“Occupying an elevated position Valmar affords our guests views that they often tell us are ‘stunning’”

AND…

“have a glass (or two) of your favourite tipple by the pool and do some star gazing, the skies in this part of the world are so clear and give you another ‘amazing view’”

1) Tell us a little about your gite.

Valmar Gite is a two bedroom home with pool, sleeping 2 – 4 guests in comfort and is situated in the countryside of the dept of Lot et Garonne, in South West France, close to the bastide town of Villeneuve-sur-lot. Valmar nestles quietly on the side of a hill in just under an acre of private grounds. It is the only Gite within the grounds, so no sharing the pool or amenities with guests of neighbouring properties. Occupying an elevated position Valmar affords our guests views that they often tell us are ‘stunning’.

2) What made you buy the gite? Was it financial, emotional, a connection with the area, or something else?

Having holidayed in several regions of France, we fell in love with the laid-back feeling of the South West. The climate is hot enough in the summer for a good tan, but unlike further south, which is a bit too arid for us, it is really quite green and reminds us of the English countryside back home.

We initially intended going down the ‘buy a ruin and refurbish’ route, but ended up buying a beautiful plot of land and commissioning a local french builder to create a home in very traditional style, but with ‘all mod cons’.

3) What’s the best thing about this part of France? Is it the scenery, the pace of life, the locals, the activities, etc?

What we like about the Lot et Garonne is that visitors really do have the best of both worlds. You won’t be involved in the mass hustle and bustle of tourism, in fact rush hour traffic tends to consist of more than one tractor bimbling along the country lane at any one time. The area is very tranquil, but there is a fantastic amount to see and do locally, whether it’s canoeing, boat trips, waterskiing (or other watersports on the nearby river Lot), a family trip to the waterpark, ‘Walibi Aquitaine’, and mountain biking around local trails. Or, or for the less energetic, sightseeing Chateux, the National Water Lilly gardens, or a visit to some of the most beautiful and historic Bastide towns in France. There really is a great choice for all the family.

4) What are the 3 special touches you add to enhance the guest experience?

1. To help get our guests holiday off to the best possible start we like to try and take some of the stress out of their journey to Valmar. With this in mind we put together a ‘Valmar Information Pack’, which consists of door to door directions from their arrival airport/ferry port to Valmar, a complimentary map of the local area to help them find their way around easily and a ‘Martins top tips for driving in France’ leaflet, that I devised myself.

2. Guests then find a Welcome pack on their arrival, consisting of basic provisions to tide them over until they visit the local shops, including a bottle of wine, tea, coffee, milk etc.

3. If we become aware that a special occasion falls due during their stay, a complimentary bottle of bubbly is the order of the day.

5) If a guest had just one day staying in your gite what would you recommend they do for the perfect experience?

Turn left (or right) out of the gates at Valmar and take yourself for a brisk walk along the lane. Listen to the local hoopoe birds sing, you might be lucky enough to see a wild roebuck and then back for a breakfast of fresh bread or croissant and locally made jam, with fresh coffee.

If you’re a family group, head off down to the river and enjoy some canoeing, or a boat trip, or alternatively visit an ancient Chateaux. Have a spot of lunch on the promenade at Villeneuve and then, in the afternoon, back to the pool at Valmar. For your evening meal go to ‘La Source’, our favourite local restaurant and watch the sun set over the river.

When you arrive back at Valmar have a glass (or two) of your favourite tipple by the pool and do some star gazing, the skies in this part of the world are so clear and give you another ‘amazing view’.

To rent the two bedroom gite from Martin, please contact him through the above links.

“The most common feedback from our customers is how calm and tranquil it is here. Sitting by the lakes you feel you are miles from anywhere, yet you can nip to the shops or out for dinner in an instant!”

1) Tell us a little about your fishing gites.

Our property is a complex of two traditional gites (a barn conversion), set in mature gardens of 2.5 hectares with two fishing lakes. We are in a rural peaceful hamlet, surrounded by Apple orchards, yet only 2 kilometres from a town with a supermarket, bars and restaurants and all the amenities.

2) What made you buy the gites? Was it financial, emotional, a connection with the area, or something else?

A series of tragic circumstances, including being in Thailand when the Boxing Day Tsunami occurred, caused us to re-evaluate life. We felt unbelievably lucky to be alive, and that the lives we had were worth more than waiting for redundancy from an IT career, and trying to drum up ceramic tiling business in a deepening recession. We realised we didn’t need material things to make us happy, we had our health and each other. In 2008 we started a 4 year adventure in our motor-home, working the summers on campsites, and seeking out the sun in France and Spain in the winters. Each time we travelled through France, particularly the Poitou-Charentes, we felt like we had come home. We finally decided to start a property search in 2011, and the number 1 MUST HAVE was a fishing lake! We weren’t looking for a gite business, because we felt it was a market that was fairly well saturated, but when we saw the property and lakes, and realised it had an established reputation with French customers, we felt we had the opportunity to improve on it.

3) What’s the best thing about this part of France? Is it the scenery, the pace of life, the locals, the activities, etc?

We are situated in the Gatine with its rolling countryside – which reminds us of West Sussex, where we lived in the UK. Not only is the countryside very pretty, with plenty of places to walk, cycle, fish or bird-watch, but within an hour’s drive in any direction you will find tourist attractions such as Futuroscope, Puy de Fou, Pescalis, and La Rochelle. The most common feedback from our customers is how calm and tranquil it is here. Sitting by the lakes you feel you are miles from anywhere, yet you can nip to the shops or out for dinner in an instant!

