There’s no getting away from it: the travel industry has taken a hammering during COVID.  Bookings are down.  International flights are flying at a tiny fraction of the rate they did this time last year.  And the quarantine measures being implemented by governments around the world are stifling demand still further.

As vacation homeowners, I know that you have experienced for yourselves just how different 2020 has been as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.  Homes that were booked back-to-back for months on end are suddenly experiencing booking rates that have dropped through the floor.  For the first time I can remember, we’ve got homes with availability over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays with less than two months to go.

However, there have been some success stories too.  We’ve managed to keep on going, supporting you right through the pandemic, checking on your homes, and keeping things ticking over.  The best results have been achieved by homeowners who’ve been willing to be flexible about how they market their homes and the rates they achieve. So I think its useful to spend some time considering how we can learn from these experiences and help every homeowner to be successful moving forwards.

The new travel trends

Earlier this month, luxury travel magazine Conde Nast Traveller published its list of the travel trends that will become the new normal. 

• The staycation surge: there’s been a huge rise in the number of people staying in country for their vacations this year.
• Sustainability paradoxes: less travel means better air quality and more space for wildlife, but how long will it last?
• Wilderness seeking: we’re all longing for the great outdoors after months of lockdown and this is being reflected in our holiday choices.
• Isolation holidays: the trend for quarantine hideouts has to count as one of the most surprising of the year, but parents seeking quiet places to work and locals desperate for a change of scenery are also driving up demand for short-stay isolation.
• Dream trip planning: Conde Nast are predicting a huge surge as a result of pent-up demand for travel after the drawn-out restrictions we’re all dealing with right now.

The great news is that in Central Florida, we’re really well placed to capitalise on all these types of traveller demand.

Adapting to the new types of traveller

In terms of staycations, this is our biggest market right now.  Many people inside Florida are looking for a change of scenery.  The idea of lounging by the pool while observing social distancing restrictions is a real win for our homes.  We’re also getting bookings for people travelling from outside state who are attracted to Florida for the same reasons and the warmer weather.

In terms of sustainability, we will have to wait and see how this affects demand.  Governments around the world are keen to get the airline sector operating fully again because of its contribution to their national economies.  Conde Nast suggests that when things do start to reopen fully, carbon offsetting is going to be the solution.

Florida is amazingly well placed to capitalise on the wilderness-seeking trend.  Many of our homes look out onto conservation areas and there is plenty of wonderful wildlife spotting opportunities to be enjoyed right on their doorstep. Florida has the fifth largest number of state parks of all states in the country, with 191 parks statewide.

Isolation holidays are on the up.  Tales abound of hotels replacing their revenues by accommodating worn-out parents during working hours who need a quiet place where they can practice social isolation and get through their workday.  There are opportunities for vacation homeowners here too.  Investing in a home printer, upgrading the WiFi and adding a desk into one of the bedrooms can all make a big difference to your home’s marketability to this growing segment of customers.

Then there’s the dream-trip planning… the Disney dream family vacation is right up there for dream trips.  We need to continue to market to our customer base so they keep pushing their dream Disney holiday to the top of their wish list.  We have some bookings for 2021 already and, with the Master Cancel guarantee we are now offering on all holidays booked through our booking partner Ellis Exclusive Villas, we can offer considerable peace of mind for guests.

What can vacation homeowners do on a local level?

While it’s interesting to note these changing trends – and Conde Nast’s list certainly aligns with our own experience – what does it mean in practice?  How can Orlando vacation homeowners adapt to meet the demands of these new markets?

Number one: be flexible.  Things are in flux right now.  And even though news of a vaccine is really positive, things are still very fluid.  Homeowners need to be prepared to adapt.  This might mean relaxing rules about the types of bookings you’re prepared to accept.  Or it might mean being flexible about the rates you offer.  It’s a buyer’s market out there right now and you don’t want to lose out on a four-night booking for the sake of $30 a night.

