• About
  • Blog
  • Working together
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Girl Gone Travel

Girl Gone Travel

Travel
/
June 7, 2011

Renting a vacation home when traveling

Enjoyed this post? Give it some love and share!
Share

Some years ago, long before blogging or traveling professionally, I headed out to Paris with my oldest son, then 3 years old. In planning for the trip I was extremely nervous because I didn’t know how my son would behave with us stuck in a hotel room, or how my neighbors would react to the sounds of him crying or playing. Most importantly, I was trying to factor in what it would cost me to have all the things I needed such as cold milk, snacks, coffee, and baby supplies in a hotel room, that I also hoped provided me with enough room so that I didn’t feel trapped under it all for the almost two weeks we were going to be there.

A friend of mine suggested that instead of spending the incredible amount of money that I was going to have to spend on a hotels, I should look into renting an apartment.

I have to admit, as a then single mom traveling with her toddler to Paris, the idea of renting a flat made the whole thing seem so incredibly exciting! “I could pretend to be living there,” I thought and immediately, I began to look up places.

I was surprised to see the very many options that come up for vacation home rentals, many of them with pictures of the various flats.

We managed to find a beautiful flat in the center of Les Marais, the gay and ultra trendy district in the 4th arrondissements in Paris, only steps away from Notre Dame and wonderful bakeries and cafes. I was in heaven. The rental process was easy, and the local rental office staff was incredibly friendly.

I fell in love with the third floor walk-up apartment, and the gorgeous French doors found throughout, as well as the full kitchen, nice size living room, and bedroom. I would spend early mornings with my kid in tow walking in and out of small cafes and window shopping, before walking to all the nearby sites including Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, the Louvre. It was lovely and close to everything.

I was comfortable the entire time, well, except for when the garbage truck stopped by, which seemed to be daily!  But having “our own place” in Paris was the intro to my preference for vacation home rentals in Europe, and I still recommend it.

This first experience was quite some time ago, and I paid less than $2,000 for my rental, but since then renting a home, especially when traveling with kids in tow, is one of our favorite options. This option can provide not only the utmost in lodging comfort, but can also be far more economically then renting a hotel room long-term.

In the next vacation rental post, I will share tips on what to keep in mind when looking to rent a vacation getaway.

[subscribe2]

Related

Enjoyed this post? Give it some love and share!
Share
Pin this Post
Share this Post
Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

You May Also Like...

Christmas Tree Hunting in Long Island, NY

December 12, 2008

Fort Tryon Park, Washington Heights, NY

December 10, 2008

Winter afternoon in the Bronx Zoo, NY

December 16, 2008
6 Comments
  • Becca Taylor
    June 9, 2011

    I'm going to Paris next year to celebrate my 60th B-day – I plan to stay for at least 14 days, and maybe 30 if I can swing it. I too also plan to rent a flat for my time there. I'm so excited.

    Reply
    • Carol Cain
      Becca Taylor
      June 9, 2011

      That's wonderful Becca!

      Reply
  • Suzanne @ Mom Confes
    June 13, 2011

    I don't know any other way to travel. I've done hotels with kids and having a kitchen or more of a home like feel is priceless.

    Reply
    • Carol Cain
      Suzanne @ Mom Confes
      June 13, 2011

      Yeah, it really makes all the difference. This is why there are more and more hotels offering all these amenities to family travelers.

      Reply
  • Louisa
    May 1, 2012

    Hi Carol, we are renting an apartment in NYC when we come over later this month and I can't wait. I'm so excited about having that more personal experience than staying in a hotel – not to mention it being significantly more affordable!

    Reply
    • Carol Cain
      Louisa
      May 2, 2012

      That's so great Louisa! And SO true! Apartment rental while vacationing is hands down a much more affordable option. Enjoy it!

      Reply

Leave a Reply to Louisa Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Previous Post
Helicopter Over NYC
Next Post
Taking The Ride Around NYC

About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons and 2 puppies. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

Categories

  • Asia5 Post(s)
  • Caribbean17 Post(s)
  • Central America4 Post(s)
  • Europe53 Post(s)
  • North America315 Post(s)
  • Oceana1 Post(s)

Contact

  • carol@girlgonetravel.com

Follow @girlgonetravel

Hubby and I recently went to check out office spac Hubby and I recently went to check out office spaces for our business. We (I) started getting caught up in the perceptions of what other people might think about our business, or rather, how successful or serious it was with us operating it from our home. So, in order to keep up with the Joneses, we went out and searched. And immediately were like, "Nope."

