Archive for May, 2009

Copyright (c) 2008 Terry Hely

Finding suitable Florida accommodation is usually done online using one of the proliferation of accommodation affiliate websites. When you take into account the combination of over 4 million overseas visitors to Florida each year, plus the internal domestic market, it’s easy to see how lucrative this market is and why so many sites are trying to get their slice of the pie.

It has become commonplace with websites that cater to this market to refer to ALL accommodation as either “hotels” or “vacation rentals”, when in fact much of the accommodation they list is neither. The term “vacation rentals” in particular tends to be used to include all types of vacation lodgings when in fact the term is meant to apply only to lodging that has self-catering facilities including a wet area (sink etc), refrigerator, microwave, etc.

It is only when you dig a little deeper, usually when reading the fact sheet for a particular property, that words such as “hotel”, “resort”, “condominium”, “townhouse” and “vacation rental” start to be used to differentiate one choice from another. So what do these terms actually mean to the person making a booking? What are the differences between them that might influence your final decision on what to book?

** Florida Hotels

Hotels are nearly always located at, or in reasonable proximity to, the major vacation destinations. The accommodation consists of a serviced room (aka suite) with a bed, TV, chairs and essential furniture plus an ensuite bathroom and toilet. Private laundry facilities are no available. Meals are usually available in the hotel restaurant or on an eat-out basis.

Higher rated hotels usually offer facilities such as gymnasiums, pools, spas and saunas. At the bottom end of the price range, hotels may only offer the basic accommodation without any guest facilities. To keep abreast of current market demands, many hotels are now providing a choice of traditional hotel suites as well as units complete with a kitchenette for basic food preparation or a fully equipped kitchen for total self catering. In effect they are offering serviced apartments within the hotel complex.

Hotel tariffs are per room per night with extra person charges for persons that exceed the standard occupancy.

** Florida Resorts

In many cases there is little to distinguish resorts from hotels. Most resorts are also located at or near the most popular locations. Many are large high-rise complexes and operate under the same brand-names of the better known hotel chains such as Sheraton, Westin, Holiday Inn etc. Resorts usually offer a range of guest facilities and entertainment that surpasses hotel accommodation.

Swimming pools, games rooms, water sports equipment, tennis courts, kids clubs are all typical of the features and facilities that are inclusive with resort accommodation although there will be variations between different resorts and different locations.

Themed resorts are common in Florida, especially in the Orlando, Kissimmee and Lake Buena Vista entertainment park areas. Golf resorts dot the landscape all over Florida, which is not surprising given that there are over 1100 golf courses throughout the state. As with hotels, resort accommodation is often a choice of room only or fully equipped multi-bedroom suites with kitchen and laundry facilities (ie.. an apartment).

Resort tariffs are per room per night with extra person charges for persons that exceed the standard occupancy.

** Florida Condominiums & Townhouses

These can be best described as multifamily housing complexes with common facilities such as recreation areas, sidewalks, parking lots, etc. Whereas the condo (aka apartment) owner owns the inside of their unit, a townhouse owner owns the complete unit, including exterior surfaces and the land on which the unit is built.

More often than not, condominiums are located within a high rise property serviced by elevators. Condos in a low rise will generally involve a walk-up from the entrance via a communal staircase, something that needs to be considered if climbing stairs is a problem for anyone in your party. Townhouses are usually one or two levels above ground level and the stairs are internal within the unit.

Condos and townhouses have kitchens fully equipped for self catering, an equipped laundry and will nearly always include all linen and bedding. They are generally suited for holiday makers who prefer their accommodation away from the high rise complexes, have little or no need of in-house guest facilities and prefer to manage their own provisioning and meals.

** Florida Vacation Rentals

This is where the most confusion occurs, because if “vacation rental” is correctly interpreted as having “self-catering facilities including a wet area (sink etc), refrigerator, microwave, etc.” then the term can be applied to some units within hotels and resorts, serviced apartments, condos, townhouses as well as detached private dwellings. One vacation rental might be a 1 bedroom beach shack 3 miles from town, another might be a fully equipped apartment in the Sheraton. Same description but very different properties.

