Vacation Home Rentals Blog

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That’s the view from the window of this vacation rental: The Tower of London.

And that’s not the only landmark close by. According to the property owner, you’re just a Tube ride away from other famous stops–Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Kensington Palace and more. For a bit of American history, travel to All Hallows by the Tower, a 1,500-year-old church where John Quincy Adams was married and William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, was baptized.

After your long day of sightseeing, grab a pint at The Hung, Drawn and Quartered Pub near All Hallows, then go for dinner at Chez Gerard or one of many Asian or Indian restaurants close to your base.

The vacation home itself is no frills with tasteful neutral-colored furniture and a cafe table downstairs and a winding staircase leading to an upstairs bedroom with a double bed (Queen-sized). A full kitchen with microwave means you won’t have to eat out every night.

Need more space for your stay? Check out these other London vacation homes.

Valentine’s Day falls neatly on a Saturday this year, which gives sweethearts plenty of time to plan the perfect getaway.

Instead of flowers and chocolate, why not escape to this Whidbey Island vacation home?

The twinkle-in-your-eye will be grateful for the waterfront views, the cozy stone fireplace that extends to the ceiling (for snuggling of course) and the slate shower and tub (for more canoodling). Sure, it’s an awfully huge house for just two people (five bedrooms for up to 10 guests), but the memory of staying in a vacation rental will certainly outlast any box of Godiva’s.

Every inch of the vacation home feels like a palace, from the chandelier in the dining room to the French-style doors that open to a deck. Until April 15, book two nights and get the third for 50 percent off.

Browse more luxury vacation properties from this owner. You know we did.

Snow got you down? Sick of long johns?

Your perfect day awaits at this Vilano Beach vacation home.

Spend sunrise to sunset in the pool, then walk a block to the beach. Rinse. Repeat.

The vacation home is tailor made for celebrations, boasting space for 12 guests, a to-die-for kitchen, playroom and patio for kicking back by the pool with burgers, beers and chips. The Florida rental by owner is close to downtown St. Augustine, golf, casino boats, shopping, the Guana River State Park trails and more.

Start getting those spring break plans in order–it’s time to defrost.

Believe it or not: It’s almost that time.

T-minus two months until spring break–and you snowbirds couldn’t be more ready for it. Because only locals of cold climates can fully appreciate temperatures that don’t necessitate the need for hand lotion at all times and a jacket that looks like a down comforter.

Seasonal affective disorder?

You bet.

But don’t be SAD. Find yourselves a vacation rental by the beach stat. You need to thaw out.

For college students into the club thang
Thanks to MTV, spring break has become synonymous with bare-chested Chads and juicy Trixies drinking Coronas on hotel balconies with the hip-hop music blasting. Well you kids need to take that party out of Holiday Inn and to the clubs–head to South Beach. The Riviera of the East Coast has a way of making everyone feel like they’re young, sculpted and a VIP–regardless of what kind of car you drive. To save money for those cover charges, rent this vacation apartment in an exclusive neighborhood: Sofi, or south of Fifth. You’ll feel like a baller–even if next week you have to go back to eating Subway sandwiches.

For spring breakers with only one thing in mind
You know the type–those girls and guys who spend sunrise to sunset baking in the sun. They’re the ones flipping over several times an hour like a hamburger patty just to get the proper ratio of bronze to flesh or  playing frisbee and beach volleyball right in front of the plot where you planted your gorgeous self. Well this lovely Siesta Key vacation condo has direct beachfront access, along with bike rentals and water sports activities nearby. With those distractions, there’s enough water and beach to make everyone happy.

For families
Nope, we didn’t forget you mommies, daddies and kiddies. Why should singletons have all the fun? Book this San Diego vacation home for its proximity to Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, Legoland California and more family-friendly gems. Or you could just relax, build sandcastles and watch the whales and dolphins from your very own backyard.

Wherever you land this spring break, come back kissed by the sun.

And you thought the New Year’s party was over.

The Year of the Ox officially commences on Jan. 26, marking the first day of the Lunar New Year and weeks of celebrations for Chinese communities around the world.

Well there’s one destination that may be off your radar: Vancouver.

The Canadian city, the host of the 2010 Winter Olympics, has a large Chinese population and its own parade of lion dancers, fresh markets and authentic Cantonese and Mandarin kitchens. The neighborhood is within walking distance to this vacation apartment, which means you’ll easily work off those steamed dumplings, pork, duck, chicken or fish and other traditional eats meant to further your chances for prosperity in the new year.

And speaking of good fortune, the Canadian dollar just happens to be weaker than the American greenback. That means you’ll be getting this city chic space with mountain and skyline views, sleek furniture, plus a computer and Internet access for around $622 (as of publish time) a week.

If Vancouver is too far too travel, check out vacation rentals in San Francisco and vacation homes in Seattle, where celebrations are as lively as the firecrackers exploding around the signature dragons. Wherever you find yourself this Chinese New Year, may it be a sweet and auspicious 2009!

If a lack of funds prevented you from traveling to Hawaii in the past, let 2009 be your year.

The Aloha State needs you right now, the perfect time to book a vacation home or vacation condo. That’s because two airlines went belly up last year, and a public perception that the state is too expensive for travel, according to this SmarterTravel story.

