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By admin, September 5, 2010 6:35 am

For your summer vacation, you and your family are probably thinking of packing your bags, checking into a hotel, and soaking in the sights and sounds of your chosen travel destination. Indeed, choosing the right hotel could make your vacation infinitely more memorable. Nevertheless, when it comes to fire safety, you should also be alert at all times—whether you are at home or travelling. Thus, when choosing a hotel, it is also important to ensure that the hotel is in compliance with existing fire safety regulations. In this light, what are the other things you should be checking out upon your arrival? We have compiled some fire safety tips to make your vacation not just memorable but also a safe one.

The size and type of the hotel

For instance, smaller hotels or motels, bed-and breakfast places, and the like employ fewer people, have fewer rooms, and smaller buildings. On the other hand, high-rise hotels may employ hundreds of employees, have over 100 guest rooms and have the same number of visitors at any given time. Just as you would like to feel safe at home or at work, you should also be safe in a public building, such as a hotel. In addition, if you are staying in a relatively new hotel, it could be using high-quality fire protection (i.e., the use of fire sprinklers in every room and sophisticated detection and alarm systems installed throughout the building). On the other hand, smaller hotels may not. Regardless of the number of employees or size, however, check to see if the hotel employees have been given appropriate fire brigade training by the concerned authorities.

Fire safety equipment

Essentially, the type of fire safety equipment and the amount of such equipment in the hotel should depend on the size of the hotel itself. According to existing fire safety regulations in the UK, a specific number of fire extinguishers should be installed at each floor of the hotel, depending on its size. Upon your arrival, also check out if fire safety equipment are available, including sprinklers, smoke and fire detectors and alarms, automatic and manual fire alarms, standpipes in the stair landings, emergency lights, portable fire extinguishers, and the like. These should all be visible to guests, employees, and fire rescuers (in cases of emergencies).

Fire escape plan

Another tip to ensure fire safety while staying in a hotel is to check whether or not fire escape routes are easily seen in hallways and other locations mandated by current fire safety regulations. In cases of emergencies, guests must be able to locate the fire escape route and the fire exits even amidst smoke and darkness. In addition, standard fire safety signs complying with current fire safety regulations should also be visible in every location in the hotel. You will never know when you will need to use these signs so why not familiarize yourself with these? Finally, you should also make an effort to familiarize yourself and your family members about the fire escape route and location of fire exits so that you and your family will be ready at any time.

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By admin, September 3, 2010 1:31 pm

You’ve finally decided you and your family on going to take that long awaited dream vacation in Hawaii. You’ve decided that you want to go the vacation rental route for numerous reasons: privacy, comfort, location and cost effectiveness. Next, you probably Googled Oahu Vacation Rentals and are faced with the daunting task of choosing among some 175,000 web sites. Where to begin? Here’s two secrets that will help you make the right choice so you can enjoy your stay in Hawaii to its fullest.

Secret One: Use a reservation service. There are several reasons for this. First, a single property vacation rental listing by owner will severely limit you to the dates that you can take your vacation. Vacation rental properties in Hawaii run nearly 90% occupancy, so unless you know your travel dates six months to a year out the odds are high that their property won’t be available for the travel dates you had in mind. Second, the owner is only concerned with booking their own property so they will extol the virtues of their vacation rental and not mention any of the faults.

Secret Two: Make the right choice of reservation service. Make sure it is locally owned and operated. Websites like vrbo and findrentals (for instance) don’t have a clue about geography, weather, attractions, events and the other necessary information required to give you the property that best fills your needs. For instance, let’s say you want to whale watch but also want to vacation on Oahu. Your reservation service should be able to tell you that you need to stay on the windward side of the island if you want to see the whales. Another tip-off of services to avoid are those that do automated, credit card bookings. Steer clear of these services as this implies they aren’t interested in talking to you, they just want your money. Be wary of sites that have more than 100 properties….there aren’t that many decent selections on Oahu, or any of the other Hawaiian islands, on the market. The more a service exceeds 100 properties, the greater the odds you’ll end up in an overpriced, undesirable vacation rental. Here’s another great hint. If a reservation service states that they have hotels or condos available in Kailua, or will have them soon, choose another service. Since, by zoning law, Kailua does not allow hotels or condos, you should realize that once again, this is a service that wants your money, not your piece of mind. Always ask the reservation service person you are talking to where they are located. Someone based in Las Vegas or Los Angeles won’t have a clue about how to give you the best property for the vacation experience you have in mind.