The above notwithstanding, most vacation rentals will have separate bedrooms, fully equipped kitchens, one or more bathrooms plus laundry facilities including washer and dryer. Towels and linens are usually provided and daily maid services and other hotel conveniences are often available. When the rental property is a domestic dwelling and not part of a vacation complex, it is unlikely there will be any maid services available.

Unlike hotels and resorts with per person or per night pricing, vacation rentals usually have a set price for an entire rental with a maximum number of persons allowed. Extra person charges apply to additional guests accepted at time of booking.

Most one-bedroom units sleep a maximum of four using a sleeper/sofa in the living room. Most two-bedroom vacation rentals sleep a maximum of six, and most three-bedroom vacation rentals sleep up to eight.

The sleeping arrangements for rental houses will vary depending on the number of bedrooms, verandahs, sleep-outs and the individual layout of each one determines the maximum occupancy. Before making a booking for your Florida accommodation, it is important to read the fine print carefully to see exactly what each property offers.

Amazon.com
Just days before her college graduation trip, June (Erin Raftery) meets the man of her dreams, David (Danny Araujo) andlearns he is moving back home to Springdale. Junes’ impetuious nature gets the best of her so she ditches her friends and takes a pet/housesitting job in Springdale to chase after him. In Springdale things go according to plan until June sees David with another girl. Meanwhile the homeowners son Steven (Max Hlubik) arrives at the house unexpectedly and complicates the situation…. More >>

June in Springdale

• ISBN13: 9781604780123
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Product Description
For almost thirty years, ZAGAT has reported on the shared experiences of diners. Here are the results of the 2009 Miami/So.Florida Restaurant Survey, covering hundreds of restaurants. The surveyors are male and female and of all ages. No matter the economic climate, our appetite for lively dining destinations continues unabated, inspiring ever bolder ventures. For every notable closing, there’s another restaurateur waiting in the wings, often joined by an expensive team of architects and designers, and ZAGATSURVEY is always there to note the changes. So whether you are looking for the hippest restaurant, where to dine with celebs or find a lunch bargain, the new 2009 Miami/So.Florida Restaurant Survey rates… More >>

ZAGAT Miami So. Florida Restaurants 2009

Multiple cockpit views of many takeoffs and landings around Florida. Bob Connolly pilots an Extra-200 for this brief film.

Shot in Gran Canaria, this advert increased their sales dramatically by around 150%.

This is no Holiday Inn- for a hotel on the beach in Ft. Lauderdale that is loved by stars and citizens alike, watch this video! This vacation resort is full of luxury amenities, and boasts new multimillion dollar penthouses, each individually decorated with the finest furnishings and state of the art kitchens. This is luxury lodging, the ultimate in accommodation along the sparkling Florida surf!

A Bahamas Vacation has always sounded like paradise on earth, but did you know that when you travel to the Bahamas you aren’t just going to one island, but many.

Travelling from one end of the Bahamas to the other, not only are there the well known islands like Grand Bahama, The Abacos, Eleuthera, and Exuma, but the Bahamas is in fact a country of 700 islands, of which 23 are inhabited but there are many many unpopulated islets and cays.

The differences to be found between different islands is also extreme, when you take cosmopolitan Nassau and compare it to the desert like Inagua. As you can imagine being only fifty miles off the Florida Coast, the Bahamas are very much an American playground, indeed on a lot of the islands the tiny villages could almost be the same as ones found on the coast of Massachusetts, only the palms, and sands are different.

A Bahamas Vacation has long been popular with sailors because the sea is calm, there are cooling tradewinds and this is the home of the Gulf Stream which makes the climate so pleasant. The Gulf Stream also is the reason that there are so many large fish, and a general abundance of marine life, so a lot of people travel to the Bahamas for a vacation just for the sport fishing.

No vacation in the Bahamas would be complete without spending time either snorkelling or scuba diving. The Gulf Stream is again responsible for the sheer underwater delights, the spectacular shoals of fish which congregate around the reefs, which are over 5% of the total number of coral reefs in the world. You will never tire of this underwater technicolour fantasy world in the Bahamas.

Probably more people take a Bahamas Vacation because of the beauty of the beaches than anything else and no Bahamas trip would be complete without a visit to the pink sands of Harbour Island and Eleuthera.

