Pick The Perfect Condo

Take our rental tips for the ultimate place to stay on your next vacation.

Our friends Travis and Patricia, from Lake Charles, Louisiana, come back every summer to a beautiful condo they rent in Orange Beach, Alabama. My wife and I aren't that lucky. We've spent half our lives searching for the perfect vacation rental. It's like looking for the Holy Grail but harder.

Google "condo," and you get more than 70 million results. There are some gems out there-the trick is finding them. Here are some helpful tips I've learned along the way.

* Ask a friend. "There's no better recommendation than word of mouth," says Sharon Michie, who owns Cottages to Castles, a rental service for Florida's Captiva and Sanibel Islands (1-800-472-5385 or www.cottages-tocastles.com). Get suggestions from other Southern Living readers on travel message boards at community. southernliving.com.

* Find local rental providers. Start with the chamber of commerce or convention and visitors bureau for free lodging guides and links to rental agencies. ResortQuest, one of the largest, handles properties in more than 50 destinations (1-800-467-3529 or www.resortquest.com).

* Don't trust the photographs. Plenty of condos look great-from the air. Interior photographs help, but be sure to ask how long ago they were taken. "If they say it was renovated, find out when," advises Sharon. "After three years, it can need it again."

* Try the off-season. That can add up to tremendous savings, especially in South Florida during the summer. On Sanibel and Captiva, summer rates for twobedroom condos range from $950 to $1,500 a week, about half of the peak-season cost.

Rates drop in the winter in Northwest Florida. The luxurious Majestic Beach Towers in Panama City Beach offered a rate as low as $106 per night last February (toll-free 1-866-494-3364 or www.majesticbeachresort.com).

* Where's the elevator? You'll be glad you asked if you're carrying enough baggage to fill a moving track You'll also want to find out about pools and proximity to grocery stores, restaurants, and parking.

* Compare amenities. New properties keep thinking of more ways to pamper guests. Majestic Beach Towers features its own private movie theater. Edgewater Beach Resort in Panama City Beach packages spa and golf vacations (1-800-874-8686 or www.edgewaterbeach resort.com).

* Book early. That's especially important during peak holiday times when vacationers often Une up reservations a year in advance.

* Scout around. When I'm on a trip, I often look for places I'd like to stay next time. There's nothing like seeing it firsthand. I found one of my favorites, Kiva Dunes in Orange Beach, Alabama, just by stopping by. A spacious two-bedroom ($250 a night) featured a huge balcony overlooking the golf course and dunes (toll-free 1-866-540-7100 or www. kivadunes.com).

* The devil is in the details. Cleaning fees, hefty deposits, and additional hidden charges can really run up your tab. Ask about the other fees before you sign on the dotted line. Find out about the cancellation policy. Sharon also recommends adding hurricane insurance. At some properties, even if you cancel because of a storm, you're still on the hook.

* Bring some friends. If you don't need the extra space for children, sharing a condo can cut the cost. I have my eye on the Sandhurst estate, MTV's summer beach house, which sleeps 20 people. The most expensive rental property on Captiva Island, it goes for $21,500 a week. That drops to $10,500 in the summer.

-LES THOMAS

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Jul 2006
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