West Coasters will be spoiled with low airfares and record lodging inventory, but we all know vacation homes offer the best value–especially for large groups. Vacation home owners, the opportunity is hot for you, too. Market your properties on VacationHomeRentals.com to seize those first-timers to the Islands.

So coordinate your schedules and put those new digital cameras you got for Christmas to use. This year, you’re going to Hawaii.

1. Oahu vacation rental
Just 40 yards from the beach at Pat’s at Punaluu, this vacation condo is tailored to the budget-minded consumer. Priced right at $100 a night, the one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit who enjoys making meals at home (There’s a full-sized kitchen) and picnics on the lawn. Another cool factor: This remote part of the island is also home to many of the scenes filmed ABC’s “Lost.”

2. Big Island vacation condo
Photos reveal dolphins, snorkeling and cruise ships in view of this oceanfront property. The images have a stock-like quality, but rest assured, these are real. Throw in the reasonable $100 a night rate from July to October and you’ve got yourselves your next holiday.

3. Kauai vacation rental
If seclusion is what you seek, head to this Kauai vacation cottage for only $110 a night. The house sits on three private acres, yet is close enough to beaches and the Kauai Orchids. Go on long walks then retire to the hot tub on the lanai.

Whether that craggy cliff is really that deep shade of green is only for the property lister to know and for you to find out.

The photo of this Dingle vacation home plays into all our fantasies of Ireland–the vast plots of land, the seaside cottages painted in colors meant for your child’s Crayola box.

For budget travelers, the time is now for a trip to the Emerald Isle, when winter fares (round trip no less) hover around the $450 mark on Aer Lingus. That’s a bit more than what you’ll pay for this cottage for a week, which makes it an attractive option when all your co-workers are proposing a spring getaway to South Beach. (We like sun, too, but Miami’s A-lister, bottle service clubs are about as passe as $200-per-person tasting menus.)

Head into charming Dingle town for fish ‘n chips and a pint, and don’t forget to take a photo in front of the Fungi dolphin statue.

For more Irish rentals by owner, check out more listings.

If I had the chance to do it all over again, I’d have a destination wedding by the sea.

The first (and for the record, only) time was picturesque no doubt–the stuff of Modern Bride, rural Ireland style. But inside this bride secretly pined for orchids in her hair, cool ocean breezes and an intimate gathering of family and friends.

Heck, it could still happen.

I’ll push for a renewal of vows at this St. Lucia vacation home, the largest private villa on the 850-acre residential estate. All eight rooms have views of the sea (and air conditioning–not that you’re going to need it with the water outside), their own bathrooms and cable TV.

For couples who don’t have the time to deal with details: An on-site wedding coordinator, who will spin the outdoor deck into your Caribbean fantasy complete with flowers, gazebo and sash-tied chairs. After the I dos, continue the party alfresco or in the elegant dining room.

When it’s time to call it a day, guests can simply retire to their rooms–no need to drive or call a cab. The next morning, you can start the bash all over again.

For more beautiful Caribbean vacation homes, walk through VacationHomeRentals.com.

If you don’t know the first, here’s a clue: Are you ready for some football?

The Big Game will be broadcast live from on Sunday, Feb. 1, giving owners of Tampa vacation homes a chance to capitalize on the thousands of out-of-towners looking for more comfortable accommodations than hotel rooms. If you’re one of the lucky holders of tickets for the game, well good for you. Raymond James Stadium is super fun, especially from Buccaneer Cove, which comes to life whenever the home team scores a touchdown with cannonball fire. The rest of us will be rallying the friend with the largest flatscreen TV to hold the bash at his house. (Not to be sexist, but in my living room, my husband controls the remote that day.)

But the clash of the NFL titans won’t be the only party in town that week.

On Feb. 7, the beloved tradition of Gasparilla invades Tampa Bay–literally. Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla barrels in through South Tampa via pirate boats, bringing more cannonball fire, swashbucklers, wenches and all. Like Mardi Gras, the festival takes its rowdiness to the streets. Locals squish on Bayshore Boulevard, a tony waterside strip fronted by million-dollar homes, to catch beads and people watch. It’s always a hoot.

Whatever party you attend that week, make sure to consider a vacation home, like this North Tampa rental by owner located just 10 minutes from the airport. The house, which has an in-ground pool and jacuzzi and sleeps 11 guests, is only $130 a night during the week and $140 a night on weekends.

At that affordable rate, you’ll feel like the pirate walking away with the loot.

It’s OK. We wanted to be there, too.

While you may not see history in the making when Barack Obama gets sworn in as the 44th president of the United States, you can experience Chicago, the loveable metropolis he just left. Stay in this vacation condo to still be downtown but not pay downtown prices or any one of the many Chicago vacation homes available on our site.

The 45th-floor apartment is close to Grant Park, where Obama gave hundreds of thousands of people in this city a lump in their throats when he emerged victorious on Nov. 4. When you’re done getting a photo of that famous venue, hop in a cab to Manny’s, one of his old haunts, or if you like fine dining, Blackbird, for stylized eats.

At the end of the nights, sit by the floor-to-ceiling windows to enjoy the twinkling skyline that makes Chicago a world-class destination.

But we’re biased.

We live here.

And so did Obama.