Happy Fourth of July! We’d like to wish all our homeowners a very happy Independence Day.

Please be aware that this year all the communities and resorts have emailed to advise that fireworks will not be permitted.

We know this is disappointing because fireworks are such a traditional part of people’s celebrations, but it is really important to ensure that the rules are followed.

Resorts are making this request because if fireworks or spent shells fall into the pool screen, it can cause a fire. This is a particular concern this year as more people will be celebrating at home due to the pandemic.

We’d like to reassure you that we have emailed all guests to ensure that they are aware that no fireworks are permitted this year. We have suggested instead that if they would like to celebrate with fireworks, they attend the firework display in Haines City.

You can find more details about this event here: https://www.hainescity.com/353/Thunder-on-the-Ridge

White Rose Villas is currently investing in some great new branding for the vehicles used by our housekeeping and maintenance teams – and we’d like you to get involved!

Could you design a new image for our housekeeping and maintenance vehicles?

If so, you could be in with a chance to win free property maintenance for a property for three months, courtesy of our team. That’s what we’re offering the one lucky winner of our new van wrap design competition.

Plus, of course, you’ll get the chance to see your design driving around your resort!

We’ve shared some suggested designs with you here on the blog. If you think you can do better, simply send us your ideas by email by no later than July 20th 2021.

If our team picks your design, we’ll credit your homeowners account with three months of property maintenance. We’ll announce the lucky winner in another blog at the end of July.

Get drawing and good luck!

Attention all homeowners! We’re currently in talks with a security company about some new, more robust pool alarms. We’re encouraging all homeowners to have them fitted. Please read on to find out why.

Earlier this month, we received extremely sad news about a drowning on the Windsor Hills resort community. While this thankfully didn’t affect any of our homeowners directly or involve any of the homes we manage, we are keen to do what we can to ensure that we never receive such sad news about one of our properties.

We want to support you to do everything you can to keep your guests safe.

To that end, we’ve been in contact with a local security company with a view to beefing up pool safety for our guests. We’re recommending that homeowners fit an integrated pool alarm on the pool access doors.

If you don’t currently have a pool alarm, or the one you do have is battery operated, please consider fitting one of these in your homes.

As well as making your property safer for guests, these pool alarms come with the added benefit that they prevent guests from leaving the pool doors open. This means that any air conditioning that’s running won’t be trying to cool down the outside areas – saving you from excessive electricity bills!

Why should I fit a pool alarm?

A pool alarm sounds an alarm whenever the pool access door is opened without first pressing the alarm button located beside the door. It is designed for guests who are travelling with young children, so they stay alert to where their kids are in the home at any one time. Simply, it means that should a young child open the door to the pool without an adult with them to press the button, the alarm will sound and the parents can swiftly get poolside.

We think its a great addition that really makes a difference for families travelling with toddlers and small children – both in terms of safety and peace of mind.

Why should I swap my battery-operated pool alarm for a hard-wired pool alarm?

The security company we are speaking with highly recommends a hard-wired design. It means that you don’t need to worry about batteries running out and the alarm not working.

Dead batteries in an alarm could make the property less safe as the unworking pool alarm would give parents have a false sense of security that they will be notified if the pool doors are opened.

Since a hard-wired alarm can’t run out of batteries, you avoid this safety issue.

You will save on any battery-related callouts, as well. If our groundcrew are called out to change the batteries in your pool alarm, you’ll be charged for a callout as well as for the batteries – just a few of these events would pay for the hard-wired alarm to be fitted!

How does the alarm work?

The alarm unit is mounted on the wall beside the pool door at adult height, so children can’t reach it to press the button.

The alarm runs to the nearest outlet/ electricity socket, where a transformer will be screwed into the outlet with a security screw so that it can’t be removed.

You’ll need an alarm for each door that accesses the pool area. You can also choose to have a unit added upstairs if you wish to ensure the alarm is heard around the property.

The alarms are designed to be very loud and screeching. It’s designed that way to ensure that it will be heard – even if you’re in the shower with an earful of water!

The security company is currently working to a two to three-week lead time because they are very busy fitting the alarms for homes at present. So the sooner you can let us know your interest, the better.

What will it cost to have the hard-wired pool alarm fitted in my home?

The first unit is charged at $295.

If you need a second unit for another pool door, this is also charged at $295.

Subsequent units (if you have more than two pool access doors) are charged at $245.

If you need power to run elsewhere (e.g. upstairs) this would incur and additional charge of $99.

Anything else I need to know?

The security company also recommends Infinite patio cal-locks for slider doors. This is a double-bolt system that requires the user to lift it up and down simultaneously to open the door. They are $69 installed and they can be installed at the same time as the pool alarms. As well as working to child-proof the access doors, these cal-locks also help prevent would-be thieves from being able to shimmy the sliding door.

What next?

If you would like to install either of these security features in your home, please reach out to our team. We’re taking bookings now, and we’re happy to answer any further questions you might have about the alarms and locks.

This week on our blog, we’re absolutely delighted to bring you some thoughts from another of our homeowners.

Eric owns two fantastic family-friendly homes on Kissimmee’s Indian Point resort.  It enjoys a fabulous location, just a half mile drive from Highway 192 and close to the Orlando theme parks.

