We received such positive feedback concerning The Las Terrazas Resort in Belize, the ownership requested TheSociety.com share the following lodging special, Thanksgiving and Beyond in Paradise with our readership:

• STAY 3 - GET 4th NIGHT FREE!
  RATES STARTING @ $74 PER NIGHT PER PERSON

based on double occupancy
valid for stays up to December 18, 2009

For those who may not be familiar with Las Terrazas and Belize: Visitors enjoy spectacular natural attractions and the excitement of discovering Mother Nature’s Best Kept Secret. Travelers from around the globe are drawn to Belize for the relaxing and the richly rewarding authenticity they seek in a genuine Caribbean getaway.  Nestled between Mexico and Guatemala on the Caribbean coast of Central America, Belize is one of the few remaining unspoiled places on earth. We invite you to stay at Las Terrazas Resort while discovering the magical relaxation of Belize.

Lodging opportunities include one (1), two (2) and three (3) bedroom town homes * central A/C * full size kitchens * 2 flat screen TVs per unit * DVD player & Ipod docking station * O Restaurant serving Central American and International cuisine *  room service * 70′ infinity lap pool * pool side bar *  Serenity Spa and Wellness Center * PADI 5-star dive shop * free high speed internet * use of kayaks & Hobie Cats * bicycle and golf cart rental * on-site concierge to assist with island and mainland activities * largest private beachfront on the island and more …Be sure to ask about Thanksgiving Dinner at O Restaurant

How is your booking activity for the December holidays? At TheSociety.com we produce a weekly newsletter/blog which is blasted out to travel agents and client directs. We are always looking to promote our partners, their inventory and specials.

If you have availability coupled with incentives or specials, please let us know. We would like to include your property in our weekly Travel Agent/Client Direct publication. Please note, those clients who have chosen to affiliate with The Global Bundle will receive priority concerning enhanced marketing via our Newsletters.

Not a member of The Global Bundle, please contact-us! We can explain how our Global Bundle members have seen increased inquiries from pre-qualified clients leading to profitable bookings. We help make the phone ring and the e-mail buzz.

For the third time in a row and the 5th time this decade, the readers of Ski Magazine have ranked Deer Valley Resort the number one ski resort in North America. Down the road, Park City raised in rank from #5 to #4 this year. Neighboring resort, The Canyons also made the top 20 list.

Known for its diversity of terrain and easy access from Salt Lake City. Deer Valley Resort is best known for its commitment to providing a level of care rarely found at a ski resort; delivering classic, consistent, and quality service both on and off the mountain.

Rounding out the top 5 top resorts are 2. Whistler/Blackcomb, B.C. 3. Vail, CO. 4. Park City Mountain Resort 5. Beaver Creek, CO. TheSociety.com offers vacation home rentals in the top 5 resorts as voted on by readers of Ski Magazine.

According to a recent article in the Travel section of The New York Times, those looking for bargain travel deals between now and the holidays should act soon. The article states travel from business centers including New York and Chicago is increasing leading to higher airline ticket costs.  While bargains continue, prices seem to have bottomed-out and are now on the up-swing as the holidays approach and the economy continues to strengthen.

Winter destinations including Florida, the Caribbean, Arizona, Mexico and Hawaii are embracing increased booking volumes for the upcoming holiday season. However, if you are willing to travel before the high season, opportunities are still available at wallet friendly rates.

• Mexico Vacation Rental Opportunities
• Florida Vacation Rental Opportunities
• Hawaii Vacation Rental Opportunities
• Arizona Vacation Rental Opportunities
• Las Vegas Vacation Rental Opportunities

While most ski and mountain resorts market themselves as “perfect for all visitors”, those of us in the travel community know the unique attributes of each resort area. Subsequently we are able to advise which resorts are most appropriate for which traveler. At The Society, we recently received the following question:

My wife and I plan to take our adult children and our grandchildren for a skiing vacation. A few of the adults do not ski or snowboard. We would like the grandchildren to be affiliated with a family-oriented ski-school. We all enjoy fine food and service but realize with young children, this may not be possible. We would love ski-in/out yet walking distance to a commercial area with shops, restaurants, spa and so forth. Any suggestions?

We called the client, asked a few more questions and suggested Beaver Creek, Colorado and specifically two homes, our “Ski Safari” with 4 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms (sleeps 10) and “Beaver Creek Shangri-La”, with 5 bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms (sleeps 14). Both houses offer the opulence associated with a luxury ski-chalet, yet are also comfortable and inviting to all who reside in the homes. Mountain chic is the most apt description for these two unique vacation residences, which we consider among the finest in the Vail Valley.