4) What are the 3 special touches you add to enhance the guest experience?

1. Give them space! Not just the feeling of space in the garden or by the lakes – but to be on hand without crowding them.

2. High maintenance! Not only are the gites spotlessly clean and comfortable, but the land and lakes are kept tidy, but natural. We have worked on leisure sites accredited with awards from the David Bellamy’s conservation scheme – and we apply what we have learned to our land. Although the trees and grass are well maintained, we intentionally leave areas uncut to encourage wildlife. We have banks of wild flowers to attract bees and butterflies, and natural wood piles to attract insects, which in turn attract different varieties of bird.

3. Excellent family fishing! We do not aim to compete with the ‘monster carp’ fishing venues found all over France – but to anglers of any age who simply like catching good specimen fish – either of our lakes will give a good day’s catch.

5) If a guest had just one day staying in one of your gites what would you recommend they do for the perfect experience?

Relax! Enjoy the peace and tranquillity, have a barbecue, or perhaps a picnic under the shade of the walnut tree overlooking the lake.

To rent either of the one or two bedroom fishing gites from Julie, please use the contact details on the above links.

“Watching the sun come up over Kenmare Bay; 90 acres overlooking the sea; rugged coastline; wildflowers; green; connection to the country; hiking trails; reward yourself with a pint; lunch in one of the local pubs; casual; gather around the dining room table for a game of cards; great friends; family; cozy rooms; fall asleep to the sound of the sea!”

1) Tell us a little about your cottage.

It is a 5 bedroom, 3 bath two story stone house built on 90 acres overlooking the sea. It has everything you need including a full kitchen with microwave, oven, gas stove and dishwasher, a mudroom with a washer and dryer, satellite TV, dvd, wifi, gas BBQ, outdoor seating, and loads of room to spread out in. Perfect for a family trip!

2) What made you buy the cottage? Was it financial, emotional, a connection with the area, or something else?

My husband inherited the 90 acre farm from his father and in 2001 we decided that we wanted to build our own holiday home on it. There were a few reasons for this. First, we were living in London at the time and spending a lot of time in Ireland and really wanted a place of our own to stay instead of imposing on relatives. Secondly, when our kids came along we wanted them to have a connection to the country and people that half of their family is from. We have been going there every summer since they were born and not only do they know every inch of the place, but have also made great friends that they look forward to seeing every year. Lastly, we knew that eventually we wanted to spend half of the year in Ireland when we retire so we figured why wait until then to build when we can enjoy it now as well!

3) What’s the best thing about this part of Ireland? Is it the scenery, the pace of life, the locals, the activities, etc?

All of the above actually. The scenery in southern Kerry is truly breathtaking. The rugged coastline, the wildflowers, the different shades of green, and the views of the sea are really not to be missed! The pace of life in Caherdaniel is very casual. Spring and fall are quite peaceful with few tourists around, a great advantage if you are not held to school schedules. Summer, like most beach towns really comes to life with people coming from all over the world to take in the sights, beaches, golfing, hiking, cycling, or just enjoying the laid back atmosphere of our village. The locals in and around our village are very charming and helpful. Many of them own the local restaurants, pubs, and shops that you can visit while you are there. Lastly, our area has something for everyone. Beaches, hiking, cycling, fishing, horseback riding, snorkeling, kayaking, sightseeing, shopping, and the list goes on!

4) What are the 3 special touches you add to enhance the guest experience?

It’s hard to pick out anything specific, but…

1. For people coming from countries where they do not use 220 voltage we have a charging station for electronics using 120 volts and adapters for their use so that they don’t have to worry about bringing all of that with them. We also have several hairdryers so no worries about adapters for them, not to mention taking up space in their luggage!

2. We have a welcome book with all of the local information including where to eat, get a pint, shop, swim, sightsee, etc and a welcome snack so that guests don’t have to run to the market as soon as they get there.

3. One of our newest additions to the house are two kayaks that our guests are free to use. Paddling out into the sea is a wonderful way to see the coastline from a different perspective.

5) If a guest had just one day staying in your cottage what would you recommend they do for the perfect experience?

Start the day with your cup of coffee either sitting in the bay window or out on the patio watching the sun come up over Kenmare Bay. Then, if you are a golfer head over to one of the 6 golf courses within a 40 minute drive, play a round and reward yourself with a pint after. If some of your party are not golfers, they can go on a hike from one village to another on one of the many hiking trails in the Kerry Way system and stop for lunch in one of the local pubs when they finish. Later, you can all meet at one of the many beaches to spend the afternoon swimming, kayaking, or lazing with a book, then head up to the house for an evening cocktail or cup of tea out on the patio. Later, go to one of our local restaurants for dinner or stay home and make yourself a feast, then sit by the fire and enjoy a movie or gather around the dining room table for a game of cards. When it’s time for lights out, head to one of our cozy rooms to sleep with the windows open and fall asleep to the sound of the sea.

