http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/winter-in-los-cabos-mexico.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/winter-in-los-cabos-mexico.html Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500
A Vacation rental offers the comfort and privacy of a home so you can have a more relaxing, enjoyable vacation. A vacation rental is not a timeshare. There are no presentations or joiner fees. A vacation rental is simply a property available for rent from the owner of the home, just like a hotel.

And unless you rent the home directly from the owner, many vacation homes, cabins & condos are professionally managed, so you know you are getting a quality property with someone on-site to help you if you need it.

There are 4 main advantages to renting a vacation home over a resort hotel:

More space than a traditional 400-sq-ft hotel room

* One of the biggest advantages with most vacation rentals is the additional space of a home vs. a hotel room.
* Most rentals have indoor and outdoor living areas, multiple bedrooms and multiple bathrooms.

Cheaper than renting 2-3 hotel rooms for a group

* Rent an entire house that sleeps 6+ for a lot less money than several traditional hotel rooms.
* Plus, families and groups have plenty of space to spend time together, and have privacy throughout the home.

All the comforts of home … and more

* Most vacation rentals include a fully stocked kitchen, so you can prepare meals, rather than eating every meal at a restaurant. Most of my homes in Cabo San Lucas even include a private cook to cook you breakfast and lunch and a housekeeper. Some even include a butler.
* Find all the basics of daily life, such as bedding, towels, laundry facilities, furniture, BBQ grills, and entertainment systems.
* Choose special extras, like private hot tubs, pools and more.

Location, location, location

* Beach house, lakeside cabin, mountain ski condo, urban bungalow - find vacation rentals nearly everywhere.

One possible downside to renting a vacation home in Cabo San Lucas is that you may not know exactly what you are getting. With a hotel, you know you're getting a consistent room (just like everyone else's), but homes vary widely. So select a vacation home from a website where there are MANY photos and maps that show where the property is. Make sure you know exactly how the bedding is arranged and what's included so there are no surprises.

Also, renting a vacation home is also geared to longer stays (3 days to a week or longer) where a hotel room may be a better choice for shorter stays.

Most people that rent a vacation home instead of a resort hotel room like the change of pace and relaxed at home feel and come back year after year to build more family memories in their 'homes away from home'.

--
Barry Cox owns vacation homes and is also a frequent user of vacation rentals around the world. He owns SkyRun Vacation Rentals where you can rent a vacation home in Cabo San Lucas Mexico

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/tybee-island-georgia.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/tybee-island-georgia.html Thu, 29 May 2008 00:00:00 -0500 Tybee Island Georgia. is known as "Savannah's Beach". It is so-named because it is only a beautiful 15 mile, 30 minute drive from Savannah! Tybee Island is a very unique beach community also. While there are many beach resorts (like Kiawah Island and Hilton Head Island) that feature golf courses and manicured landscaping and a 'resort feel', Tybee is an actual beach community The beach is just as beautiful and large (3.5 miles long) as the resorts, however Tybee has streets right up to the beach all along this area. But instead of high-rise hotels, Tybee is much more low-key. There are 10 small locally-owned hotels on the island and the tallest one is just 4 stories. However most of the beach has homes and shops within an easy walk.

The net result is thatit is easy to find a hotel or home to rent or a restaurant, shop or bar to go to that is within an easy walk of the beach. And all of them allow beach attire.

Tybee is a great value and a great low-key town and family resort for people who are looking for a more genuine beach-bum town feel vs. a manicured resort (where you have to walk further to the beach usually!)

--
Barry Cox is the owner of SkyRun Resort Rentals. SkyRun has vacation rentals in many family resorts across the country like Tybee Island Georgia, Kiawah and Seabrook Islands South Carolina and Keystone and Breckenridge Colorado.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/kiawah-and-seabrook-islands-south-carolina.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/kiawah-and-seabrook-islands-south-carolina.html Thu, 29 May 2008 00:00:00 -0500 Kiawah and Seabrook Islands. are located a beautiful 15 mile, 30 minute drive from historic Charleston South Carolina! When you get to the ocean, there is a large 'round-about' and you go left to get to Kiawah and right to go to Seabrook! They are right next to each other. There is a very nice shopping area right at the roundabout with a high-end grocery (but good prices) coffee shops, antique stores, book stores, etc where you can easily spend an afternoon just walking around and shopping.

