College Football Bowl Game Accommodations

It is that time of year again- College Football Bowl Games!  Now that the pairings and locations have been released, it's time to purchase tickets and find lodging for you team's bowl game!  As you know, most hotels for the bowl games are either

1. Sold Out 

or 

2. Way Over Priced!  

Hotel rates for the bowl games have reached up to $500.00 a night.  Vacation rental properties are a great option for those who still need last minute bowl game lodging and the prices start at just $80.00 a night!  You will also get more space with a vacation rental, as most include a living room and kitchen in addition to a bedroom.  More space and less money= more fun on your vacation!  If you still need lodging for your college bowl game, act FAST as we are seeing our vacation properties being booked up every minute!  With some of the games falling on or around the New Year holiday, it is even more important to book immediately to ensure you will be able to cheer your team onto victory!

Here are just a few of the College Bowl Games and  Vacation Rental Properties available:

Rose Bowl: Pasadena, CA Jan. 1, 2014
     Schools: Michigan State vs. Stanford
     Pasadena/Los Angeles area vacation rentals
We currently have just 22 properties available during the Rose Bowl!  We have options ranging from studio condos to three bedroom private homes.  So bring your spouse or the entire family to enjoy the game and the comforts of a vacation property during your stay.  Here are a couple options, but be sure to visit our website to see the rest!

This Malibu Beach house has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms and is beautifully furnished with everything you need to prepare your tailgating food and beverage!  Relax at the end of the day on your oceanfront deck and fall asleep to the sound of the waves!

Malibu, CA Beach House Vacation Rental

This Hollywood studio apartment has a bedroom and living room combination as well as a separate kitchen and bathroom.  Plenty of space for two people and is only $115.00 a night!  The location is fabulous, right in Hollywood Hills just a few minutes walk to the heart of Hollywood.  Visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame, many famous theaters, Universal Studio and more!

Hollywood, CA vacation rental

   
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: Glendale, AZ Jan. 1, 2014
     Schools: Baylor vs. UCF
The Phoenix area is booking up, FAST!  If you see a property that will work for you book right away as there are only 4 properties remaining!  We have condos ranging from studio to 2 bedrooms, in great locations!  Relax in your spacious vacation rental, take a dip at the pool and enjoy a round of golf! Here are two of the available properties, see the rest at our website!

This 2 bedroom 2 bathroom villa condo is located at the Westgage Painted Mountain Country Club in Mesa, Arizona.  Beautiful views from your deck or patio, whirlpool bathroom tub, outdoor pool, hot tub and fitness center are all included for your stay!

Mesa, AZ vacation condo

This 1 bedroom 1 bathroom vacation condo is located at the Scottsdale Links Resort.  Enjoy your elegantly appointed condo with full kitchen, patio and of course the TPC Desert Golf Course and the breathtaking views of the McDowell Mountains!  Other amenities are an outdoor pool, jacuzzi exercise facility and free parking!  What more could you ask for in your accommodations for your football bowl trip!

Scottsdale, AZ vacation condo

Orange Bowl: Miami, FL Jan. 3, 2014 

     Clemson vs. Ohio State 

Who wouldn't want to head to Miami for a college football bowl game?!  That's right, everyone wants to go and that is why there are only 7 properties left!  Miami Beach is the place to be year round, and even more so when a sporting even is taking place.  Choose from studio condos to 2 bedroom condos for your bowl game accommodations.  Prices start at just $80.00 a night!  

 

Here is a great condo if you need to sleep 6 people and want a Miami beach oceanfront condo! This luxury condo is located on the Famous Millionaire Row, with amazing views, oceanfront pools, a tiki bar and more!

Miami Beach, FL vacation condo

These are just a few of the College Football Bowl games!  We have properties in most of the cities the bowl games are located at such as: Las Vegas, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and MORE!  
If you don't see your bowl game location here, please contact us or visit our website for more vacation rental properties!  Have a great time on your vacation to the college bowl games- GO FIGHT WIN!

