Vacation Rentals - Renting from an owner

-->
There is a category of family vacationers who are not content to stay in a hotel. They have discovered the benefits of renting a privately owned condominium or house. They have become accustomed to the extra space and privacy a condo or home gives them.
If you are travelling as a family, having a separate room for the children not only means more space. It also means more privacy. What adult wants to walk around in various stages of bedroom dress while kids are in the room? In fact, what kid wants to see they spectacle?
It is also generally more pleasant just to have a room to get away to. Some condos offer extra bedrooms, and most houses have several options for who sleeps where. Families with more than one or two kids find the benefits even more advantageous.
Of course, you always can rent multiple hotel rooms or suites. Most families don’t have that kind of money however.
And the average hotel room or suite lacks another benefit of condo or home vacationing: the availability of kitchen facilities. The ability to prepare your own food from time to time takes the pressure off your timetable and your budget.
The next question is whether to rent directly from a private owner or through a rental manager.
The advantage of an owner direct rental usually is a price break. If an owner hires a rental manager to maintain the property when the owner is away, check in guests when they arrive and standby for repairs and emergencies, the rental manager is going to want to be paid for those services. Without a rental manager to pay, the private owner can rent his or her place for less, discounting the cost of the manager’s service.
Direct-from-owner rentals may however turn out negative for various things. Based on my research and experience there are complications that may occur. For example, how do you check in if your owner is not on the premises? Did you get a key in the mail? Are you sure the key will work when you get to the unit? What if it does not work? What if you misplace the key, or lock yourself out of the unit? How will you get back in?
If the owner has arranged to have a neighbour or friend let you in when you arrive, what happens if your arrival is delayed. Will the neighbour be happy to let you in at 2 am in morning?
What if something unanticipated happens while you are there?
Then there is the question of cleanliness. A private owner can contract with an independent cleaning service. Again, the cleaning will be only as good as the contract cleaner. If the bed linens are laundered in the unit, will the water be hot enough to sanitize the sheets and towels?
Even overall condition can be questionable. Periodically, we read about people who show up at their units only to find that the photos representing the place were taken months and many tenants earlier. Furnishings are worn and premises are dirty. In one case, the renter refused to stay overnight in the unit because it was so filthy. The owner’s response was that he had paid an individual to maintain and keep the place clean. The owner had no idea that the individual he hired had not done the job.
While that may be a good excuse for the owner, it was scant satisfaction for the guest whose vacation started out as a disaster.
As tempting as is the appeal of a lower cost, the consequences may be far more costly in time, money and vacation experience than the savings. For some families, the savings may be worth the risk. Just so long as they understand what the risk is.

Muriel Rammos

owner of Villa Cassiopee

Tips to find the best vacation rentals in Greece

Life is setting more and more hurdles for any of us. We are currently running an economic crisis, probably one of the worst ever. Many people acknowledge the threat of pay cuts. So, it comes as no surprise that more and more people are opting for small but affordable breaks. People no longer desire to be greedy on luxurious hotels and resorts. This is too expensive. However, both pleasure and necessity are needed by people who work hard and take the time to experience the best that this life has to offer. As much as frugality is a well respected feature; knowing when to splurge a little bit on ourselves and our loved ones is necessary to maintain perspective in our hectic lives.

More and more tourists are therefore looking for a different kind of vacation experience. Staying in a overcrowded hotel room is quiet inconvenient, painful even.

Vacation rentals look a wiser and more affordable alternative.

Vacation rentals offer guests the same luxury and amenities as a popular resort, at a fraction of the cost. Typically, vacation rentals are compact homes or apartments that are rented out to visitors on a temporary basis. As a travel option, renting out charming cottages in prime tourist locations started in Greece. These days, vacation rentals are so popular that they may pose in the near future a serious threat to the hotel industry.