Beaver Creek the resort is the perfect destination for the multi-generational family vacation. The base area is by many resort standards, quite small, yet is so family friendly with an outdoor skating rink, many shops, restaurants, gelato, spas and our favorite heated walkways and escalators to the lifts. Mornings may begin with a Starbucks coffee and taking the kids to ski school. When descending the last run of the day, warm cookies waiting at the base area.

With an excellent selection of dining options, one will never be bored during vacation. From the casual fare at The Dusty Boot to the fine dining at Splendido to subs and pizza at Blue Moose, Beaver Creek offers a variety of family-friendly restaurants. We would also suggest a night at Beano’s Cabin. For the children, consider the 5:30PM seating with the horse-drawn sleigh from the stables to the on-mountain restaurant.

As vacation home rental managers, we all face a unique set of challenges on a daily basis from the individuality of our inventory to competition from VRBOs to the unprecedented increase in supply and decrease in demand concerning vacation home rentals.

TheSociety.com is proud to be affiliated with VRMA which represents over 600 property management and associate members in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, representing approximately 150,000 vacation rental homes, condos and villas. VRMA members represent the leading vacation rental management firms in North America.

The 25th Annual Conference is scheduled for later this month in Washington D.C. The annual meeting is one of the most important and educational opportunities you can partake as a property/estate vacation rental manager.

Of particular interest this year are the following seminars most appropriate for today’s challenging marketplace:

• Emerging Lifestyle and Travel Trends: Implications for Marketing Vacation Home Rentals in the Year Ahead.
• Industry Trends for Executives
• Yield/Revenue Management; Enter the Mainstream of Travel
• E-Mail Marketing; From Lead Capture to Conversion
• How to Maximize the Impact and Attractiveness of your Property Listing

The above are just a sampling of the many programs and seminars available to participants.

To Register:

http://www.vrma.com/resource/resmgr/Annual_Conference/WashingtonVRMRegForm3LateReg.pdf

If you are not a member of VRMA, please consider joining by contacting:

Rick Fisher
Membership & Strategic Development
1-800-557-0135 or (203) 461-9176
Rick.Fisher@DiscoverVacationHomes.com

Whether you are working with The Society, consulting an owner listing on VRBO or answering an advertisement on Craigslist, here are a few tips post-reservation to make your vacation home rental experience worry-free:

Estimated Time of Arrival: Be sure to advise your host i.e. owner, manager, managing agent the approximate time of your arrival. Your host will be most appreciative knowing what time to turn over the home. Even if you may be arriving early morning (not uncommon in Europe from North America), request an early check-in if available. Many estate agents will allow an early check-in gratis versus many hotels which will require the prior evening be booked. Same with late arrival as prior notification will allow the agent to have lights on when you arrive and as many of our managing agents have been known to provide, a welcoming meal service from a local chef.

Estimated Time of Departure: Yes, it’s not something you wish to think about. A client in the Hamptons mentioned a 5:00PM airline departure from the NYC area and based on Mapquest, advised the managing agent they would leave the residence at 1:30PM for the 2-hour drive and be at the airport with 1.5 hours to spare. The managing agent correctly advised they should depart at Noon due to the heavy westbound traffic from Eastern Long Island to New York City. The managing agent’s advice saved the family from 1) missing their flight, 2) being stranded overnight in Queens, New York and 3) provided sanity and the option for the family to stop en-route for an excellent “clam-roll” on the Montauk Highway.

Special Needs: We recently worked with a client who mentioned they were traveling with a family member with special needs and they were concerned about the open access to the pool area with the home they had chosen. We were able to discuss the issue with the estate manager who suggested a similar home with a pool which was gated and could be secured to prevent unsupervised access. The client was thrilled and we were glad we were able to facilitate the client and their vacation needs.

Note: Not every vacation home is correct for every client. While property/estate managers should be asking questions, many do not. We suggest, as clients and travel agents, that you take the initiative and open the discussion; it is your vacation, make it the most enjoyable it can be.

As we prepare for the fall and winter season (yes, Halloween decorations are already on store shelves), may we suggest taking spring break a little early this year? Our neighbors in the Southern Hemisphere are shedding their winter attire for spring fashion. While the skiing and boarding in Chile will continue for a few more months, a getaway to Brazil would be a fabulous opportunity for an early spring break.

This former Portuguese colony is the largest country in South America and offers a diverse landscape from cosmopolitan cities to rain forest explorations to some of the most beautiful beaches (and beach goers) on earth.

