One of the most common questions I hear being asked by visitors to Orlando, who are looking to book their very first Florida villa is “do I need a villa in a gated community?” Of course this is an issue for the individual, but in my personal experience there is very little difference between gated and non gated communities and certainly not enough for it to influence my decision of where to stay. The following is an attempt to set out the benefits of both types of communities, with a view to perhaps answering at least some questions. Read the rest of this entry »

Have you checked your enquiries lately?

Here at Direct Villas UK we’ve been doing a little research and listening to our members. Your feedback is always important and helps us continue to improve the service we offer.  There’s still more on our ‘to do’ list but we’ve made one change to our enquiry system today that we hope will see your conversion rates soar. Read the rest of this entry »

Planning a trip to enjoy all Florida’s great attractions and year round sunshine? Have you taken a look at all the accommodation options? If you are travelling from the UK you may not be as familiar with the idea of a ‘condo’ but here are just some of the advantage you may not have thought about . . .  Read the rest of this entry »

Last year, a gigantic eyeball went viral when it washed up on Pompano Beach in Florida. People all over the world wanted to know the origins of the mysterious peeper. But it wasn’t the first time a bizarre discovery had been made on the sands of Florida. In fact, weird and wonderful things have been washing up here for years. It turns out it’s not just holidaymakers who are attracted to Florida’s beautiful beaches, but everything from giant Lego men to dead mermaids. We combed the net and found some of the most weird, wonderful and downright unbelievable things ever to be found on the Sunshine State’s shores. Read the rest of this entry »

Florida is well known for doing things bigger and occasionally better than most other places, but what has been big in the Sunshine State in 2013?  Read the rest of this entry »

Holidays to Florida normally conjure up images of packed theme parks and bustling beaches, but for a growing group of urban explorers, it’s the state’s abandoned places that are the main attraction. We featured some of Florida’s most awesome unfinished and abandoned structures back in 2008 – and now we’ve found even more. A graffiti-spattered sports stadium, futuristic houses and defunct hotels are just some of the eerie but fascinating structures tucked behind Florida’s mass tourism. There’s even a secret rocket factory from the 1960s. These stunning images give you a glimpse into some of The Sunshine State’s most surreal sights. Some of them are no longer standing, but thankfully they were caught on camera before they faded forever. Read the rest of this entry »

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? Read the rest of this entry »

We’ve listened to our customers feedback and have made some changes to the way you receive enquiries from us, the way the availability calendar is displayed and the property search – the result?  More targeted enquiries for you and better chances of generating bookings! Read the rest of this entry »

Holiday makers can now benefit from cheaper Florida car hire from providers such as Budget, Dollar & Avis, saving them valuable money which can then be used towards the purchase other items, such as Florida theme park tickets and there are no hidden fees or extras guaranteed!  Read the rest of this entry »

From 1st January 2013, international visitors arriving at a car hire desk in Florida is now required by law to provide an International Drivers Permit (IDP). So where do you get yours and how much will it cost? Read the rest of this entry »