The local market is different.  People travelling locally may want to stay for shorter periods.  The two-week or three-week vacations of European travellers just isn’t going to happen at the moment.  While Europeans, on average, enjoy 25 days paid vacation leave per year, their American counterparts are lucky if they have 10 days – and many aren’t expected to take advantage of it, either.  Understand that local travellers who are desperate for a change of scenery or just want to laze poolside for a couple of days are only going to book up for two or three nights.  At the moment, these bookings don’t raise the same red flags about house parties they used to and this does require a rethink.

Parents might want to book a home with a pool for a special weekend for their child’s birthday.  If parties are out, a day in the pool looks like a great option.  Or couples might want a night away together – with restaurants closed, the prospect of a poolside barbeque a deux sounds staggeringly romantic.  There a plenty of good reasons to accept single-night bookings, so let’s celebrate them!

The ultimate endpoint of this rethink is to be open to letting homes for just a day.  We’ve successfully let a couple of our homes on day rates for businesspeople who wanted to use them during the day.  These guests pay the same cleaning fees, so homeowners haven’t lost out and the homes were immaculate when we went in to clean.  This is so contrary to the usual market in Florida, it’s a little hard to get used to at first.  But in this market, we all have think a bit more creatively.

Attracting business guests is a great idea.  Plus, if you can add printers and office equipment, it makes it a lot easier for isolating families to decamp to your home.  Parents can continue to work, while the kids have a pool and games room to enjoy.

Another way to increase bookings is to widen out your market to include pet owners. Local travellers are more likely to bring their pet with them, so marketing your home as pet friendly gives you a big advantage in the local market.

If you’d like to speak with our team about different approaches to take when marketing your home, please give us a call.  We’re always happy to talk through the experiences of other homeowners and how we can learn from them in the way we market or let your home.

Alternatively, if you have any thoughts or advice you’d like to share with fellow homeowners, please share them here.  It’s always great to hear about what’s worked – or hasn’t worked – for you. 

We’re so pleased to bring you a new blog post from one of our homeowners. They have written a fantastic guide to cycling in Central Florida for us. Over to them…

On the trail in Florida: a cyclist’s paradise

One of the joys of spending time in Florida is going outside at pretty much any time of year without having to put on layers of clothing.

For those among you who love nothing more than feeling the wind in your helmet, there are now so many places to get out on your bike in safety. And they offer some pretty good scenery to enjoy as well. 

Cycling local

I started off local while just getting used to a new bike bought from Epic Cycles in Clermont.  I started getting back to more regular cycling after a few long, cold and dark months in the UK.

Initially, I just pedalled round our sub-division, Orange Tree, where the roads are quiet. It’s possible to do a circuit of 7.2km/4.5miles – route here.

I then went further afield, following the route of the SR27 cycle lane.  Insider tip: cycle on the sidewalk not the SR27 cycle lane itself, as that looked pretty dirty – a puncture waiting to happen, as well as being very close to a lot of fast-moving traffic.

If you would like to check out this route, you can find it here.

Branching out

These local routes are great, but for the best scenery, you need to stow your bike in/on your car and drive to the truly quiet, safe and beautiful Trails. You’ll find there are plenty of places to park at the trailheads, which are about every 10 miles along the trail. 

There are over 100 trails in Florida,  and you can find them all on this website grouped into 9 Regions, all with Regional overview maps.  They’ve recently added reports on (fat-tyre) “eco-biking” and hiking trails.

South Lake Trail and the West Orange Trail

Some of the best trails in the Central Florida region include the South Lake Trail and the West Orange Trail. These intersect to create a route of 36 miles of continuous Central Florida biking through Lake and Orange Counties.

This was the route I took.

Portions of the 13-mile-long South Lake Trail near Clermont are particularly scenic, with views along Lake Minneola and other lakes.

West Orange Trail is a world-class rail trail through urban and suburban sections of Orange County. It is popular for all types of biking, in-line skating, running and walking. “Outposts” and “Stations” along the trail provide parking and facilities. There are toilets along the way.

