The ideal vacation house rental... your input and ideas wanted

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cavew0man

Contributor
Messages
296
Reaction score
2
Location
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
# of dives
200 - 499
Cavewoman has decided that she is going to make the main floor of her house in Playa del Carmen available for the occasional vacation rental (preferably divers!). She would really like your input on what you think makes a vacation rental special, apart from location, as she can't really move the house.

Have you ever had some thoughtful extra touch or service that stands out in your mind? What's important to you when renting a vacation house? What's memorable? What do you really wish you had had on a previous trip? All ideas welcome... thanks!
 
I really appreciate a rinsing/washing/drying area for gear, nothing like renting the perfect place only to spend the week with wet gear draped everywhere.
 
Cavewoman has decided that she is going to make the main floor of her house in Playa del Carmen available for the occasional vacation rental (preferably divers!). She would really like your input on what you think makes a vacation rental special, apart from location, as she can't really move the house.

Have you ever had some thoughtful extra touch or service that stands out in your mind? What's important to you when renting a vacation house? What's memorable? What do you really wish you had had on a previous trip? All ideas welcome... thanks!
Now ya tell me:depressed:

For four years running I have booked at Mom's hotel for 2 week stretches in January. They charge a decent price and although they are a fair distance from where I like to dive (Tulum etc) they are close to the dive shop at Protec.
This year I was less then pleased with the fact that the bar at the hotel is in full swing and partying until the wee hours of the morning. I may not go back.
I would like a quiet place, with room to spread my wet gear and hot water for a shower and comfortable beds. A nice area to socialize is nice and proximity to an Oxxo or such is good. The only other thing I need is a secure place to park my rental car. One of the other divers had their car window broken last week outside Mom's. I love the folks at Protec and feel like I'm cheating on them but since they don't manage the hotel anymore I don't feel so bad.
 
Cavewoman has decided that she is going to make the main floor of her house in Playa del Carmen available for the occasional vacation rental (preferably divers!). She would really like your input on what you think makes a vacation rental special....All ideas welcome... thanks!
Make it free. That'll get my vote, no matter what else you do or don't do with it.
 
I really appreciate a rinsing/washing/drying area for gear, nothing like renting the perfect place only to spend the week with wet gear draped everywhere.

Definitely a good one - I was thinking about putting a rinsing tub at the side, I think I'll check into it. Can't be too difficult.

Now ya tell me:depressed:

For four years running I have booked at Mom's hotel for 2 week stretches in January. They charge a decent price and although they are a fair distance from where I like to dive (Tulum etc) they are close to the dive shop at Protec.
This year I was less then pleased with the fact that the bar at the hotel is in full swing and partying until the wee hours of the morning. I may not go back.
I would like a quiet place, with room to spread my wet gear and hot water for a shower and comfortable beds. A nice area to socialize is nice and proximity to an Oxxo or such is good. The only other thing I need is a secure place to park my rental car. One of the other divers had their car window broken last week outside Mom's. I love the folks at Protec and feel like I'm cheating on them but since they don't manage the hotel anymore I don't feel so bad.

Sorry! I read in a Playa forum that they had opened that bar up and were promoting it - that's really too bad for the divers using the hotel. Thanks for the input... maybe next trip!

How was your diving, anyways? Did you get to Mayan Blue? I finally got to the "Fang" last week - holy impressive, man! Beautiful.

Make it free. That'll get my vote, no matter what else you do or don't do with it.

OK... thinking about it... considering it carefully... looking at all the angles - benefits, drawbacks... and.... NO! :D
 
Everyone is different, but when my wife and I vacation, we want privacy. We have stayed in guest house condos where the owners were so nice that they were always stopping by to talk and see if we need anything and be so friendly. But that's too nice and too friendly for me. I have all kinds of social activity at home, and we get away for some privacy. Which is why a hotel can at least give you that anonymity.

My wife loves the small things that make a condo/guest house special. Stuff like local nick-knacks decorating he room, maybe unusual DVDs featuring the local area, books on things to do or the history of the area (dive books! :D), flowers from the area, a print out of restaurant suggestions, stuff like that. Beach chairs, umbrellas, cooler, floating water things...

I gotta have wireless - otherwise how can I post my daily vacation report here on ScubaBoard! :D

I assume the main floor has a kitchen. Have it stocked with the usual - spices, oil, flower, sugar, coffee, tea, condamints... And encourage guests to leave what they buy and don't use, and soon your kitchen will be a potpourri of unusual stuff no individual person would stock in their kitchen, which makes it fun and interesting for the guests (I was introduced to one of the absolute best Vietnamese sweet/hot sauces I ever tasted at one place).

