Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO)

Tens of thousands of vacation home owners rent their properties each year to family, friends, and vacation travelers. This is ideal for groups looking to stay in cabins or condos during ski season and beach houses during summer. Vacation Rentals by Owner (VRBO) is the largest vacation rental website specializing in private homes and by owner vacation rentals.

Vacation rentals can accommodate guests from 2 to 30 plus and save you up to 40% compared to hotel rooms. Most come with a fully equipped kitchen to help save money on dining. Some amenities may include free Wi-Fi, private hot tub, outdoor grill, and washer and dryer. The calendar of available dates is fairly up to date and you are able to contact and work directly with the owner.

I booked a condo in Whistler, B.C. using VRBO for $225 per night. The 3 bedroom/2 bath ski-in and ski-out condo is located in Creekside and accommodates 8-10 people. For 4 nights, the average is $110 per person.

VRBO is recommended for large groups or extended-stays. Book in the fall before ski season starts.

Read more...

Useful Contacts

Air	Reservations	Rewards	Mobile Site
American	800-433-7300	800-882-8880	mobile.aa.com
Continental	800-523-3273	713-952-1630	pda.continental.com
Delta	800-221-1212	800-323-2323	www.delta.com
Southwest	800-I-FLY-SWA	800-445-5764	mobile.southwest.com
United	800-United-1	800-421-4655	ua.flightlookup.com
Hotel	Reservations	Rewards
Hilton	800-HILTONS	800-548-8690
Marriott	888-236-2427	801-468-4033
Starwood	914-640-8100	888-625-4988
Car	Reservations	Rewards
Avis	800-331-1212	800-352-7900
Hertz	800-654-3131	800-CAR-GOLD

Read more...

Best Seats in the Air

How do you select your seat? The casual flyer likely will not care as long as they get an aisle or window seat. For the frequent flyer, seat selection means everything. From the front of the airplane to the back, Seatguru helps identify the superior and substandard seats besides in first class.

A good seat is a recliner and bulkhead type with extra legroom and power outlets. A poor seat is one with limited recline and reduced width, usually the first row in front of the exit row and the last row of the airplane.

When I travel with elite status, I prefer the first window seat behind first class because I have extra legroom and I am away from aisle traffic. If unavailable, I search for an aisle seat near the front. The closer your seat is to the front, the faster you get off the plane and the farther you are away from engine noise.

If I do not have status and traveling with carry-on luggage, I favor seats near the middle so I am able to board earlier and guarantee myself space in the overhead compartments. Otherwise, you take the risk of the crew checking in your bag.

Short flights are probably not as important as long flights. If traveling coast to coast or international, I highly recommend finding your airplane on Seatguru before you making your seat selection.

Read more...