With the standard vacation rental property terms being no refunds after you’ve paid your deposit, you absolutely want to make sure you make the right choice. A good reservation service will ask you questions about what you want to do and see on your vacation and will actually try and talk you out of a property you had in mind if they don’t think it appropriate to what you had in mind. This is not an attempt to upsell you, it’s more a matter of matching your vacation desires and needs with the perfect choice of vacation rental venue. One vacation rental reservation service that meets all these requirements is Pacific Islands Reservations. They are owned and operated by Ingrid Carvalho, who was born and raised in the islands, as were her parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. She has been serving visitors to Hawaii vacation rental needs since 1996. She currently represents ninety vacation rentals on Oahu and another 90 vacation rentals on Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. She has actually been to each and every property she represents–she even took most of the photographs of the vacation rentals you see on her web sites. She doesn’t take credit cards but she’s happy to spend time talking with you to make sure you get the right property to maximize the value and enjoyment of your vacation.

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By admin, August 31, 2010 1:32 pm

When Canadian Anne Murray sang her hit song “Snowbirds,” she wasn’t singing about Canadian Geese. She was singing to the thousands of snow-bound Canadians called ‘snowbirds’ who make the yearly pilgrimage from wintery Canada and the Pacific Northwest to warmer climes in places like Southern California. There, snowbirds nest for the winter months, basking in the warm southern California sunshine, in quaint resort gem cities like Santa Barbara. Nestled between the beautiful Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific, Santa Barbara is a premier resort destination.

Snowbirds who come here to what some call “The American Riviera” have a secret: Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals have it all. Those who’ve discovered Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals shun the barren Arizona deserts and even the ritzy Palm Springs oasis for this coastal beauty. Why? They know only too well what Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals can offer them in the way of amenities and comfort and entertainment. Snowbirds who flock to the coastal town of Santa Barbara are not content to curl up with a good book for the winter under some Saguaro cactus or be satisfied with designer shopping sprees that require SPF 70 and a large checkbook. They are too active and full of life for that. They want more and that’s exactly what Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals have to offer.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals cover a wide area of urban Santa Barbara. There are private homes and condo units on the coast, directly on the beach, inland near tourist attractions and everything in-between. For snowbirds who migrate here, camping is not an option. They are not interested in roughing it for the entire winter or sharing public facilities with their neighbors. They don’t own RV’s because they don’t want the hassle of storing an unwieldy RV for most of the year. They are used to comfort and they crave it for the long winter they’re away from home.

David and Leslie Benscott, retired attorneys from British Columbia, used to camp with their children. But they’re empty nesters now, and when they get away for the winter, they’re not interested in foregoing amenities. They have been renting Vacation Rentals in Santa Barbara for the past seven years. “Besides,” says Leslie, “we both love to cook and we’re spoiled enough to admit we want a nice kitchen to do it in. Our condo has a fabulous chef-style kitchen with a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean. At least once a week, we’ll cook up a gourmet meal in our Vacation Rental in Santa Barbara and meet friends on the beach for a picnic. You simply can’t do that in January in British Columbia.”

