Community Chat

[Carmie]

i am a very calm person by nature.  It takes a lot to get eat a rise out of me, but the incidents of late have brought me to my boiling point.

My husband and I, both recently retired, planned to travel to a warm location for the whole month of February 2017.  I have spent the past two weeks looking for a place on the Internet.  I first looked at RV parks as we have a 27 ft travel trailer that is easy to pull and has plenty of room for us.  

I have not had any luck.  Some parks only allow Class C, the big drivable rigs, others only allow travel trailers less than 5, 7 or 10 years old.  Our Camper is 16 years old.  We do have a 2012 model on a permanent site, but it is way too big and cumbersome to tow to Flordia.  We purchased it is Indiana and towed it to PS already.  

Still more RV parks will only rent for 3 months minimum during the winter months.  We found a park with room for the month.... It rented for over $4000 for one month.

So, I decided to look for a condo, small house or apartment for rent.  I have in the past, rented places through VRBO with much success, so I thought I'd look there.

I have checked every property in Flordia and even in Alabama's gulf coast islands.  I e- mailed the owners of quite a few proprties that I  thought would work for us. Most of the time, I have not heard back.

Yesterday and again, today two owners got back to me.  They told me that the property I was interested in was not available, but they had another similar one that I could rent..  I noticed in both cases, they were offering me the property,,,,the EXACT same property for a much higher price then quoted on VERBO.  The condo was $3000 more than the listed price for one month and the other one, a house was $77 a day more.... That's $2079 more a month.  Do they think I am stupid!

In any case, here I am.  I wasted a lot of time on this and I didn't get any where.  I know one thing, since VRBO changed hands, it is not the same.

Does anyone know where I can find a rental in a warm climate..no more then a days ride from PA at a reasonable price that excepts pets?   I am at my wits end.

[AuntG]

Sorry, no advice but I wanted to say the age requirement of the vehicle surprises me.  It seems so discriminatory, almost as if to say people don't take care of them.

[Pearlee]

@Carmie  Have you looked into time shares in Florida?  Not to purchase but to rent?

Also, I've stayed not for a month but for 2-3 weeks at a time in Florida at Residence Inns and I love them.  The last one I was in took dogs - I don't know who many do. It's like having your own little apartment except people come in to clean every day. It's a bedroom and living room and bath (different sizes at different rates).  And the one where I stayed at had social events for the guests - dinners or Bar B Qs) several times per week and there was an excellent breakfast served every day.  It was pretty reasonable but the rates are indeed higher in winter than off season - like most of Florida.

Extended Stay America is the same idea - it's like your own apartment for extended stays.  I think Wyndhams are similar but don't know much about them.  I loved my Residence Inns.  They are run by Marriott and you get their "card" (not credit card -membership card) and accumulate points and then you can stay at Marriotts for free with your accumulated points.   .  

[tansy]

How frustrating, @Carmie.  The RV parks don't want a total clunker taking up residence but it does seem very snobby :/  Maybe if you sent some pics of the trailer, it would make a difference.  

I have had had some bad experiences with VRBO, too.  The property I was interested in was never available, but I would be offered another property that was not appealing at all.

[sweetee2]

    I so sorry. Where I live (Utah) we have to plan any reservations we'll need in December for the next year. Then January 1st start going on line to make your choices for the whole year. Hotels camping, family picnics, reunions anything you have to have a reservation or they will be gone.

[Pearlee]

@Carmie  I should add that you can get a discounted rate by being a senior or in AAA and if you deal with the Residence Inn directly rather than book online or call the 800 number, well for me they've reduced the rate even more for such a longterm stay.  You keep talking to them to see if you can do better.   Again, for the lovely breakfast, for the  lovely place and the free dinners I think it was three times per week - it was quite reasonable.  The last time too it was my birthday during my stay and the help put a beautiful fruit tray in my fridge (OH - I forgot to mention a kitchen too - fully stocked with dishes, pots and pans, silverwear, dishwasher and dish detergent, everything1 etc, microwave, large refrigerator, coffee machine and they give you coffee and tea packets and sugar and stuff every day), paper towels, dish towels, etc. 

How could I have forgotten the very nice kitchen?  

[Mlsg]

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@Carmie wrote:

i am a very calm person by nature.  It takes a lot to get eat a rise out of me, but the incidents of late have brought me to my boiling point.

My husband and I, both recently retired, planned to travel to a warm location for the whole month of February 2017.  I have spent the past two weeks looking for a place on the Internet.  I first looked at RV parks as we have a 27 ft travel trailer that is easy to pull and has plenty of room for us.  

I have not had any luck.  Some parks only allow Class C, the big drivable rigs, others only allow travel trailers less than 5, 7 or 10 years old.  Our Camper is 16 years old.  We do have a 2012 model on a permanent site, but it is way too big and cumbersome to tow to Flordia.  We purchased it is Indiana and towed it to PS already.  

Still more RV parks will only rent for 3 months minimum during the winter months.  We found a park with room for the month.... It rented for over $4000 for one month.

So, I decided to look for a condo, small house or apartment for rent.  I have in the past, rented places through VRBO with much success, so I thought I'd look there.

I have checked every property in Flordia and even in Alabama's gulf coast islands.  I e- mailed the owners of quite a few proprties that I  thought would work for us. Most of the time, I have not heard back.

Yesterday and again, today two owners got back to me.  They told me that the property I was interested in was not available, but they had another similar one that I could rent..  I noticed in both cases, they were offering me the property,,,,the EXACT same property for a much higher price then quoted on VERBO.  The condo was $3000 more than the listed price for one month and the other one, a house was $77 a day more.... That's $2079 more a month.  Do they think I am stupid!

In any case, here I am.  I wasted a lot of time on this and I didn't get any where.  I know one thing, since VRBO changed hands, it is not the same.

Does anyone know where I can find a rental in a warm climate..no more then a days ride from PA at a reasonable price that excepts pets?   I am at my wits end.

 Hi. I can tell about very good place , it's RV park but you can rent Mobil house, very good , one bedroom, living room , small kitchen, it's really good. Rent in February around $2100, but  it's is but , this is in WEST COST, CA,DESERT HOT SORING.

the place has pools and spa with mineral water, A lot of people from USA and CANADA all year around, but I don't know if you want to go to WEST COAST.

any way it's desert hot  spring RV resort.google.

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[Q4u]

SHowing pictures of a property at a certain price only to find that it has "rented" but they have another property (actually the same property) at a higher price sounds like bait and switch.  Maybe the BBB needs to hear about this....

[Chrystaltree2]

Try Extended Stay America.  My elderly neighbor spends January through

March in Miami every year and she uses them. she raves about the experience.  Hubby and I considering 3_weeks in Arizona in March and we'd like Extended Stay rather than a hotel.