Vacapedia Vacation Rentals Blog

We’ve mentioned before that one of the major perks of staying in a vacation rental for your upcoming trip is the ability to cook your own meals in your own kitchen. In the past, we’ve focused on this perk primarily because for families traveling with small children it’s important to be able to whip up something quickly that you know your kids will eat, whether they’re just being too picky to try something unfamiliar at a local restaurant in the town you’re visiting or you want to have more control over what they’re eating.

Well, here’s yet another reason why having your own kitchen is a great perk for any travelers, whether they’ve got kids or not - it’ll save you money.

You’ve probably heard the news lately about the global food crisis, and how the cost of food is going up all over the world. While in some places there have been riots and food shortages, in the United States the effect has been largely restricted to a simple rise in what you’re paying for what you’re eating.

Of course, even when you’re shopping at a local grocery store or farmer’s market in the town you’re visiting you may be paying a little more for your food, but this pales in comparison to what you will pay at many restaurants. Restaurant owners are being forced to raise the prices on their menus to help compensate for the added costs they’re being charged by suppliers, so even if you splurge now and then during your vacation for fun, you can really cut costs by renting a vacation property and cooking your own meals most of the time.

So, when you’re hunting for the perfect vacation rental for your summer trip, be on the lookout for two things - kitchen amenities and nearby markets. Knowing what you’ll have to cook with in your vacation home is a great start, and then knowing that there are grocery stores or markets nearby where you can stock up is even better.

The news on the economy lately hasn’t been great, with lots of people who should know muttering the “R” word under their breath. We’ve mentioned before that choosing a vacation rental closer to home is one way to still have a vacation this summer without spending a fortune or trying to match the low U.S. dollar against stronger currencies elsewhere. Now there’s an article in the New York Times about how many choices are still available for vacation rentals this summer.

According to the article, more and more people are waiting until the last minute to book their vacation rentals in the hopes that prices will go down, but rental agents are saying the prices are staying relatively static as compared to last year.

The article also says that while the vacation rentals at the luxury end of the spectrum have already been reserved well in advance by the people for whom the “R” word isn’t really an issue, there are still lots of vacation homes available in the low- to mid-price range. This is partly due to the fact that people are booking at the last minute, and is also partly because so many people have bought second homes in the past year as real estate investments and then turning them into vacation rentals.

So it would seem that there would be so many new properties available that the prices would come down - but that doesn’t seem to be the case. In fact, one expert quoted in the article says, “The demand is still outstripping the supply. We know that people, even in a down economy, still take a vacation.” Although, as the last-minute booking trend indicates, vacationers are being much more cautious about spending their money this year.

Now, the NY Times article is focusing particularly on the New York area market, with more detailed information on the vacation rental market in the popular destinations around New York, but there’s no reason not to extrapolate some of this information from there to other popular summertime vacation spots throughout the country.

For instance, while high-end properties have probably been booked up already, you may find much more choice in the low- to mid-range than you expected to so close to the summer vacation season. You may also want to consider a few money-saving tips mentioned in the article, above and beyond booking a vacation rental instead of a hotel - such as taking a shorter vacation than you might have otherwise, or sharing the cost of a vacation rental with another family. And if you can stand to wait it out, you may find some great last minute deals on vacation rentals, even in holiday hotspots.

Ok, I’m going to diverge from the macho stuff to talk about the Beaujolais region. One of the ‘crus’ of the Beaujolais is Fleurie. Yes, the wines are indeed flowery. Violets are mentioned. Fleurie has been called “a pretty village with a superb church.”

Fleurie wine is called the Queen of Beaujolais. It is also one of the most expensive.

I like planning vacations to wine regions. Wine regions have the best food. Wealth from wine makes for interesting architecture and shopping fit for a king (or a king’s ransom).

You know what I look for when I look for a vacation home or apartment in the wine country? A type of architecture that “fits in” with the surroundings. Well, that and a lack of a swimming pool. It’s not that I have anything against swimming pools, but they just aren’t the sorts of things that most people of Europe have in their back yards. Without them, it’s one less thing to fall into.