The Benscott’s vacation rental in Santa Barbara is fully furnished with all the amenities. Often, owners of vacation rentals will equip a condo or house with things like beach equipment, games, movies and a stocked kitchen. There are no taxes or tips involved in vacation rentals as there would be in a hotel, so in the long run, Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals work out cheaper for them than a long term hotel stay would, especially when you don’t have to dine out every meal. The Benscotts have made it a quest to catch up on all the sights in Santa Barbara as well, each season adding a few new discoveries to their treasure chest. This year, their grandchildren visited and they all took in the Railroad Museum and the Santa Barbara Zoo. It was a memory all of them will hold onto for a lifetime. Luckily, there was plenty of room for everyone to stay at their vacation rental with its three roomy bedrooms and beachfront courtyard. The grand-kids could walk to the beach every morning with the Benscotts. They have the shell collections to prove it.

With over a hundred wineries in Santa Barbara and the surrounding area, cultural events like theatre, beach-front Arts and Crafts fairs, even Santa Barbara’s own International Film Festival, there is something for everyone here. Snowbirds know that if you like outdoor activities with flair, then Santa Barbara is the place for you.

Snowbirds Ken and Marie Linter, a retired surgeon and his wife, come here from Alberta, Canada every winter, drawn by the warm temperatures and the great properties they find with Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals. They’ve rented the same condo now for four seasons. Ken and Marie are avid bikers and kayakers and love the opportunities Santa Barbara provides for them to stay fit over the winter months. “The only exercise I get in Alberta is shoveling snow,” says Ken, who gave up skiing several years ago. “And frankly, I’m over it. Now Marie and I can bike all around the city on the bikes our Santa Barbara vacation rental provides for us at no extra cost. We go home in better shape than when we came.”

It’s just the two of them now and they love the one bedroom condo they found from Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals. Not only do they have in-house housekeeping services, there is a concierge service attached to their vacation rental. When it comes time to decide which fabulous restaurant to choose, the concierge is there to help. “Last week,” Marie says, “the concierge steered us to a five star restaurant tucked into a private little beach cove. It was probably the most romantic dinner Ken and I had ever had. Well worth the trip from Alberta.”

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By admin, August 28, 2010 1:30 pm

So you have decided that spending your vacation in a mid-price hotel room is not the right way to unwind and enjoy the peace of a holiday resort. Do not worry, there is an alternative and, to be franc, it is the best one. Many websites such as www.arkadia.com offer a lot of info about vacation rentals, stating the advantages, helping you to choose a place to relax anywhere on the globe and offering you tips on how to benefit from the holiday rentals option.

One of the possibilities of vacation rentals is the beach home rental which can help you rise above the typical experience. Of course, beach holiday rentals tend to have different prices and also a variety of expectations depending on the place you choose.

So if we talk about beach vacation rentals, then among the recommended destinations are: Turkey, Acapulco (Mexico) and Hilo, a miraculous paradise in the Hawaii islands. These places offer a unique experience, cozy accommodations, spectacular views and the possibility to relax in harmony. You travel in style and cut down on your expenses by choosing vacation rentals and refreshing sceneries.

How about other opportunities in holiday rentals? Canada is one of the ideal destinations for holiday rentals offering a quiet, undisturbed place in which you can boost your health, mood and psyche. Unfortunately, this country and its wonderful views tend to be ignored by the vacation rentals market. It is not a popular destination, but many vacation-lookers don’t know that Canada – with its wide open spaces, woodsy expanses, untouched by man, a land of both mystery and beauty – is ideal for holiday rentals.

No matter the season, it is a true adventure and planning your vacation in Canada can be simple and quite cheap if you take in consideration the wide variety of vacation rentals and private accommodations available. In winter, the snow-clad mountains and skiing slopes offer an everlasting memory and the holiday rentals come with attractive features such as home-wood-burning fire and a hot, whirlpool tub. Canada is as breathtaking in the summer time just as it is during the cold season. You can swim and fish and go hiking, especially if you are one of nature’s spectators.