Both islands have many options for renting. You can rent a 'villa' which is like a condominium in a building, usually 2-4 stories tall, or a 'cottage' which is like a townhome that you can drive right up to and park or you can rent a private home.

Seabrook tends to have the better values and guests can also purchase access to their club which has golf and a pool. Kiawah is larger and has more bike paths.

--
Barry Cox is the owner of SkyRun Resort Rentals. SkyRun has vacation rentals in many family resorts across the country like Tybee Island Georgia, Kiawah and Seabrook Islands South Carolina and Keystone and Breckenridge Colorado.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/renting-a-vacation-home.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/renting-a-vacation-home.html Mon, 06 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0500
For exmaple, in Keystone Resort, Colorado, there are thousands of condos available, therefore, most people rent condos and don't even consider homes. Since homes are harder to rent, and the home owners generally don't really need to rent their homes, there are very few homes on the rental market in Keystone.

Consider this example. You will pay about $250/nt/bedroom for a condo during holiday season to rent a condo that cost the owner about $250K/bedroom to purchase. With a home, you will pay about the same/nt/bedroom to rent a property that is valued at twice that amount/br. so the cost of rental vs. the value of the property rented is twice as good while renting a home. Here are some example home rentals in Keystone Resort to give you an idea of how much value you can get for your rental dollar.

In Vail on the other hand, homes are much more well established and bring a much higher rental rate.

But price isn't the only consideration. Here are some advantages for renting a home.

1) Everyone in your party is together.
2) The living areas are generally 2x as large as a similar condo.
3) No elevators or noisy neighbors or lugging groceries down the hall.
4) Peace, quiet, privacy (isn't that why you are on vacation?)

Homes can have some disadvantages also.

1) Usually no common pool or hot tub or lobby amenities to use.
2) Generally have to drive 5-10 mins to get to the ski area.
3) Cleaning costs are usually higher.

So renting a home for your ski vacation in the mountains is a great option in some resorts and you should seriously consider renting a home while in resorts, like Keystone Resort Colorado, where condos are the norm and homes are a bargain.

--
Barry Cox is the owner of vacation property in Keystone Resort and owner of SkyRun Condos which provides condo and home rentals in Keystone Resort Colorado

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/renting-a-vacation-home-directly-from-the-owner.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/renting-a-vacation-home-directly-from-the-owner.html Mon, 06 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0500
The vast majority of people that do so are very happy with the results. When you're dealing directly with the owner, you probably are dealing with someone who may not have the prices set at market rates, so you can find a vacation rental for a bargain price! Also, if you are dealing with a reputable individual, most of the time you arrive to find that the keys work and that the vacation home is clean and well maintained, even though the owner only visits a few times each year and may live thousands of miles away.

So odds are, that you'll have a great experience renting directly from the owner.

However, there are some pitfalls to be aware of when renting directly from the owner.

1) Fraud - You usually have to send a personal check to the owner when you reserve. and anyone can go onto VRBO and put a listing for condo or home on there for a property that may or may not even exist. With all the internet scams going around, rely on your instinct to tell you if the condo will be there as advertised when you arrive.

2) Pricing - The condo pricing is set by the owner who probably doesn't have time to research market conditions. While this can be good when the property is priced lower than market rates, it can also mean the property is priced higher. Shop around alot to determine if the price is good. Also... check ALL the fees. Renting from owners typically have cleaning fees and big damage deposits that property management companies don't have. Individual owners very frequently don't charge sales tax, however they are in violation of the law when they don't.

3) Service - The owner lives thousands of miles away. Don't expect service or immediate help if a maintenance item comes up or if you get locked out. But on the other hand, you don't have service at your personal home either. So if you know what to expect, and are careful to not lock yourself out, this may not be an issue.

