Country Vacations & Resorts

It may seem like a lot of work to choose a vacation rental versus your standard hotel when planning a stay outside the US. Truth is, it does take a bit more planning, but the rewards are certainly worth the effort.

Thanks to the internet, most of the information you need to make the best decision is right there where you need it. A great example is My Favourite Holiday Cottages.

If you have plenty of advance time and are still not sure of a final destination, you can search a wide area of (in this case), England. You can then easily drill down until you find the exact accommodation you desire. Want to be near the coast? Have a traveling pet? Want to be in town – near the pub, or more rural – but hopefully within walking or biking distance of same pub? The information is there. If you have little time to plan, you are also in luck since so much detailed info is immediately available.

Selecting a vacation rental over a hotel is also a better way to experience the local lifestyle. Stay in a large hotel in the UK and you are quite likely to be surrounded by – Americans. Nothing wrong with that, except that if I am in the United Kingdom I’d like to meet its citizens and find out how they spend their days.

My first foray overseas did point out a surprise or two. As example, American travelers get a little confused over the “self-catering” mentioned on many overseas vacation rental listings. You can find a brief discussion on this topic on the Country Vacations & Resorts “You, Vacation Detective” page.

Putting the finishing touches on the first “UK Cottage of the Month.” It might prove to be your perfect UK destination…

This 36 square-mile island is part of the Lesser Antilles and is about 200 miles south of Puerto Rico. Only 7 miles long and 5 miles wide, this garden island will be a luxurious, quiet, and safe beach lover’s delight.

Pinney’s Beach, one of several beach choices on the island of Nevis, is a fabulous stretch of beach, and the home of the posh but touristy Four Seasons Resort. Smooth, soft, sugar-fine white sands are punctuated by coconut palms. The water is calm and shallow and is perfect and safe for swimming or wading. Prefer a less-traveled beach experience? Visit Nisbet, Newcastle, or Oualie Beach instead.

Expecting a great beach view? Look across from your beach chair location to the beautiful views of St. Kitts, and over your shoulder is the majestic 3,232 foot Nevis Peak.

Vacation rentals homes and villas in Pinney’s Beach, Nevis…