No matter the destination, there are many things to find out about vacation rentals. The price is just one of the many aspects you have to consider. You have to sign a rental agreement, but you may ask for a detailed description of the house you are going to rent (the more detailed the better) before doing so. You should also check the reservation terms (deposit/down payment) and take an insurance policy to cover the risk of the lease. This insurance policy is imperative for holiday rentals in order to protect the customer and the owner from fire, water or any other damage that may occur. Another thing you should have if you choose vacation rentals is a written contract which states the terms of the contract, the rent, extra costs and the amount which has to be paid in advance.

But what are the other advantages of holiday rentals? First of all, vacation rentals offer you a place entirely for your own pleasure. You no longer have to feel crowded in a small hotel room and the large number of choices are very tempting (exotic locations, in-town, slope-side or villas on the coast). One of the most popular aspects of holiday rentals is the complete flexibility to cook and dine whenever you may feel like it and let’s not forget that you can come and go as you please without disturbing anyone.

How do you browse for holiday rentals? The easiest way is to go online. General vacation rentals websites are most suitable for people who have a difficult time deciding where to go. Websites such as www.arkadia.com offer ideas on where to go and advertise the most popular choices. They have a wide variety for holiday rentals global or destination-specific and they may help you save some money by dealing directly with the owner. What are the limits to these websites for vacation rentals? These sites typically cover the entire globe, concentrating on the most popular destinations. The accuracy of the posted info will most likely be satisfactory because it is everyone’s interest to please the tourists. This way they can come back again and appeal to vacation rentals in the area once more. The possibility for the advertised properties (destined for holiday rentals) to be misrepresented or unavailable does not exist. You leave nothing to chance because the vacation rentals are chosen according to your wishes and have more advantages than in the case of a hotel.

There is no possible way to compare holiday rentals which offer comfort and privacy with the small and impersonal hotel rooms. Owners of holiday rentals are ready to tell you all about attractions, activities and dining options. You must take time to browse your selections and have the confidence that vacation rentals give the peace and warmth of a home. So, skip the hotel experience and make the wise choice to relax and feel comfortable in a pleasant vacation house of your choice!

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By admin, August 25, 2010 1:32 pm

Have you recently decided that you would like to take a trip to Kauai? If you have, you can rest assure knowing that you will have a great vacation. Kauai is a Hawaiian Island that is not only known for its beauty and its great vacation activities, but Kauai is also known for its beautiful vacation rentals.

If you are interested in booking a stay at a Kauai vacation rental, but if you are also concerned with price, you may take comfort in knowing that many Kauai vacation rentals are affordable. Yes, you will likely find a number of vacation rentals that are out of your price range, but the good news is that it is relatively easy to go about finding and booking a stay at an affordable vacation rental. To help you do so, five helpful tips are outlined below.

1 – Know What You Can Afford

Knowing what you can afford is a great way to find an affordable Kauai vacation rental. What you can afford or what you would like to spend on a vacation rental is important. This is because not everyone has the same views concerning affordability. What you may consider to be an affordable Kauai vacation home may be too expensive for other vacationers. That is why your first step should involve creating a budget for yourself.

When creating a budget for your next Kauai vacation, it is important to examine your other travel arrangements, including your airline reservations and car rental reservations. How much you would like to spend on entertainment should also be a factor, as it will have an impact on the overall cost of your next trip to Kauai.

2 – Use the Internet to Research Kauai Vacation Rentals

When it comes to making your Kauai travel arrangements, you have a number of different options. Many vacationers use the assistance of travel agents, others book their vacation rentals directly through the property owners, and others use the assistance of online travel websites. If you are looking for a quality, yet affordable Kauai vacation rental, you will want to examine online travel websites, namely those that deal specifically with Hawaii vacations and Hawaii vacation rentals.

3 – When Using Online Travel Websites, Search By Price

As previously stated, you can benefit from examining and booking Kauai vacation rentals through online travel websites. Not only are most easy to use, but they are convenient and time saving. When using an online travel website, you should be able to perform a vacation rental search based on a number of factors. Two factors that you will want to focus on include location, which would be Kauai, and your price range, which was touched on above.