You can probably tell I’m about to start a rant! Well no, not really, although my summer has revealed some rather interesting examples of just how reviews need a strong pinch of salt thrown in…

Hotel Review Disappointment

Over the last few weeks I’ve touched down in LA, NYC and London. I know, I’m soooo cool. Well, ok, the night in NYC was a hotel off JFK Airport! The JFK Hilton to be precise. Not cheap at $249 a night but then the alternatives were the Sheraton and the DoubleTree (by Hilton), both were over $200. Stuck with a feeling that they’re all the same I turned to TripAdvisor…

JFK Hilton: 3rd ranked (of 22 in the area) with 4/5 rating, decent reviews
JFK Sheraton: 17th ranked with 3/5, plenty of mixed reviews
JFK DoubleTree: 19th ranked with 2.5/5, some awful reviewes

Easy right? Hilton all the way. Not to mention it’s a pretty trusted brand. Priced a few dollars higher, but no risk. Of course you know from my tone that my experience was awful. Unfriendly staff, poor restaurant, in room AC not working (they fixed it but then it broke again, too late at 11PM to switch rooms). In fact the AC itself sounded like one of the planes outside and it couldn’t be switched off! I’m still (4 weeks later) waiting for my calls to be returned.

[Interestingly, had I looked at the Sheraton today for a stay, I would have been more likely to book than last time. Why? Because the reviews from the last few days are amazing].

A few days later I was at the Westin Mission Hills in Palm Desert. An altogether different vibe! A fantastic experience of incredibly polite staff (even offering me a room choice at check in), a clean and fresh room (with reliable AC), all for $149. Yes it was that cheap, but then it was the off season with 115F temperatures in the desert. Cynics amongst us understand this is why I was offered a room choice, from staff that were, of course, calm and polite owing to the off season!

TA reviews were good by the way. However the reviews on Westin’s own site are strange. The first page glows (of course). But get to the later pages and some awful comments start to appear. And the responses from Westin are shocking in their rather impersonal, stock answer kind of way. Surprising for such a great brand not to take advantage of an opportunity to show real care.

Do Accommodation Reviews Really Matter?

There were a few other hotel stays but the point’s already made: Reviews are, at best, vaguely reliable in forming a decision on where to stay. At worst they distort reality. The only time they truly matter is in extremes. When a place has exclusively fantastic reviews, or exclusively awful. Anything in between you’re better off using your own judgement.

Mark Hodson, ex Sunday Times travel writer, participated with us in a recent Q&A about the state of the holiday rental industry. He made the following comment about holiday rentals:

“Probably the biggest drawback is the risk that your expectations might not be met. Some people will book a Hyatt or a Four Seasons hotel because they know exactly what to expect. You don’t always get that reassurance with rental properties.”

He’s right, the risk exists. And he’s also right that higher end brands like Four Seasons are almost always a slam dunk. But he’s also missed the point a little (if I can dare to challenge such a master!). If you’re about to book a hotel you scour the web in search of any titbit of information that will help you decide if it’s the place for you. Inevitably, unless it’s the extremes, you make your own choice. You can’t call the hotel owner and interview them (well not usually)! But here’s the kicker: Renters of holiday homes CAN call the owner.

What other form of accommodation do you get this access to the very person who relies on you having the time of your life? I’ve rented for over 15 years and I do it every time. You get an instant sense of whether this is an owner who is a “fit” for you. If you’re savvy enough you can eliminate most of the risk. And it works both ways, owners can also form an opinion about the guest that’s about to spend time in their prized asset.

Don’t Obsess!

So read the reviews, but don’t obsess. Look quickly for the extremes and then call the owner. If they turn you off, move on to the next one!

Mark Hodson spent 12 years as a travel journalist for The Sunday Times in London before setting up Travel SEO in 2006. He now runs training courses in search, social media and online PR and is co-founder of the travel inspiration websites, 101 Holidays and 101 Honeymoons. In this interview for Getaway Earth Holiday Rentals Mark gives us his view on the state of the holiday rental industry…

Q: I read in an article you wrote here about how hard it is to make a living in the insanely competitive travel writing market, exacerbated by the ease with which writers can get started these days via blogs. It reminds me of the competitive holiday rental industry! What do you think of the state of this industry?

There are similarities. The web has lowered the barriers to entry for both travel writers and holiday rental companies. You no longer need to invest in a shop front or an expensive brochure run in order to sell self-catering properties.

Another similarity – in my view – is that consumers are showing signs of being overwhelmed by the proliferation of choice and are looking for expert advice. There comes a point where choice turns from being a benefit into a burden. For example, if you are choosing between three types of coffee, that’s a pleasant choice. But having to choose between 300 types of coffee would be tiresome.

Choice has always been one of the key selling points of the holiday rental industry. Rather than being faced with a selection of lookalike hotels, travellers can pick from a vast selection to find the property that is exactly right for them. At least, that’s the theory. In reality, people’s time and attention span is limited and they increasingly want guidance and curation, whether that is web-based or face-to-face.

Q: What do you think holiday rentals have over other forms of accommodation? Conversely what do you think they might lack?

Aside from choice (see above), holiday rentals offer the consumer freedom, personal space and the chance to set their own agenda on vacation. As a general rule, holiday rental properties tend to be larger than hotel rooms, and you are not constantly surrounded by other people, telling you when to eat and what type of fun you should be having. That’s something I value personally.

Probably the biggest drawback is the risk that your expectations might not be met. Some people will book a Hyatt or a Four Seasons hotel because they know exactly what to expect. You don’t always get that reassurance with rental properties.