2014 Bowl Game Schedule:

Bowl	Location	Date/Time
Gildan New Mexico Bowl Colorado State vs. Washington State	Albuquerque, NM University Stadium	Sat., Dec. 21 2:00 p.m. ET
Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl Fresno State vs. USC	Las Vegas, NV Sam Boyd Stadium	Sat., Dec. 21 3:30 p.m. ET
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Buffalo vs. San Diego State	Boise, ID Bronco Stadium	Sat., Dec. 21 5:30 p.m. ET
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Tulane vs. UL Lafayette	New Orleans, LA Mercedes-Benz Superdome	Sat., Dec. 21 9:00 p.m. ET
Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl St. Petersburg East Carolina vs. Ohio	St. Petersburg, FL Tropicana Field	Mon., Dec. 23 2:00 p.m. ET
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl Boise State vs. Oregon State	Honolulu, HI Aloha Stadium	Tue., Dec. 24 8:00 p.m. ET
Little Caesars Pizza Bowl Bowling Green vs. Pittsburgh	Detroit, MI Ford Field	Thu., Dec. 26 6:00 p.m. ET
San Diego County CU Poinsettia Bowl Northern Illinois vs. Utah State	San Diego, CA Qualcomm Stadium	Thu., Dec. 26 9:30 p.m. ET
Military Bowl Marshall vs. Maryland	Annapolis, MD Navy-Marine Corps. Stadium	Fri., Dec. 27 2:30 p.m. ET
Texas Bowl Minnesota vs. Syracuse	Houston, TX Reliant Stadium	Fri., Dec. 27 6:00 p.m. ET
Fight Hunger Bowl BYU vs. Washington	San Francisco, CA AT&T Park	Fri., Dec. 27 9:30 p.m. ET
New Era Pinstripe Bowl Notre Dame vs. Rutgers	Bronx, NY Yankee Stadium	Sat., Dec. 28 12:00 p.m. ET
Belk Bowl Cincinnati vs. North Carolina	Charlotte, NC Bank of America Stadium	Sat., Dec. 28 3:20 p.m. ET
Russell Athletic Bowl Louisville vs. Miami, FL	Orlando, FL Florida Citrus Bowl	Sat., Dec. 28 6:45 p.m. ET
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl Kansas State vs. Michigan	Tempe, AZ Sun Devil Stadium	Sat., Dec. 28 10:15 p.m. ET
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl Middle Tennessee vs. Navy	Fort Worth, TX Amon G. Carter Stadium	Mon., Dec. 30 11:45 a.m. ET
Franklin Amer. Mort. Music City Bowl Georgia Tech vs. Ole Miss	Nashville, TN LP Field	Mon., Dec. 30 3:15 p.m. ET
Valero Alamo Bowl Oregon vs. Texas	San Antonio, TX Alamodome	Mon., Dec. 30 6:45 p.m. ET
National University Holiday Bowl Arizona State vs. Texas Tech	San Diego, CA Qualcomm Stadium	Mon., Dec. 30 10:15 p.m. ET
AdvoCare V100 Bowl Arizona vs. Boston College	Shreveport, LA Independence Stadium	Tue., Dec. 31 12:30 p.m. ET
Hyundai Sun Bowl UCLA vs. Virginia Tech	El Paso, TX Sun Bowl	Tue., Dec. 31 2:00 p.m. ET
AutoZone Liberty Bowl Mississippi State vs. Rice	Memphis, TN Liberty Bowl	Tue., Dec. 31 4:00 p.m. ET
Chick-fil-A Bowl Duke vs. Texas A&M	Atlanta, GA Georgia Dome	Tue., Dec. 31 8:00 p.m. ET
TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl Georgia vs. Nebraska	Jacksonville, FL EverBank Field	Wed., Jan. 1 12:00 p.m. ET
Heart of Dallas Bowl North Texas vs. UNLV	Dallas, TX Cotton Bowl Stadium	Wed., Jan. 1 12:00 p.m. ET
Capital One Bowl South Carolina vs. Wisconsin	Orlando, FL Florida Citrus Bowl	Wed., Jan. 1 1:00 p.m. ET
Outback Bowl Iowa vs. LSU	Tampa, FL Raymond James Stadium	Wed., Jan. 1 1:00 p.m. ET
Rose Bowl Game Michigan State vs. Stanford	Pasadena, CA Rose Bowl	Wed., Jan. 1 5:00 p.m. ET
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Baylor vs. UCF	Glendale, AZ U. of Phoenix Stadium	Wed., Jan. 1 8:30 p.m. ET
Allstate Sugar Bowl Alabama vs. Oklahoma	New Orleans, LA Mercedes-Benz Superdome	Thu., Jan. 2 8:30 p.m. ET
AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic Missouri vs. Oklahoma State	Arlington, TX AT&T Stadium	Fri., Jan. 3 7:30 p.m. ET
Discover Orange Bowl Clemson vs. Ohio State	Miami Gardens, FL Sun Life Stadium	Fri., Jan. 3 8:30 p.m. ET
BBVA Compass Bowl Houston vs. Vanderbilt	Birmingham, AL Legion Field	Sat., Jan. 4 1:00 p.m. ET
GoDaddy Bowl Arkansas State vs. Ball State	Mobile, AL Ladd-Peebles Stadium	Sun., Jan. 5 9:00 p.m. ET
BCS National Championship Game Florida State vs. Auburn	Pasadena, CA Rose Bowl	Mon., Jan. 6 8:30 p.m. ET

    

How to save money on group travel

Going on vacation is something we all look forward to.  The bill, however, we don't!  Travel can be costly and take a big chunk out of savings, but here are a few good ways to save money on your next vacation!