Villa Fleurie fits my criteria nicely. It comes with charming owners instead of a swimming pool, according to the literature. They live on the property, too, so you know the place has to be right.

Imagine: French windows onto a patio with views across the vineyards. C’mon, you know you want to go.

Girls weekends are becoming popular. Everyone seems to be promoting them. You can read one below.

That post got me to thinking, “Why isn’t there anyone out there in blog-land writing about exclusive guy stuff.”

So, despite the fact that I have no super delegates in my back pocket, I elected myself. Here is my platform:

Guys, why not leave the wife at home with a pile of cute shoes and a supply of low-fat yogurt and rent yourselves a villa for a week so you and your friends can do guy stuff for the whole time? Say you choose a place out in the country with a gnarly yet manly name like Giustino Valdarno, an ancient hunk of land once owned by the grand dukes of Tuscany?

Imagine, no dukettes! You can grab the clicker during the commercials and surf with a speed that makes your eyes knot up and there’s nobody to spoil your fun by yelling, “stop that you pig!”

Imagine also: no bed time! You’re not 4 any more…but you can act it!

You’ll enjoy waking up in the morning without the alarm clock buzzing in your sensitive ears. You’ll enjoy that first satisfying fzzt of the cap coming off the beer bottle any time you want, even with that stupid “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” thing still ringing in your ears.

Location is Everything - Manly Places to Rent a Vacation Home in Europe

Spain - I mean Spain’s gotta be the manliest place in Europe, what with those Osborne Bulls dotting the countryside, reminding the world that it’s the male of the species that’s king of the hills. Go shopping for a big ol’ ham, slice it up with a gruesomely large and slightly rusty knife, and eat it at a roadside pull-out. The hood of your rental Hummer makes a fine and manly table.

Cochem, Germany - Why Cochem? Well, besides the name, you’re not to far from the Nurburgring, where you can thrash your rental car around parts of the world famous race track for a small toll. Ditch the Hummer for something a bit less massive. You can thank me later.

Bouzies, France - Here in France’s Aquitane region, you can head over to the Dordogne to walk erect in the damp prehistoric caves just like the ancients did. Besides, just wait until your friends hear about going to Bouzies. They’ll blush with alcohol envy.

Have fun planning your man vacation. I’m with you in spirit.

Ladies, as much as we may like having the guys around, there are times when we just need to hang out with our girlfriends. And even better than an afternoon spent shopping or at the spa is a long weekend getaway spent gabbing with the girls - and a vacation rental is the perfect option for a girls weekend.

The location of your girls weekend getaway is the first thing to consider:

• Do you and your gal pals want to spend all waking hours shopping, lunching, and shopping? Are you intent on finding local nightlife hotspots where you can get your groove on? Is it gourmet dining and fine wine that appeals to you and your friends? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then pick a city for your trip where you can enjoy all of these pursuits and still retreat to the cozy and comfortable space of your vacation rental apartment whenever you want to. When you’re looking at apartments, be sure to pay attention to the number of bathrooms in addition to bed space - we are talking about a bunch of girls, after all. Great cities to consider for a girls weekend trip are New York, Miami, and even, if you’re looking at more far-off destinations, Paris or London.
• Are you and your girlfriends looking for a relaxing way to forget real life? Do you all work too hard and just want to be pampered for a few days? Then book your girls weekend in a spa resort and let someone else cater to your every whim. Many spa resorts offer condo rentals so you can all stay in the same space rather than booking several hotel rooms, and many are also all-inclusive (it helps you stick to your travel budget if you know exactly how much it’ll cost beforehand!). Just be sure to note which spa treatments are included in the price, and which ones will cost extra.
• Do you and your friends prefer long hikes through the woods to long lines at the store? Is the sound of crickets chirping at night music to your ears? Are you more interested in really getting away from civilization? Perhaps the vacation rentals that will be most appealing to you and your friends, then, are things like a log cabin in the mountains, a secluded beachside house or a cottage on a lake. When what you’re after is wilderness, peace and quiet, a vacation rental is ideal. And even if there’s a TV available, you won’t need it - you’ll be up all night talking with your friends anyway, right?