When performing a customized search on an online travel website, your Kauai vacation rental results should only include rentals that are located on the great island of Kauai, as well as those that are within your budget. This approach can save you time, as you are able to automatically eliminate vacation rentals that you are unable to afford.

4 – Take All Extra Fees into Consideration

When examining Kauai vacation rentals online, you will find a wealth of information. Most reputable online travel websites will provide you with location, rental fees, features, and much more, including any additional fees. These additional fees are important, as they will have an impact on the overall cost of your Kauai vacation rental and its affordability. Most commonly, you will find a cleaning fee. This fee will likely vary depending on the size of the vacation rental in question.

In addition to additional fees, it is also important to examine security deposits. Most vacation rental property owners do charge security deposits. Although your security deposit will likely be returned to you in full, you should still include this security deposit in with the overall cost of your Kauai vacation.

5 – Be Sure to Examine All of Your Options

Examining all of your options, in terms of Kauai vacation rental types, is another great way to go about finding an affordable Kauai vacation rental for your next trip. What you need to remember is that vacation rentals come in a number of different formats, including Kauai vacation homes, vacation condos, vacation cottages, vacation apartment rentals, and vacation villas. Some of these rental properties are more expensive than others.

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By admin, August 22, 2010 1:29 pm

Here are some monthly tips for vacation rental homeowners.

October’s Tip:

Looking for a perfect and inexpensive way to advertise your vacation rental? A Gift for Your Guests – A Great Way To Advertise! The Gift that Keeps on Giving. Add a picture of your vacation rental to the front cover of photo album. Record the location, year and your contact information on inside cover and leave it for your renters to fill with their memories. As they share their photos with their family and friends, your vacation rental will be exclusively advertised. Very professional with a personal touch! Add a Thank You note and place on your coffee table for your guests. Another way to stand out frm others.

September’s Tip:

For those of you that own property in a four season area, this tip is for you. To attract renters in the “off” season, give discounts or “package deals”. Include a dinner for two certificate to a nearby restaurant or passes to a local theater.

August’ Tip:

As the summer season winds down, get ready for the next season. As I suggested in July, continue to send out letters to your growing list of potential renters the upcoming season. Give out your vacation rental business cards to everyone you know. Leave them wherever you can i.e. restaurants, shopping mall message boards, etc.

July’s Tip:

Take the time to update your renter’s list. Include anyone who has expressed an interest in renting your property (including all inquirers you may have received from your property listing). If you live in a seasonal climate, take this time to prepare a letter to send to everyone on your list. As an incentive, you can offer them a discount for early reservations.

June’s Tip:

It’s Summer time! Are you ready for your renters arrival? Have flowers on the table for that extra touch. And, a favorite cool summer soft drink waiting for their arrival. Hook them up with your favorite marina. Or, leave information for an outdoor local event. Mark your calendar for special dates.

May’s Tip:

Check your blankets, pillows, towels and linens. Is it time to replace the sheets, bath towels and dish towels? If so, throw out the “tired” ones and replace them with soft and “fluffy” towels. As for sheets, better quality usually means longer use. Check the pillows for yellowing and stains. Yellowed or stained pillows could indicate bacteria and should be replaced. Be sure to clean the blankets often and leave extra blankets and pillows, linens and towels for your guests to use if needed.

April Showers brings May Flowers?

Get those early seedlings planted so you and your guests can enjoy the surroundings.

April’s Tip:

This is a great time to walk around your property to see if it needs any painting. Try new colors to give it a special uplift! You and your guests will enjoy the newness of freshly painted rooms. And, don’t forget the outside. Check for peeling paint and rotted wood. It is always good to take care of our property, not just for today’s enjoyment but for future value as well. Last month we talked about handing out business cards to everyone you come in contact with. How is that working? Write to me and let me know. I am interested in hearing from you.

March MADNESS – Month for Discounts

Try offering a discount for early bookings to attract new renter’s.