Travel During Off Season
Consider traveling during non-peak times, known as off or low season.  You can save hundreds of dollars by traveling outside of peak/high season.  Is your heart set on peak season travel?  Consider traveling the week before or after peak season to get the same feel, at a far less rate!
This Miami Beach vacation condo rental ranges in price from $115 a night to $275 a night.   Travel during low season and save up to $160 a night!

Space:
Are you looking to travel with family or a group?  Reserving several hotel rooms to accommodate your family or group can add a tremendous expense.  Consider renting a vacation rental instead, as you will be given more space at far less cost.

For example:

• Hotels in Koloa (Poipu ), Hawaii range from $200-$550 a night with an average cost of $270 per room!  If you need 3 rooms to accommodate everyone, your bill for the hotel will be between $600-$1,600 each night of your stay. 
• A 3 bedroom 2 bathroom oceanfront vacation rental condo in Koloa (Poipu), Hawaii is just $200 a night and includes all the amenities like an oceanfront pool, tennis courts, hot tub and more!  In addition, you also get a full kitchen, living room and more.  For the price of one room at the lowest priced hotel, you can accommodate your entire group in a spacious vacation condo. 

  

  3 Bedroom Condo in Koloa, Hawaii for $175-225 a night!

  
  

  
  

Baggage Fees:
Another way to save money while traveling is to travel with a carry on instead of checking a bag.  Airlines are charging $25+ each way for checking your luggage.  If you are traveling with a group of 6, that is at least an extra $300 just to check the bags!  Pack lighter and use a smaller suitcase that complies with your airlines carry on baggage size policy.  Most vacation rentals are equipped with washers and driers so you are able to pack less and avoid the extra fees.


Dine In:
Take turns preparing meals instead of eating out for every meal.  If you are traveling with other couples, have the girls prepare one night and the guys the next.  If you are traveling with children, let them pick out a few things to prepare and consider a movie night with popcorn and pizza!  Preparing some of your meals can save your group a lot of money! Most vacation rental properties offer full size kitchens or kitchenettes so make use of your expanded amenities!

Gourmet Kitchen in this Kailua-Kona, HI vacation rental

Avoid Airport Food and Beverage:

Let's face it, purchasing airport food and beverage is the most expensive and difficult expense to avoid when traveling.  Consider asking members of your family or group to bring an empty water bottle that can be filled after passing through security.  This will save anywhere from $4-$6 a bottle of water!  Put someone in charge of preparing snacks ahead of time, or divide the responsibility amongst your group.  Nuts, crackers, granola bars and fruit are great quick and filling snacks that you an take with you.     

These are just a few ways to save money on group travel while still having a fun and memorable vacation!  We look forward to assisting you in your travel plans.  Contact us with any questions you may have or to help you find your Perfect Place for vacation!

PerfectPlaces.com has over 60,000 vacation rental properties in over 79 countries.  Perfect Places is dedicated to helping travelers find and rent vacation rental properties worldwide. Vacation Rental properties offer a compelling alternative to Hotels for travelers seeking additional space, amenities and value that Hotels are often unable to match. Perfect Places is a privately owned company headquartered in Mountain View, California

Top Spring Break Destinations in Mexico

The holiday season is beginning and the much anticipated spring break season will be here before you know it!  The first week in January happens to the busiest day of the year for booking travel-so do yourself a favor and book now to ensure you have the best spring break yet.  Mexico is the number one spring break destination and it tends to book very quickly.  Many properties are already secured, so if you must travel a certain week, we encourage you to book your Mexico spring break vacation soon.   Also, please note that many vacation rental owners and managers do not allow renters under the age of 25 years, so if your group is all under the age of 25 please be sure to ask about the age policy when you inquire.

Please read on as I travel through Mexico and take you on a tour of the top destinations for spring break in Mexico!