For those looking for urban sophistication Sao Paulo is not to be missed. A major metropolis, Sao Paulo is a feast for all the senses. For beach enthusiasts, Rio de Janeiro is the temple of beach culture. We recommend a visit to Ipanema and maybe meeting “The Girl”, an inspiration for the world-wide hit song of the 1960’s. As an architectural enthusiast, I would be remiss if I did not mention a visit to Brasilia a showcase of the design talent of Oscar Niemeyer. The architect’s own home on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro is most impressive, similar to the Case Study Homes of Los Angeles.

The Society.com is proud to offer clients a diverse selection of homes in this most beautiful country. If you live in the world of pop-culture you will recognize our Villa Brazil 2, from MTV’s the Real World-Road Rules. If you are in search of the “Girl from Ipanema”, consider a luxury 5,800 SF 3-bedroom penthouse with private pool just a one-minute walk to Ipanema Beach. Pack the sunscreen, the Portuguese phrase book and a hearty appetite; we’ll see you in Brazil.

Park City Lodging, one of our partners in Utah is celebrating their 25th year of service to clients and visitors in the Park City area. A lot has happened during their 25 years in business.

Park City as it is presently known opened on December 21st, 1963 as Treasure Mountain operating at the time the longest gondola in the United States. According to local historians, when the slopes opened to the public, skiers were transported nearly 3 miles into the mountain on the Spiro Tunnel mine train and then lifted 1,800 ft to the slopes on a mine hoist elevator. Aerial trams once used for hauling ore were converted into chairlifts. To this day, there are still more than 1,000 miles of old silver-mine workings and tunnels beneath the slopes at Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley. The sister area “Park City West” (now The Canyons) opened in 1968.

Deer Valley Resort opened in December 1981, at the site of the former “Snow Park” 1946-69.
Thus, our partners at Park City Lodging can be considered old-time locals in the Park City community. Their diversity of lodging opportunities provides clients opportunities from economical options in Old Town and The Canyons to over-the-top luxury slope-side ski-in/out chalets at Deer Valley.

We are proud to announce Park City Lodging’s management division has recently been awarded the management duties for the Home Owners Association of Town Pointe Condominiums. For those who know Park City, Town Pointe offers an enviable location in the heart of Park City just two blocks from the Town Lift (access to Park City Mountain bypassing the base area) and historic Main Street (with its diverse retail and dining options, Chez Betty, a personal favorite as well as municipal shuttle service to Deer Valley and The Canyons).

In addition, Park City Lodging is the managing agent for Town Lift, Lift Lodge and Park Station providing a varied selection of Old Town Park City lodging opportunities.

If you are considering a visit to the Park City this coming winter, Park City Lodging offers clients of TheSociety.com a diverse collection of lodging options and superior customer service. We congratulate Park City Lodging on their 25th anniversary of business and look forward to joining them on the slopes during the 2009/10 season and in 25 years for the 2034/35 ski season, their Golden Anniversary.

At TheSociety.com we are proud to partner with the finest property/estate management firms worldwide. Lifestyle Villas of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico is one of our partners in the area offering our clients the finest luxury vacation home rentals and what we consider the most professional and accommodating concierge staff in all of Mexico.

Not all honeymoon couples desire to share their post nuptial bliss in a crowded resort property, some desire the privacy and seclusion of a vacation rental coupled with concierge services to insure a memorable honeymoon. May we suggest a luxury flat at One Medano Beach, Los Cabos’ newest luxury condominium tower.

While the interior appointments will keep honeymooners happy with marble floors, granite countertops, sliding pocket doors, private terraces, central air conditioning and fine custom wood cabinetry, if they venture outside, they will not be disappointed.

Grounds amenities include pool, hot tub, outdoor grills, and showers (to rinse off sand from the beach). Just beyond the entry, a short stroll to the beach provides guests with the finest swimming option along the Cabo coastline. For the shopper, the Puerto Paraiso Mall offers the finest in luxury retail and dining. BTW: we suggest Casa Rafael’s for fine Mexican dining. For deep-sea fishing and diving excursions, the marina is one block away.

In addition to a true luxury selection of vacation home rentals, Lifestyle Villas is world-renowned for their “Lifestyle Services Portfolio”. Offering services beyond the most experienced resort concierge, the Lifestyle Services Team is literally your one call for all your desires when visiting Los Cabos from Butler to Private Chef, event/wedding planning to private security to custom floral arrangements, the Lifestyle Services team of Lifestyle Villas will impress and exceed even the most demanding expectations.