March’s Tip:

Create new business cards for your rental property. Hand them out to everyone you come in contact with. For friends and relatives, ask them if they would be kind enough to give them out to their friends and business contacts. And, to go with the “March MADNESS” – month for discounts, give out referral fees for this month only.

February – Bring on the Romance!

Mention “Romantic Vacation” in your advertisement for the month of February to attract renter’s to your site.

February’s Tip:

When screening your renters, find out if they will be celebrating a special occasion during their stay at your vacation home. If so, write it down on your calendar as a reminder for when they arrive. Upon arrival, have a bottle of champagne waiting for anniversaries, a candy or fruit basket for a birthday or free tickets to a local fair for any celebration. These are just suggestions, but my point is, be thoughtful and kind to your renters and they will become repeaters year after year. If you have repeat renters each year, you will save your time and money trying to get a different party to rent your vacation home. My advice is to keep your renters happy! Good luck!

January 2007- New Year – New Start

This is a great time to create a new property listing. If you have one already, try to give it a face-lift. Read Chapter six of my book to get creative suggestions and detailed instructions to having the best property listing.

January’s Tip:

Before your guests arrive, check your notes to see if they are bringing along any children. Find out their ages and look for pamphlets in your area for that age group. Leave the appropriate ones out on your counter with a friendly note saying: “Here are some fun things to do in the area. Enjoy Your Stay!” and sign your name as owner. Your guests will not only appreciate having the pamphlets but will also remember how you took a personal interest in them to do such a nice thing. And, they will go home and talk about you and your vacation rental to their family and friends. This is a great way to get repeat guests and referrals.

Bonus Tip:

Take time to go through your rental properties to make sure everything is working correctly. Check batteries: smoke detectors, clock. radio, flashlights, hand held remotes (tv, dvd player, play station etc.) Check kitchen appliances to make sure they are all in good working order. Please feel free to stop in next month at http://www.howtorentvacationhomes.com

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By admin, August 19, 2010 1:29 pm

Some of us are so eager to get away that when vacation time comes around, we throw caution to the wind, failing to take the usual precautions that keep us safe in day-to-day life. Unfortunately, there are con artists out there who know this and are ready to take advantage. What’s more, even innocent accidents can blight a vacation. Small problems can prove much more troublesome than they are at home. It’s best to be aware and well prepared, so you can be sure of a trip that is safe and fun all the way through.

When you’re driving away from home, be aware that the rules of the road may be different from those you are used to. This can apply even if you’re still in the same country, as there are different kinds of terrain to account for and drivers in different regions develop different habits. The most dramatic example of it will arise if you visit a country where people drive on the opposite side of the road. In this situation, take your time to adjust to the new ways you should be moving and the new areas you should be paying attention to. Even if you usually drive a manual transmission, it may be a good idea to have a rental care that is an automatic to reduce the number of new things you have to worry about while driving on unfamiliar roads.

If you’re visiting a foreign country it’s always a good idea to have a dictionary or phrasebook with you, even if you’re confident that you can handle the basics of the language. This is among the more important vacation safety tips because people sometimes forget the vocabulary they need in emergency situations. Make sure you are informed about how the local health care system works and that you know where to seek help in an emergency. Be aware of what your insurance will cover. Make sure that any medicine you purchase comes from a qualified doctor or pharmacist.

The most important vacation safety tips for hotels involve forward planning. Ideally, you should work out where you’re going to stay well in advance and secure your bookings. The Internet makes it easy to research most places and read customer reviews. If for any reason you are unable to stay in the place you’d planned on, or if you feel the need to be more spontaneous, ask around for local recommendations. Trust your instincts and don’t stay anywhere you feel uncomfortable. Don’t leave money, expensive items, or important documents, such as your passport, in your hotel room. Make sure your hotel room door is locked at all times and keep your room number a secret.

If you keep these basic vacation safety tips in mind, you’re less likely to run into trouble, which means you’ll be more free to relax and enjoy yourself.