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Puerto Vallarta is along the Pacific Ocean on the Bahia de Banderas Bay.  The setting is beautiful as you can see the ocean, the mountains and the jungle.  Puerto Vallarta has a few different areas to stay in, Puerto Vallarta, Nuevo Vallarta and Bucerias. They are all wonderinful areas for tourists and some are geared more towards the younger crowd and some are for those who just want to sit back and relax.  This somewhat small fishing town is quaint, yet has the popular tourist destinations like Senor Frogs and Margaritaville.  There are wonderful restaurants in Puerto Vallarta that serve up fresh seafood that has literally just come off the fishing boat.  You can zipline through the jungle, snorkel, ride catamarans, parasail and more!

With so much to do in Puerto Vallarta, you are sure to have a fabulous spring break vacation!  Here are a a few great Puerto Vallarta  Vacation rentals-at great prices too!

Two Bedroom Puerto Vallarta Vacation Condo Resort

One Bedroom Puerto Vallarta Oceanfront Vacation Rental

Two Bedroom Puerto Vallarta Vacation Condo Rental

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Cabo is located on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula along the Pacific Ocean and is one of the top 5 tourist destinations in Mexico.  It is best known for it's beaches, surfing, scuba diving, sport fishing and beautiful marine life.  You can see whales, dolphins, manatees and more many times of the year.  Take in the beauty of Cabo's beaches, mountains, ocean and the well sought after  Los Arcos pictured below.  It truly is a wonderful place to vacation and see an abundance of nature!  

Here are a couple wonderful Cabo San Lucas vacation properties for your spring break:

4 Bedroom Cabo San Lucas Vacation Villa

Cabo San Lucas 7 Bedroom Ocean View Vacation Villa

Cancun, Mexico
Cancun is the ultimate destination for spring break it Mexico.  It draws more than 2 million tourists a year.  It is fairly easy to get to with most larger airports offering nonstop flights and at relatively good prices.   Cancun offers a large assortment of excursions and activities to fill your days.  Choose from activities like zip lining, parasailing, snorkeling, scuba diving, catamaran tours, deep sea fishing, water park adventures, and so much more.  There is something for everyone in Cancan and that is why it is the number one destination for spring break in Mexico.  

Here are a few great accommodations for your spring break in Cancun:

Cancun Ocean View vacation Condo Rental

Oceanfront Vacation Condo in Cancun

Isla Mujeres, Mexico

The next destination was actually found on a day trip excursion from Cancun.  It's a beautiful place called Isla Mujeres, Mexico.  As I write this I am actually sitting on the beach in this little piece of heaven.  To get to Isla Mujeres, you must take a ferry boat from a port near Cancun.  The boat ride is only about 25 minutes long and it's a beautiful ride!  You can sit up top on the open deck, or inside on the main floor of the ferry boat.  This little island is 8 miles long and about a half mile wide.  It's a fabulous place to visit if you want a slower pace on your vacation.  You won't find a McDonald's, Senor Frogs or Walmart here.  But you will find some of the most beautiful beaches and the most wonderful food.  Spring break in Isla Mujeres is a great option for those who want to avoid the heavy partying that can be found at some of the larger destinations, while still offering an easy flight to the Cancun airport, and tranquil turquoise waters.  

After all of this traveling, I think I found my perfect place for spring break in Mexico!! 

Vacation Rental in Isla Mujeres

PerfectPlaces.com has over 60,000 vacation rental properties in over 79 countries.  Perfect Places is dedicated to helping travelers find and rent vacation rental properties worldwide. Vacation Rental properties offer a compelling alternative to Hotels for travelers seeking additional space, amenities and value that Hotels are often unable to match. Perfect Places is a privately owned company headquartered in Mountain View, California 

Winter Ski Vacation Destinations and Lodging

Let's face it, winter is coming!  Many areas of the world are getting that powdery white stuff people either love, or hate!  The good thing about the snow is that ski resorts are open and ready for you to enjoy.  So, let's take advantage of the snow and go on a little ski vacation.  Skiing, snowshoeing and hiking are great ways to spend a vacation during the cold and snowy winter months.  With skiing being the most popular winter vacation, we would like to point out some great winter ski vacation locations!

Aspen, Colorado-
     Aspen Snowmass, known as The Power of Four, is a wonderful place to spend your winter skiing vacation!  You can enjoy four different mountains: Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk.  The views are absolutely breathtaking from this area!  Skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and tubing are all available at the resorts.  Purchase a ticket that allows you to go to all 4 of the mountains for a variety, or simply go to one mountain to learn the runs.  All have restaurants available if you need to warm up, grab some food, or have a warm drink!  I will say that I have been down Snowmass Mountain and thoroughly enjoyed it-even as a beginner falling a lot!
If you have some non-skiiers in your group, don't worry there is a lot to do in Aspen and the surrounding area.  Especially shopping-you can shop until you drop!   At the end of the day, wind down and warm up in your spacious Aspen ski vacation rental!

