We at TheSociety.com would be remiss if we were not to advise the value and protection offered by reputable property and estate management companies. However, we also understand the attraction of the “do it yourself” and the many factors which influence one’s decision to “go it alone” or hire professional assistance. Thus, we share below some tips from the pros for those who wish to “go it alone”.

1. Protecting yourself (and the renter) with the written agreement
2. Maximizing internet exposure
3. Accepting credit cards, checks and wire-transfers
4. Classified advertising

As a practicing travel agent, I remember the days of actually reviewing brochures, going through reports and a few subscription services which have come and gone. My actual favorite was the World Yearbook which provided a comprehensive overview and specific insights to destinations worldwide. What did we do before the Internet??

While I am a big fan of the Internet, I have seen some conduct which I must question the ethics of including reviews by those who have never visited a property/resort, reviewers being compensated for positive mentions and bloggers paid for their posts as part of the Word of Mouth Marketing (WOMM) campaign. If I may offer some thoughts:

TripAdvisor, Oyster and Related Sites: While I cannot trust all the comments (to do so would be foolish), I generally look or the most detailed including length and specific references. If pictures are provided, even better. A detailed review 1) takes time and 2) assumes the reviewer actually visited the property. Also, look at dates of posted reviews (newer may be more accurate) and see if the hotel/management responded to a negative review. Also, check out multiple reviews, do certain themes return i.e. excellent service, worn linens and so forth.

Blogs: Are becoming more popular by the day, however, which are truly trust-worthy? Well, I cannot answer that, however, again, review multiple blog postings. On Google, there is the option allowing a segregated search for blog content related to a subject (on the Google home page, go to towards the right side to “more” and click down to “blogs”. Again, pictures and details may provide insights providing some assurance the blogger has actually been to the destination.

Ask a Travel Agent: Full disclosure, I am a travel agent by training and I have respect for the industry. No matter if some feel our industry is a dying breed, au contraire, many of us provide years of experience and insights to many destinations from first-hand experience to discussions with knowledgeable peers. When in doubt, ask an agent!

Official Tourism Office: Most destinations have tourism offices. Granted, their job description is to entice you to visit their destination. Biased? Of course, informative, very. I personally use Tourism Offices to find out about local events and also to review when the off-season occurs to secure the best rates possible.