Q: We see that you have a family and that your favourite countries include Italy, India, Spain, South Africa and parts of the Caribbean and SE Asia. There are some great holiday rental options in those countries for families. What would it take to convince you to stay in one? Maybe you don’t even need convincing!

Some countries lend themselves to self-catering, others don’t. We would be more likely to rent a holiday home in the Mediterranean where we can buy food at local shops and markets, and where restaurants are relatively expensive. But in India for Thailand, for example, there is so much fabulous food available everywhere you look and at low prices, there doesn’t seem any point in trying to replicate that yourself.

But while we wouldn’t be interested in self-catering in India or Thailand, we might still rent a holiday home if we knew that there were lots of restaurants and food stalls on the doorstep. We’ve done this in the Caribbean (Grenada and Tobago) and it’s worked very well. In Tobago we bought fish direct from the fishermen selling on the side of the road and cooked it on our barbecue.

Q: What do you think is the future of the holiday rental industry?

I think we’ll see some consolidation in the near future. Unfortunately, Google has made it harder for small companies to maintain visibility, as it rewards big brands in search. So a small holiday rental company with expert knowledge of a local area may lose out to a behemoth.

I also think that regulators might pay closer attention to the industry. In the UK, tour operators are covered by rigid Europe-wide regulation on product description and delivery. But companies only selling accommodation don’t face the same rigor. That might change and, while it should benefit the consumer, it could also be create further difficulties for small players.

Q: Knowing that, how do you think current holiday rental sites should react in order to succeed?

In terms of marketing, I think holiday rental companies should work on social media outreach, rather than solely focus on on-page SEO and linkbuilding, as many have. Social is a key component of search, but it’s also a hedge against future Google penalties. It’s not just Facebook and Twitter – some companies are getting referrals from Pinterest, for example.

In terms of regulation, companies need to work hard to ensure that their property descriptions are accurate and up to date.

“The opportunity to bring the Hacienda faithfully back its original Mexican Colonial stature was the dream of a lifetime.”

1) Tell us a little about your retreat.

La Casita Bed and Breakfast Retreat at Hacienda Rincon de la Loma is an intimate single “casita” guesthouse on the 7 acre grounds of our mission style Mexican Hacienda. The main Hacienda was inspired by the original owner’s childhood home in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. As our sole guests, this adult only property, offers a unique blend of privacy balanced with the level of attentiveness you desire. As a full bed and breakfast your hosts and owners, Kent & Nancy Driesbock, take great pleasure in sharing their love of cooking Mexican cuisine each morning and offer, as an add-on, a personally prepared gourmet Mexican dinner on the Hacienda’s Veranda one evening during your stay.

2) What made you buy your Arizona retreat? Was it financial, emotional, a connection with the area, or something else?

Emotional for sure, on two levels. We are lovers of all things associated with Mexican Colonial heritage. Purchasing this property gave us the ability to live each day surrounded by this style of living and its wonderful heritage. When we purchased the property it had sadly fallen into a terrible state of disrepair. On another emotional level, the opportunity to bring the Hacienda faithfully back its original Mexican Colonial stature was the dream of a lifetime. After two years of full time renovation we felt it would be special to share it with others. Hence, we decided to offer the Casita guesthouse as a Bed and Breakfast. We love allowing others to experience our dream.

3) What’s the best thing about this part of the world? Is it the scenery, the pace of life, the locals, the activities, etc?

Southern Arizona offers visitors a remarkably diverse experience. Located in the spectacular Sonoran Desert visitors have the opportunity to explore the natural wonders of the desert, revisit our “wild west” history in the nearby towns of Tombstone and Bisbee, golf on over 25 courses within 50 miles, or experience our Mexican Colonial heritage by touring our historical missions. Ten minutes away is the Tubac Art Colony with its many galleries, shops and fine eating establishments. If it is just relaxation you are in search of, the cobalt blue Mexican tiled pool right outside your casita offers views from the Hacienda that are the perfect retreat.

4) What are the 3 special touches you add to enhance the guest experience?

1. As our only guests, we take great pleasure in adapting to a pace you desire.

2. We love sharing our knowledge of southern Arizona to assure that your stay with us is an experience of a lifetime.

3. We value chatting each morning over a unique Mexican breakfast as it is our desire to treat our guests as friends. In the afternoons, if you should desire, join us for a glass of Arizona wine or Mexican beer with tortilla chips and freshly made salsa. We love to hear about that day’s experiences.

5) If a guest had just one day staying in your retreat what would you recommend they do for the perfect experience?

After a day of visiting the Tubac Art Colony and nearby historical Missions, take a relaxing dip in the pool and later in the evening join us for a gourmet Mexican dinner on the Hacienda Veranda as the sun sets in the west over the Tumacacori Mountains.

To rent this private retreat in Arizona from Kent, please use the contact details on the above links.

Chances are, if you’ve been in the holiday rental / vacation rental business for any length of time, you’ll have come across Heather Bayer. She’s an author, a blogger, a vacation rental owner, and all round guru of most aspects of this wonderful industry! So naturally we were delighted when she agreed to take part in an interview with us, and to elaborate on her upcoming e-book that’s being produced with a little help from her friends at Getaway Earth!