Photo courtesy of Aspen Snowmass

Lake Tahoe, California-
     It's not just a popular lake!  It's also a very popular skiing area with world-class ski resorts.  Lake Tahoe features 7 different mountains for you to choose from.  Take a long vacation and try them all!  The views are beautiful overlooking the lake, it is truly one of a kind! Lake Tahoe also features 300 days of sunshine a year and 400" of snow, the perfect way to spend your ski vacation!  All of the mountains offer food and beverage, as well as things for children and non skiers to do.  This is an incredibly popular destination, so book your Lake Tahoe ski vacation rental in advance if you can!  

Lake Tahoe is great for families, too!
Photo courtesy of SkiLakeTahoe

Park City, Utah-

Canyons Resort

     This beautiful city offers a huge variety of winter activities!  Including world-class skiing and snowboarding, hot-air balloon rides, snowmobiling, winter fly-fishing trips and snow tubing!  The area offers four ski resorts, Park City Mountain Resort, Deer Valley Resort, Canyons Resort, and Utah Olympic Park. Try one, or try them all!  Lake City is also where there 2002 Olympic Winter Games took place, so take your turn to ski down the same mountain as the professions did!
     For the non winter sports vacationers, there is still plenty to keep you busy!  Park City also has museums, art galleries, historical tours, shopping, spas, major sports events, live theatre and more!  Lake City, Utah has an abundance of fun things for your to do during your winter snow vacation!  Book very early, as the most popular Park City ski in and out vacation condos or homes book FAST!


Enjoy your winter ski vacations, and be sure to contact us if you need any help planning your trip, we have a travel specialist on hand waiting for your call!

PerfectPlaces.com has over 60,000 vacation rental properties in over 79 countries.  Perfect Places is dedicated to helping travelers find and rent vacation rental properties worldwide. Vacation Rental properties offer a compelling alternative to Hotels for travelers seeking additional space, amenities and value that Hotels are often unable to match. Perfect Places is a privately owned company headquartered in Mountain View, California 

Branson golf vacation rentals

It's that time of year again...it's beginning to cool down in many areas which means golf courses are closing down for the season.  Now is a great time to think about getting away to hit the links!  Branson, Missouri is warm enough to golf year round and many properties are directly on the golf course!  Simply stay, and play! 

Branson is known for golf and is home to 12 of the finest championship golf courses!  It is also one of the most beautiful settings you will ever see, with rolling hills and beautiful foliage.  Hotels in the area are often more expansive than renting a vacation condo or home and you get extra space with a vacation rental!  You can also cook all of your meals in your fully equipped kitchen-or go out if you would like to one of the many dining spots in Branson!

Here are some of Branson, MO vacation rental properties on golf courses:

Summersong Villa-A private 2 bedroom and 2 bathroom home located on the Payne Stewart Golf Course.  This home is beautiful and includes a private deck, grill and is just minutes from downtown Branson.  Included in this Branson, MO golf course vacation rental is a swimming pool, fitness room and wi-fi!

Firefly Haven- This 2 bedroom and 2 bathroom condo is located on the Thousand Hills Fairways Golf Resort.  Relax in the screened in porch that overlooks the golf course, or take a dip in the resort's swimming pool!  This is a highly recommended Branson, MO vacation rental condo!

Ozark Charm-  Large 2 bedroom and 2 bathroom condo with private balcony facing the golf course!  This condo is beautifully decorated and is sure to make your stay in Branson extra nice!  This condo includes a private 2 person jacuzzi tub as well as access to a swimming pool, hot tub, tennis court, basketball court and a playground! Another top rated Branson vacation home!

This is just a few of the very nice vacation rental homes and condos in Branson, MO.  If golf isn't on everyone's top priority list, there are a ton of other things to do in the great town of Branson!  Music is another major attraction in Branson, MO as it is known as the "live music capitol of the world"! Shopping, boating, museums, theme parks, wineries, ziplines and more!  Find out more at the Branson Chamber of Commerce.

PerfectPlaces.com has over 60,000 vacation rental properties in over 79 countries.  Perfect Places is dedicated to helping travelers find and rent vacation rental properties worldwide. Vacation Rental properties offer a compelling alternative to Hotels for travelers seeking additional space, amenities and value that Hotels are often unable to match. Perfect Places is a privately owned company headquartered in Mountain View, California 

Destination Wedding Locations and Venues

A marriage proposal is the first big step a couple makes when deciding to united as one.   The next big step-selecting a wedding date and venue!  For many couples, the wedding venue is one of the most important parts of the wedding.  It is where you will have the first dance, have dinner, listen to speeches and celebrate your marriage with those you love so much.  Destination weddings are becoming more and more popular as couples long for something different than the more traditional church wedding and reception hall. 