4) Discounts - Due to their critical mass, Property management companies can qualify for discounts for lift tickets, equipment rental and local restaurants and spas that individual owners simply can't offer. You can easily save hundreds or even thousands of dollars on your total trip by taking advantage of these discounts.

5) Research Time - In order to find a good deal, you have to spend hours or days talking to dozens of owners to find out what their pricing and availability is and what the details of their terms are. Calling a property management company that has hundreds of properties lets you make one call and check out hundreds of different possibilities (and provides a good price comparison!)

6) Payment Method - You typically have to pay the owner by check, which can not be disputed if the rental is not what it was advertised. And individual owners don't have to worry about their reputation like a property management company does.

So renting a condo or home directly from the owner is usually a good experience if you watch out for the pitfalls above.

Some owners and property managers have started to partner in order to create the best of both worlds for guests. With these partnerships, you speak directly to the owner and rent the condo from them, and the on-site property management firm then handles your reservation, takes your credit card and provides discounts. If you can find a vacation rental from the owner that is represented by an on-site property management firm, you have the best chance of success. One such firm is www.SkyRun.com which represents 100 Keystone vacation property owners.

--
Barry Cox has used VRBO to rent condos for himself and to rent his Keystone vacation home. Barry is also the owner of SkyRun in Keytone Resort Colorado which provides guest services on behalf of owners in Keystone that rent on rent-from-owner websites.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/destinations/your-summer-home-in-the-mountains.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/destinations/your-summer-home-in-the-mountains.html Thu, 15 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0600
Fact 1: There are 30,000 luxury resort condos in Colorado that are in ski resorts like Keystone, Breckenridge and Vail.

Fact 2: These condos are very nice and fully furnished with pools and hot tubs and saunas and have full cell phone and high speed internet services, because rent for $250-$2,500 PER NIGHT in the winter.

Fact 3: These condos sit largely empty from Mid April - Mid November. 7 month of the year... and the owners are happy to rent them out at a FRACTION of the winter rate... In fact, they'll rent the condo to YOU for LESS THAN THEY'RE PAYING for the mortgage, taxes, maintenance fees etc...

Fact 4: The average daytime temperature for the month of July is a perfect 79. August is 72 degrees. These condos don't have air conditioning, just fresh cool mountain air.

These facts combined mean that you can rent a condo or home for a month at a BARGAIN price. There are many property management companies that are catering to a growing number of people that are spending a summer month in the mountains every year. One such firm that specializes in this market is SkyRun Condos in Keystone Resort. SkyRun rents month-long stays for 12 to 14 days of their normal summer rates (which are 1/3 of their winter rates to begin with!). You can rent a fully furnished and maintained condo (all linens and utilities included) for as little as $1,300 for a very nice one bedroom, or an economy two bedroom unit or about $3,000 for a nice 3 or 4 bedroom condo or anywhere in between.

Are there things to do in the mountains in the summer??? YES! Here is a partial list.

- Boating (sail and motor) - Hiking of hundreds of trails - Walking on miles of flat paved trails along mountain creeks - Biking on flat paved trails, or mountain biking up and down mountains. The ski lifts operate during part of the season to take you and your bike to the top of the mountain and you can coast down! - Biking Vail Pass - Like the Haleakala road in Maui Hawaii... A van drops you and your family off at the top of 11,500 ft vail pass for a 13 mile coast down an easy paved trail (not the road!) to vail resort on one side or to copper on the other side. - Fishing - Fly fishing in a creek or river and along the shore or from a boat in lake Dillon. - Festivals - Every weekend, there are 6-8 to choose from in most every resort. Keystone Resort has the most and includes a Beer and Bluegrass Festival, Wine and Jazz and many others (see their website for more details and dates). - Day Trips - From your condo, home base you can tour all the great scenic spots in Colorado like 4 different National Parks including Rocky Mountain National Park.

Who does this? A variety of people...

