Vacation Rental Homes for a Lower Price

Very well known fact: I don’t like Winter. At all.

It’s just the beginning of the season and already I’m dreaming of our next warm vacation. OK, maybe a couple escapes if we can swing it, the more the merrier, right? While I haven’t completely narrowed down where we might holiday next, vacation rental homes are definitely on our radar. We experienced our first last year in Florida, and we are hooked.

The ultimate benefit is that it’s like a home away from home. You have all the needed amenities for your family like bedrooms, a kitchen and a living room and laundry facilities. Yet most importantly, it’s the much needed space for families to feel comfortable. If you have ever stayed more than a few days in a regular hotel room with the entire family, you’ll be nodding your head right about now.

I recently was introduced to Wantizen.com, a {Canadian based} free website to find vacation rentals and likewise used by the owners to find vacationers.  Searching the site is simple, just choose your location {currently Whistler, Hawaii or Florida yet more locations will be added}, the dates you are interested in, what price you would like to pay and specific amenities like pet-friendly or fitness facilities to name a couple.

You then place an offer with the owner and wait for the owner’s reply. Often the offer sent back is less than what the consumer has offered to pay, since the owners know they might be bidding against other property owners.

In fact this may be my favorite part about the site: you can simply select a location, date and what you are looking for and the owners send you offers. Just sit back and wait for the incredible deal to come to you!

Keep in mind that placing a bid doesn’t mean you have to buy and until you confirm a booking, there is no personal information sent to the owner until you confirm a booking.

Right now I’m eyeing a beautiful property in Florida, as found on Wantizen. Check out this description:

With no passing traffic this villa provides you with the peace and quiet to relax between your exciting visits to the theme parks and other attractions that Florida has to offer. This villa has been furnished to a high standard and includes the following amenities. Master bedroom 1 features a king size bed, ensuite bathroom with garden tub and seperate shower cubicle. Master bedroom 2 features a queen size bed, ensuite bathroom with garden tub and shower over. Direct access to the pool area, via the bathroom. There is also a TV and Radio alarm clock in here. Two further twin bedrooms share a third bathroom with bath and shower over. All bedrooms feature a TV/DVD. The pool has been extended and there is a spa from which you can look out over the orange groves. The other two sides of the pool cage have privacy screening to ensure you are not overlooked whilst enjoying the pool. Pool door alarms are fitted on all doors accessing the pool area for anyone worried about the safety of young children. There is also a safety fence (removable) between the patio area and pool for extra safety.

The price right now is $110-$172 per night, yet there’s actually quite a few similar properties in the area. So, I’m pretty certain I could get our stay well below the suggested price. I really like that there’s a link to the owners site, so you can do more research and see more photos of each property.

In other words: A whole furnished house for the same price as a hotel room? Pass the carry-on bag!

Staying in a vacation rental home saves money, you have to pack less and you have so much more space and comfort. As well, there’s the appeal of not being in a large facility of travelers hence you are IN that community and experiencing the entirety of the area.

Wantizen provides an easy search for  accommodations, where decide how much or how little you’d like to pay. Now that’s frugal travel for families!

GIVEAWAY #1:

Enter the Wantizen Giveaway Contest and be one of the first to find great deals on vacation rental homes … as well as a chance to WIN $500 OFF your first rental!

GIVEAWAY #2:

Enter the I Want Zen Photography Contest from now until December 14th. Just upload Upload the most beautiful or spectacular photo you took whilst on holiday – photos of your holiday zen.The prizes are two iPad 2′s and Apple Gift Cards!

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