Based on a recent market study done by the Xogroup (Formerly The Knot), the following data reflects the rise in destination weddings:

• There are over 350,000 destination weddings a year, which is 24% of weddings held.
• The average destination wedding includes 86 guests
• Of all destination weddings, 70% take place in the United States
• The top 5 destination locations in the continental US are Florida, California, Nevada,  North Carolina and South Carolina
• The Caribbean, Mexico and Hawaii are the most popular destinations outside of the continental US.

What does this mean for the couple to be?  Well, if you would like to plan a destination wedding you have a lot of options-beyond the most popular destinations!  Perfectplaces.com has over 1,000 properties that allow destination weddings to take place at their property, and many more property owners will allow weddings if you ask!  Simply search for a property and inquire if they would accommodate your wedding/event.  Often times, it is far less expensive to hold your wedding and/or reception at a vacation rental property than at a hotel.   You also have more flexibility with the food and beverage that you cater (or make yourself), as well as more privacy!  

To assist you with your destination wedding planning, we have created some tips for planning a destination wedding.  This helpful information covers things like, headcount, when to select a date, weather, legal marriage ceremonies, and logistics on how to plan your destination wedding.

Now, here are a few wonderful locations for your destination wedding-be sure to book right away if you have your heart set on a specific date!

Marathon, Florida -Florida Keys

This beach front private home is perfect for your destination wedding!  Picture your perfect wedding day at this beautiful location.  It has a large, private beach where you can hold your ceremony and reception, 5 bedrooms to accommodate up to 12 people, a fire pit for a beautiful beach fire at sunset, kayaks and more!  

Big Sky, Montana

This home is nothing short of beautiful, with beautiful mountain views!  If you have dreamed of getting married in the mountains this home may be the place for your destination wedding!

This private ski in and ski out luxury mountain home has 3 bedrooms(plus a loft) and 5 bathrooms and sleeps up to 10 people.  There is a large wrap around deck with incredible views of the mountains as well as a large space to hold your outdoor wedding ceremony and reception!  This may be one of the most beautiful views for a destination wedding!

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Looking for a destination wedding in Mexico?  It is a very popular place!  This home is absolutely gorgeous and is luxury at its finest!  With over 4,000 square feet, this private villa in a gated community has ocean views, 4 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, pool and large outdoor space!  There is an outdoor bar ready for your wedding celebration! This truly is a beautiful slice of paradise for your destination wedding.
_____________________________________________________________________________

Destination weddings are a wonderful way to gather your loved ones to celebrate your marriage, and have a little fun too!  These are just a few of the endless possibilities for you destination wedding.  Check out more venues on our website Perfectplaces.com and let us know if you need any help!  We just might be able to find the Perfect Place for your wedding! 

Fun Fall Activities and Vacation Rentals Too!

The leaves are changing and the air is becoming crisp.  Apple trees are ready for picking and pumpkins are ready to carve!  Take a break from your busy life to enjoy some of falls finest activities!

Fall Foliage in Aspen, Colorado:
Take in the beauty of the Golden Aspen Trees late September through mid-October.  A lovely shuttle offers views on the way to Maroon Bells to see the purple and white filled mountain peaks. Take a hike at the Grottos area to view waterfalls, too!  The scene is breathtaking-waterfalls, mountains, and trees of beautiful shades of amber and gold.

Image from Forbes.com

After your Aspen adventure, come home to your own private Aspen vacation rental!  We have over 230 properties in Aspen:
http://www.perfectplaces.com/United_States/Colorado/l_Aspen-Vacation-Rentals.htm


Apple Orchard in Hendersonville, North Carolina:
This area of North Carolina is home to the Blue Ridge Mountains.  It is also home to one of the top apple orchards in the United States.  With 40 acres of apple orchards, the J.H. Stepp Farm's Hillcrest Orchard is a great place to visit and pick your own apples!  They offer over 20 varieties of apples such as the ever popular Golden Delicious apple!  This orchard offers wagon rides and farm tours through the orchard, apple picking and a wide selection of gifts!

Book your Hendersonville, North Carolina vacation rental at one of these awesome properties:
http://www.perfectplaces.com/vacation-rentals/168469.htm   -A six bedroom home with beautiful views of the mountains and fall foliage!
http://www.perfectplaces.com/vacation-rentals/168470.htm  -Three bedroom home with beautiful creek and views of the mountains!


