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 somebody’s 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.

There are many ways to find vacation 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.

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.

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.

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 – 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.

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.

Don’t we all wish that such a thing existed. While there are many cards with 0% introductory APR, none offer that rate forever… There is nothing wrong with taking advantage of a good deal and signing up for a frequent flier card that offers 0% transfer and introductory rates, but make sure you read the fine print before putting your signature on paper. Weigh the pros and cons of each card – one might have a high annual rate, but perhaps the awards offered by that card is worth it?

Things to keep in mind when choosing a rewards credit card:

Interest Rate
Definitely look closely at the rates when choosing an awards credit card. They vary quite a bit, from Miles by Discover’s regular rate of 10.99% (0% intro APR for six months) to Orbitz Platinum Visa’s 22.90% (0% intro APR until October ‘09). These rates, however, are not written in stone – they differ between transfers, purchases, cash advance, and default APR, and may also vary monthly. Miles by Discover’s APR rates, for example are: 0% introductory, 10.99%-18.99% regular, 23.99% cash advance and up to 29.99% default.

Also, take a look at your credit rating before applying for a card – the better your credit, the lower your interest rate will be. The Miles by Discover 10.99% rate above, for example, is for holders with “Excellent Credit”, and the Orbitz 22.90% is for an “Average” rating.

Your best bet is obviously to keep paying off your balance on time. American Express Rewards Cards are specifically intended for those who do. There is no APR since you’re expected to pay in full every month, but if you don’t, you are charged $0-$35 or 2.99% of the balance, whichever is greater (these rates vary by state).

Fees
Look at all the fees associated with the card. Is there an annual fee? How about fees for cash advances, late payments, over limit charges, balance transfers and foreign currency transactions?

How Soon Will I Be Able To Get A Rewards Ticket?
Don’t expect to be able to book a free ticket immediately. Or even within a year (unless you put a ton of purchases on that card). You typically need 25,000 miles for a (roundtrip) ticket in the continental US, and 60,000 for a ticket from North America to Europe. But if you’re using a credit card anyway for your everyday purchases, it might as well be one that earns you miles or points. We use an airline card for all our household purchases, and have amassed a nice number of miles by now. We’re going on two trips “for free” (at least that’s what it feels like) this summer – one to Europe and one in the US. (To make the trip even more affordable, try to do a home and car exchange with a family at your vacation destination.)

How many miles do I earn per dollar?
1 mile/$ is the standard, but some cards are a bit more generous (examples are Capital One No Hassle with 1.25 miles/dollar spent, and Citi PremierPass and JetBlue’s American Express cards, which both give you 2 points/$1 for particular purchases), and many cards offer special introductory deals and incentives. An interesting take on this is HSBC’s Weekend Card, which gives you 2% cash back on all your weekend purchases (Saturday-Sunday) and 1% the rest of the week.

Do the miles expire?
Definitely make sure that the miles you acquire with your card do not come with an expiration date. While it’s a good idea to book award tickets soon after you collect enough miles (airlines go out of business, policies change), sometimes that’s not possible and you don’t want to lose your hard earned miles just because you’re unable to travel for a few years.

Cash Back Credit Card vs. Miles/Points Reward Cards?
Well, cash back gives you actual money in the hand after you’ve spent a certain amount, which can be used for anything – airline tickets included. However, when a check for $250 shows up in the mail, are you going to put that into a special “travel savings account”? I know I wouldn’t, I would end up spending it on groceries or car repair or something, so for me personally, getting miles is a better option. There are cards that give you a choice between cash or miles (Miles by Discover, HSBC Choice Travel for example) so if you prefer to be able to mix it up, that might be a better bet for you.

Which Award Card Is Best?
There is unfortunately no simple answer to that question. You have to do your research and weigh the pros and cons of each card. If you always travel on a particular airline, a card connected with them is probably a good idea. If you always travel on different airlines, a card that lets you redeem points on a whole bunch of airlines is your best bet, even if the interest and annual fee is higher. American Express is not as widely accepted in Europe as it is here, so if that’s where you’re usually headed, Visa or MasterCard would be better choices. But If you always travel in the US, American Express might work better for you. Their Starwood Preferred Guest card is a great choice for those who want to be able to redeem their points for either airline tickets or hotel rooms.