Friday 5: Tips for Choosing a Vacation Rental

Choosing a vacation rental is a lot of fun, but it can often be time-consuming and a little nerve-wracking. I tend to be pretty picky about rentals. Frankly, if I’m choosing a rental over a hotel, I want to be sure it’s somewhere I'm excited to come home to every night. That means it needs to be welcoming and well cared for. I have to trust that my money will be handled safely and that the owner or manager is responsive and professional.

Todays Friday 5 shows you my process for narrowing down rentals.  

La Maisonette in Baynac-et-Cazenac, France. One of my favorite rentals. (Summer 2010) 

1.  Scrutinize the pictures

The more photos a rental has, the better! If you find a place you like that doesn’t have a ton of photos, don’t be afraid to ask the owner or manager if they have a few more, especially if you want to see something specific.

While the overall aesthetic of a place is nice to look at, be sure to check the details. For example: 

• What about the bedding? Does it look old or does it look clean and cozy?
• How neat and tidy does the space seem-- especially the kitchen and bathroom?
• Are all of the amenities you need there? Air conditioning? Washer/dryer? Coffee maker?
• Are there enough places to sit?
• What's the view like? 

Sunset from La Maisonette. Staying here was like living in a fairytale for awhile.

2.  Read reviews 

If you're not going with a tried and true agency, reviews are a great chance for you to get a better sense of what your stay might be like. The more reviews you can read the better. Look for clues about what it’s like to stay there. Is it quiet or noisy?  Is it near shops, sites, restaurants, etc? Is there an elevator? 

Be wary of places that don’t have any reviews. I skip them. Yes, someone has to be the first guest to stay at a rental, but I’m not that person. 

Be wary of places that only have reviews entered by the owner. It’s not that I don’t trust them, but reviews entered by owners may be cherry-picked. I always wonder if only the best of the best end up online? 

Remember to leave reviews after your trips, too!  

Another favourite rental in Lourmarin, France (2009). It was so lovingly decorated and had incredible linen sheets. Unfortunately, it's not longer available to rent. 

3.  Read the fine print

Take a look at the rental contract and house rules. Make sure you understand everything and are comfortable with the agreement. Some of the questions I often ask when reading through the rental agreement and rules include: 

• How do you pay for the apartment? How much are you paying up front? Are comfortable with that form of payment? I won’t do wire transfers, for example. Once the money from a wire transfer is out of your account, there’s no way to get it back if something goes wrong. A credit card, on the other hand may offer better buyer protection. 
• Do you have any protection as the renter? AirBnB, for example, doesn’t release the balance of funds to the manager/owner until 24 hours after your arrival. This gives you a chance to make sure everything is as you expected it to be.
• What is the cancellation policy? Would you lose your deposit?
• Are there any hidden or extra costs like cleaning or parking? 
• Do you need to have a damage deposit when you arrive? Again, are you comfortable with the form of payment?  
• When do you need to check in and out? How do you get access to the rental?

A bright, clean, and perfectly appointed Parisian kitchen (2013)

4.  Talk to the owners/manager

It’s always a good idea to have a conversation with the owner or manager before you book the property. Ask questions about the rental and the area. Do they seem knowledgeable and passionate about their area? Will they be there when you arrive? Or will someone else give you the keys? What happens if something goes wrong or you need some help with something?  It will give you a good idea of their responsiveness and professionalism. 

A quiet sunny morning and the town pup from the balcony of our rental in Villefranche-sur-Mer, France (2012)

5.  Trust your gut

When it comes down to it, the most important part is to trust your gut. If you feel like something is off or seems strange, then move on. There are thousands of rentals out there, and there’s no reason to settle for something you're not comfortable with. 

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Everyone’s standards will be different. I’ll admit that I’m probably more fussy than most people. The point is that it has to look nice and be functional based on your preferences. By all means, be flexible, but prioritize what is most important for you and don’t bend too much on those things.

That's all for this week! Happy weekend!

