Interesting article in yesterday's Sunday Telegraph on the merits of villa rental in Florida. Not surprisingly, it concludes that villa rental is much better value than hotels for groups and families.
I looked for it on the Telegraph website to post a link but couldn't find it. Perhaps somebody more skilled at these things can do it for me!
I have done a search on their web pages and cannot find it either. Perhaps someone else will have more luck.
Mary
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Katys Grandad
Interesting article in yesterday's Sunday Telegraph on the merits of villa rental in Florida. Not surprisingly, it concludes that villa rental is much better value than hotels for groups and families.
I looked for it on the Telegraph website to post a link but couldn't find it. Perhaps somebody more skilled at these things can do it for me!
[/quote]
FL villas are way under priced....my neigbour on the Cape gets $357 a night all high season which is now 9 months long...for that you get an old wooden 1300 sq ft home.....no bedding....no cleaning its an honour system...and no pool.......I think the garden was mowed earlier in the year.....so far its been booked every time I've pasted it....
By the way, do you have more info, such as who wrote it? which section of the paper or was it one of the supplements????
Mary
If you have the paper, it's on Page 5 of the Travel Section (it's the only article on that page). The author is somebody named Paul Wade.
You get so much extra for your money when you book a villa as opposed to a bed in a hotel.
For value for money they can't be beaten.
Dominic & Melanie Graham
Got a copy if anyone wants it...
SheilaF
Have to agree - we are looking at hotels in California at the moment for our road trip with the kids and the rates they are charging for one room with two beds is more than the rate for a gorgeous 4 bed home with pool would be.
Jan and Lee
THE ARTICLE
Thinking of a holiday in Florida? If so, take note of the region's fastest-growing trend - renting a private home. Some 1.4 million British visitors head for Florida each year, and of those nearly 30 per cent opt for a villa instead of a hotel.
The figure is climbing. British Airways Holidays has already increased its supply of villas to meet the expected demand. And many operators now devote separate sections in their brochures to holiday homes. So what is the appeal of a home from home in the Sunshine State?
For a start, staying in a private home gives you more freedom. And unlike France or Italy, where romance and atmosphere often have to compensate for antique plumbing, Florida's villas are modern, with three to seven bedrooms and all the latest labour-saving gadgets. No wonder tour operators list them as "private homes".
Price, of course, is also a consideration. The pound may be strong against the US dollar but accommodation still makes a large dent in any budget.
Brochures are full of options but, when comparing the costs of hotels and villas, you have to set like against like.
For a family of four, a two-week holiday in a three-star hotel with Travel City Direct (including flights) could cost as little as £996. But that means squashing into a single hotel room; book two rooms and the price jumps to £1,992.
For three-star comfort in a villa, the price is £1,674, and that gets you three bedrooms, two bathrooms, sitting room, kitchen and - most important for most Britons - a private swimming pool.
As important as price, however, is convenience. Dishwashers, microwave ovens, coffee machines and barbecues are de rigueur.
No one needs to slave over a hot stove when supermarkets are piled high with takeaways and dozens of fast food outlets will deliver to the door. Just stock the oversized fridge with milk, juice and fruit for breakfast, bottled water for days out and beer and wine for the evening. And with the large washers and dryers, families can travel light and return home with clean clothes.
Homes range from comfortable to palatial, but each tour operator has its own grading system. British Airways Holidays sticks to Standard and Superior; Kuoni has Bronze, Silver and Gold, while Key to America adds a Platinum category for "those seeking the ultimate indulgence".
Differences between categories can be subtle, and with Travel City Direct, upgrading from a "Standard" three-bedroom villa, with six sharing, to an "Executive" villa (with on-site golf, tennis and a children's area) could cost as little as £10 per person per night.
Remember that what you see in brochures is often a "typical house", not the one in which you will stay.
Some operators let you choose your subdivision (as the new developments are called), but a handful charge up to £300 for the privilege of selecting a specific house. Around Orlando, the key destination for most Britons, sought-after destinations include Lake Davenport, Highlands Reserve, Ridgewood Lakes and Thousand Oaks.
As with Orlando hotels, the closer you are to Walt Disney World, the more you pay.
However, opting to stay a 30- or 40-minute drive away can be a false economy. After all, how much fun is a car full of fractious children at the end of a hot, tiring day at the theme park?
So, before booking, study maps as well as brochures. Thousand Oaks, for example, is just eight miles from Disney.
This recently built community still offers the exotic sound of tree frogs and the swish of alligators. Of the 215 homes, about half are lived in by local families and 67 are looked after by Prestige Vacation Homes.
Although most British visitors head for Orlando, many villa brochures also feature Florida's west coast, with its relaxed lifestyle, sandy beaches and golf.
Naples is particularly popular, a classy town with smart shops and restaurants. Even here, there are savings to be made.
With British Airways Holidays, a week at the luxury Registry hotel would cost two adults and two children £3,484 for fl
Tony
http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida-vacation-rental-1379.aspx
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