Having said that there are more beaches in the Bahamas than you could ever visit in your entire life, but you should take the time to go to the Exumas and San Salvador where you will almost be alone on their beautiful beaches.

After you are sated by the beautiful beaches and everything the sea has to offer you on your Bahamas Vacation, why not go ashore and just enjoy the sheer spellbinding beauty of the Bahamas Islands. You can fly from island to island or just take a flight to see the amazing sight of the white sand, green islands, coral keys, turquoise sea, lovely little villages, all totally unforgettable.

On the ground why not hire a bicycle and explore, then of course there are the masses of other things to do on dry land. Your vacation in the Bahamas could consist of staying in one of the many world class properties and hotels that dot the islands, playing tennis, golf on beautiful championship courses.

Shoppin g is another delight on your vacation to the Bahamas in one of the island’s shopping arcades. If you like to gamble then there are casinos, but then again there really is nothing like sitting on a pink sand beach with a good book, a cool drink, surrounded by your family.

A Bahamas Vacation can bring you close to paradise on earth.

For more information on Caribbean Vacation Spots go to http://www.caribbean-vacationspots.com/pages/Site-Map.html

When you make your vacation visit to Orlando you will probably want to sample the best cuisine you can. To make it easier for you to choose from all the restaurants on offer in Orlando, I have selected five restaurants which users of a popular restaurant directory have chosen as their favorites. So, read on and take note in case you are in Orlando now or are visiting there soon.

Jack’s Place Restaurant

Jack’s Place is a steakhouse located at the Rosen Plaza Hotel, on International Drive, in Orlando. Its menu features gourmet food and seafood and a three course meal costs $45 per person. According to the restaurant’s website, this is a place where celebrities hang out and this is proven by the décor in the restaurant which features autographed star caricatures ranging from Bertrand Russell to Yogi Berra. You can get a 50% discount coupon on the restaurant’s website, www.jacksplaceresturant.com or contact them at these numbers: Local: 407.996.1787, Toll-Free: 1.800.366.9700

A Land Remembered

This is another steakhouse and its distinctive name is taken from Patrick Smith’s rich novel featuring Florida’s historical moments and landscapes. Their featured dishes include: Slow Roasted Prime Rib, Punta Rassa Pompano, Tobias Braised Short Ribs, and Gator Creek Stew. The restaurant is located in the golf clubhouse and is open nightly for dinner. Evening resort attire and reservations are recommended. For reservations, call (407) 996-FOOD (3663) and for more information visit their website: http://www.landrememberedrestaurant.com

Calla Bella

As its name suggests, this is an Italian restaurant that brings authentic Tuscan cuisine to Orlando. Its menu features crisp salads, rich seafood, steaks, fresh pastas and fine wines. This is a moderately priced restaurant it offers offer special dining packages during major Holidays. In case you were wondering, the name Cala Bella, or “Beautiful Creek” as it translates to English, comes from Mr. Rosen’s celebration of Florida’s history and the unique history of Shingle Creek itself. Cala Bella’s is located inside the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel at 9939 Universal Blvd Orlando, FL 32819 and you can reach them at: (407) 996-3663 Fax: (407) 996-3322. For more information visit their website at: http://www.calabellarestaurant.com

Everglades

Here is an authentic Florida restaurant dedicated to the Everglades. It’s menu features prime steaks, fresh Florida seafood, and unique regional specialties. This is another restaurant inspired by Orlando hotelier Harris Rosen. According to their website, “The Everglades Restaurant pays homage to the vast expanse of threatened wetlands in south Florida. Both the interior design and menu reflect a respect for the native flora and fauna of the Everglades.” The restaurant is located at the Rosen Centre Hotel on International Drive and you can contact them by phone at: 1-800-800-9840 Ext. 3610 or 407-996-2385. Visit their website at: http://www.evergladesrestaurant.com/

Volcano’s Coffee Bar

We round out the top five with a popular franchise coffee bar featuring volcanically grown coffees. According to their website, the best coffees are grown in volcanic soils and that is where their gourmet coffee comes from. The chain has several locations in central Florida and here is one in Orlando: “The Plaza”, 133 S. Orange Ave., (407) 404-6491. For more locations and more information visit: http://www.volcanoscoffee.com

This just starts the list, there are many more great dining opportunities awaiting you in Orlando and you can find out more about the cuisine in this area by visiting the directory of Orlando websites located at http://www.orlandosrestaurants.com

Taking a vacation or business trip soon? Learn about travel insurance and how it can benefit you in these uncertain days…

While you are staying in you Orlando Florida private vacation villas or Disney World rental home, we strongly suggest you take some time out to see some Manatees. 