Ice, Ice(wine) Baby

I wouldn’t classify myself as a picky eater. I’ve only truly hated two types of food in my life: cilantro (it tasted like soap to me and I know I'm not alone) and salmon (thanks to getting sick after eating it). When I read an article about overcoming food aversions few years ago, I started to feel silly about turning my nose up at them. Apparently if you continue to try small amounts of whatever it is you don’t like, you develop a taste for it. I've been successful with this strategy so far. I love salmon again and I tolerate cilantro now. 

I wanted to lead with that because I always thought I hated icewine. Last year, S and I were gifted a weekend getaway in Niagara on the Lake during the Niagara Icewine Festival. Our stay included free tastings at a handful of wineries. We went to Château des Charmes first and had such a lacklustre experience with both the wine and the service that we lost interest in trying any of the other wineries. Later, we wandered through the downtown festival area for a bit but didn’t taste anything. We spent the rest of our trip having fun antiquing.

I didn't take many pictures at the festival because, frankly, my hands were cold and my phone dies in the cold. I also try to keep foodie pics to a minimum in public because it always feels weird. 

This year, we went to the festival again with my parents and had a completely different experience. Instead of heading to a winery, we went downtown first. We got tasting glasses and tokens and wandered through the huts to see what the different wineries offered. 

Generally, you will see most ice wines made from Riesling, Vidal, or Cabernet Franc grapes with the latter two being the most popular in Ontario. The Vidal produces a rich, buttery yellow wine and the Cabernet Franc produces a beautiful, deep amber strawberry color. 

What makes icewine different? The grapes are left on the vine until temperatures dip to -8° Celcius or lower, which concentrates the sugars in the grape. The grapes are then harvested and pressed while frozen. It can be a tricky business, from harvesting at the right time to working in conjunction with unpredictable weather. The result? Smaller yields and sweet, fruity wines with hefty price tags. Since Ontario gets warm summers and cold winters, we are one of the few regions of the world the produces icewine.

I think next year they should spruce the tents up a bit. They look kinda boring, no? My bar is high after researching Christmas markets in Europe. 

Our first taste was an Iniskillin Sparkling Vidal. Much to my surprise, it didn’t taste like the horrible cloying sweet icewines I remembered. This had more character and 100% more bubbles of fun. It was sweet, yes, but also tart--like a perfect fall apple mixed with ripe grapes. It felt celebratory. I wanted a full glass! Perhaps I like ice wine after all? 

We perused the food next, letting our noses guide us as deliciously warm and hearty scents wafted through the air. There were multiple kinds of pulled pork with long lines. Pass. Some macaroni and cheese that looked amazing. I can’t have dairy, so a reluctant pass. It was a lonely duck confit cassoulet from Peller that caught our attention. No one seemed to be manning the station. A pretty little yellow Le Creuset pot sat atop a portable single burner. Was it empty? 

We went to the end of the aisle and realized none of the other food sounded as good as the cassoulet. By the time we walked back, there was a woman behind the counter. We walked right up and got a small bowl. It was so good that after one bite each, we turned around and got a second bowl.

Delicious, delicious cassoulet. It disappeared so fast I almost missed my photo op.

I still have no idea why there wasn't a long line up for it, but I feel like we found an under appreciated gem. It was rich and hearty but not heavy. There were tons of beans and everything had a beautiful duck flavour without being too fatty or strong. It’s still the morning as I write this, and I would eat a whole bowl right now if I could. Probably some for lunch, too. Who am I kidding? And dinner. I love duck. 

We considered spending the rest of our tokens on cassoulet, but that’s not what we came for, so we tasted three more wines: a Vidal from Joseph (ok), a Vidal from Trius (yum!), and a Cabernet Franc from Peller (meh, too sweet for me). 

Afterward, we wandered around some of the stores that were open and then drove to Iniskillin. We sampled their Vidal, a Sparkling Cabernet Franc, a Sparkling Vidal, and an Oak-Aged Vidal. I genuinely liked them all, but holy moly did I love the Oak-Aged Vidal and both of the sparkling offerings. 

All in all, I was shocked. I really enjoyed the day and the wines. I’m not sure I’ll ever be the type of person who loves ice wine, but I can see having an after-dinner glass on a very special occasion, especially one of those sparkling beauties.