Q: Before we dive in, tell us a little about yourself and your background

Heather: I’m an expat Brit now living in Ontario, Canada running a very busy cottage rental agency – we manage the rentals of 200 properties – and I also do rental consultancy, write articles and blog on the industry. I’m passionate about raising standards in our industry, and am spearheading a movement in Ontario to encourage owners to take a more responsible approach to their rental activity, and to appreciate their unique position as a provider to the travelling public.

Q: What were your first experiences of holiday rentals?

Heather: As our children were growing up we rented holiday cottages in UK, France, the US and Canada, opting for vacation homes as opposed to taking package holidays as our friends did. The freedom it gave us to enjoy privacy with our family, eat when we wanted and what we wanted, and explore places (as the locals do) drove us to this holiday choice.

Q: But how did you end up going from holiday home renter to holiday home owner?!

Heather: When we discovered the beauty of Ontario in the late 1990’s we rented on three separate occasions and had some issues with each one – mostly in terms of cleanliness and poor amenities. On one memorable evening, we were looking in a real estate window at lakefront properties, and realized that the price of lakefront property, along with a favorable exchange rate, meant we could afford to buy a waterfront cottage and rent it out – to our standards.

Q: So it was the desire to improve standards in the holiday rental industry that proved the catalyst to you buying. But was it really that simple a problem to solve?

Heather: For the first couple of years before we moved out here permanently, we managed the rentals from the UK and employed local property caretakers to do the changeovers and maintenance. I learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t; how to manage guest expectations; why adding value means increased income; and collected a wealth of knowledge on the vacation rental industry – enough to fill a book – so Renting For Profit was published in 2003, and the second edition was updated as Renting Your Recreational Property for Profit in 2007. More recently, the contents of the book and much more, were converted to an online resource in a membership site at Renting for Profit and I’ve been working with my son Mike (also a cottage rental owner) to develop a range of resources to help owners achieve maximum occupancy. I’m currently writing a second book on buying for vacation rental and this should be published in early 2013.

Q: That’s quite a lot of learning! Was it really all worth it?

Heather: Going back to UK and managing the rental from a distance was a bit of a challenge! But the success of the rental showed us the wisdom of the decision, and also led to my passion to overhaul the cottage rental industry in this province. We were offering a magical location and also delivering a standard of amenities and service that was virtually unknown to the rental demographic we were targeting. The success of renting Beaver Creek Cottage led to us purchasing The River House (which featured in a double page spread in The Guardian after a travel journalist stayed there), then another 3 cottages. Applying the same model of excellence to each one, created a successful business that led to the formation of one of Ontario’s top rental management agencies.

Q: Tell us a little about your upcoming project to pull all these experiences and knowledge together into a new e-book. Where did the inspiration come from? What’s the purpose of the book?

Heather: When I was researching for Renting for Profit, I talked to a lot of owners and heard so many stories about their experiences of renting their properties, but was only able to incorporate a few into the book. There was so much in the way of collective knowledge, creativity and ideas out there, it was disappointing to have to exclude much of it. Given the book was more of a ‘how to’ project, the anecdotes were simply there to illustrate the teaching points and were not intended to stand alone as a narrative of what worked for those owners. However, the feedback I got pointed to those owner stories as valuable learning material for readers. The purpose of the new e-book is to focus exclusively on owner experiences and knowledge, and share that in a format that is easy for readers to assimilate and understand and then put into practice.

Q: Who have you chosen to collaborate on this project and why?

Heather: Once the inspiration had come to write this ebook I wanted to collaborate with someone who could bring a complementary but different perspective, and when I met Andy McNulty online and realized he shared my passion for this very personal industry from a guest viewpoint, the rest was history. As founder of Getaway Earth, Andy was already ‘there’ in terms of knowing what would be needed to make this a rewarding project for all involved and a valuable resource for owners, whether seasoned old-timers (in the best sense of the phrase) or newcomers to renting.

Q: Would you like contributions from other people? For example holiday home owners, past guests, etc?

Heather: The ebook will be separated into distinct chapters that each deal with different parts of the rental process and experience. For each topic we will need contributions from both owners and guests so we can present a balanced approach. As owners we often talk to each other on forums and social media but to hear an idea or solution to a problem from a past guest can often throw a completely new light on a subject. We hope to deliver a few ‘AHA’ moments by including some guest experiences. As an example from my own vacation home, I separated out a double bed which had a single bunk over the top, into a double and twin bed side-by-side. This was convenient for me because making up the beds became simpler, and I didn’t see any negative impact on guests because the bed configuration remained the same. However, the 7 yr old guest who had spent the previous 3 months looking forward to his first experience in a bunk bed, was very unhappy, and in turn didn’t make vacation time too happy for Mom and Dad. The learning point for me was unequivocal – don’t make changes without letting guests know, and be mindful that any change, however small, can have a big impact.

Q: So how can people get involved? What type of input and content are you looking for?

Heather: We are looking for stories and anecdotes about real situations; advice and recommendations on best practice; and images that illustrate any aspect of a great rental property. Andy and I will be preparing a short brief on the topics, word length, how to send us material etc. If you’d like to participate just let us know by emailing Andy direct: andy [at] getawayearth.com. He’ll then be in touch directly with you about the process, which we promise will be very light, no requests for many hours slogging away at a keyboard!