A spur at Killarney Station connects to the South Lake Trail. Both of these trails are part of the Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail.  You can see the route I took here.

One of the glorious towns on the route is Oakland. Here, venerable old trees around the town are draped in Spanish moss. There are several historic buildings to admire and you can cycle down side streets to view Lake Apopka.

The next stop is the little town of Winter Garden. This gets busy at weekends. Nevertheless, the trail goes right through its centre. The bike trail has completely revitalized downtown, which now features at least two bike shops and numerous restaurants. The trail runs through the Clock Tower and past the Pavilion.

The Hancock Trail

Another of my favourite routes is the Hancock Trail.

This starts near the National Training Center at South Lake Hospital. It hosts Olympic athletes and provides Triathlon Training for athletes from around the country.

The Hancock Trail even boasts a hilly area (well, hilly by Floridian standards!). People come from a long way away to ride this trail.  Sugarloaf Mountain Rd is the highest point in the area. One possible start/finish point for the route is Killarney Station, Clermont. 

More information about the routes can be found here. Alternatively, this can be a continuation from the north end of Hancock Trail.

I cycled pretty much every day when we were in Florida during January and February and I can’t wait until we are able to come back and discover more.

If you don’t have your own bicycle…

If you don’t have a bike, there’s no reason to miss out!

Our home is about 14 miles south of the beautiful town of Clermont, which is situated on Lake Minneola and has lovely places to shop, walk and yes, cycle.  I recommend the Epic Cycles bike shop, right on the waterfront, with a very pleasant café and bike sales aplenty, (as we discovered!) and extremely helpful staff.

If you need to rent a bike, try Clermont Bicycles.  They have high-quality road bike and comfort bike rentals by the half day, day and week.

Thank you!

We’d like to thank our home owner for this fantastic cycling guest blog post.

Halloween might be a little scaled back this year in Orlando’s theme parks, but you can still scream yourself silly in these haunted houses and ghost tours around Orlando this Halloween! 

Here’s the White Rose Villas team’s pick of some of the scariest tours you can take in or around Orlando this Halloween season.

Walking ghost tour of downtown Orlando

Walking around the city is usually a lot of fun, but on this tour you need to be prepared to feel a little uneasy!  You’ll hear tales of the criminal underworld, the leylines on which the city was built and all kinds of tales about Orlando’s supernatural history!

The walking tour takes in a range of spooky and scary stories at eight locations around the city.  You can expect to cover approximately a mile’s walk over a 60-minute tour.

There is also a slightly longer option that takes in a further four locations… if you can stand four more spooky stories!  If so, the tour is 90-minutes and covers 1.3 miles.

Find out more

Drive-through scare-fest

This year, social distancing has upended everyone’s social plans – but not always for the worse.  This drive-through Halloween theatrical event is one of the better innovations to emerge from the pandemic situation.

You can safely get your spooks and scares following a completely contactless journey in your own vehicle. The theme is Rapunzel’s journey… so expect things to get a little hair-raising!

The drive-through runs from September 25 through to November 7, 2020.  Please note: like most outdoor theatrical events, the drive-through event is weather dependent – so be prepared for a last minute cancellation if conditions get too inclement.

Find out more

All-year round haunted house

You probably know that, although Universal Orlando’s traditional Halloween celebrations aren’t running this year, you can tour two of the haunted house attractions from Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights within the normal park admission.  But did you know that Orlando has a haunted house attraction that runs all year round?

Mortem Manor is located on West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway in Old Town Kissimmee.  The spooky attraction tells the tale of mysterious disappearance of a family and includes more than a few scares along the way! 

Tickets start at just $15 so it is a really affordable way to get your Halloween haunted house fix!

Find out more

Book your Orlando vacation!

If you fancy visiting any of these haunting Halloween attractions, or any of the other special Halloween and fall events in Orlando this year, there is still availability for you to book a short stay at one of our vacation homes. 

Book with our booking partner Ellis Exclusive Villas and you’ll be protected by their cancellation guarantee.  Cancel for any reason between 60 days and 2 days before your departure and you will receive a full refund on all monies paid.