- Retirees - To Escape Phoenix heat... and offer a home-base for family to come and visit them and enjoy a mountain vacation together.

- Working Families/Couples/Singles - Everything you need to be able to work is here. Internet and cell phone coverage is strong since winter guests demand it. And DIA is only 90 minutes away should you need to make a business trip.

This summer, make a Colorado Luxury Vacation Condo your home for the summer at a fraction of the cost of owning the condo yourself!

--
teve Falk is co-founder and operator of SkyRun.com, a company that provides lodging in Keystone Colorado. For more information on planning your family vacation as well as discounts on lodging and lift tickets, be sure and visit Keystone Summer Vacation Lodging for great information.


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/keystone-resort-colorado-villages.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/keystone-resort-colorado-villages.html Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0600
Mountain House

This is the original base area for Keystone when Max Dercum founded Keystone in 1970. The Snake River Runs along the base of Dercum Mountain, so there is precious little space right on the slopes. Only 4 buildings in Keystone are actually ski-in ski-out. Two of those buildings are in Mountain House Village (Chateaux D'Mont the original luxury condo building featuring in-room hot tubs and Slopeside which is an economical ski-in ski-out building). Mountain House is FAR less crowded than River Run and has a nicer beginners and ski school area. You will find one cafeteria style restaurant, one ski rental shop and one pizza joint, but not much else in the village. Mountain House is like having your own private mountain though.

River Run

In 1987, Intrawest (owns Whistler and Copper Mountain and Winter Park) developed the $700M River Run that is the quintessential alpine ski village. 12 individual condo buildings are arranged with shops and coffee houses and restaurants on the ground floor. The River Run gondola and high speed quad lifts service River Run. River Run is by far the most desirable location in Keystone as judged by numbers of guests wanting to stay there. The condo buildings are newer and the amenities are quite nice (pools, hot tubs, pool tables, saunas, fitness centers, etc). Downsides are that it's expensive, the rooms tend to be smaller, and it can get quite crowded.

Typical Guest: Families and Young Urban Professionals

West Keystone

West Keystone is group of many traditional condo buildings that are of all ages. It's only about 5 mins drive to either base area and is serviced by free shuttle buses that run every 20 mins in the peak season. The condos are nestled in mature pine forests and spaced out with nice Snake River Views. West Keystone is also where the two world-class golf courses are located. West Keystone is where you get the most for your money if you don't mind being 10 mins or so from the slopes. Downsides are that some of the buildings are older, so it is recommended to be able to see the actual condo you're renting as they do vary widely in quality.

Typical Guest: Families wanting value and people that come to Keystone year after year.

East Keystone

The newest addition to Keystone is East Keystone. Built on the old 'Ski Tip Lodge' property which was the original stagecoach stop after you passed over the mountain pass into Keystone. There are only a few condo communities and lots of multi-million dollar homes. The condos in East Keystone are large and new and nice and again, only 5-10 mins to the slopes at River Run.

Typical Guest: Affluent people wanting quiet and quality.

North Keystone

US Highway 6 bisects Keystone into the mountain side (to the south of US 6) and North Keystone which is everything across highway 6. You can get alot for your money in North Keystone. The buildings tend to be older, however there are some newer developments also. Again... only 10 mins to the slopes AND you can see them easily from your condo in North Keystone.

Typical Guest: Young guests looking for cheap accomodations and Senior guests looking for value.

Lakeside Village

This is the village Keystone built around a 5 acre lake to go with the Keystone conference center. Nice older well maintained condos surround the lake that you can boat in summer on a canoe, or skate on in winter. There are also several shops and restaurants and the Keystone Inn, which is a 4-star hotel run by Vail Resorts

Typical Guest: Conference Attendee and people wanting a hotel instead of a condo.

Keystone Ranch

The 7th village is the gated community built on the original homestead site for Keystone Resort. Keystone Ranch doesn't have condo buildings, only single family homes ranging from $1M and older to brand new huge homes valued at well over $10M. Only a few of the homes are available for rent. This is also home to the clubhouse for the golf courses which wind into West Keystone from here.

