How to Choose the Perfect Maui Vacation Rental

Have you recently decided that you would like to stay at a private Maui vacation rental, as opposed to a hotel?  If you have, you may be pleased with all of your options.  On the beautiful island of Maui, there are a large number of vacation rentals for you to choose from. You should also know that private rentals come in a number of different formats, which include apartment rentals, homes, villas, and condos.

As nice as it is to have options, in terms of your overnight accommodations, it can make making a decision seem like a huge and overwhelming task.  There is good news though.  With a small amount of thought and careful consideration, you can easily find the perfect Maui vacation rental for you and your trip.

The first step in finding a great Maui rental is creating a budget for yourself.  This is particularly important if you are travelling on a limited budget.  Even if money is not a concern, a travel budget can still do you wonders.  Having a set budget in place can make finding a vacation rental easier, as you may be able to eliminate those that are too costly.  It is also important to note overpayment; why pay more than you need to?

Next, it is important to examine and compare all of your options.  As stated above, you have a number of private Maui vacation rentals to choose from.  For that reason, do not choose the first one that you come across.  Doing so may later result in disappointment.  Instead, you should visit an online travel website and start comparing all of your options.  Speaking of which, there are websites that are designed for Hawaii trips only, as well as those that specialize in private rentals, like homes, cottages, villas, apartment rentals, and condos.

When comparing Maui vacation rentals, there are a number of factors that you will want to keep in mind and take into consideration.  One of those is location.  Don’t spend your vacation on the road travelling to participate in or see the Maui activities and attractions on your vacation to do list.  Instead, examine location.  You will want to choose a rental that is conveniently located.  Doing so can save you money in travel expenses, as well hassle.

Perhaps, the most important factor to take into consideration is rental fees.  When examining Maui vacation rentals, always compare rental fees.  Some vacation rentals can appear identical in nature but have very different rental rates.  As a reminder, do not overpay.  Instead, search for the best deals.  Also, examine extra fees, such as cleaning fees and security deposits, as they are often required for private rentals.

Vacation rental features should also be examined and compared.  You will want to choose a Maui vacation rental that can give you want you want and what you need.  After all, that is what vacations are all about.  Features are particularly important if your Hawaii vacation is an extended trip.  Despite variances, many travellers like having internet access, an onsite swimming pool, a private garden or patio area, as well as a dishwasher.

In short, since you do have a number of different options, in terms of private Maui vacation rentals, take the time to find the vacation rental that is perfect for you.  By doing so, you are less likely to be a disappointment and you won’t be left second-guessing your decision days before your vacation.

Maui Bound

We are heading for a two week vacation in Maui and I am looking forward to spending some quality time in the sun.  It has been a slow summer as I have been in recovery from my knee operation and have not had the energy to enjoy the sun on the west coast. So I am looking forward to enjoying Maui. When I come back I will be back into the hospital for hip replacement surgery, which I hope will go better than my Knee replacement surgery.

 One of the best newsletters I have found about Maui is Jon's Maui Newsletter. This independent newsletter, which I subscribe to gives great impartial advice on what to do, where do go, best places to stay as well as just interesting and informative information about Maui.

We went to Maui for the first time two years ago, and I fell in love with the island and I hope to make it part of my travel plans for the foreseeable future.

The best place to rent a car when you are travelling to Maui is Discount Hawaii Car Rentals. They were recommended to me by a friend of mine and I found their prices to be lower than other car rental shops in Maui even with coupons. 

Vacation planning--Flexibility is the key

The first thing I suggest is that you start to plan early. Spontaneity works well for day trips, but is not as effective for longer jaunts. By planning early, you will find cheaper fares and accommodations that are more available. 

You can also have the opportunity to save any additional funds you might need, perhaps include extended invitations to other family members, and get together all the paperwork you might need if traveling abroad. 

While planning, it’s a good idea to stay flexible in your desires.  Flexibility equals maximum pleasure for everyone.  This is especially true if you have special needs due to a disability or are taking along teens and children who will want to do different things.

Get your children involved too.  This will not only make them much more enthusiastic about the trip, but they can provide their input into what types of activities they want to do and what types of activities they’d like to do as a family.  They’ll be much more excited when they are fully involved in deciding where the family will be vacationing, so be sure to get their opinions too.

You probably already have some kind of idea as to what you’ll be able to afford when taking a vacation.  If you do have a specific number in mind, this makes it much easier to pick out a destination.  You can research what’s available in your price range and choose the trip that will best fit your family.

If you don’t have a specific number in mind, make a list of your dream vacations.  Include those places you’ve always wanted to go as well as places you think would fit the personalities of your family.  See what these types of vacations will cost, and then pick the one you think you can save for or afford to take right away.

The Internet is an indispensable tool to do this.  There are many travel websites that offer vacation packages for specific destinations.  Here are some highly suggested by the experts:

www.expedia.com

www.orbitz.com

www.cheaptickets.com

www.travelocity.com

When you use these sites, they can give you best prices for various destinations, but they can also provide valuable suggestions for where you can go as well as activities that are available and ratings from other travelers who have taken the same vacations.

