Returning from "Blog Hibernation" / Vacation Rentals by Owner or a Multi-unit Manager

Hello Again,

Christmas happened; then New Year; then I moved, and finally my beloved Bailey, my Yorkshire Terrier, died suddenly in a terrible fall.  I guess you could say I have been hibernating since December, dealing only with the few matters I absolutely had to.  Now, spring is around the corner.  I have starting to shop for a new dog. And I am ready to blog again.  Sorry for the absence; but, I am glad I hibernated. I needed that. 

I just got a call from a happy client in the middle of their vacation.  They were delighted with the private rental home I found for them in Waikoloa Village and they loved their two Hawaii Forest and Trail tours, one of the volcano and one of  Mauna Kea Summit for sunset and stargazing.

They are now in Maui at Kapalua Villas where I encouraged them to stay in a hotel operated unit, instead of a rental. They called to tell me I was right, because the original unit was not very nice and so the hotel moved them to a much nicer unit. Renting directly from an owner makes that impossible. 

It is important to know what you are doing when deciding between a vacation rental and a unit in a hotel operated development.  A well run hotel will do everything it can to make sure that a client gets whet he wants and what he thinks he paid for. An individual owner has only his rental to offer and if what you get is not what you expected, then things go badly.  A knowledgeable Hawaii travel agent is aware of the many issues about vacation rentals and can help you to stay clear of problems.  Personal knowledge, experience, and the ability to talk to the owners and get a true and accurate understanding of the owners reason for owning and renting the unit can be the difference between good or bad  accommodations for your trip.  It took more than luck to find them a private rental in Waikoloa at an excellent price that exceeded their already high expectations and one would think that all units in very upscale Kapalua would be wonderful; but, the facts are not always what they seem to be.  In the case of Kapalua, especially in a busy season like March break, depending on the hotel's expertise and satisfaction policy turned out to be the way to go.  It isn't necessarily an easy sell; but, clients do want a good experience and they are willing to pay for it.

I'll look forward to their next call with reports on the activities in Maui; most of which I know; because I make a point of learning about and experiencing activities to recommend to clients. I don't recommend what I don't know personally.  I'll get it for them on request; but my recommendations are personal.  These clients selected a couple activities outside my personal experience, so I am looking forward to their feedback.

Commission checks are how we make our living; but client feedback helps us by giving us a fresh point of view on properties, activities, service and overall quality.  It is impossible to put a price on that.  I welcome it with open arms, especially after a period of hibernation!