Best Way to Book Off-Site Rentals

[Red42509]

Hey Everyone! We are planning a trip in October (10/10-10/17). We are looking for a condo, preferably 3 bedrooms. What is the best resort and the best/cheapest way to book it??

 

[momof2n2]

I think the best way is to get in as many sites as you can making quote requests of as many rentals as you can. Sit back and watch the quotes roll in. (Set up new email acct.!) Ask for final numbers ( including taxes, fees, cleaning - everything.) Delete the ones that are laughable and then start whittling down the rest. I find the ones that are serious about renting give better rates than posted online. Never just see one and book. Make inquiries.

I will sift through dozens and dozens of quotes to find the folks most interested in making a fair deal.

Reunion is the hotspot Windsor Hills and Formosa Gardens was a few years ago.

 

[trinchick]

I also did as the pp suggested and gathered lots of quotes. When I found the house I really wanted at what I considered a fair rate, I asked the owner/manager to give me the absolute best price if I committed to booking right that minute. She came down significantly, and I did put down a deposit right away.

I think a lot of people request quotes and then never come back or say that they need to discuss with their spouse and fade away. It has to be extremely frustrating and time consuming for the owners/managers (although definitely part of the business). I believe that they will be more willing to work with you if you commit to signing on the dotted line. Of course, don't use this approach if you aren't ready to commit or are still in the looking-around stage because that's not really fair to anyone.

 

[momof2n2]

I also did as the pp suggested and gathered lots of quotes. When I found the house I really wanted at what I considered a fair rate, I asked the owner/manager to give me the absolute best price if I committed to booking right that minute. She came down significantly, and I did put down a deposit right away. I think a lot of people request quotes and then never come back or say that they need to discuss with their spouse and fade away. It has to be extremely frustrating and time consuming for the owners/managers (although definitely part of the business). I believe that they will be more willing to work with you if you commit to signing on the dotted line. Of course, don't use this approach if you aren't ready to commit or are still in the looking-around stage because that's not really fair to anyone.

Yes. I agree with this.
I've gotten quotes, too, that are great IF I act in 24 hours.

When I go for 2 weeks I expect a rate of about $1200 for 4-bdrm & $1500 for 5-bdrm.
When I see one I like I pounce.

 

[TheSixOfUs]

We did the exact same thing. Stayed off-site, and ended up with a 2-bedroom condo. I did extensive research and happy to share with you.

First, there's the on-site vs. off-site debate. I'll let you draw your own conclusions but there was no comparison for us. Making our own meals and grocery shopping was a heck of a lot cheaper. It made our vacation possible.

Second, there's the car-rental question: We did rent a car and that made staying off-site worthwhile. We were 10 minutes away from the resort and could come and go as we pleased. Zipping to Walmart for a quart of milk was super easy.

As for the accommodation: A lot of people say to use priceline. I don't get this. You have no idea what hotel your going to get or the amenities your hotel will have. As an alternate, we ended up using Hotwire which shows you the amenities. It was important that we got a hotel with a pool (most do), but we were also able to get other amenities we wanted like: 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, full kitchen, free parking, free wifi. We ended up getting the LBV Resort or something like that for something crazy like $90 per night. LOVE IT.

This is a good resource to help you if you're considering the Hotwire route: www.hoteldealsrevealed.com. It will show you what hotel you're likely to get. We used it for our trip and got LVB Resort.

I looked into other alternatives like VRBO and AirBnB. In the end, we found what we wanted on HW. Pound for pound, I would rather rent from a hotel just because of my personal biases toward a renting hotels over somebody's house.

 

[Red42509]

Also, what are the best resorts that offer 3 bedroom villas/condos?

 

[momof2n2]

Best as in gorgeous is Reunion IMO. But too rich for my blood.

Better rates IMO at Windsor hills.

Crestwynd is about the same cost as windsor hills.

 

[trinchick]

We have a house booked in the solterra resort which is brand new so not a lot of reviews. We're taking the risk, though, and will hopefully get reunion-level accommodation for Windsor hills prices.