One, it was an additional expense that we were taking on to convince other people of whatever we (I) thought they needed to be convinced of. And two, it felt like....well, like working out of an office, something which I personally haven't done in over a decade (almost two now) and which my husband just escaped from!

And lastly, we like to go out into the communities that our clients serve, but also that we live in, and get to experience it all ourselves. It makes us a great agency.

I share all of this because I am slowly coming to accept that there will always be those who will make a determination of who we are as people, as professionals, as a business simply from what they think they know, not from actuality...and..we (I) am still working on breaking down the toxic traits of corporate / professional influence and narratives.

As once a full-time travel blogger, I experienced first hand what it is to be dismissed and not taken seriously. But, because of my travel blogging work, I have visit over 40 countries (and still counting) and have been published and spoken on stages around the world. That doesn't just happen.

All this to say, as I (we) move away from renting an office in order to be taken more seriously by the corporate world...and save ourselves some money in the process...we are reminded to work on ourselves and on being our own biggest cheerleaders and advocates. Sure, we seek out support and mentorship and always work on learning and refining our skill. But can't pay attention to what others might be thinking. It will never be an accurate portrayal.

And a lesson to never, ever spend more money than we have to just to convince others how serious we are in our commitment to our work. In the meantime, our current office spaces are working out just fine.

#entrepreneur #smallbusiness
A band of misfits on a beautiful Finger Lakes nigh A band of misfits on a beautiful Finger Lakes night.

Life is too short and time too precious, so make sure to spend it with people who bring you joy and make you laugh. Whether it’s one person or more…it’s not the number of people, but the quality and kindness of their hearts that counts.

Here are some of the kind, sweet friendships we’ve been so lucky to have cultivated in our new home. Kisses and hugs @haejones32, @sarahloublagg, @nevetsretlaw, and @jerakahheady.

Till our next gathering! 

#friends #fingerlakeslife #fingerlakes
My happy place: the farmers market. It’s the sea My happy place: the farmers market. It’s the season for all the fresh, local, delicious goodness of the Finger Lakes to take center stage.

The region has a lot more than fried and fast food to offer locals and visitors. The vast amount of organic and locally sourced food is something that is really celebrated here. Even more so the fact that it is accessible and not exclusive to the privileged.

From cider to cheese to meats and veggies…all local, all from a passionate farming community. 

Oh, then, the artisans. *swoon* So much handcrafted beauty. For example, this beautiful hat from @easylivinghats. I have been wanting one of her hats forever and finally got not one but two! And her team, seen here, is so sweet and helped me find the right fit. Support local, shop small, be happy in the process. 📸@ithacafarmersmarket. 

#fingerlakes #myflx #farmersmarket #shoplocal #shopsmall
Hey, wanna come to a cool event in one of the cool Hey, wanna come to a cool event in one of the coolest places I know in Ithaca? (Read on!)

Today I took a stroll into the pavilion of the @ithacafarmersmarket. There was no market today, and though still a lovely space when empty, nothing compares when the market is buzzing with food purveyors and food-lovers! It is exciting and a favorite pastime of ours. Even more fun is when there is a special event happening!

And with that, I want to let you all know about the upcoming @tasteoftheflx taking place on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, at the Ithaca Farmers Market and offer you a discount code for your ticket! Use BRAVE20 for $20 off of either ticket tier.

The event will feature 50 + vendors, music in 3 acts, and a full evening of celebration! Taste of the Finger Lakes serves the dual purposes of showcasing the dynamic Finger Lakes food and beverage industry while raising funds for 3 non-profits doing the important work of improving access to healthy food across the region. Local, good food for a good cause...the best combination!

If you already have your ticket or plan to take advantage of this discount code to purchase it, let me know! I hope to see you there!

#fingerlakes #tasteofthefingerlakes #flxfood #flxeats #farmersmarket #ithacany
Cheers and Happy Pride to this beautiful, inspirin Cheers and Happy Pride
to this beautiful, inspiring, proud community full of people that I love so much.

To my LGTBQIA+ family and friends, know I adore you, would fight for, and support you always. You make my life and the world a more beautiful place. I celebrate you today, this month, and always. 

Thank you for being you. 🌈

#pridemonth #loveislove
What a stunning day to be on the lake with my fam. What a stunning day to be on the lake with my fam. We missed spending time with each other and it was time for us to slow down and bond. Even the surly teens eventually gave in to the fun and smiled a few times. Have I told y’all how much I love our new life here?

#lifeintheflx #fingerlakes #lifeinthecountry #soflx #thisissoflx #Lakelike #myflx #keukalife #winecountry

Copyright © 2022 Girl Gone Travel | Privacy Policy | Copyright Notice