Many travelers are used to booking hotel accommodations, as they are completely unaware of the existence of sites that intermediate holiday rental homes.

The popular belief is that private house rentals are very high priced and only available for the rich. Laziness combined with the above makes tourists choose a hotel room while there are holiday rentals in a variety of price ranges, some of them really affordable. Most of the house/villa rentals are very large, with multiple bedrooms and could accommodate large groups such as friends or big families and for groups such as this a holiday rental will surely be a lot cheaper that renting multiple hotel rooms.

On the other hand, many tourists think that they have to book a hotel room in order to have extra facilities like swimming pools, video games, internet and television. That is indeed wrong again as most of house rentals offer facilities such as entertainment rooms, private beaches, game rooms, spa services, swimming pools, internet connection and sometimes a lot more.

Many holiday makers assume that house holiday rentals are luxurious and only meant for the upper classes to whom it really does not matter how much such a rental would cost. However, tourists should realize that there are various holiday home rentals that are cheaper and affordable like condos, cabins, town houses and so on. One can find apartments located in the heart of the city that are available at some really affordable prices. A good website that lists private holiday rentals should let people search for properties suited to their own needs and budget.

Some tourists may think that house rentals are not as safe as hotels where there is a better security. This is a misconception as sometimes holiday rentals are enclosed within large, guarded communities and often have elaborate security systems. However, a holiday rental house is just like a home away from home so tourists must understand they need to apply normal security measures like locking the doors and starting up the security system available on site.

All land lords take their holiday rentals seriously so they expect the occupancy to be as high as possible. They also recognize that there will be light wear and tear here and there. Many renters might think that the owner of the house will check in every day to be sure no damage is done to the place, the truth is they rarely show up as they know the main reason people love house rentals is because of the high privacy it provides.

Some other tourists stay away from house rentals as they think there will be no one to tend to their needs. This is another misconception as most holiday rental owners also act as property managers or employ one to quickly take care of day to day issues that may appear.

Many have concerns about the security deposit and the fact that it may not be returned in full. Unless you turn the holiday house upside down the owner has no reason to withhold your deposit. Additionally owners want your repeat business so they will faithfully return your money. Most of them also take their reputation very seriously so they are not going to ruin it for small amount of cash in the short term.

So with most of the concerns or myths dispelled, people planning to take a group vacation or with family members should really look into holiday rentals. Such arrangements will save a lot of money, offer quality services and privacy so it is incomparable with crowded, congested hotels.

Anyone lucky enough to travel, whether for business or vacation, has likely had a wide range of experiences when entering a hotel for the first time. From the glorious tropical flower arrangements in the lobby to the timeworn carpet in the hallways, and even the possibility of total assaults on your senses that loud music or pungent odors can cause. Unless you’ve been to the hotel before you can never be sure of what you’re going to get, and sometimes not even then. Much like that commercial for internet travel sites that sell you a beautiful picture that doesn’t convert to reality once you arrive.

There are some things you can do before you go that can help prepare you for the worst or even help you to deal with the non-energetically aligned. Some folks travel with their own pillow, while others like my sister even carry their own Clorox wipes and Febreze. Both of these seem extreme, but they’re actually on the right path to creating great chi in your hotel room. Remember, chi involves all of your senses and how you experience a space, so anything that will make you feel more comfortable and at ease is always a plus.

Here are my top tips that will also get you heading in the right positive chi direction:

• Many hotel rooms are furnished with the classic dresser that has a large mirror above it. Unfortunately this piece of furniture is also usually directly in line with the foot of your bed. Some rooms may also have a large television on the dresser facing the foot of your bed. Both cases can cause restless sleep patterns and uneasiness when in bed. A simple fix is to always travel with a cotton shawl that you can use to throw over the mirror or television when you’re ready to sleep. If you’re a woman, you may even get some double use out of the shawl if it matches your travel attire! If you’re a guy and don’t have any shawls handy, you can also use the extra blanket or bed coverlet that’s already in the room.
• Good feng shui always deals with what’s happening in your Relationship Quadrant, so who says that even a temporary space like a hotel room should be any different? Pack a non-breakable picture frame with an image of you and your sweetie and place it in the far right corner of your hotel room. This will keep you in mental alignment with the desire for closeness while you are far apart. If you’re traveling together, it will keep reminding you of your love for each other, even through the often stressful events that travel can involve. You know, like booking the romantic ocean view and then finding out that it’s above the outdoor restaurant! Add a couple of pink candles and your romance chi will be flowing.
• For all you business travelers, I have a couple of tips that may make the difference between coming home empty-handed or landing that big deal. There are two areas in your hotel room that you can enhance with some good feng shui tools. The first is the far left corner of your room. This is your Wealth Quadrant, so it’s pretty obvious that you should give it an extra boost. While I don’t necessarily recommend packing them in your luggage, they shouldn’t be too difficult to find once you arrive at your destination. Purchase some pretty red, pink or yellow flowers, arrange them in one of the extra glasses from your mini-bar or bathroom and place them on the nightstand or the work table in this corner. Flowers embody fruition and the flowering of your prosperity. If you feel like spending large, buy a live orchid plant and then leave it as a gift to your housekeeping person. She will be sure to spread the word about what a wonderful guest you were and it will give you lots of positive chi when you return in the future. The other place to keep in mind is the area midway along the right wall of your hotel room. This is your Creativity Quadrant and is where your projects are being hatched. This is a great area to place your work related documents, work on your laptop, or place an object that reminds you of that goal you came to accomplish. Both of these tips will keep you mentally focused on attaining your business objectives.
• Sounds and smells in your room are also very important to creating good feng shui. As I mentioned, all of your senses are involved in perceiving positive chi. Fortunately, every hotel room usually includes the ubiquitous radio/alarm clock. Tune it to a station playing the music you love to listen to at home and you are immediately connected to good memories. Or, if your trip is definitely on the stressful side, tune it to some classical or soft jazz and infuse your space with calming melodies. Sound completely fills a space and keeps the loneliness away, or it can be an accomplice to setting a romantic mood for you and your travel companion. Smell on the other hand just has the potential to invite you in or repel you in the opposite direction. It’s over in an instant but can leave a very lasting impression. It’s also very personal and can be implemented in a variety of ways. Infuse a handkerchief with your honey’s favorite perfume or cologne and place it on your nightstand and you will fall asleep with loving thoughts; plug in a wall diffuser in your bathroom with a citrus scent and you’ll be invigorated before heading to that early morning breakfast meeting; or bring a spray bottle with your favorite air freshener and lightly mist your room.

All of these tips are very easy to pack in your luggage or find once you arrive, and they will certainly turn your hotel room stay into a positively personalized experience. And that is what good feng shui is all about!