Private Holiday Home Guide

I’ve never liked staying in hotels. While a hotel certainly can have all kinds of amenities and conveniences, I find most too impersonal and anonymous. You’re just another tourist in a never-ending stream of guests. Staying in a private holiday home is a whole different experience (not to mention a lot less expensive). Sure, it might be a cottage, house or condo the owner bought specifically to rent out to tourists, but even so, it gives you a chance to live like a local and even such a basic activity as shopping for groceries is a fun adventure in a new location, especially if you don’t know the language.

Cottage, St. James Park by Gary Knight

There are many ways to find holiday home rentals. These days, many turn to Craigslist (for everything), and they do have listings for holiday homes in many places all over the world. For similar sites in other countries check out gumtree.com for the UK, sydney.gumtree.com.au for Australia, kijiji.de or wg-gesucht.de for Germany (in German only), segundamano.es for Spain (in Spanish), blocket.se for Sweden (in Swedish), marktplaats.nl for the Netherlands (in Dutch) and expatica.com for listings in English for Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland.

Rural French Chateau by Steve Jurvetson

There are also many sites focused solely on holiday homes for rent directly from the owner, and some even offer rental guarantees, where the renter can receive a refund if the rental home isn’t what it was advertised to be. HomeAway, VacationSpaces, CyberRentals and Owner Direct are a few sites that list holiday rentals all over the world. And if you want to bring your dog, you’re in luck. There are many listings allowing pets; HomeAway even has a Pet-Friendly category, making your search even easier. There is a site out there for everybody, regardless of whether you are looking to rent luxury vacation homes, houseboats, French castles, private islands, luxury tents, timeshares, log homes, yurts, you name it.

If arranging something on your own is a bit too scary, there are many agencies that can help you out. A good, responsible agency will inspect each property, find a perfect match for you, help you out in case something goes wrong, and also be able to give you advice on the area. Some even help you book your entire trip – flight, car and house.

As I have said many times, I much prefer to stay in a condo or house rather than a hotel when on

vacation. You can take your time and linger over breakfast while reading the local paper, bbq on “your own” patio or balcony, even do a load of laundry if needed. You get a feel for what living in that particular area really is like, and have a chance to immerse yourself in the local community.

And as far as affordable vacations go, home rental is a total winner. Not only because the nightly rate usually works out to less than a hotel room, you also save on food, even if you only eat a few meals at home, you don’t need to leave a bunch of tips for different people, and many times, equipment like bikes, boogie boards, etc. are included. An even more economical option is to exchange homes. This inexpensive way to vacation is getting more and more popular, and if you do an exchange where you include your cars as well, all you pay for is the air fare, leaving you with more money to spend on fun activities and nice dinners.

Harbor Town by MoodyGroove

For those heading to South Carolina, Hilton Head Island is a fantastic place to visit, with beautiful scenery, sandy beaches and an abundance of activities to keep everyone in the family happy: 24 golf courses, 12 miles of beaches, nearly 50 miles of biking and hiking trails, over 250 restaurants, more than 100 tennis courts, over 200 shops, several nature preserves, all kinds of water sports, children’s camps, and more.

And there are lots of great vacation rentals in Hilton Head – everything from one-bedroom cottages to enormous luxury oceanfront mansions with heated pools and gourmet kitchens. And because of the large amount of properties available, you can find great deals year round, especially in the late fall, winter and early spring.

Where To Stay?
Below is a short overview of the island’s communities (or “plantations” as they are called) and what they have to offer (in alphabetical order):

Forest Beach
Located between the Sea Pines and Shipyard plantations, the non-gated Forest Beach community has over three miles of sandy beaches, lots of vacation rentals (including many luxury oceanfront villas), a water slide park, tennis center, and Coligny Plaza with over 50 stores and restaurants.

Hilton Head
Hilton Head Plantation is home to the Cypress Retirement Community, and consists mainly of single family houses; a mix of primary and secondary homes, with some available for rent. Amenities in this area include: four 18-hole golf courses, two nature preserves, lots of walking and biking trails, a community garden at Seabrook Farms, tennis courts, 2 miles of beaches, lakes and lagoons, stables and a marina.

Indigo Run
Indigo Run is a private community with 2 golf courses (one designed by Jack Nicklaus’ Golden Bear Design Associates), tennis courts, swimming pools, and biking and hiking trails.

Long Cove
Famous for its Pete Dye-designed gold course, the private Long Cove Club is the most exclusive community on the island. Other amenities (available only to residents and their guests) include tennis, boating, fishing and swimming.