Manatees are sometimes known as ‘sea cows and they are one of the most delightful creatures to be found anywhere in Florida.  They are very gentle sea creatures and are mainly herbivores.  They graze in the shallow waters off the coast of Florida, or else in the rivers.  They eat many different plant types including mangrove leaves, and even certain types of algae.  If you take a very close look at their faces you will notice that they have a divided upper lip, which enables them to eat the plant easily.  Amazingly, an adult manatee can eat nearly 9% of its body weight each day, which could amount to around 30 pounds in weight.  They only have 6 teeth which continuously fall out and are then replaced.

Manatees can grow up to a length of between 9 feet and 10 feet and can weigh up to 1200 lbs, with the females being the heaviest.  They do not swim very fast, usually around 3 to 5 miles per hour, although they can swim at a speed of up to 15 miles per hour for short periods of time.  The manatee uses its paddle shaped tail to propel itself along, as it glides through the water.

A baby manatee weighs a staggering 15 pounds and an adult can live for anything up to 60 years.  They only breed every other year, as their gestation period lasts around 12 months.  They give birth to just one calf, which feeds from its mother for up to 18 months.  In fact, manatees are quite intelligent, and can demonstrate the sort of task learning and discrimination usually associated with dolphins.  They also show signs of having a long term memory as well as being capable of understanding discrimination tasks.  Unlike dolphins however, the manatee is generally a solitary creature and spends most of its life on its own.

Florida is the ideal location for the manatee to live as they have a low metabolic rate, which means that they cannot endure cold temperatures.  Indeed, they cannot survive at temperatures below 15 degrees Centigrade, so they migrate up warm spring fed rivers during the winter months. 

If you want to see manatees in the winter then Crystal River and Blue Springs are the places to go.  Here, the water is maintained at a constant 22 degrees Centigrade all year round, so the manatees congregate around these warm springs. 

Sadly, manatees are quite vulnerable.  Although they have few natural enemies apart from sharks, whales, crocodiles and alligators, it is man made dangers that are the main problem.  Manatees are particularly susceptible to injury from boats and their propellers.  Many manatees carry the scars of altercations with motor boats, and wounds are often fatal.  In fact, it is illegal under Florida law to cause manatees injury or harm.  Nevertheless, whilst the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission do not recognise them as being endangered, they have to be protected, and so they have been declared by them to be ‘threatened’ although under federal law they are still endangered.

If you are lucky enough to visit Orlando in the winter months, from mid November, then do take the opportunity to go and visit one of their winter habitats.  They are delightful and non aggressive creatures which are quite curious.  A visit to Crystal River or Blue Springs will be well worthwhile, as manatees congregate in waters warmed by the springs.  You can even swim with them here.

We visited Crystal River a short while ago and took a tour to swim with the manatees and it was a totally wonderful experience and we can highly recommend it.  The trip starts very early (around 6.30 am), as this is the best time to see them in action.  You are provided with a wet suit, fins, snorkel and even an underwater camera to take some memorable photos.  Bouyancy aids are available for people who are not strong swimmers.  We were taken out into the river where the Manatees live and found them around 20 minutes later.  Please be aware that there is no guarantee that you will see them although most days they will be there.  The captain stopped the boat and we descended into the very, very cool waters to take a look around.  The captain of the boat only makes one trip a day and so we were able to spend as much time as we liked in the water.  We had around two hours and were not pushed to return to the boat at all.  We swam around with the Manatees, stroked them and took photos.  We really would recommend this trip to everyone.

This article was written by Phil Cornish.  Designer and owner of Orlando Florida private vacation villas and Disney World rental homes web sites http://www.floridasuntime.com and also http://www.simply-florida.com where you can get great deals on Florida vacation villas