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By admin, August 16, 2010 1:38 pm

Email is a very important part of today’s life. This article is written for vacation rental owners to help them utilize email at its best. I think it will be useful for anyone who does marketing on-line.

Part 1. Using Auto-responder.

What is the auto-responder or auto-reply? It is a function of your email program which automatically emails a prewritten message to any incoming email.

Why do you need it? You know how all portal sites work – inquiry is created right on your listing and submitted through portal’s email system to your email address. Up to this point, your potential guest does not know about your vacation home, other then what he reads on the listing.

Auto-responder will email your potential guest information you want them to see if they would come to your site. Let’s now think what we want to include in the auto-responder email. This is your chance to market your property and you don’t want to miss it!

Studies show that if your email visually has not more then 20 sentences, it will be read. People usually want to see photos of your property, they are interested in prices and only then they are looking for availability. So your email should be concentrated on these points. If you have a web-site, then you want to place links to appropriate pages.

Small note. There is a big discussion on strategy for disclosing the price to your potential clients. Depending on how you feel about it, are you firm on the price? Do you want to negotiate and are you ready to lower the price? How flexible are you? By answering these questions, you will be able to create a proper block in your auto-responder for prices.

You also must assure your potential client that you will get back to him within a reasonable time. Don’t wait too long to respond or people will forget about your property. Everyone likes personal attention and

if you want your property to be booked, you need to show it quickly.

To summarize, here is your points for auto-responder to the inquiry from portal sites:

1. Thank you for your interest

2. Our property is the best choice for you and your family

3. See pictures of the property here: myvr.com/pictures

4. Rates are here, but we are flexible: myvr.com/rates

5. You can check on availability, we keep it current:

myvr.com/calendar

6.Thank you again and we will contact you shortly

The possibilities with auto-reply are endless and this is an excellent tool to make a first step to a renter and show him you care.

Part 2. How to Reduce Spam Email.

Spam on the Internet is one of the widespread problems. If you have had your vacation rental for some time, and especially if you have a functioning website, there is a strong possibility you will find many spam emails in your inbox. And sometimes it is hard to separate rental inquries from other emails.

One of the solutions is to change your email account. But that’s not always possible, especially if you have used an email address for a long time, and many people already have your email in their address books.

Here are a few tips that I hope you find useful:

Check the email address on your domain registration. Never, ever use your working address when you register a domain name for your vacation rental website. Your registration is available to the public, and almost every large site offers a service like WHOIS where your email can be gathered. It is advisable to set your domain information to “private” if you have to use your working email address.

Forms on your site, including those that allow your visitors to inquire about your vacation rental, can be a big problem. There is a technique called “code injection” that sends your visitors spam email that can harm your credibility. Talk to your webmaster to secure any form you migh have on your site.

You will be surprised that many spam emails offer an option to “unsubscribe” or “opt-out”. It may sound like nonsense to you to use this option, because you never subscribed to any spam emails in the first place, but it is strongly recommended that you “unsubscribe.” As a matter of fact, if you will diligently do this for some time, you will see a decrease in the spam in your inbox.

An email address that is generic, such as contact@mysite.com or webmaster@mysite.com, will most likely bring a lot of spam. Try to avoid it as much as possible.

Check with your hosting email provider to see if your working email is set to the “Catch all” option. “Catch all” ensures that every email that comes to @mysite.com will go to your inbox. Once you remove “Catch all” from your account, you will see spam reduction.

I hope all this information will help you to clean your mailbox and only receive booking inquiries for your vacation rentals. Happy booking!

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By admin, August 13, 2010 1:39 pm

Imagine taking that trip to Maui every year without having to pay for an expensive condo rental. Maybe even set aside a few extra weeks for an extended holiday and have someone else pay the rent. Purchasing a vacation rental may give you this option, or the ability to travel whenever you choose using the income from the rentals to subsidize or pay off your mortgage. Not to mention, that you are diversifying your investment portfolio by adding a new piece of real estate.