Typical Guest: Affluent guests wanting a home instead of a condo.

--
Steve Falk is co-owner of SkyRun Condos in Keystone Colorado. For more information and photos of all of the Keystone Villages discussed in this article, see www.SkyRunCondos.com.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/destinations/discover-keystone-colorado-in-the-winter-or-summer.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/destinations/discover-keystone-colorado-in-the-winter-or-summer.html Tue, 23 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0600
Keystone is young and fresh. It abounds with young families, spunky and spontaneous youth and tends to be a little more laid back than some of the other resorts. But don’t the “laid-back-ness” fool you. In the Village at River Run, there seems to be an endless supply of festivals and street parties. There are multiple spa options that include massages, facials, and body treatments. The Village also hosts terrific restaurants, shops and boutiques. A wonderful “find” is the River Run Gondola glide to Alpenglow Stube - the "highest gourmet, top rated Zagat Survey, AAA FourDiamond rated and Wine Spectator award-winning restaurant in North America.

Tremendous winter activities have helped to give Keystone its growing reputation as a place for everyone to have a fantastic time. Let’s start with the four mountains and the eight month snow season. The slopes range from beginner- level Keystone Mountain to the ultra-challenging Arapahoe Basin. A truly fun experience is Keystone’s nighttime outdoor options. Night skiing, tubing, or “sno-hawging” are exhilarating as you speed down the slopes after the sun has gone down. If you would rather take things slow, you can join a full moon snowshoe tour. Either way, take advantage of this truly unique experience in Colorado’s largest night park.

Another great quality of Keystone is that summer can be just as rewarding as a vacation as winter. Hiking, fabulous mountain biking, balloon rides, boating, climbing, fly fishing, and mini golf are just a few of the activities that will attract young and old alike. For a relaxing time, enjoy a nature stroll through the Snake River Valley or ride the chair lift for a spectacular view of the Continental Divide. You can also rent canoes and paddle around Keystone Lake, or even take a tour of a historic sawmill. For the adventure-driven, test your skills at the newly updated Keystone Bike Park. You’ll find ramps, drops, rock gardens, and G-Outs that mark this adventure playground.
When planning your next Colorado winter or summer vacation, consider Keystone. You will surely not be disappointed.


--
Barry Cox is co-founder and operator of SkyRun.com, a company that provides lodging in Keystone Colorado. For more information on planning your family vacation as well as discounts on lodging and lift tickets, be sure and visit http://www.skyrun.com for great information.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/keeping-your-kids-happy-during-a-keystone-colorado-ski-vacation.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/keeping-your-kids-happy-during-a-keystone-colorado-ski-vacation.html Fri, 05 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0600 Tips: Clothing: Make sure your children are dressed in layers. We all know that layering allows our bodies to accommodate our constantly changing temperature. Avoid cotton clothing as it retains moisture and try some of the readily available wicking fabric products. A Turtleneck, fleece and jacket are all a good idea and the little one’s can shed layers as necessary.

Body Fuel: Stuff your pockets with Powerbar-like snacks, nuts, and dried fruit. Inevitably, someone will want to quit before others are ready because of hunger.

Extras: Make sure to keep a gear bag in the car with extra clothing items like mittens, socks, headbands, sunglasses, goggles, sunscreen, and lip balm. long underwear and socks. If you’ve ever seen the monumental size of the lost and found boxes at ski resorts, you will know that is only inevitable that someone will forget something...

Protective Eyewear: I can’t emphasize this enough. I hear more horror stories from my ophthalmologist friends about the dangers of the Colorado sun on young eyes, especially when it reflects off the snow. Make sure your children have UV protective sunglasses or goggles.

