Travel Tips

My first and probably only time of being published in a magazine. October 2002 issue of National Geographic Traveler, a letter I wrote about an article they had done on Manchester :-)

Well, okay, this time it wasn't a letter to the editor, but rather I was interviewed about online travel and research for an article on www.microsoft.com/canada

The article follows:

Rent a vacation villa online
Search for the perfect family getaway this year
By Kama Lee Jackson


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The word villa can conjure up romantic notions of a decadent coastal home ? a place for the wealthy to sip martinis by the ocean. However, now more than ever, renting a villa in any corner of the globe is accessible to even the most frugal of travellers.

"The Internet has really made it possible for anyone ? not just those with connections ? to experience the off-the-beaten path elements of a destination, through villa and vacation property rentals," says Deborah Stokes, travel editor for the National Post and travel correspondent for Global Television's MoneyWise.

According to a recent Ipsos-Reid report, online travel services are growing in record amounts, outpacing other e-retail industries. It's estimated that Canadians will spend a whopping $4.2 billion US in 2004, booking travel online.

Weigh the advantages of renting a villa
It's important to note that the term villa is often used to refer to any vacation home, and not necessarily one of palatial grandeur.

Stokes says the advantages to booking a villa over a hotel are many. "First of all, you get to experience a place like one of the locals. You shop at the grocery stores, walk the same routes they might and just immerse yourself in the culture. Secondly, a villa is typically much bigger than a hotel room ? a nice advantage if staying for a length of time. Thirdly, because they are bigger and more private, they are a great accommodation alternative for families."

Toronto journalist David Watson has taken several trips abroad with his wife in the past five years. The pair have stayed in "a cute little stone house in Tuscany for (their) honeymoon, a villa overlooking the sea on the Amalfi Coast and an apartment in an old French farmhouse in Provence."

"Most villas are cheaper because you're renting by the week instead of by the night," he says. "We stayed in some great places and never paid more than around $750 US. Definitely better than comparable hotels, and you get a lot more space."

A villa can be even more cost-effective if the price is shared between more than one family. Stella Cybruch and her husband, from Etobicoke, Ontario, rented a multi-bedroom villa in Chicxulub, Mexico, for a month in February 2002. Her two daughters and their families joined them there. They researched and booked online through an Ontario-based company called SouthNest. Besides the economy of sharing the cost, they found that having a kitchen was a big advantage.

"The villa situation was good because the children ranged in age from two to five and a half. Eating out regularly would have been a hassle," says Cybruch.

Research and ask questions
Once you have a general idea of where to go and how many rooms you?ll need, type a few words such as the name of the city or country into a search engine like Google.ca or MSN and the words villa and rental. Or, check out some of the resources listed at the bottom of this article. Look for a site that offers a wide range of listings, photos of the actual home and full contact information.

Learn as much about a place as you can. "Many don't have conveniences such as satellite TV, air conditioning or even phones," says Watson. Determine what's important to you and ask exactly what is included in the price, such as phone calls, electricity and housekeeping. Find out if you'll need a car so you can make rental arrangements ahead of time.

Watson says he would not consider booking a place without seeing photographs and thoroughly researching the surrounding area online. "I checked out all the Web sites related to a particular property and made sure I saw enough pictures to know the place was nice."

Laura Hayward, a television news tape editor and avid traveller, has used the Internet to research many trips, and to pay for flights, accommodations and car rentals. For the past three years, she has been a member of VirtualTourist.com. "When I have questions about a particular destination, hotel, car rental agency or whatever, I go to the site and ask a question on the discussion forum," she says. "The Web site is made up of over 500,000 members from all over the world. The community is extremely helpful and friendly."

Determine how to book and pay for your villa
Stokes suggests booking through an agency, however you'll find that many villas are booked directly through the owner. Watson usually books without the agency middleman ? it can often save you money ? and he suggests looking for customer testimonials about the place, or contact information for past customers. A reputable place should have no problem coming up with a list of happy customers.

If you book directly with the owner, you might be asked to wire a deposit over and pay the remainder on arrival ? as Watson has done. "That's the one downside," he says. "Credit cards are easier and I'm sure, much more secure."

If you're not comfortable paying cash, book through an agency or find a villa owner who accepts credit cards.

Start surfing for your vacation villa
Vacances Proven?ales Vacations: Canadian company with thousands of western European villa listings, complete with photos.

SouthNest: Canadian company with villas in Yucatan, Mexico.

International Vacation Properties: Listings are posted by the property owners directly, many include photos, and some even accept credit cards.

Villas of Distinction: European and Caribbean destinations. The list of Frequently Asked Questions is a good guide for when you make inquiries of other agencies or owners.

Villa Europe: Villas in Italy, Ireland and England.

Online travel communities
VirtualTourist.com: An online community of travellers with tips, photos and discussion forums. It's free to join.

IgoUgo: Another online community that's free to join. Lets you collect points to redeem for travel-related prizes.

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Writer, Kama Lee Jackson