If you can’t get away this year, why not book for 2021? 

We’re going to all be wearing a different type of mask this Halloween. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of seasonal fun to enjoy!

Here’s our round up of things to enjoy this fall in and around Orlando and Central Florida.

Remember that, given the current need for COVID-secure procedures, most events require you to book online in advance. You’ll also need to adhere to social distancing rules and wear a mask.

If you have any queries or concerns ahead of your visit, please contact the venue or organiser directly.

Halloween Fun in Orlando’s theme parks

In the parks, many events have been scaled back or cancelled (notably Mickey’s not-so-scary-Halloween Party and Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights).

Nevertheless, Universal has plenty of Halloween themed décor, merchandise and trick or treating to enjoy.  Plus, there are two Haunted House attractions to get your fear fix!

Disney is also ratcheting up the Halloween-themed goodies, sweet treats and décor around the Magic Kingdom.  Your little ones can still enjoy plenty of themed character meet and greets and scaled-back parades.

SeaWorld’s Spooktacular is continuing this year, with changes to the trick or treating to enable better safety and social distancing, as well as other special themed activities around the park.

Halloween Fun in Orlando and Central Florida

Away from the parks, we’re delighted that some of our favourite low-key fall events are running this year.  Lakeridge Winery is known for its family-friendly events as much as its delicious wines and tasting tours, and from October 3^rd and 4^th, it’s bringing back its Weekends at the Winery events. This year, its featuring some of the area’s best food trucks along with the outdoor wine bar.

Enjoy some great food and wine under the trees, then try your luck at the cornhole games set up for some outdoor fun. The winery’s beautiful grounds offer plenty of outdoor space so you can enjoy a safe, social distance as you sip! See more information here.

Gatorland’s Gators, Ghosts, and Goblins is a daytime Halloween event taking place weekends from October 10^th through November 1^st.

Costumes are encourage for this family-friendly event with spooky train rides, costume contests, and a trick-or-treat trail from 11am to 2pm. There’s also Frank & Stein’s Octoberfest, featuring an undead polka band and German Beer and food. Note that face masks are required per Orange County Executive Order # 2020-23 regarding COVID 19, and must be visible at all times (you can find out more about Gatorland’s safe reopening policy on its website).

Book tickets in advance – there’s a half-price deal for Florida residents through October 31^st. Halloween activities are included in the normal admission.

For a really rural take on the fall festival, Our Fall events at Southern Hill Farms in Clermont began on Saturday, September 26^th and continue until November 8^th (Thursday to Sunday).

Events feature live music, local food trucks, Farm Wagon rides, and Southern Hill Farms seasonal favourites including fresh apple cider donuts, blueberry lemonade and pumpkin muffins. While adults tuck in or cut a bouquet of beautiful sunflowers and zinnias, kids will adore the petting zoo and playground. Then pick out your perfect Jumbo Jack pumpkin for carving.

To help ensure safe social distancing, this year’s events are going ahead with 40 percent of normal capacity.  You’ll need to book in advance here.

At Orlando’s CityArts, 39 S Magnolia Avenue, you can take part in a wonderful outdoor art event on Thursday, October 15, 2020.  The 11th Annual Dia de los Muertos and Monster Event is a themed exhibition at CityArts Orlando and an outdoor experience with live performances, vendors, and more! Now in its 11^th year, the Día de los Muertos & Monster Art Exhibitions will showcase Day of the Dead and Halloween-inspired art created by regional, national, and international artists. This unique art exhibition will be paired with an outdoor experience on opening night that will feature food, drinks, entertainment and spooky art vendors.

Cost to enter CityArts only: $5

Cost of the Outdoor Dining Experience $35-$40 per person/seat

It is essential to book in advance and you can do this online.

Note that all guests will be required to wear a face covering, but guests may remove their face coverings if they are clearly eating or drinking outside CityArts.  All guests are required to register for a time-of-entry; only 20 people are permitted at a time.  For more details about CityArts’ COVID-19 Reopening Protocol, visit https://downtownartsdistrict.com/covid-19/.