Andy: That’s probably enough from Heather (joke!). Here’s a little snippet about me: I’m a co-founder of Getaway Earth, a holiday rental website that presents high quality and informative listings from owners that genuinely care about first impressions and high standards of presentation. The desire to create such a site came from a lifetime of self catering holidays, from a kid through to being a parent, and in locations as varied as South Africa, Florida, South Carolina, California, UK, France, Spain and Portugal. Like Heather I’ve experienced the good, the bad, and the downright ugly and am determined to build a site that promotes high standards by encouraging owners that care!

Many of you will already know Darren Cronian from Travel Rants. For those that don’t, he’s a blogger and speaker who champions the rights of the holiday consumer. But take note: It’s really not a “rant”, he actually offers practical advice and tips to solve all manner of travel related problems!

The vacation rental industry, although small relative to the overall size of the travel industry, is growing rapidly. Competition is high, with fairly low barriers to entry. Consequently the market is fragmented and standards vary, depending on which site the consumer lands on. So we decided to approach Darren to find out what his view is on the holiday rental / vacation rental industry.

Q: Whilst the concept of vacation rentals is widely recognized in the US, do you feel that British holiday makers view holiday rentals as a competitive alternative to hotels, B&B’s, etc?

Darren: The short answer to your question is – Yes. I think there are a few factors that go into the decision of booking a holiday rental over a hotel or B&B, like the holiday destination, the size of the group, and the type of holiday you are looking for. I read a few months ago that most British holidaymakers book a villa, condo, or apartment when going on holiday to Florida, and I suspect that this is because for a family for two weeks it works out cheaper and are closer to the theme parks and other tourist attractions. It is worth consumers comparing the price of a holiday rental over a hotel, especially if there are a number of adults who are contributung towards the cost of the holiday.

Q: For British holidaymakers, which factors do you think are most important in choosing a holiday home – value for money, privacy, space and facilities, self-catering options or authenticity and the desire not to feel like just another “hotel key”?

Darren: I would say that the main factor for most consumers nowadays is value for money, there’s nothing worse than renting a “luxury apartment” to find that it is everything but luxury. Of the complaints I receive, a high percentage are because the holiday accommodation has not met their requirements. Facilities are important to the consumer too, so when a holiday rental is advertised as having specific facilities like a jacuzzi, make sure it works, and that there aren’t any hidden fees.

Q: If you were looking to book a holiday home, would you be happy booking via an automated portal, or would you want to enter into direct contact with the holiday home owner beforehand?

Darren: When I book a hotel or holiday, I do so through a reputable company, so I have trust in them, and that they will deliver what I have paid for. While you do hear horror stories of overbooking and miss-selling, the majority of consumers get what they have paid for. One of the fears that a lot of people have booking a holiday rental is that worry that when they arrive at the destination, that no accommodation will exist – they book through holiday homeowners, who are not big, popular brands. So, it is always more comforting when you speak to the owner, and you can tell how genuine they are, so for me, I think it is important to keep that direct contact with the holiday homeowner.

Getaway Earth: We believe this direct communication with the owner is critical. Ask as many questions as you can, check other sources of information (the owner’s own website, their Facebook page, etc), read reviews (but do so with common sense – see Darren’s comments below), etc. We published our own tips on what to do prior to parting with your money which we encourage you to read.

Q: With social media playing an ever greater role in travel and holiday decisions, what percentage of those booking a holiday home, in your opinion, would search for details and reviews of their holiday home on sites such as Facebook, Twitter or Tripadvisor before booking?

Darren: Reviews have always begin a debatable topic, because who do you trust? I would trust a friend or family member who recommend a holiday rental on Facebook or Twitter more than a group of random strangers on Trip Advisor. I still read the reviews on Trip advisor before booking because you can get some useful information, I.e. ask for a room on the third floor etc. The problem with reviews is that anyone can leave one – so my personal preference is that reviews are tied in with the renter – if you rented a villa, then, you can leave a review of it on the holiday rental website.

Q: Visiting holiday rental websites, which features do you think are the most important for holiday makers to see before booking?

Darren: I cannot understand why owners and rental websites do not use video more. To build trust in the holiday rental owners, it would be great to see them showing you around their home. Nowadays this need not be an expensive thing to do with even smart phones producing quality video.

Getaway Earth: We agree with Darren, video can be a very powerful tool yet we see it so rarely used. In our experience owners, who operate on tight margins, tend to view it as a costly production whose value in generating additional revenue is unproven. We actually partnered with Dan Childs to make the below video for one of our owners John Hobson. The price was cheaper than you’d think and we feel it was well worth the money…

Q: Other than video, what other features are important?

Darren: Aside from this I think it is important to see good quality, large photos – it really is something that makes me rant when I see small, grainy photos, it shows me that the owner does not care. Also information about each room in the property, and no hidden fees – one of the topics I receive most complaints about holiday rentals is arriving at the villa to find hidden costs for hot water in the pool, or usage of the jacuzzi.

Getaway Earth: The caring owners point is something we have decided to focus on. In our view, in such a highly fragmented market, it’s important to stand out. But not just superficially. We actually ask our owners to spend time and attention on their listing, the aim being to promote high standards of content and presentation, recognizing that we have one shot at attracting the travelers attention.

We are very grateful for Darren’s time and his valuable perspective. You can read more from him on his Travel Rants blog. If you’d like to express your own view on anything you’ve read please go right ahead and leave us a comment!