Pumpkin Patch in Bryson City, North Carolina:
Aboard the Great Pumpkin Patch Express!  Bryson City is home of the Pumpkin Patch Express that transports riders to the pumpkin patch while listening to the Charlie Brown story "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown".  The train ride goes along the North Carolina countryside with beautiful fall foliage views.  The pumpkin patch is very child friendly, encouraging kids to wear Halloween costumes!  For more fun, the cast of the Peanuts are their to greet the children when they arrive at the pumpkin patch!  Even more, the Great Pumpkin Patch offers pumpkin picking, hayride and live music. 

After this wonderful adventure, make sure you have room for the whole family!  Book a vacation rental in Bryson City, North Carolina: 
 http://www.perfectplaces.com/vacation-rentals/26737.htm  -Breathtaking mountain and foliage views from the deck of this 3 bedroom 2 bath home!
http://www.perfectplaces.com/vacation-rentals/217796.htm  -Beautiful views and a private hot tub to enjoy them from! Two bedroom and 2 bath cabin home!

Enjoy the fall season with these great getaways!  And for a little fun, here is a pumpkin spice latte recipe for you to try!
Pumpkin Spice Latte
½ cup milk (or milk substitute)
½ tablespoon canned pumpkin
1½ teaspoon sweetener of choice (sugar, honey, stevia, agave nectar)
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ cup of hot brewed coffee
Directions: In a saucepan, whisk together milk, pumpkin, sugar and cook on medium heat, stirring until steaming. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. Transfer to a blender and process for 15 seconds until foamy ( Or just whisk the mixture continuously with a wire whisk until foamy). 2. Pour into a large mug. Add the hot coffee on top. Add whipped cream if desired -enjoy!


PerfectPlaces.com has over 60,000 vacation rental properties in over 79 countries.  Perfect Places is dedicated to helping travelers find and rent vacation rental properties worldwide. Vacation Rental properties offer a compelling alternative to Hotels for travelers seeking additional space, amenities and value that Hotels are often unable to match. Perfect Places is a privately owned company headquartered in Mountain View, California

Nigerian Scam Hits Vacation Rental Property Owners

Fraud is an unfortunate part of our every day lives.  We must protect ourselves from identity theft, credit card and check theft and online theft.  Sometimes fraud gets us when we least expect it and thus we want to refresh your memory of ways to prevent falling victim to scams. 

Recently, the Nigerian scams have been in the news.  On the Dateline exclusive To Catch a Con Man, a reporter went undercover to investigate one of the ways the Nigerian scam works.  After they fell victim to the scam, the reporter disclosed that they were with the television show and that they knew they were being scammed.  The reporter knew what he was getting into so he never handed over any money, but not everyone is aware that they are or may be getting scammed.  We would like to remind you how you can keep this kind of activity away and keep yourself and your money safe.

Let's say you own a property and are looking to rent it out for the week.  A potential renter contacts you and requests the property and you agree to rent it to them.  The potential renter then sends you a check or money order that is over the total amount of the rental rate.  You deposit the check or money order in your bank. The renter then contacts you and says they sent too much money and asks that you refund the difference.  What’s the risk, your bank has already accepted the check?  What would you do?  Would you refund the money?  Investigate further and inquire why the check was written over? 

I hope you answered investigate further.  It may sound like an innocent mistake, but it could also be a scam.  This recently happened to a couple who own a beautiful property in Europe.  They received an inquiry about the property just like real inquiries with questions about what the property amenities are, how much it costs, and when it is available. It started to get odd when the customer was asking the following questions about payment:
   
 "Regarding the payment arrangement,I am assuring you that their won't be any problem because our company's associate in Europe would be paying for our holiday expenses and they have inform me that they will be making the payment via Euro french Cheque.
    The Euro french Cheque that you will receive will be in excess,has Our Basic Travelers Allowance fee will be included in the rental fee base on trust. As soon as you have receive the Euro french Cheque you would have it deposited into you account for clearance, you would deduct the rental fee and I will tell you how to send our Basic Travelers Allowance fee to my traveling agent so that he can do all paperwork's." 

The rental owner was firm that they only accept the approved type of payments and wouldn't be able to refund them the "excess" money.  The customer went on to reply:

  "I would have prefer another method of payment if i am the one paying
for the trip but you don't need to worry cause i have already spoken
with the head of our company and he said that the payment can only be
made via Euro french Cheque and am promising you that you that there
will be no problem as it will take few working days to clear in your
bank so i will appreciate if you can do this for me with good faith,so
make sure you get back to me with the details below so that you can
receive the  Euro french Cheque: via postmail."