There’s plenty more happening besides, these are simply our pick.  We’d love to hear your suggestions for fun fall or Halloween events – add your comments and suggestions below!

Or, if you’d like to write a review for our blog, please get in touch with our team.

We’re delighted to bring you a new post from our very own Sue Mooney.

Cassadaga is well known here in Florida as “the Psychic capital of the world”. In fact, there are  more than 100 mediums, psychics, and healers in Cassadaga.

The sleepy little town is home to the Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp, the oldest active religious community in the southeastern United States. It celebrated its 200th anniversary last year, in 2019.

A day out in Cassadaga by Sue Mooney

Cassadaga was founded in 1894 by the spiritualist George P. Colby, a native New Yorker who travelled the country delivering readings and hosting seances. 

It’s about half an hour’s drive from the Kissimmee area and Orlando’s theme parks in Volusia county. As you drive east on the I4 towards the Atlantic coast, you’ll pass an unassuming blink-and-you’ll-miss-it turnoff to this magical little town.

The name of the town comes from a Seneca Indian word meaning “water beneath the rocks”. The story is that Colby was guided to this site by a native American guide.

For a complete break from the frantic rides of Florida’s theme parks, I recommend you go and visit this gem of a small town. As soon as you arrive, you are transported to a much older version of the State than you will find elsewhere.

Peace really does wrap around you as soon as you step out of your car. You can explore the small roads, admire the old-fashioned but pretty little wooden houses, sit in the meditation gardens and absorb the stillness.

The Psychic capital of the world

Cassadaga is renowned for its spirituality and there are many healers and psychics here, all of whom have gone through a four year certification process. If this is something you wish to explore further you can book in advance or choose a walk-in on the day you go.

The readings we received were accurate and moving.

There’s a well stocked welcome centre, with a huge variety of books, cards, crystals, jewellery, etc. Everyone is helpful and welcoming. Finding the crystals we were looking for was a joy and prices are very reasonable.

Lunch at the Cassadaga Hotel

For lunch we ate in the Cassadaga Hotel. Lovely, fresh food, prepared while you wait. Our burgers and fries were delicious. Cooked just as we asked them and reasonably priced.

There’s quite an extensive menu, though we couldn’t quite bring ourselves to try Arthur’s Burger (see the menu for details!)

We came away from our trip to Cassadaga feeling peaceful and re-energised and would thoroughly recommend a visit to anyone looking for a different side to Florida.

About Sue’s home

If you’d like to book your stay in Florida to enjoy a visit to Cassadaga and its spiritualist camp or any of central Florida’s other wonderful attractions, please check out our homes here.

Sue’s home is the very wonderful Sapphire Sky Villa at Orange Tree.  See more – and book – here.

Would you like to share your tips for great days out in Florida?

We’d love to share contributions from our guests and homeowners about great days out in Florida.  If you have tips or ideas you’d like to share on our blog, please reach out to our team. 

We’re pleased to say that we’ve got another fab contribution from one of our homeowners for you.  This blog was written by Ian Burgess who is sharing his tips for a day out at Silver Springs.

Silver Springs by Ian Burgess

Silver Springs is situated about two hours north of Kissimmee on the edge of Ocala National Forest.

After reading the last blog which included Crystal River, I thought homeowners and guests may appreciate my tip for a really chilled-out, laid-back day away from the parks and shopping malls.

We first visited Silver Springs one sunny day when my family and I were on our way to Crystal River for the day. During a “discussion” about map reading (this was in the days before Sat Navs existed), we lost track of where we were going.

En route we saw signs for Silver Springs. “That’s it!” we thought… so we headed there. It wasn’t until we got back to Kissimmee later that night that we realised we had been at the wrong place!

To us, it didn’t matter that we’d fallen short of our original destination because we had had a fantastic day out.

Silver Springs Park

Silver Springs is over 10,000 years old and, like Crystal River, it has some of the clearest waters anywhere in Florida.