Sounds great, doesn’t it? In reality, this is a big step; make certain you know all the facts before signing on the dotted line.

Don’t let emotions get in the way: Purchasing a vacation property is often an emotional buy. You’re having a great time on holidays, a million miles from reality, and suddenly this attractive deal is put in front of you and it seems like a great idea. Most times, it is, but sometimes people will get home, look at each other and say, “What did we do?”

Commitment: Understand that this isn’t someplace you can visit and then forget about for another year. A vacation property is an active business that will require your loving care to flourish; and whether you decide to employ a property management company or choose to self-manage, a certain amount of commitment and attention is essential.

Locations: If this is a property that you intend to use, make certain the location is someplace you want to return to, year after year. Also, if it’s a plane trip away, realize also, that you may be required to make unplanned trips to deal with landlord/tenant issues.

Affordability: You have that nest egg set aside that will take care of the deposit, but what about those off-seasons where the property may not be rented. Like any home, you will experience emergency repairs or unexpected expenditures. Ensure that you can afford this piece of property; after all, you want to be able to sleep at night.

Due diligence: Make certain you are working with a reputable realtor who can guide you through the various laws in the area you are investing in, but you should also have some prior knowledge. Especially for “across the border” purchases, research the area so that you understand the implications of this acquisition, including the immigration policies regarding the length of time you are allowed to visit and how often.

Talking to other renters can provide invaluable, “don’t let this happen to you” information, as well as tips on property management companies, cleaning help and anything associated with your rental. Before purchasing, I went through some of the online vacation rental sites, such as a1vacations.com, and searched for other rentals in the same location. I noted the owner’s email or phone numbers and contacted them. They were extremely helpful and quite happy to share their stories.

So you’ve done your research and you’re certain this is something you really want. Congratulations – enjoy your new property! For the next steps, read on to Part II – The Highs & Lows of Self-Management.

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By admin, August 10, 2010 1:40 pm

You don’t have to spend a lot for Kauai vacation rentals. If you want to enjoy the best of what Kauai has to offer, you can always pick the cheapest accommodation options. You might think it’s impossible but you can actually enjoy your vacation on a shoe string budget. Here’s how.

Deal with a Travel Agency

Believe it or not, sometimes you can save more if you contact a good agency. You just have to make sure that the agency you contact specializes in Kauai vacations and is not in any way affiliated with vacation resorts or hotels. Independent travel agencies can help you look for discounts, promos, limited offers and other ways to cut on your rental costs.

Look for a Comparative List

You don’t have to entrust everything to your travel agency. You can also manually look for accommodations on your own. There are many lists in travel sites online that have brief descriptions of accommodations and their prices. This is a great way to compare not just the prices but the amenities as well. This can help you decide if a place is worth its cheap price.

Reschedule Your Trip

You can always travel off season. There are days of the year when there aren’t that many tourists headed to Kauai. This may help you bag low cost fare and if you’re lucky, you might be able to get a bargain on off-season accommodation prices.

Travel with Friends

Traveling with friends and family can also help you save on the fare. There are price discounts for people flying as a group. Vacationing with friends can even help you save more. You can all rent a Kauai vacation house or a room and then split the cost among yourselves.

Choose Hotels by Reputation

You can simply use a common sense approach to finding a good bargain. If you already have some options to choose from, all you have to do would be to cross out hotel accommodations. If you are on a tight budget you can just settle for inns and dormitories. For an even cheaper option, you might want to explore camping sites in Kauai. All you need to do would be to bring your own portable gear.

Find Reviews

You can always rely on traveler opinion if you want to look for cheap room options. Those who have been around Kauai a lot would definitely know a place or two. You can find traveler tips and recommendations in review sites, message boards and travel websites.

There’s nothing like finding affordable vacation rentals in Kauai. Cheap rentals will help ensure that you get the most out of your money when it comes to enjoying the things that matter the most in Kauai.