Plan for Being Separated on the Slope. While we all hope it never happens, I can assure you, it can happen much faster than you think. Make sure you plan a meeting place before you begin skiing in the event your child becomes lost. The information booth is a good place or decide which lift you will ski next so if you get separated. Make sure your child carries a piece of paper in a secure pocket that has your home, cell and lodging phone number as well as your name. Inexpensive walkie talkies are now available and are a big hit on the slopes.
Planning a little in advance ensures a great adventure, fun, laughter. It is a wonderful feeling to know that your children’s fondest childhood memories were of your family ski vacations.

--
Steve Falk is co-founder and operator of SkyRun Condos, a company that provides lodging in Keystone Colorado. For more information on planning your family vacation as well as discounts on lodging and lift tickets, be sure and visit www.SkyRun.com for great information.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/ski-tips-for-families-planning-a-family-winter-ski-vacation-in-keystone-colorado.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/vacations/ski-tips-for-families-planning-a-family-winter-ski-vacation-in-keystone-colorado.html Fri, 05 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0600 Tip 1: Get discounted lift tickets

There are many ways to save money on lift tickets. Here are a few:

Look for season passes before the real season begins (season passes are often sold months in advance as well as multi-visit passes and online tickets). These passes are typically only available in person over the summer, but after you get one, you can renew online. A summer trip to Colorado can pay for itself by buying season passes for your family!
The best place to buy single day tickets is at a local grocery store like King Soupers or Safeway or Albertsons. There are kiosks in the stores with the latest prices.
Skiing in off-peak times (any time other than over the holidays and from mid feb – march) can often save you money as well.
Discounted lift tickets are often provided when you sign up for lessons
Perhaps the best way to obtain discounted lift tickets is to purchase them when you also purchase lodging through one of the smaller, more personalized property management companies. These companies are motivated you to save money on lift tickets to make your trip more affordable.

Tip 2: Save on lodging and accommodations by sharing or by renting privately and through smaller property management companies
The large ski resorts offer premium pricing on their lodging because of their monopoly in the resort area. There are many other options to paying premium dollars:
Book through smaller property management companies in Keystone other than the resort itself. Smaller companies spend comparatively very little on advertising and are closer to the condo owners and are able to pass on the savings to you.
Are your dates flexible? look for last minute deals for condos between other rentals.
Look for websites where you rent directly from the owner like Craigslist, vrbo, zipvacations and keystone.ownersguest.com

Tip 3: Buy Used Gear
Children outgrow their equipment so quickly that it rarely makes sense to buy new gear. There are many alternatives that can save you money:
Buy in the off season when there are substantial savings and before you are desperate for gear
Buy equipment at consignment stores and ski-swaps. Some Ski Retail stores even offer special lease and buyback programs for kids
Borrow from friends whose kids have outgrown their skis or boards
Small property management companies can often offer discounts on rental equipment because of their local business relationships. Plus they don’t make money on the rentals, so they want you to get the best deal possible.

Tip 4: Educate your children on the Responsibility Code for the Mountain
Regardless of the ability level of your children, they should always show courtesy to others. Familiarize them with the “Your Responsibility Code” which has been endorsed by the National Ski Areas Association. Many accidents can be avoided by adhering to the Code.
Always stay in control.
People ahead of you have the right of way.
Stop in a safe place for you and others.
Whenever starting downhill or merging, look uphill and yield.
Use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
Observe signs and warnings, and keep off closed trails.
Know how to use the lifts safely.

Tip 5: Have a plan in place in the event you become separated
Having a plan in place in the event your family becomes separated can prevent so much worry:
Establish a meeting place before you begin skiing. The information booth or a particular chair lift is a good idea
Have your child carry a note in his or her pocket with your home, cell phone and lodging phone number
Consider purchasing a family walkie-talkie set. The prices on these devices

A family ski vacation can be one of the most memorable and enjoyable vacations together. By planning in advance, you are ensured a more relaxed and peaceful time.

--
Steve Falk is the co-owner and operator of Skyrun.com Property Management services which provides Keystone Resort Lodging in Keystone Ski Resort, Colorado. Being in the industry for many years, he can help find the best deals in lodging, lift tickets and ski rentals. Be sure to visit www.SkyRun.com for more information on discount lodging and ski rentals.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>