Silver Springs river is over five miles long and the park covers 4,000 acres.  Once there, you will see alligators, fish, birds and other examples of Florida’s wildlife. 

There is a bird show which visitors can attend to see more of the Florida wildlife.

The main attraction is the river. The best way to experience it is on one of the glass-bottom boats which take you around the park.  On our first visit we were treated to a wonderful commentary by Captain Dave who had a unique one-line response to visitors’ questions!  It was a little strange but very amusing.

You can also hire kayaks, canoes and paddleboards.

Silver Springs history

We really recommend a visit to the historic village in the park.  Here you can see what life was like for Floridians a few hundred years ago.

It’s part of the Silver River museum and environmental centre and the little museum is worth a visit too.

Silver Springs has some interesting Hollywood history too: The Creature from the Black Lagoon, Rebel without a Cause, Moonraker and six Tarzan films were made here.

The whole place is run by retirees who absolutely love the special place.  We really loved our trip there and definitely recommend you add it to your Florida vacation itinerary!

About Ian’s home

Ian is the owner of the fabulous family-friendly Tropical Breeze on Indian Point in Kissimmee. With three bedrooms, two bathrooms, spacious living areas and a south-west-facing pool, it’s a fab choice for a family Disney vacation.

If you’d like to book your stay to enjoy Silver Springs or other Central Florida attractions, please check out our homes here.

Would you like to share your tips for great days out in Florida?

We’d love to share contributions from our guests and homeowners about great days out in Florida.  If you have tips or ideas you’d like to share on our blog, please reach out to our team. 

The devastating spread of the terrible Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for property owners to have in place a clear, concise and fair cancellation policy. An integral part of your Terms and Conditions of booking, this policy should both be competitive and have the ability to attract those essential enquiries, and convert them into bookings. It’s essential to provide a set of T’s and C’s to all of your guests, from wherever their booking comes; you must protect your investment!

First of all. the deposit; the down payment required to reserve your property. You may consider reducing this, temporarily, to offer the opportunity to book now with a much reduced deposit. This may boost bookings without reducing your total income; the risk being that you keep less money should the guest cancel outside your cancellation window.

The cancellation window is the period the guest has to cancel with little or no loss of deposit. You may decide to offer full refund 180, 90 or fewer days prior to arrival, offering guests some peace of mind that they will not lose out when booking. You should avoid dates too close to arrival so you have time to rebook the dates. Your payment schedule may also be adjusted.

Your payment schedule is the timeframe in which your guests have to settle the balance, following their initial deposit. Obviously, reservations made at the last minute must be paid in full at booking. Allowing some leeway on these dates may make guests feel more comfortable in booking during these times of great uncertainty; you should judge this based on season, length of stay and your property’s average lead time and cancellation fee.

A property’s cancellation fee is the amount charged in the event of cancellation; it can be done in time increments, increasing the closer it gets to arrival date, or a set amounts across the board. Flexibility and fairness is the key: your guests should always feel you’re doing right by them.

Attracting new guests in this challenging time for business is vitally important; your cancellation policy, and how you adapt and manage it to your guests’ requirements can be a vital tool in overcoming any concerns/objections they may have.

We at White Rose Villas are committed to offering our owners, new and old, a bespoke service to enable you to enhance your online presence and maximise bookings. To that end, we will provide a template set of Terms and Conditions, fully customisable, to each of our owners, on demand. These T’s and C’s can be uploaded to each online platform you use, and can be altered/tweaked to stay on top of your demand curve.

Please get in touch to use this unique service, we are available online or over the telephone to talk to each of you through what is required, and answer any questions you may have.

Here at White Rose Villas we love to spend time at our wonderful Central Florida theme parks, the magic is always there! However, away from the parks, there are many other fun, exciting and enjoyable things to do in this beautiful part of the World. How about swimming with Manatees, kayaking or visiting one of the glorious white sand beaches Florida is rightly renowned for?
We thought you may appreciate some ideas we’ve come up with for you to enjoy some time away from the parks; we’ve tried them ourselves so rest assured you won’t be wasting time on your well-earned vacation!