Does this seem questionable to you?  Luckily, these property owners did not go through with the payment or issue the “refund.”   This is the trick!  The scammer knows that in many cases banks will initially accept check or money orders, however once it is determined that the funds are fraudulent, the bank will withdraw the amount of the check from your account. Not only that, but you are also out the “refund” amount you sent to the scammer.  Notice how he says that it is no problem the check will clear?  Well, it may clear initially, but days or weeks later it will be returned and the funds will be withdrawn from your account by your bank.

Another thing that could happen is they could use stolen money to do this.  In this case, if the property owner does send back the "refund", they are not only going to lose money but are also cashing in money from another person's bank account.  It's important to talk to your bank about their policies when it comes to fraud.  Should this happen to you, find out what they cover in an event fraud occurs and ask them how they can help you protect yourself.  In most cases, you will have no protection in the scenario where a check or money order is returned due to insufficient funds or fraud. 

As part of our job at PerfectPlaces.com, we include fraud information on our website, as well as the following important information every time someone inquires about a property:

AVOID FRAUD: Never accept a check or bank draft for more than the amount due for the rental; this is a strong indication of fraud. In cases of fraud, the guest or their agent will ask you to refund the amount of the overpayment once you have deposited the check in the bank. Even though your bank may initially accept the check, the bank may later remove the funds from your account when the check is identified as fraudulent or no funds are available in the issuer's account. 

Please stay tuned as we hear from a property owner who was directly impacted by a scam like this, losing over $4,800.00!

Here are some websites that may help you learn more about protecting yourself from fraud:

http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud/internet_fraud

http://www.ic3.gov/preventiontips.aspx

PerfectPlaces.com has over 60,000 vacation rental properties in over 79 countries.  Perfect Places is dedicated to helping travelers find and rent vacation rental properties worldwide. Vacation Rental properties offer a compelling alternative to Hotels for travelers seeking additional space, amenities and value that Hotels are often unable to match. Perfect Places is a privately owned company headquartered in Mountain View, California

Vacation Rental 102

As we promised, this is our follow up to our Vacation Rental 101!  In the previous blog, we discussed the benefits of booking a vacation rental and now we will explain how it works! 

You may be wondering....now that I know the benefits to booking a vacation rental, how does this work exactly?  How do I book, is there a front desk, a concierge, or do I get a pass-code to the lock?  The truth is, it is very simple!  First, you book directly on our site www.perfectplaces.com or through the property manager and owner directly.

Over 45,000 of the 65,000 vacation rental properties on PerfectPlaces.com offer secure online booking!  Booking a property online offers you the convenience you are accustomed to when booking a traditional hotel room online.  On our website, you can confirm the property availability, price, terms and finalize your booking online with a secure credit card purchase.  This eliminates the time consuming, back and forth email and telephone calls.  It takes as little as a few minutes to book your next vacation rental online!

Some of our property owners do not offer online booking, yet.  In that case, simply fill out the request form when you find a vacation rental you are interested in.  The property manager will then respond to your inquiry and let you know if the property is available for the dates you have selected and will give you the rate.  Be sure to ask any questions that you may have about the property and their policies.  Most managers will get back to you within 24 hours, so check your email and phone messages! 

Once you have your property booked, you will receive confirmation directly from the property manager.  The manager will send you a detailed list of instructions on how to check in, get the key and how to check out.  Some property managers simply have you check in at a front desk, some give you a pass-code that you will punch in at the front door and some will leave the key for you in another location, such as a manager's office.  The process is very simple and takes much less time than waiting in line at the check in of a hotel!  The same goes for the check out process-just follow the instructions you are given.  It really is a quick and easy process.

Vacation rentals are a fantastic way to save money, time and have more room on your next vacation.  We offer vacation rentals all over the world in a variety of sizes, styles and price ranges.
Popular Florida Vacation Rentals can be found for as little as $60.00 a night!
Save with Paris Vacation Rentals!
Hawaii Vacation Rentals are nearly half the price of hotels!

If you missed our last blog, Vacation Rental 101, be sure to check it out!

PerfectPlaces.com has over 60,000 vacation rental properties in over 79 countries.  Perfect Places is dedicated to helping travelers find and rent vacation rental properties worldwide. Vacation Rental properties offer a compelling alternative to Hotels for travelers seeking additional space, amenities and value that Hotels are often unable to match. Perfect Places is a privately owned company headquartered in Mountain View, California.