A BBQ of course. Paper plates and stuff for the times you just want to toss your dishes.

Again, it's personal and different for each guest, but these are some of the things we love to see.
 
How was your diving, anyways? Did you get to Mayan Blue? I finally got to the "Fang" last week - holy impressive, man! Beautiful.
I assume Mayan Blue is so named for the beautiful blue tint to the water below the halocline. I loved the Death Arrow passage and the huge contrast between the burned out wharehouse look of the black features in A passage and the white chrystaline look of B passage.
The fang was our first dive this trip. It always impresses me.

I will be watching this thread with interest. I can't wait to go back.
 
Everyone is different, but when my wife and I vacation, we want privacy. We have stayed in guest house condos where the owners were so nice that they were always stopping by to talk and see if we need anything and be so friendly. But that's too nice and too friendly for me. I have all kinds of social activity at home, and we get away for some privacy. Which is why a hotel can at least give you that anonymity.

My wife loves the small things that make a condo/guest house special. Stuff like local nick-knacks decorating he room, maybe unusual DVDs featuring the local area, books on things to do or the history of the area (dive books! :D), flowers from the area, a print out of restaurant suggestions, stuff like that. Beach chairs, umbrellas, cooler, floating water things...

I gotta have wireless - otherwise how can I post my daily vacation report here on ScubaBoard! :D

I assume the main floor has a kitchen. Have it stocked with the usual - spices, oil, flower, sugar, coffee, tea, condamints... And encourage guests to leave what they buy and don't use, and soon your kitchen will be a potpourri of unusual stuff no individual person would stock in their kitchen, which makes it fun and interesting for the guests (I was introduced to one of the absolute best Vietnamese sweet/hot sauces I ever tasted at one place).

A BBQ of course. Paper plates and stuff for the times you just want to toss your dishes.

Again, it's personal and different for each guest, but these are some of the things we love to see.

Hey - some great things in there. Thanks. I'm a hermit - I know exactly what you're talking about with privacy! Probably the main reason I waited so long to do some rentals. But hey, until my portfolio start showing some signs of life, you do what you need to!

Speaking of floaty things, I had a friend visiting last fall, and we found these fabulous floaty chairs with drink holders. So we dragged the TV outside, plugged in "The Life Aquatic", and voila! - Swimming Pool Movie Theatre. It was a blast.
 

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I rent out vacation homes here in the Keys, I cannot control all of the places I rent but the ones I can I make sure they have these.

A Hose/ Rake to hang gear on out of the sun is always good to have.
Extra Towels/Wash Cloths
Cheat Sheets: Directions to Dive Shops /Grocery Stores/Restaurants / Hospitals ect...
Ice Machine in the Fridge. Is really good to have. (Optional but nice to have)
Internet is a must have !!!!

It's always nice to find travel stuff in a home such as razor,soaps,and first aid kit.

You will find that people will buy things and leave them for the next person: Rule of thumb if it is open and it is food pitch it!!! Bar soap pitch it !!!! Anything in a bottle/container that could be contaminated pitch it!!!!

You will do fine and as you start renting out your place the renters will let you know if they think you need something to make it more comfortable for them. Ar first you may have to run out and buy stuff so be prepared to run to the store.

I hope these things help. Becka
 
From several cave diving trips, here are my must-haves: Washer and dryer. There's nothing like having wet undergarments and no way to get them dry. Extra towels -- I spent a week once using the same towel to dry myself after diving, and to dry myself after my shower. It was not pleasant. I don't think the towel enjoyed it, either. A place to spread dive gear to dry that is sheltered from the rain. It's depressing to leave it outside on the patio and get up in the morning and find out a shower has your wetsuit soaking wet again.

Things I look for, but can live without: Internet access. Although I won't rent a place that says it doesn't have it, I have dealt with places who said they did but actually didn't. Basic supplies in the kitchen -- I rent a place with a kitchen because I actually do want to cook some meals, and it becomes pretty cumbersome when you have to buy salt, pepper, sugar, etc. in addition to your ingredients. It's really nice to have some basic seasonings and condiments.

Nice touches: Directions to the nearest grocery store, and some restaurant recommendations.

The two bedroom condo we've been renting in PA has all of the above things (except the last) and rents, outside of high season, for $1200 a week.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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