If you would like to list with Getaway Earth please feel free to take advantage of our free holiday rental listing offer by visiting our registration page.

Thanks for reading!

In the below interview we get to read the story of Scott Downs, owner of Eagle Fire Lodge, a 17 room lodge in Woodland Park, Colorado. I happened by chance to hear him telling his story on Public Radio here in the US a couple of days ago. Hearing how the fires (or media?) have affected his business, and sensing the passion and energy he’s summoned to deal with it all, moved me to contact him and ask if he’d be willing to take part in an interview for Getaway Earth. What I discovered through the process was a man who quickly realized the importance of fighting back, of using the very media who he feels have hurt his business, to try and recover from the crisis.

Tell us a little about yourself and the area in which you live and work

Eagle Fire Lodge is a 17 room lodge that offers a very high end experience at a price point that gives most people the opportunity to choose this style of lodging instead of a standard motel room. We are located in Woodland Park, Colorado, a community of 8,000 people completely surrounded by the 1.1 million acre Pike National forest. Colorado is an international attraction, and Pikes Peak is at the top of the list. We are 18 miles west of Colorado Springs, Colorado on highway 24. Highway 24 is a four lane highway into the mountains and is the second most travelled highway in the state leading into the mountains. In the summer months the traffic counts on this highway range from 60,000 vehicles to 80,000 vehicles per day, and therefore is a generator for much commerce in our community.

Woodland Park sits at the base of Pikes Peak, “America’s Mountain”, which climbs to 14,125′ above sea level, and is the landscape we all fell in love with. Woodland Park us uphill and upwind from Colorado Springs. The fire we are discussing, the Waldo Canyon Fire, reached a total of 18,300 acres, a fraction of the 1.1 million acres of the Pike National Forest. This fire was devastating to the Colorado Springs side of the fire, but was non existent to the Woodland Park side of the fire. All prayers go the the 346 families that lost their homes, and the families of the two fire deaths. I am a retired Colorado Springs firefighter which gives me a unique view of the area impacts from many different levels, and am now a happy lodge owner. This is a story about unintended consequences so for the remainder, I will focus on the business side of your questions, and thank all of your readers ahead of time letting me lay the ground work to understand my response to your questions.

The recent devastating Colorado fires are well known to those living in the US, but perhaps you could explain to those outside the US the scenes of the last few days and weeks?

Colorado is in my opinion the most beautiful state in the entire United States. We have it all here and because of that, much of the commerce state wide is based in the tourism industry. Some communities depend on a higher percentage of these tourism dollars than the others. These communities are usually in the much desirable small mountain communities in the state. These same communities have about 110 days per year to make as much as 60% of their total gross income.

Colorado is also in the American west which experiences drought conditions about once every 10 years. During these times of drought, we have fires that get larger, faster, and bigger than the normal years. In these same drought years, our winds come from the desert southwest 700 miles to our west, causing the humidity and moisture content of the plants to drop. It’s a good recipe for fires. This year is a drought year and has experienced fires very similar to the last drought year in 2002. The point here is that we did have fires, but it was not uncommon to drought year fire behavior. The big game changer in recent fires has nothing to do with the fire, but everything to do with the media outlets, social media, facebook, etc. Never before has the entire world been able to watch firsthand an event unfold before their very eyes live. This live feed is fast and very emotional to the viewer when viewing large active fires of any kind. The media personnel assigned to these live feeds cant get information fast enough to explain the current fire behaviour, so they fill the voids with all manner of statements and opinions. In the case of this fire, this was a big part in the misconception that Colorado was in peril due to fire. Not True.

The fires have clearly had a devastating human effect on the local communities. As a business owner, how have the fires affected your cabin rental and lodge business?

This fire began on Saturday June 23rd at noon, on a hot windy day, half way between Colorado Springs and Woodland Park along the highway 24 corridor. Within 3 hrs, this fire was over 1,000 acres and traveling north east toward Colorado Springs as fast as 1 mile per hr at its peak. Because this fire was located in a high traffic area, and an area with literally thousands of viewing points to watch the fire, we had national media on hand in multiple locations reporting this “natural disaster”. By Sunday evening, the highway had been shut down and remained so for a week. Reports were going out speculating from media personnel that this fire could grow to 200,000 acres etc. Then Tuesday at 4PM, there was a combination of S/W winds at 25 mph and outflow winds from a large dry thunderstorm that caused 65 mph winds in the Colorado Springs side of the fire which took out 346 homes that were built into the forest edge and interface zone. With the heavy forest fuels, wind, and proximity of the homes, there was no way to save them.

This event caused the next level of media circus which would have you believe that all of Colorado was on fire, and just not safe. One reporter in New York stated to 5 million people that it would be much safer to stay out of all the western states. This is like saying you shouldn’t go to the beach because sharks live in the ocean. They had sensational video on this fire and created sensational words to follow. Most of it was untrue, but in this case we just can’t get the Genie back in the bottle.

On Wednesday morning after the big blow up on the Colorado Springs west side, the fire was calm and progress was being made toward getting as much as 15% containment. It didn’t matter. There was such an advanced state of “we will protect you at all costs” emanating from local, regional, and state officials, that at one point we had almost 40,000 people evacuated in Colorado Springs and Woodland Park. Eagle Fire Lodge was never evacuated, but to anyone outside of Woodland Park, which would be the whole rest of the world, we were on fire!