Although package holidays often look like the best deal, make sure you look at everything you have to spend, not just the published price of the package. Lots of holiday rentals cater for large groups, and this is where the bargains are to be found. If three couples share a four bedroom villa for a week, you will be flabbergasted by how little the price works out to be per person having still a spare room for friends or kids. Compare the price of those holiday rentals with what your travel agent offers, and the private holiday rentals win hands down! The key to saving money on your holiday is being able to choose your location and book your travel arrangements separately.

The great advantage of going for the private holiday rentals is that you are fully in control.

Now, once you have made up your mind on this, you can move on to the next step. There are two kinds of vacation rentals; those let out by individual owners and those that are offered on rent through travel agencies. Here is the next decision you have to make. What kind of rental should you opt for?

By booking your villa or apartment directly with the owner, you avoid having to pay any agent fees or booking fees, and you get to speak directly with people who own the holiday rentals and who know the property and the surrounding area. How often do you get that when you phone one of the major travel agents?

OK, you may say, what is the hitch in this option? Well, there is nothing wrong with booking with an individual owner, if you know their credentials. How this is done. If you know that a particular property is genuine and that they have all the facilities that you see in the pictures and that the property is suitably located and suits your budget, then you can go ahead and book the rental. You have to ensure though you have access to this kind of information.

Most vacation rentals are booked online. Many people start their search and book their holiday villa long time in advance, others just few weeks before they leave. In either case, quick and reliable responses are a must. When you contact owners directly by making an enquiry, you must receive an immediate response. The same goes for follow-up questions.

An owner must be able to show his/her commitment on offering what his/her ad, or website presents. The personal contact through a call can be decisive. So, check if there is a phone number, and if there is no one ask for it and get in contact with the owner. After all, behind any service there are real people who can (should) reply immediately to all your questions.

That way, you avoid falling into scams and can be ensured that you get your money's worth.

Muriel Rammos
owner of Villa Cassiopee

Five Things To Do In Skiathos

-->

Skiathos is only 46 sq km, but many people choose to return for their holidays year after year for the simple fact that it has amongst the best beaches of the Greek islands, a large variety of taverns, bars and places to stay and the fact that it is absolutely gorgeous.

It is a verdant, green island with over 60 beaches and depending on where you stay, you can have a quiet, relaxing holiday or a more active one doing excursions, sports and enjoying the nightlife.The locals mainly live off tourism and agriculture. They grow olives, fruit and walnuts and there is both local honey and wine. Many of the islanders leave the island in the winter and work on the mainland.

Skiathos is a popular summer resort for British and Scandinavian holidaymakers, but there are also many Italians, Germans, Dutch and Swiss. The Greeks also love Skiathos, and they like to see it as a bit of a cosmopolitan island.

It is also a home to many of the best holiday villas in Greece. The island has become popular with families going on self catering holidays and booking holiday villas and apartments in Skiathos.

Families come back to Skiathos and stay in holiday villas and apartments year after year. They are drawn back to this beautiful island of Skiathos as there are so many facilities and recreational amenities. Families, couples and friends enjoy the diversity this island has to offer and make it a very popular holiday rental accommodation island.

When you come to Skiathos town, “Chora”, you can not miss out on shopping at all. Chora is full of interesting shops, restaurants, bars and cafes that can provide you with the best feel in the world. The charm of shopping is due to the souvenir shops, local crafts and the amazing narrow streets full of lovely restaurants, bars and shops and open air movie as well that render the experience as further blissful.

Skiathos is known all over the world for the amazing sandy beaches it has and thereby is also known to be a perfect destination if family trips and vacations are to be planned.

When you come here make sure you do not miss over the Evagelistria monastery which is a well known landmark of the place as it was the starting point of the 19^th century Greek Revolution against the Ottoman Empire. It is charismatic and charming and represents the olden times of the place.

The monastery Evangelistra is situated a 30 minute drive outside Chora. It has some amazing surroundings and is open for the public. Characteristic for the monastery are the many friendly cats, birds and dog that live here. Evangelistra also has a small museum with various objects from its history. There is also an excellent shop here where you can buy icons, crucifixes, plates, T-shirts and even wine.