So I guess I do like icewine after all. The lesson? Try again. 

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Want to have the full icewine experience, too?

The Niagara Icewine Festival runs each year for three weekends in January. 

Since the 2015 festival is over, there is always the option of going to the wineries and doing your own tasting or looking into a tour, like Grape Escape Wine Tours or Niagara Vintage Wine Tours.

Friday 5: My Over-the-Counter Medication Essentials for Travel

No one likes to be sick on the road, but it happens. It only takes one bad experience away from home without your favourite OTC medications to realize you must never make the same mistake again.

I'd much rather spend my vacation exploring than playing Where's Waldo for that little green pharmacy cross. 

It’s not very fun to visit foreign pharmacies, try to describe your problem in a differnet language and leave with medication you’ve never heard of, don’t know how to use, and sometimes doesn’t work. A little preparation and a few basics can make a huge difference. Even the CDC recommends having some basic OTC medication when you travel. They have some good advice too, go take a look. Here's the link again. 

With all of that in mind, today’s Friday 5 is a quick list of the OTC basics I take on every trip.*

1. Cold Medication

I’ve gotten a cold on my last two big trips. Both times they were from sick people on the plane. On the first flight, a woman sneezed on my head. Ugh! On the second flight, I sat next to a man who was so sick that he just kind of huddled against the window sneezing and coughing for 7 hours. So I know a thing or two about the nuisance a cold on the road. I also know how utterly terrible British cold medication is for me and how French cold medication makes me feel like I’m on a different planet. Lesson learned! I take a fresh pack of my tried and true favorite now. 

2. Imodium/anti-diarrheal   

Time to get real! I rarely leave the house without some Imodium in my purse. There is a special kind of terror and panic associated with the first rumble in your stomach that signifies gastro-intestinal distress. Immodium is a like a safety blanket and insurance policy against all the the worst disasters. I like the Imodium Complete because it has an anti-gas ingredient. It's like the Rolls Royce of anti-diarrheals. I mean that in the kindest way, Rolls.

Bonus: if a traveling companion happens to need some and you have it, you will be their hero, if only just for one day. Cue David Bowie.

3. Benadryl/antihistamine

Benadryl is my go-to choice if I can only take one antihistamine with me. In my experience, it works extremely well for so many different allergic reactions. The only downside is that it makes me very drowsy. So if I can, I take Benadryl and something like Reactine, which helps with my seasonal allergies and doesn’t make me sleepy.  

4. Antibiotic ointment

Neosporin or polysporin or whatever your favourite is. It comes in handy for cuts, nicks, and blisters—all the small annoying things that can become bigger annoying things fairly quickly if left untreated. I took a tiny tube of this stuff to a music festival a few years ago. I felt a little silly and lame for tossing it my bag, but when one of  my friends got a sliver of metal in her finger (don’t ask me how, I don’t know), my annoying mom-level of preparedness saved the day. 

5. Pain reliever and fever reducer

These might be one in the same for you. I find Advil helps with muscles aches and pain for me, but it has no fever reducing qualities. Tylenol, on the other hand, helps with fevers but does nothing when I have pain. So I travel with both if I know they might be hard to find at my destination. I also know that NSAIDs can be tricky for a lot of people, so be sure you know what is safe for you and talk to your doctor. 

*Note: It should go without saying that I’m not a doctor and I have no interest telling you what medications to take. Be sure to discuss any medications you take or plan on taking with your doctor. Do your own research and do what is best and safe for you. I’m sharing my basics because it could be a good starting point for you to figure out what you need to be prepared for travel. 

It’s also important to know the rules and regulations of the country you are traveling to. Be sure to check that the ingredients are allowed in your destination. Some countries can be surprisingly strict about certain medications and ingredients. 

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That's it for this week! We might be stopping by the Niagara on the Lake Icewine Festival this weekend, so I'll try to take pictures and post on Monday or Tuesday. Next week might be quiet on the blog, I'm going to take some time to plan for February and do a lot of editing for the guide!

I hope you have a great weekend. If you have any OTC basics that you always travel with, let me know in the comments.