Eagle Fire lodge gross income from June 23rd to September 15th represent 50% of annual income. On Sunday June 24th, the day after the fire started, we began to experience cancellations, and it only got worse through the week. During this same time period, we average 92% occupancy of which 80% of that is reservations. As of this writing, we have lost 65% of those reservations, and are looking at as much as a 25% drop in gross revenue. For those of you out there in this industry that own unique properties, you know that you live and die on your return clients and the reservations booked. 25% doesn’t translate to 25% less you can take home to your family, but instead, it means you won’t be taking anything home to the family and will need to borrow money to float the business until next years season.

Wow that’s some loss of business. If everyone in your community suffers in a similar way, the impact on local business must be huge?

This is just one small businesses story. Factor in all the other motels, all the restaurants, the grocery stores that not only lost income but lost meats and produce, a Wal-Mart shut down, all the auto parts stores, most of the gas stations, a local hospital, and the list goes on. The only bright spot was the liquor stores remained open. When the highway shut down, it cut Woodland Park off from Colorado Springs which is the supply line for employees and product. The alternative was a 2 1/2 hr one way trip of which half is a dirt road. We are stimulating that the loss to the local government agencies will be in the millions.

How are you addressing the challenge?

The same media outlets, social media, facebook, that had a hand in whipping the Colorado story into a frenzy, are now positioned to be your new ally and champion of this new mission to get your business back. Ten years ago we had the Hayman Fire here that also didn’t come near our town, but destroyed business none the less. I was the President of the Woodland Park Chamber of Commerce at the time, and learned a great deal through that experience. I want to pass on to all of you that, because you are in business for yourself, your DNA is not wired to ask for help. Neither is mine. In hindsight we should have asked for help sooner and more often. I hope you never have to deal with this but, if you do, take advantage. Even while the weather or tragic event is in progress, tap into the medias need to solve problems on film and get yourself in front of a camera or a microphone. Overload your market with information on why they should help you and your community, and do it in a message that lets your new guest know that they are shopping, recreating, or staying over night in a great atmosphere and helping the entire community by just being there. People are amazing that way. I did an interview on National Public Radio two days ago. They let me showcase the town and my lodge. This interview was at 7:30 in the morning. By 3PM we had three new reservations totaling 11 days, and as of this writing, have 19 days booked. All of these clients mentioned the radio spot. 19 days is not huge in the scope of the loss, but it represents 19 days worth of income I don’t have to borrow to get through the winter which puts me that much closer to paying off a loan I haven’t even applied for yet.

To those people who had considered canceling their travel plans to the area, what would you say?

To all of our loyal friends and clients that had to cancel their vacation trip this year, we at Eagle Fire Lodge will only miss you until next year when we see you again. To those that may still be thinking their vacation is at risk, use the Internet and the information available from local outlets to base your decision, and call directly for updates from the staff of your travel destination. And to all those we have yet to meet, we are open for business and can’t wait to welcome you to the Eagle Fire Lodge family. To Andy, thanks for reaching out to me after the NPR interview and giving this opportunity to share this recent experience with other like minded business people around the world.

We thank Scott for sharing his story. It goes without saying that Scott would love to hear from you. A booking would be great, but simply spreading his story and leaving words of encouragement I’m sure would be very welcome! If you would like to book a stay at Eagle Fire Lodge, Scott Downs can be reached at +1.719.687.5700 or via his website. Thanks for reading! And please do share your own stories…

“It was a dream to have a beautiful place amidst the beauty of Bali and especially “where Bali has remained Bali”. And to share this pleasure with other people.”

1) Tell us a little about your villa.

Bali Jiwa Villa nestles where “Bali has remainded Bali”: Fifteen minutes north of Ubud (the cultural heart of Bali), in the middle of lush green ricefields, loads of nature around. Beautiful, quiet, luxurious place, private infinity pool, view of ricefields and mountains beyond, perfect service. Authentic people, sweet country life. Away from the hustle and bustle. Furnishing: Contemporary, yet also Balinese style. Lots of love to details…

2) What made you buy your villa in Bali? Was it financial, emotional, a connection with the area, or something else?

It was a dream to have a beautiful place amidst the beauty of Bali and especially “where Bali has remained Bali”. And to share this pleasure with other people.

3) What’s the best thing about this part of Bali? Is it the scenery, the pace of life, the locals, the activities, etc?

That it is still authentic, the ricefields, the old temples, the beauty and authenticity of the people. That it is away from the hustle and bustle. That stressed and overworked people can relax in, and enjoy, a very peaceful stay amidst fantastic nature…

4) What are the 3 special touches you add to enhance the guest experience?

1. We provide privacy (a quiet and peaceful place amidst nature) and a private infinity pool.

2. We pride ourselves in providing perfect service, it’ll be a place where you’ll feel spoiled.

3. Lots of love to details. As a guest put it: “I think it was the finishing touches that really made Bali Jiwa Villas that extra bit special – the furnishings are quality and generous…”

5) If a guest had just one day staying in your villa what would you recommend they do for the perfect experience?

Relax at the pool, have a little walk around (in the traditional Balinese village and through the sunkissed ricefields) and enjoy a “3 course (homemade at its best) set-menu” for dinner, served in your private Villa!

To rent this private villa in Bali from Barbara, please use the contact details in the above link.