Palmetto Dunes
Located mid-island, Palmetto Dunes has a wide variety of vacation rentals, three miles of beaches, three championship golf courses (designed by Arthur Hills, Robert Trent Jones and George Fazio), the top-rated Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center, many miles of bike paths, the village of Shelter Cove Harbour with shops and restaurants, a large lagoon system, and the deepest yacht basin on the island.

Palmetto Hall
The most recently developed plantation on the island, Palmetto Hall is another private community. Owners and their guests enjoy 2 championship golf courses (designed by Robert Cupp and Arthur Hills) and membership at the Palmetto Hall Club with its dining facilities, pro shop, swimming pool and tennis courts.

Port Royal
Another private community, Port Royal has three 18-hole golf courses, a top-notch 16-court racquet club (with clay, hard and grass courts), two croquet courts, miles of trails and an arboretum. The Westin Resort is located right outside the gates of Port Royal and as a guest, you have access to Port Royal’s amenities.

Liberty Oak, Harbor Town by MoodyGroove

Sea Pines
Located on the southwestern tip of the island, Sea Pines is the oldest plantation, and non-residents are charged a $5 entrance fee to visit. Harbour Town, with shops, restaurants and a distinctive red and white-striped lighthouse is located here, as well as 4 golf courses, 4 miles of beaches, many tennis courts and bike paths, a forest preserve, an equestrian center, and 2 marinas. The South Beach Marina is home to The Salty Dog, a bar and restaurant whose fame has spread throughout the world thanks to their very popular T-shirts.

Shipyard
The 800-acre Shipyard Plantation is home to the Crowne Plaza Resort, the top-rated Shipyard Racquet Club, the Shipyard Beach Club, 3 nine-hole golf courses and many winding biking and walking trails.

Spanish Wells
Home to many of the largest and most exclusive homes on the island, this tranquil, residential community on Broad Creek has a 9-hole golf course (semi-private), oak-lined streets, and a country club.

Wexford
Wexford is a private community known for its amazing homes and multimillion-dollar clubhouse. Residents have access to an 18-hole championship golf course, marina, inland harbor, croquet club, and tennis club. At The Village at Wexford, you’ll find upscale shopping, several restaurants and a day spa.

Windmill Harbour
Home to the renowned 250-slip South Carolina Yacht Club, Windmill Harbour, the only plantation on the island without a golf course, is a private residential community beautifully located on the Calibogue Sound. The yacht club, which has a private lock system and can hold boats up to 85 feet, also has a racquet club, pool, tennis courts, jacuzzi and a pro shop. Other amenities in this community include many hiking and biking trails, and shopping and dining on Main Street.

With all the money you save by not staying in a hotel, why not splurge on one of the many luxury holiday homes available for rent? Even the ones that come with staff and other amenities can be quite affordable, especially if you are traveling with a large group of friends.

Maid service, private chefs, butlers, elevators, gyms, extensive private gardens, private beaches, tennis courts, heated swimming pools, private boats and docks are some of the comforts you can expect in luxury vacation home rentals. Of course, you can always cut down on the cost by renting a home that does not include a chef or some of the more exclusive amenities. Sometimes it’s fun to cook while you’re on vacation, especially if you have an outdoor gourmet chef’s kitchen overlooking a private bay!

If you prefer a more urban setting, there are many luxury apartments and penthouses available in the best locations of the metropolitan centers of the world. How about a stunning Parisian 3-bedroom, 4,500-sf loft a short walk from the Louvre? It sleeps 6, so if you bring 5 friends, it’s quite affordable – only around $1,700 per person/week. With hotel prices being what they are in Paris, I think that’s a fantastic deal. And this way, you can enjoy a bottle of champagne while watching the sunset from your private balcony instead of at a restaurant, saving even more.

Photo by Benh Lieu Song

Or, if you’re really in the mood to splurge, go all out and rent a private island. Nygard Cay, a Mayan-inspired extravaganza in the Bahamas, rents for $47,000/day. It sleeps up to 24 people (2 of the rooms are on a private 82′ yacht), and the price includes amenities such as 2 pools, 5 jacuzzis, the yacht, a fishing boat, a staff of 20, 2 Hummers (with chauffeurs of course), a movie theatre, a disco, all food and liquor and more.

If you’re looking for something a bit more subdued, Necker Island, Richard Branson’s private paradise in the British Virgin Islands, might be more your cup of tea. It also rents for $47,000 day and sleeps 28 (that breaks down to $1,679/person per night) and includes transfers from Virgin Gorda, 2 pools and jacuzzis, 50-person staff, all food and drinks, sailing and speed boats, a local calypso band, a gym and much more.