GO TO THE BEACH
Orlando is ideally located within easy reach of both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Clearwater/St. Petes on the Gulf (West) coast is within a 2 hour drive, and Clearwater proudly boasts the title of America’s favourite beach; perfect for a day trip or even longer, with loads of great places to stay, eat and drink. Head a short drive South and you’ll hit Treasure Island where you’ll find the fabulous John’s Pass, with its great Marina and huge selection of bars, restaurants and shopping to suit all tastes. A little further on and you’ll hit St. Petes Beach, another great spot for beach lovers.
On the Atlantic (East) coast, even closer than the Gulf, you’ll delight in the many attractions of Cocoa Beach, its pier and great surfing. Further North is the World famous Speedway at Daytona Beach where you can drive on the beach and visit the huge number of local attractions. If you’re a motorcycle fan, visit during Bike Week and you’ll be in motorbike heaven!

DISCOVER CELEBRATION
This unique little Disney-designed town is an absolute must to visit. It’s crammed with wonderful shops and eateries on a picturesque lake which you can walk around, or hire a bike and explore the many paths through the woods. It’s everyone’s idea of perfect small-town America, and is easily reached just a short drive from any of our rental homes.

SPLASH AROUND AT ISLAND H20 LIVE
Close to the 192 at Kissimmee you’ll find one of Central Florida’s newest and most technologically advanced water parks. From exhilerating drop slides to relaxing wave pools and dive-in movies, there are more than 20 unique experiences to enjoy; you’ll love it, we did!

EXPLORE BOK TOWER GARDENS
These tranquil botanical gardens are truly a hidden gem; strolling through them is a most delightful and peaceful experience. Read one of our owners blogs on their day visit to Bok Tower gardens. https://whiterosevillas.com/a-visit-to-bok-tower-gardens-by-ruth-moriarty/

HAVE A SURREAL EXPERIENCE AT THE DALI MUSEUM
For any lovers of surrealism this place is a must visit! Located in St. Petersburg, the museum houses one of the largest Dali collections in the world; it certainly lived up to expectations for a unique look into the weird and wonderful mind of Salvador Dali.

GATOR SPOTTING ON AN AIRBOAT RIDE
There are many airboat rides to choose from around the Orlando area; one of our favourites is Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures. You can take a ride and discover the headwaters to the Everglades, South of Orlando, whizzing along and discovering the fascinating wildlife the area offers. For the best chance of seeing ‘gators it’s best to visit early in the morning in hot weather, or later in the day if cooler.

SWIM WITH MANATEES AND GO KAYAKING
Swimming and snorkelling with Manatees in the Crystal River/Homosassa area is a fantastic experience! You’ll find many tours available, offering loads of adventure, excitement and education. While you’re there why not rent a kayak and explore to your heart’s content? Closer to your home you can also find kayak adventures at beautiful Shingle Creek.

THRILLSEEKERS DELIGHT
Visit Clermont’s Revolutions Off Road where you can experience Florida’s great outdoors riding ATV’s, shooting, fishing or trying your hand at archery.

BALLOON OR HELICOPTER RIDES; SEE IT ALL FROM ABOVE
See Orlando from the air on a hot-air balloon ride; we loved Orlando Sunrise Hot-Air Balloon Ride with Orlando Balloon Rides! For a different lofty experience try flying over the sights in a chopper with Air Force Fun Helicopter Tours. It’s a great and fabulously exciting way to see Orlando’s incredible sights.

These are just a few of the many great experiences awaiting you if you want to really make the most of your trip to Florida. However, if you just want to chill out by the pool and relax in the glorious Florida sunshine, you can do that too; you’re on vacation!

As Florida holiday rentals open up, flights and borders will hopefully follow soon. We at White Rose Villas would like to inform both past and future guests of the measures we have implemented to enable you to book and stay with confidence.