Another monastery is Kounistra monastery further away from Chora. Here, a monk found an icon of the Virgin Mary hanging in a tree in the 17th century, and the monastery was built after the icon: Kounistra means "the swinging". This used to be a school during the Ottoman rule, and you are free to walk around in it. The icon is the Tris Ierarches church in Chora today, so the Kounistra church only holds a copy.

Then another must visit is the house of Papadiamantis, in which Alexandros Papadiamantis, one of the most important Greek authors of the past century was born, lived and died. It was built in 1850 -1860 by father Adamantios, the author's grandfather. The ground floor was used for storage and the first floor for habitation. It is a small two-story-building of folk architecture, 35 m² in the ground floor and 40 m² in the first floor. Its walls are made either of stone or of "tsatma" -light construction of wood and plaster.

There is also the Bourtzi, a tiny peninsula in the harbour which used to be a Venetians citadel, with remains of the 13 century wall and canons. Here, you can enjoy concerts, art exhibitions and puppet shows for children in the open air theatre.

If you wish to indulge in some great sports then they are available here in abundance as well so that thrill and excitement is infused to your very trip. Here, you can indulge greatly in the famous water sports at the world popular sandy beaches. Be it water skiing, canoeing, wind surfing, speed boating or scuba diving, Skiathos has it all.

Families come to Skiathos to rent villas and use it as a base to explore this beautiful island. Find here more info on skiathos

Muriel Rammos

Owner of Villa Cassiopee

--> -->

Booking vacation rentals -The first Tip: Start Now

-->

1. Start now

-->

January, February and March are the best months to book early enough if you want an exclusive villa that's on the water, available on your luxury summer holidays and notorious as a hot-spot during the summer months. And this means if you are set on going to Greece and in particular the Greek islands, you better start your planning now.

In fact many families book their summer holiday rentals at places like Skiathos in Greece almost a year in advance. Unless you're a bit more flexible with your destination, you better start now, if you're counting on finding a deal.

2. Consider your timing

The most popular vacation months -- July and August -- are going to cost more. You can save a ton of cash if you skip the high season. You could save at least 20% to 40% if you book your rexclusive villa in late May/early June, or September/October.

3. Go it alone

Avoid rental agents. There is plenty of exploring on the Internet you can do on your own. You'll be able to skip out on fees which can be up to 10%. Rental owners generally include many pictures of the exclusive villa, a description of the holiday villa and what's in the local area.

You'll be able to correspond with the vacation rental owner through e-mail, or by phone and have a direct more personal contact than with a rental agent.

If you want to start your journey, check out the following Web site for your next vacation rental by owner at: Villa Cassiopee.

4. Get down to the nitty-gritty

Many people think about their vacation rentals as a home away from home. So before you invest, make sure that all the amenities you're used to at home will be available.

Generally your kitchenware and your utensils are provided. But you may want to ask if there is a washer and dryer or a dishwasher available. Check if all you need is available.

5. Protect your investment

Just in case your vacation dream home turns out to resemble something more like out of the Addams Family mansion, you'll want to make sure you have recourse. Always pay by credit card. It will be harder to get your money back if you pay in cash or by check. Plus you may be protected by the fair credit billing act.

Keep in mind that unlike hotels, payment options and cancellation policies vary widely with vacation home owners. Some rentals may have generous policies in the off-season, but in the peak season they may be come quite limited. You should know the details before you sign on the dotted line. You may also try to work out a payment schedule so you don't have to pay all the money upfront. And of course, you should only pay the landlord who is named in the rental contract.

Travel Stress Free to the Destination of your Vacation Rental using Local Airports - The example of Skiathos airport

Local airports are perhaps the greatest method of travel left for those desiring peace and a more efficient solution for their travel needs, rather than having to travel to a major international one with the parking and security stress that often comes with the territory.

Many people think of major airports and cringe at the thoughts of lines requiring hours to get through, thousands of people going in different directions at once, constant worries of baggage and claim issues, and confusing parking policies. Yet, there is one way to fly that completely removes all these worries at the same time - the local airport.

