Lake Lugano
Imagine a vacation where, instead of sterile hotels, you rent holiday apartments complete with kitchens, each with charm unique to both the locale and the individual owner of the holiday apartment. For instance, here in the Lake Lugano area of Italy you can rent an open-space, artist renovated apartment. This apartment is steps away from the water in the Old Quarter of Porlezza. The unique qualities of such accommodation cannot be replicated in large hotels chains.
Holiday apartment rentals are popular means of accommodation in many areas of the world, yet we as travelers (especially as North Americans) often default to the easy way of doing things by booking familiar chain hotels with their unsurprising and uninspiring comforts. With an apartment, the traveler gets more space, privacy and family-like, individual attention for they’re money. It’s a way of travel that in some ways approaches living like a local. You have the opportunity to stay in a real holiday home, walk, shop and learn in a natural way, as opposed to a pre-packaged arrangement of hotels and sights planned by a third party.
Many countries have long traditions of vacation apartment rentals. Popular destinations for such travel are: Italy, Portugal, Spain and the UK. Also you may find beach holiday apartments in locations such as Mexico, Australia and Florida (such as popular Seacrest Beach). The price and quality of accommodations of course will vary, just as they do with hotels.
There are two ways to plan your rentals. If you’re venturing out for the first time and are a little nervous about securing a bed for each leg of your trip you can book all of your rooms before you leave. If you’re going to one single location, this will also make good sense. With multiple locations it will lock you into and itinerary which will be difficult to change on the fly but will provide a knowledge that you don’t have to look for a new apartment when you reach your next region or city.
The alternative for multi-city travel (such as a trip to Europe) is to reserve an apartment in only your first city or for your first few nights. You then secure a room in each new area when you arrive. If you are not traveling during the height of peak tourist season you should have no problem finding beautiful rooms, often cheap holiday apartments or cheap villas, not advertised online, as you progress in your travels.
A unique, exciting way to travel all while supporting local families and business in the area you are visiting…this is indeed a satisfying way to visit the wonderful places of your dreams.