Times may have changed, and we’ve all had to adjust to a new normal, but your health, safety and security remain our top priority. To aid this we have developed a new cleaning protocol, following the VRMA SafeHome Pledge guidelines.

Here’s how your home will be prepared: 

Recommended sanitizing products will be used in our enhanced cleaning techniques prior to each rental. We will particularly pay attention to guest touch points e.g. interior and exterior door furniture, cabinet handles, remote controls, stove and light switches and other hard surfaces.

Staff have received additional training and been instructed to be extremely vigilant about frequent, thorough handwashing, and the need to self-isolate if any symptoms present.

Handwash will be provided in your kitchen and all bathrooms, and re-usable bottles of cleaning and disinfectant spray available for your use.

You, our guests, are of paramount importance to us and we can assure you that we are doing all in our power to provide a safe, secure environment in your rental property.

Virtual Meet and Greet Welcome Program.

In order to enhance guest safety and prevent the possible spread of Covid-19, with social distancing being the key, we have introduced a new initiative; a Virtual Meet and Greet Welcome Program. This will enable you to learn all about the great features your rental home offers in a risk-free, virtual welcome call, which you can schedule to suit you.

One of our friendly staff members will happily guide you through all you need to know.

Virtual Maintenance Assistance

To further avoid possible exposure we will limit on-site visits, with guests in occupation, to essential cases/habitability issues only. For staff and guests’ safety we will firstly troubleshoot issues through Virtual Maintenance Assistance, providing guests the opportunity to resolve any issues via audio or video chat. If a socially distanced visit proves necessary we will schedule it, with prior notice, from one of our technicians or partners. To protect all concerned we will insist on a safe distance of at least 2 metres, just over 6 feet, between guests and staff at all times. Minor maintenance issues will be dealt with following guests’ departure.

Pool Safety – according to the Center for Disease Control there is no evidence that Covid-19 can be spread through the use of pools or hot tubs. However, for guests’ comfort, cleaners and technicians will wear protective gloves when undertaking any maintenance in these areas. Finally, we will require you to adhere strictly to the departure time of 10 a.m. This will allow our team sufficient time to carry out the necessary enhanced cleaning and disinfecting of the property, as outlined above.

We are constantly monitoring the ongoing situation, and will instantly respond to any and all measures stipulated by the authorities. With this in mind we’re sure that, when you stay in one of our vacation homes, you may rest assured that all possible has been done to ensure your comfort, safety and peace of mind. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at admin@whiterosevillas.com

Following the decision by Virgin Atlantic to delay the restart of its Orlando flights from July 20th to a provisional date of August 24th, and TUI’s cancellation of all Florida holidays until November 30th, we thought it a good time to give you a quick update on the latest from The Sunshine State.

Florida has seen a surge in coronavirus cases recently; more than 4,000 Saturday June 20th – its highest total of the pandemic so far. Case numbers now exceed 100,000 with, tragically, more than 3,100 deaths. Governor DeSantis, similar to President Trump, has linked increased testing to explain the numbers. Many of those tested show no symptoms and are increasingly young: the median age of those testing positive has decreased from 65 in April to under 30 in some counties!

Here at White Rose Villas we’ve experienced an increase in domestic bookings, but are still aware of the uncertainty which may cause bookings to slow due to the spike. Florida is seeing high cancellation rates from international travellers for July and August, due to the ongoing travel ban and general concern, as case numbers rise.

Disney’s complex new booking system is also causing large numbers to re-evaluate their plans, with many international travellers choosing to delay reservations from 2021 to 2022. The new systems in place are leading people to believe that the Disney magic just won’t be there, and, in particular, first timers are increasingly erring on the side of caution and delaying their trips.

White Rose Villas will continue to provide you with updates on the latest news and travel trends, as we look hopefully to a brighter future for our owners and their guests. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at admin@whiterosevillas.com

Looking to attract more bookings from the domestic market? Check out the following

How to Market Your Home during Coronavirus

How to Boost Your Income from Your Vacation Rental