Florida Villas and Vacation Rentals
Florida Here We Come . . .
You have found the flights and you have now booked your leave at work . . . but getting the right holiday home, along with the right owner, can help make your vacation a magical one. Where do you start?
Every home is different, every home is special in its own unique way but the great search facilities features on www.Directvillasflorida.com can help you find a property that’s perfect for you!
Homes featured on Direct Villas Florida are privately owned and reflect the individuality of the owner. The site features 3 main locations; Orlando if you want to be closer to the action of Disney world and the theme parks or the Gulf Coast and Keys, perhaps a quieter more relaxing destination and a chance to enjoy another side of Florida. Properties fall into 3 categories: private villas, town homes and condos – (See the article on Villas, town homes or condos for more information.)
Start with the basics . . . . . size! Once you know how many people are likely to be travelling, you can work out how many bedrooms and beds you need. If you are planning a large family reunion or travelling with friends, plan around the maximum number anticipated. A lot of vacation homes are individually owned and furnished and there is no standard bed configuration, so make sure you have the right number of beds. Once you know the number of bedrooms that you need, you can start looking at the right size home for you.
Traditionally homes in Florida have a maximum occupancy (usually with an infant in addition). Often to get the maximum occupancy in a home, you may have to use a sleeper sofa in a living area. That means reduced privacy for the person/people that are sleeping there. Consider taking a larger home so that you have more space and privacy for the whole family.
Use the following as a guideline:
- 2 bedroom home – 6 guests
- 3 bedroom home – 8 guests
- 4 bedroom home – 10 guests
- 5 bedroom home – 12 guests
- 6 bedroom home – 14 guests
- 7 bedroom home – 16 guest
Your wish list. Once you have your party size sorted, make a list of the features that are very important to you – your ‘must haves’. For example if you need high speed internet in the home to keep in touch with work or business, then that item belongs on a ‘must have’ list.
In addition, think about the features that would be nice to have. These are optional things that perhaps are not so important to you. Perhaps having DVDs provided in the home would be nice, but it certainly is not a deal breaker if not there.When comparing homes, remember that all the extra amenities come with a cost to provide them and maintain them. Pools and hot tubs may have an extra charge for heating for example. Check if you can access resort facilities with no additional membership charges. You’ll find that vacation homes are still a bargain compared to staying on-site or in an equivalent hotel room, so splurge a little. Enjoy your holiday in your home away from home.
Little kids, big kid – or just young at heart?
Florida is well known for its theme parks and the home of Mickey – Walt Disney World. A holiday here can provide entertainment for kids of all ages – and the grown-ups too. Make sure that you are catering for your whole family by checking that the home you rent works for everyone.
Travelling with babies and toddlers can be fun, but it takes planning. It is useful to find a home with amenities for that age group helping the parents to get some time to relax too. Owners often provide items such as portable or full size cribs, high chairs, strollers, baby monitors, toys, books and more at no extra charge. If a home doesn’t appear to have all the little kid items you are looking for, it doesn’t hurt to ask the owner if they do have them. Another option is to rent the items you need. The owner may be able to arrange that through the management company or point you in the direction of a company that does.Safety is always an issue when travelling with children, especially where pools are concerned. Newer constructed vacation homes in Florida with private pools are required to have either a pool safety fence or alarms on all the doors leading to the pool. If you have children in your group, make sure the home you are renting has at least one of these safety measures, if not both. Other safety features to consider are security alarms, outlet covers, cabinet door locks, child safety gates.Teenagers can be harder to keep amused than the little ones. A choice of TVs and DVDs could help – allowing everyone to pick their own favourite viewing. Or consider a home with a games room with items such as billiards tables, foosball, ping pong, arcade games, darts etc. Another feature that appears in homes are games consoles such as PlayStation, X-Box and Nintendo. Check with the owner to see if they provide any games for the consoles, or plan to bring your own. If you’re looking at Town homes or condos there can be great communal facilities where you and the children can meet and make friends while enjoying larger pools, gym facilities, games arcades, bars and restaurants or even a cinema.
Are you planning to travel with grandparents? Make sure that the home you rent will allow them to enjoy the vacation too. Some homes are two storeys, so a home with at least one bedroom on the ground floor (especially one with an en-suite bathroom) could help give them extra peace and privacy. Wouldn’t you like them rested enough to offer to babysit and let the parents escape for while?
You know your family best. Trust your knowledge and instincts to find the home that is best for you. Use the great search facilities on Direct Villas Florida to help find you that perfect property – or give you a starting point with several quotes from similar size properties. If you need any further advice on how to find your perfect holiday home on www.Directvillasflorida.com , then contact us on 0333 2400 797 or contact us.
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