| e finally decided you and your family on going to take | | | | you'll end up in an overpriced, undesirable vacation |
| that long awaited dream vacation in Hawaii. You've | | | | rental. Here's another great hint. If a reservation service |
| decided that you want to go the vacation rental route | | | | states that they have hotels or condos available in |
| for numerous reasons: privacy, comfort, location and | | | | Kailua, or will have them soon, choose another service. |
| cost effectiveness. Next, you probably Googled Oahu | | | | Since, by zoning law, Kailua does not allow hotels or |
| Vacation Rentals and are faced with the daunting task | | | | condos, you should realize that once again, this is a |
| of choosing among some 175,000 web sites. Where to | | | | service that wants your money, not your piece of |
| begin? Here's two secrets that will help you make the | | | | mind. Always ask the reservation service person you |
| right choice so you can enjoy your stay in Hawaii to its | | | | are talking to where they are located. Someone based |
| fullest. | | | | in Las Vegas or Los Angeles won't have a clue about |
| Secret One: Use a reservation service. There are | | | | how to give you the best property for the vacation |
| several reasons for this. First, a single property | | | | experience you have in mind. |
| vacation rental listing by owner will severely limit you to | | | | With the standard vacation rental property terms being |
| the dates that you can take your vacation. Vacation | | | | no refunds after you've paid your deposit, you |
| rental properties in Hawaii run nearly 90% occupancy, | | | | absolutely want to make sure you make the right |
| so unless you know your travel dates six months to a | | | | choice. A good reservation service will ask you |
| year out the odds are high that their property won't be | | | | questions about what you want to do and see on your |
| available for the travel dates you had in mind. Second, | | | | vacation and will actually try and talk you out of a |
| the owner is only concerned with booking their own | | | | property you had in mind if they don't think it |
| property so they will extol the virtues of their vacation | | | | appropriate to what you had in mind. This is not an |
| rental and not mention any of the faults. | | | | attempt to upsell you, it's more a matter of matching |
| Secret Two: Make the right choice of reservation | | | | your vacation desires and needs with the perfect |
| service. Make sure it is locally owned and operated. | | | | choice of vacation rental venue. One vacation rental |
| Websites like vrbo and findrentals (for instance) don't | | | | reservation service that meets all these requirements |
| have a clue about geography, weather, attractions, | | | | is Pacific Islands Reservations. They are owned and |
| events and the other necessary information required | | | | operated by Ingrid Carvalho, who was born and raised |
| to give you the property that best fills your needs. For | | | | in the islands, as were her parents, grandparents and |
| instance, let's say you want to whale watch but also | | | | great-grandparents. She has been serving visitors to |
| want to vacation on Oahu. Your reservation service | | | | Hawaii vacation rental needs since 1996. She currently |
| should be able to tell you that you need to stay on the | | | | represents ninety vacation rentals on Oahu and |
| windward side of the island if you want to see the | | | | another 90 vacation rentals on Maui, Kauai and the Big |
| whales. Another tip-off of services to avoid are those | | | | Island. She has actually been to each and every |
| that do automated, credit card bookings. Steer clear of | | | | property she represents--she even took most of the |
| these services as this implies they aren't interested in | | | | photographs of the vacation rentals you see on her |
| talking to you, they just want your money. Be wary of | | | | web sites. She doesn't take credit cards but she's |
| sites that have more than 100 properties….there | | | | happy to spend time talking with you to make sure |
| aren't that many decent selections on Oahu, or any of | | | | you get the right property to maximize the value and |
| the other Hawaiian islands, on the market. The more a | | | | enjoyment of your vacation. |
| service exceeds 100 properties, the greater the odds | | | | |