Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.

The blog as a vacation rental tool

by Grant Martin (RSS feed) on Dec 1st 2008 at 11:00PM

This Thanksgiving weekend marks about a dozen apartment rentals that I've experienced so far in my traveling tenure. Each stay so far has been colored by facets good and bad -- fabulous, gothic row houses, slummy Parisian apartments -- each had a distinct flavor that will help me remember the city that I was in.

One critical aspect to the experience is the warmth of your host and the hospitality that he or she provides. Whether you meet your host over the phone, in person or over email, they can acclimate you with your rental and perhaps even show you around the area that will briefly be your home. If you're lucky, they also will leave you a database of information for your trip -- tips for access to the tourist sites, the metro or their favorite restaurants.

My host in Rome greeted us all with a round of champagne then walked around town with us and showed us the good butcher, grocer and a few good places to eat.

Now, in Lisbon, our host from visitingportugal.com gave us the same tour but also pointed us to her blog where she keeps an active list of good restaurants and attractions on a google map. Feeling peckish? Roll over, find a recommended restaurant within 300 yards and walk down the street. Easy stuff.

Fact of the matter is, keeping a blog and google map tied to your vacation rental maintains an active, fluid database of hotspots that you can update and delete as times change. This keeps your advice on the ball, information up to date and ultimately, your visitors happy.

I love seeing vacation rentals adapt with the times. Nice work, Deb.

Search Travel Deals

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

John Dec 16th 2008 6:26PM

A vacation rental blog is a great idea to keep fresh content on the web and your guests updated. Your info about finding nearby attractions on Google maps caught my attention. Our vacation rental advertising site http://www.FurnishedHomes.com allows visitors to find vacation rentals by map and to then search for nearby attractions like theatres, coffee shops, banks etc. Maybe we can help you find your next holiday home! Best Regards - John at http://www.Furnishedhomes.com

Heather Dec 23rd 2008 3:38PM

Hosts who take time to create an information filled site or updated blog will benefit from increased bookings in these competitive times. Rental guests will naturally gravitate to those sites that are dynamic and fact filled. I always urge owners to keep their sites up to date and active. It pays dividends in the long run. My blog at www.cottageblogger.com introduces owners to a range of ways to improve their listings in ways that your Portugal host did.