In addition to the suggestions above, there are all kinds of other vacation rentals which would be well-suited to hosting a girls weekend getaway for you and your pals - all you need to do is poll your girlfriends to find out what they’d like to do during the trip, and then find the location (and vacation rental) that works the best.

I’m a big fan of renting a house or apartment on vacation–so much so that I’ve actually bought property in Europe.

What attracts me to living in a village? Well, I’ve just visited Chioggia, an attractive, canal-laced city on the southern edge of the Venetian lagoon. There is one of Italy’s biggest and most admired fish markets in Chioggia, right on a canal. You can see fish for sale fresh off the boat. Expert fishmongers will fillet them for you right in front of your eyes.

You may never have experienced fish this fresh.

My immediate thought as I passed through the amazing market was that I wished I had rented an apartment instead of being cooped up in a hotel, paying an arm and a leg for a seafood dinner when I could have been grilling one of these inexpensive fish myself.

My thoughts on vacation rentals focus on interaction: interaction with the residents of an unfamiliar place and interaction with the raw foods that make up their cuisine. After all, I come from a country that slices up a fish and then puts it in a Styrofoam tray and wraps it up tight so you can’t smell the disgusting odor of rotting fish marinating in its own bacteria for heaven knows how many days. “Good until Friday the 24th” the package gaily announces six days previous. Ick.

Ok, so maybe you don’t like fish. Chioggia has its own famous radicchio you know. Rent a country house outside of the city of Chioggia and veg out if you’d like.

So perhaps you’re a vacation rental veteran who’s made the rounds through every type of vacation rental available. You’ve stayed in log cabins in the woods, lakeside cottages, beachfront condos, apartments in bustling cities, and perhaps even splurged on a luxury villa at one point. But have you ever considered a houseboat rental?

While obviously not available in every vacation destination, just about any popular holiday spot with a lake, river or other large body of water nearby is going to have a selection of houseboats which you can rent as a vacation rental. And whether you’re putting notches in your vacation-rental gun or just like the idea of water being your front yard, staying on a housebut is a fun option to consider for your next trip.

Here are some things to keep in mind if you’re interested in staying on a houseboat.

• Space can be at a premium in some houseboats, as you might expect. It’s not going to be like you’re in a motorhome, but it’s unlikely you’re going to find an expansive gourmet kitchen or giant jacuzzi tub in the bathroom. Many are only one-storey, so be sure to find out how many people it’s meant to sleep comfortably before you book. (And make sure you know whether that translates into actual beds or some convertible couches.)
• If you’re traveling with kids or pets, make sure the houseboat is kid-friendly or pet-friendly. And that means more than just finding out whether the homeowner allows children or pets. The decking around many houseboats is railing-free, meaning there’s nothing between your three-year-old child or inquisitive pooch and the water. This means you’ll either have to stand guard or opt for another vacation property.
• The cost for renting a houseboat is generally going to be about the same as it would be for renting a similarly-sized house or condo on land, so don’t automatically assume the novelty of it would make it beyond your budget. Again, because many houseboats are pretty small, you’re not talking about the equivalent of a luxury villa here.
• While rates for renting a houseboat are roughly equivalent to the rates for renting a land-based property of the same size, the seasons when you’ll find the best deals on houseboats are going to be a little more limited than with land-based vacation homes. It’s unlikely you’ll find much competition for renting that houseboat on the frozen lake in the middle of winter - in fact, it may not even be rentable at that point! Instead, the summer seasons are the most popular (and therefore generally the most expensive), with the “shoulder” seasons of spring and fall being the times when you are likely to find the best deals.
• Depending on the rental situation, you may have use of a small boat along with the houseboat rental so that you can actually take advantage of the body of water you’re waking up to everyday. Should your houseboat come with a small boat you can use, make sure there are life jackets for everyone and that you get any boat-operation instructions you need before setting out on an adventure. Of course, if it’s a canoe, there should be no instructions necessary. (Additionally, some houseboats are mobile themselves!)

Staying in a houseboat rental is a great alternative to the same kinds of condos and cabins that everyone else stays in, especially if you’re looking to really enjoy a particular river or lake for your holiday. Check out your houseboat rental options today and enjoy your trip!