Vacation Home Rentals Blog

Beverly Hills may have its mansions, India the Taj Mahal, but neither have the charm of this Galway vacation home, a stone cottage aged 300 years.

Don’t be fooled by the worn exterior. You won’t have to sacrifice the comforts of modern living, including Internet, a fax machine and a sauna. (Yes, really, a sauna.)

But we all know that you visit Ireland for the lovely scenery and the lovely scenery you will get. The two-bedroom, one-bath home sits at the foot of the The Sliabh Aughty mountains, a zig-zag land of cottage-dotted greenery as far as ye Irish eyes can see. You’ll also be able to ride horses on the property.

During your stay, don’t forget to head to Galway City to get your fill of all the other fantasies that brought you to the Emerald Isle in the first place: fiddlers, frothy pints, Aran sweaters, colorful painted pubs and those darling Irish brogues.

For more Irish vacation homes, check out the rest of our listings on VacationHomeRentals.com.

As a former bride who entertained 200-plus guests at a destination wedding, I can without reservation recommend the experience to other couples. I didn’t want mine to be just another Hilton banquet room party with rubbery chicken and a miniature steak. I wanted friends and family to mingle, dance and get drunk.

And that they did in Killaloe, Ireland.

If I could have orchestrated a second ceremony, however (Don’t get any ideas.), I would have done the beach wedding–an intimate affair at a Mexican vacation villa that could have doubled as a reception site. This Bucerias vacation home, like my husband, is the one.

Hacienda Camino al Mar, a seven-bedroom heaven of a house, doesn’t skimp on anything, from a staff to take care of cooking and cleaning to a saltwater pool. And look at the architecture. Designed by Puerto Vallarta Architect Arturo Ramos, it thrills with Spanish colonial rooms, outdoor living spaces, warm colors and arched doorways.

Exchange vows by the pool then party on the rooftop terrace.

And just so you’ll be prepared by the chorus of folks mumbling, “Why can’t you have your wedding at the Holiday Inn?,” tell them the villa is just 10 minutes away from Gustavo Diaz International Airport in Puerto Vallarta, the popular resort town that sports 345 days of sunshine a year. According to the property owner, it’s about 10 pesos (or $1) to cab to the digs.

As for the cost of the rental itself ($3,300 a week from April through November), that’s where mom and dad come in. Just keep that guest list to 16 total.

In the vacation home world, one group often gets lost in media coverage: Those who fly solo.

Whether you’re on business or getting ready to “backpack” around Europe, vacation apartments provide an economical alternative in these troubled times. All the little extras in a hotel room are great, but seriously, how much sense does it make it to spend $6.50 on a bottle of Evian just because it was left out for you? And those little soaps and shampoos are cute, too, but unless they’re high-end products, do they really get much use beyond your vacation?

Contemplate these points when you’re engaging in your suspicious single behavior, which could include any one of the following: A)Warming up last-night’s burritos for breakfast B)Waxing your facial hair C)Checking your Twitter, Gmail, LinkedIn and Facebook accounts obsessively–as many as five times within the hour.

1. Amsterdam vacation home
Any landlord who leaves flowers on the table AND Heineken in the fridge is someone who deserves respect. This is Amsterdam, after all, so what’s a vacation without a little booze? Just be careful when climbing up that ladder to go to bed. Don’t drink and climb.

2. San Francisco vacation home
When traveling solo, you begin to appreciate all those buddies who schlepped you all over town, putting miles on their odometers and never once asking for gas money. When without, count on the next best things: Buses and trains. This Castro apartment is close to Castro and Market streets near public transit, giving you easy access to other neighborhoods like Haight-Ashbury, Noe Valley, Cole Valley and downtown. While the kitchenette is definitely built for one, that shower looks big enough for a group. Don’t get any ideas.

3. Brooklyn vacation home
This Fort Greene apartment is your answer to anonymity, if that’s what you seek. The home–in a beautiful brownstone near the The Brooklyn Academy of Music–isn’t the sardine box you’d pay triple for on the Upper East Side. There’s an actual bedroom, full-sized stove, couch, patio and yard. The train is just one block away, leading to the sea of strangers that is Manhattan. See. It isn’t so bad to travel solo. You’re never really alone.

In honor of National Margarita Day (and where else, besides the aforementioned Keys, would you want to be sipping the cocktail anyway), let’s take a trip to this Tulum vacation rental.

Dubbed “Blue Sky,” this Mexican getaway is boutique chic with its cool palette of periwinkle, cornflower blue and white suites, plus ocean views to keep your camera’s memory card full. Rent a room for two to four people or the whole hotel for up to 20 guests.

Brides on a budget, consider having a beachfront ceremony here, then an intimate reception complete with mariachi singer. And talk about convenience: If you keep your affair small, all your guests can stay at the hotel.

While other Cancun vacation rentals boast all-inclusive packaging, where drinks, meals and accommodation are factored into the price, this hotel does not offer such pricing, but the rates are still affordable, averaging $140 a night for most of the year. Choose from a standard room for two with beach and pool access, a junior suite or a two-bedroom master suite on the second floor.

But don’t go stuffing that suitcase with Ramen noodles just yet. There’s on-site restaurant with a decent-sized menu of Italian and Mexican classics, from Huevos Rancheros to Pasta Carbonara.

A continental breakfast comes with the stay if you don’t mind just toast, fruit, granola and yogurt. That’s OK. A lighter meal means you’ll look trimmer in that bikini.

This year, nix chocolates and flowers (which are overpriced anyway) from your Valentine’s Day plans.

Your sweetheart really needs a vacation.

Surprise her with a trip to this Oceanside beach rental, where you’ll spend days on the balcony overlooking the Pacific after breakfast in bed. By night, you’ll say cheers with bubbly–or if you can figure it out, that mysterious ruby red cocktail pictured here–in the private spa tub.

Spoil each other and get spoiled with the views.

Now this second rental by owner may not be in the cards exactly for V-Day, but it’ll certainly make a memorable present that will set the bar high for future vacations.

Whisk her away to Tuscany.

At Villa Il Paradisino, time isn’t measured by Facebook updates or Blackberry pings. To borrow the landlord’s words, “Life at Villa Il Paradisino is unhurried, filled with the scents, flavors and furnishings of a past that is still alive.”

The circra 1839 paradise–owned by the same family for four generations–sits on a compound with several apartments surrounded by acres of landscaping, from lush grapes and olive trees to vegetable gardens. The farm produces its own extra virgin olive oil, red wine, jams and other homemade goodies that you’ll be able to enjoy in between trips to your lovers’ lair.

Choose the La Torre apartment for privacy, a sturdy wrought iron “tester” bed, plus a panoramic view of the countryside.

After your romantic retreat, you’ll be glad you didn’t spend your money on the roses.

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.

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!

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 ignorance is bliss, so is falling off the face of the Earth.

No deadlines, no pressure. Just you and this New Zealand vacation home.

Can you see it? The same magical mountains trekked by Frodo and crew … close to fishing, skiing and white water rafting.

And just check out Spaview’s eight-person pool in full view of the countryside. There with your sweetheart or seven good-looking strangers, you’d have to feel as beautiful and sparkly as Liv Tyler’s ethereal character, Arwen.

Feel free to browse our listings for more vacation rentals, but know that one former renter described this place as “Heaven on Earth.”

Talk about a compliment.