These smaller facilities are typically just as reliable as the major airports, but with many advantages. The fares are often more affordable and the queues are far shorter. Because these airlines serve fewer passengers, you will reach your destination faster and with less hassle.The ease of parking in regional airports is another convenience many passengers enjoy.

Regional airports offer services that will take you into large cities, but also offer options of bypassing more urban areas when the final destination is on the outskirts of a major metropolitan area. These airports use smaller planes, allowing greater access to additional facilities, regardless of where you travel.

Many locations are limited to regional airports, and if you choose a major airline, you will need to either board a second, smaller airplane to reach your destination or drive a considerable distance.

Regional airports today are as connected as major airlines through technology. Weather, security information and all other relevant details are available through regional airports, just as with major airlines.

For a fine example of the regional possibilities for travelers, take the beautiful island of Skiathos. This is one of the Sporades Islands and offers lush beauty for all visitors. The Skiathos Island National Airport is an airport in Skiathos, Greece. It is a wonderful example of how these smaller facilities can take you easily to extraordinary locations.

Skiathos Island National Airport (IATA: JSI, ICAO: LGSK) is an airport in Skiathos, Greece. Its 5,341-foot runway is able to accommodate aircraft up to the size of a Boeing 757-200. Thomson Airways is the only operator to fly the Boeing 757-200 to Skiathos.

Many Airlines companies operate chartered flights to Skiathos directly, as shown below:

- Austrian Airlines (Vienna) [begins May 30]
- Edelweiss Air (Zurich) [begins May 17]
- Jat Airways (Belgrade)
- Neos (Bologna)
- Novair(Stockholm)
- Olympic Airlines (Athens)
- Thomas Cook Airlines (East Midlands [begins 22 May; seasonal], London-Gatwick [seasonal],

Manchester [seasonal], Newcastle [begins 8 May; seasonal])
- Thomson Airways (London-Gatwick [seasonal], Manchester [seasonal])
- transavia.com (Amsterdam)

From Skiathos, you can also visit the other Sporades Islands (a group of 24 islands in total but only four more inhabited, Skopelos, Alonisos, Peristera and Skyros)

Using a local airport does not mean you are missing out on any destination, it only means you are expanding the potential of your travels to reach far more exotic locations in the world.

Muriel Rammos

Owner of Villa Cassiopee

Tips for Cheap Airline Flights

The key to finding the best deals on cheap international flights is to plan your getaway as far in advance as you can. Discounts can be sizable if you can select your flight with at least a 21-day advance purchase.

Many of the cheap international flights are available directly from the airlines, who offer non published fares not often found for domestic travel. As an added bonus, you may find your other needs, such as lodging and attraction tickets may be cheaper as well with enough notice.

Book your flight at an inconvenient day time for businessman, i.e. at extremes times of the day before 9am and after 5pm. You are more likely to receive a cheaper ticket.

The same way, book your flight so that you stay over for a Saturday and/or a Friday. Avoid flying Mondays and Fridays. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days to fly.Use alternate airports when searching for airfare. Most major cities have more than one.
Smaller Airlines- Your Gateway to Cheap International FlightsSmaller airlines have less of an overhead and therefore are able to pass their savings on to you. EasyJet offers some of best deals on cheap international flights. This company does not even pay a commission to travel agents so they are able to reduce the public fares. Many times you will not have a meal or a movie, but this may pale in comparison to the savings you can pocket.Do your research. Many cheap fares can be found online. Online travel sites and destination specialty companies now offer the opportunity to plan your entire vacation with just a few clicks of the mouse. Be sure you are ready to purchase your tickets, however, because airfare prices can change within a matter of hours. Take the time to try several sites and don't be afraid to contact the companies directly. Many times a travel agency will match or beat someone else's best deal, or even offer some bonuses, just to get your business.
Following these easy tips and advice should help you find several cheap flights to your chosen destinations. However, if you wish you can go much further and get real opportunities for cheap air tickets and not only. Check this to find out: Click Here!

Muriel Rammosowner of Villa Cassiopeehttp://villacassiopee.com