advertisers (for a piece of the rental fee, of course).

  Make sure you understand the owner’s cancellation policy. Many will not refund your money if you cancel with less than 30 days’ notice. Others will do so if they are able to rebook the property. The details vary all over the lot because booking a vacation rental (someone’s second home, in many cases) isn’t at all like reserving a room or a suite at a leading hotel chain. In a word: It’s personal.

  Finally, you should strongly consider buying Trip Cancellation Insurance. As noted, most vacation rentals, whether offered directly by the owner or through a property manager, require payment in full 30 days or more prior to your arrival. And if you have to cancel your trip at the last minute, you may lose some or all of the rental charges—unless you’ve covered yourself by buying Trip Cancellation Insurance. This kind of insurance is relatively inexpensive—about $6 per $100 of coverage. You only need to buy enough to cover the nonrefundable costs. So if you’re renting a place that charges $3,000 per week plus a refundable $500 damage deposit, you’d buy coverage for $3,000. For more information and instant price quotes, visit InsureMyTrip (www.insuremytrip.com).

  Hope this helps.

  Alfred and Emily Glossbrenner
  http://www.FullyBookedRentals.com
  215-736-1213

  Independent vacation-rental experts dedicated to helping other VR owners advertise, rent, and manage their properties effectively, professionally, and profitably. For more information, please visit our Web site: http://www.fullybookedrentals.com.