You can also use:

www.priceline.com
Price line often allows you to name a price you’re willing to pay for flights, hotels, etc., but you have to take what they offer you if they accept your price.  For example, you may be willing to pay $100 for a $200 airline flight, but they may accept your price only if you’re willing to take the redeye in the middle of the night.  If this is something you can live with, by all means, book it!  Just be flexible. 

Do you detect a theme here in the planning phase?  Flexibility is the key!

You’ll need to decide if you will be flying to your destination or driving.  There are many airlines that have cut-rate prices when you fly during certain times.  Again, you’ll need to be flexible on departure dates and times.

You’ll also need to decide on a time frame for your vacation.  Again, if you are flexible on departure dates, you’re more likely to get a better deal.  We realize, however, that work constraints might not allow you to change your vacation dates, but if possible, it’s best to just have a general idea instead of a rock solid date. 

Try to travel on days other than Friday, Saturday or Sunday which are the busiest travel days of the week.  You can firm up plans later if needed.

Once you’ve got your destination in mind, you’ll need to consider a couple of other things before booking your trip.

Vacation saving

SAVING FOR YOUR VACATION

Maybe it is too early to start thinking about saving for your vacation, but as we leave Xmas behind, many of us start to think about New Years Resolutions, and going on a vacation may be on that list. I know this is on our list, as we are planning to go down to Australia for my grandsons second birthday in Sept, so I am starting to consider how we can save up for the trip.

There are many effective ways to save for your family vacation. When you spend 40 hours a week slaving at your job, you deserve to have some time to get away from the rat race, relax, and enjoy your family.

Unless you’re independently wealthy, you’ll need a plan for saving up the money you need. While this may seem like a simple proposition, some people find it difficult to lay aside some money each pay period. The key here is discipline.

Open up a separate savings account specifically meant for your vacation money. If your employer offers direct deposit, you can usually specify a certain amount of money be put into this account. Some banks will schedule an automatic direct transfer to your savings account if you don’t have direct deposit or if you are not able to deposit money into two separate accounts.

Examine the amount of money your family spends weekly or monthly on family entertainment and fast food restaurants. Then reduce that amount, storing the remainder away for your trip. So that a pending vacation doesn't become a joy-buster, shop around for freebie and reduced-cost entertainment options to enjoy during the months before you depart.

Another good way to save up money is to save your change. When you use cash, resolve to use only paper money. Then take the change you receive and put it aside at the end of every day. You’ll be surprised at how quickly it can build up.

One family reported that they kept a “vacation jar” in a convenient place and each family member would deposit change and the occasional dollar bill into it. When they emptied the jar and had it counted, they had managed to save $5,000 – enough for them to enjoy a tropical getaway to Grand Cayman Island!

While you may not have that much in your change jar, emptying it at vacation time can mean extra spending money or that little boost you need to go on your dream vacation.

Be sure and involve your kids in the saving venture. This is a great time to teach the valuable lessons of saving and budgeting money.

Look for other ways to add extra cash to the vacation coffer. One family we know would save aluminum cans and take them into the recycling plant periodically for cash. Throughout the course of a year, they managed to accumulate an extra $1,000 for their vacation.

You could have a rummage sale to earn extra vacation cash as well. There are plenty of opportunities out there to add to your vacation savings. You just need to think outside of the box and resolve that any extra cash you get will go toward your family vacation.

You need to budget realistically. Vacations need not be expensive. Budget an amount and stick to it. If you're driving, set a fixed spending amount ($150 per day, for example). Include all of your expenses, gas, meals, admissions, special activities, etc.

Involve your children in the process. Share with them that conserving money on one day allows them to go to a water park on another day. Be creative.

To save money, you can eat only one meal in a restaurant per day. For the other two, prepare your own food and eat in the hotel room or have a picnic. Take turns letting the kids choose the type of food—and, if you are adventurous, the restaurant—each day. This way, the children feel important and it minimizes arguments.

A good point to keep in mind when determining how much you can afford to spend on a vacation is to be sure that you consider other periodic expenses that may be waiting for you when you return, such as back-to-school costs, holiday expenses, and next year’s taxes.

Travelling and Time Shares

We have owned a timeshare since 1992 and I think they are a very good way to save on accommodation and to get some really nice places to stay when visiting other parts of the world. When asked by my friends whether they should consider the idea of a timeshare I always say "yes!" but with a caveat "Never buy a timeshare on the retail market, always buy on the wholesale market." We belong to a timeshare called WorldMark, which was one of the first point system clubs and which has over 60 resorts to choose in addition to having an affiliate club in the South Pacific which has over 15 resorts available to us. In addition the club is affiliated with RCI (Resort Condominiums International), so has members we have access to resorts the world over. We have used our timeshare every year since we purchased and we will continue to do so as we drift more into the idea of retiring.

If you are interested in purchasing a time share I strongly suggest you search and look at companies such as Sell my Timeshares Now or Timeshares for Sale by Owner (specializes in WorldMark Sales) as you could find Timeshares or sale for as little as $1.00 (one dollar). Our Timeshare cost us about $17,000 and now if you go buy a WorldMark timeshare on the retail market it could cost you up to $45,000 however on the wholesale market or resale market you could buy one for between $12,000 and 15, 000.

I recommend Timeshares as the way to go for travelling but be smart when you buy them.  I also recommend that you check out the following sites before you purchase your first time share Timeshare Users Group and TimeShare Resale Fraud