Monthly Archives: February 2010

February 25th, 2010

From Worst Travel Nightmare to Dream Vacation

Posted by: Dan Weisman|6 comments

Coconut DomeToday, join us for the first part of a series in which we pursue vacation rental perfection by combing through thousands of FlipKey guest reviews to gain insight into the mind of the self-catering traveler. In this installment, we examine factors that worry and scare guests, and what can be done to put them at ease.

Although most of us go on vacation to relax, the planning process for any major trip invariably includes some stressful moments. For some travelers, the decision to stay in a vacation rental for the first time can be daunting; others worry about practical issues such as the size of a home, proximity to the beach, and nosy neighbors. We broke down reviews and found that travelers’ three main worries are safety, privacy, and noise. Here’s what the travelers are saying, and what owners and managers can do to help them achieve travel nirvana.

Categorized as: Advice for Owners and Managers, VR 101 Read more →
February 18th, 2010

Improving Your Business is Our Business: Marketing Vacation Rentals Made Easy

Posted by: Dan Weisman|5 comments

Marketing GuideHere at FlipKey, we spend a lot of time thinking up ways to help vacation home owners and property managers get the most from their properties. Helping to keep every property listed on FlipKey and TripAdvisor booked solid keeps us up at night. The good news is that all the sleepless nights are clearly worth it, as the average listing on TripAdvisor and FlipKey is currently receiving more than 75 inquiries annually.  We know that vacation rentals are the best accommodation option for many trips, and we won’t rest until we spread that message to the world’s travelers.

Believe it or not, we’re not the only ones obsessed with helping others succeed at renting their homes, which is why we asked Alfred and Emily Glossbrenner, of FullyBookedRentals, to write a comprehensive guide to vacation rental marketing. The Glossbrenners put their years of experience down on paper and came up with Vacation Rental Marketing Made Easy. We are proud to offer you their insight as a free guide to converting page views to inquiries, and finally to bookings. The marketing guide features tips on all the important aspects of a successful vacation rental marketing program, including:

  • Creating and fine-tuning your advertising program
  • What to look for in advertising websites
  • Creating your own website
  • Making your listings stand out from the crowd and
  • Creative ways to boost your bookings
  • And (much) more

You can always access the marketing guide through the link in the upper right-hand corner of this blog. Also, feel free to tell your friends about the guide. Good marketing techniques are not industry secrets – they’re great ideas that can work for everyone. Put the wisdom of other vacation rental owners to work, share your home with new guests, and keep your past guests coming back again and again.

Finally, remember to check in regularly with the FlipKey blog to learn the latest news, tips, and tidbits (or better yet, sign up for our RSS feed). And don’t hesitate to throw your two-cents into the comments. After all, no one knows more about vacation rentals than the owners and managers who rent them and the travelers who stay in them.

Categorized as: Advice for Owners and Managers, Flipkey News Read more →
February 09th, 2010

Pack Your Bags: Olympic Essentials

Posted by: Dan Weisman|0 comments

The blaze of the Olympic flame and the glint of gold medals may have ignited your interest in a Vancouver vacation this February, but now that the torch relay is nearing the finish line, it’s time to double check your baggage and make sure you have what it takes to live the Olympic Dream. Here’s a list of the items that no winter sports fan should be without:

TripAdvisor1. More Cowbell

A must-have at ski races, cowbells were first used in Switzerland to help spectators cheer on their favorite athletes without taking off mittens or losing voices.

TripAdvisor2. Your Country’s Flag

Win or lose, the Olympics is a celebration of nations. Support your compatriot athletes by sporting a flag, and don’t be afraid to go the extra mile by decking out in national colors from head to toe.

Categorized as: Travel Tips, Trips Read more →
February 03rd, 2010

On Vacation, Out of the Market

Posted by: Dan Weisman|0 comments

Groceries

You rented a vacation home to take a break and relax, and you don’t want to spend a second of downtime doing the chores, like grocery shopping, that take up too much of your time when not on vacation. Still, your rental home has a great kitchen, and you don’t want to eat in restaurants every night anyway. How can you take advantage of your vacation home without stressing about shopping or breaking the bank? Try a concierge shopping service.

Concierge grocery services send real shoppers to hand pick the products that you want. Some rental properties are part of associations that share concierge services like shopping, but you can find experienced shopping services for almost any destination on the Internet. Online grocery services such as Peapod.com, Amazon Fresh, and the Grocery Girls work with local markets to provide customers fresh, high-quality ingredients. No matter what service you choose, the process is more or less the same: sign in, create an online grocery list, and then relax—a professional shopper will do the rest. Now you can cross shopping off your to-do list and get back to the important business of enjoying your vacation.

Categorized as: Community, Travel Tips Read more →