Like most of our homeowners, Eric has seen his bookings slow through the pandemic and, especially, through the various lockdowns.  As a result, he’s had to adapt some of his booking strategies.  We’re really grateful to him for sharing his tips here.

How to maximise booking revenue during the pandemic

I’m not a huge proponent of short stays but realise that the short-term rental guest base has changed with everything going on.

I am getting many rentals from local Floridians and folks from nearby states.

Guests are now booking with shorter lead time.  Many of these guests are looking for weekend family getaways and prefer to stay in a cosy private home instead of a crowded hotel.  

This trend should be good news for vacation-home owners as it could actually lead to an increase occupancy rates.  The days of staying in a 500-room hotel are over for the foreseeable future.

I’ve changed my policy on minimum stays

I chose to limit weekend stays to three night.  Three seems to be the magic number for me.

By limiting weekend stays to minimum three nights it reduces the number of party guests.  At the same time, it provides the opportunity for guests who may want to book longer stays.  By doing so, I’m also seeing bookings of 4, 5, 6 nights.

When I tried a two-day minimum on the weekends, the calendar was filled up immediately – and often with less desirable guests. However, when two-night gaps become available in the calendar I then allow two-night rentals for those specific days.  

One big pro for short stays is the opportunity to accumulate many more guest reviews.  Potential guests like to see properties with many reviews.

While we would all love to have five-night or seven-night stays, we must realise that this is a transitional period in the short-term rental marketplace.  Things are very different to how they were 12 months ago.

During this time, we must do what we need to do as owners to press forward.  This time will not last forever and better days are ahead of us.

I am already seeing more guests starting to return from other parts of the country.  This is a positive sign.  With a COVID-19 vaccine hopefully being available in the spring, occupancy rates should surely improve. 

How to book Eric’s homes

Eric owns the fab Summer Point home, which you can view here.  It’s recently been refurbished and has a lovely south-facing pool.

His other Orlando property is Lake Point, which you can view here.  This one is a great choice for families and has a fantastic lake view from the pool and lanai.

Share your thoughts!

We’d love to publish more homeowner viewpoints on our blog.  If you’d like to write for us, we’ll credit your homeowners account with $30.  If you would like to be published on this blog, please get in touch with our team in your usual way. 

September is always a quiet month in Orlando, but this year has been quieter than most.  However, the parks are doing everything they can to tempt guests back whilst ensuring the safety of staff and guests.

There is plenty of Halloween fun to be enjoyed in Orlando’s theme parks this year, so what can you do to tempt guests back and maximise your vacation home’s autumn revenues?

1// Remove risk

Uncertainty prevails right now. Remove the risk for potential guests by offering flexible cancellation terms.

If you can, funnel your bookings through our booking agent partner, Ellis Exclusive Villas. This way they benefit from the Master Cancel guarantee. They can cancel anytime between 60 and 2 days before departure and receive a full refund. The owner still receives payment for the rental.

This gives people confidence to book in these uncertain times. Read more about the scheme here.

Share details of the scheme with your guests using this link: www.ellisexclusivevillas.com/additional-confidence-booking-vacation/

2// Be flexible on budget

It might sound too simplistic, but often the neatest solutions are the most simple.

If your home isn’t booking out, but you know others nearby are, check the rates.  If your neighbour has slashed their prices for fall, then you’re going to struggle to book at full price – no matter how nice your home is.

Be prepared to be flexible on price. If a guest enquires about a discount, remember you can always counter offer.  And make any deal time-limited to encourage your guest to book with you quickly so you can secure their booking before they start widening their search.

3// Remind people what they’re missing

The parks are open.

And who doesn’t feel like they need a holiday right now? 

The stress of the pandemic and the lockdowns have been tough on everyone. Staying in a vacation home – especially those implementing enhanced cleaning regimes and time breaks between bookings – is a really safe way to get away from it all.

Whether your guests simply want to laze by the pool, explore the theme parks, or simply need a change of scenery, use your marketing efforts to show them all the fun they could be having.

4// Target the local market

Air passenger traffic remains a long way short of normal. Consumer confidence remains low for flying and changing travel bans are further damaging the international travel market.

By focusing on in-State travellers and other vacationers from the USA, you will be speaking to a much more receptive market.

Local travel comes with much less risk since the likelihood of facing quarantine measures is very low, but guests continue to value an opportunity to get away from it all. By focusing your marketing efforts on the local market, you can help to boost conversion rates.

5// Use social media

Social media requires little investment, but quite some commitment.

Making time to post regularly and keep your mailing list updated will pay dividends.

It may seem like an extra unnecessary effort when the likelihood of booking is small, but this is exactly the time to ramp up your efforts.

Be positive, post plenty of enticing photography, and focus on the local market.

We’ll be adopting all these techniques and more on your behalf through the fall season.  If you have any questions about marketing or occupancy rates, please reach out to our team.

Similarly, if you’d like to talk to us about optimising rates to maximise bookings, our team can assist – just give us a call.

This autumn season, the Orlando theme parks are determined to keep guests safe without spoiling the fall fun! You can continue to enjoy the fantastic Halloween events and seasonal surprises. First up is SeaWorld, where the annual Spooktacular opens today.

SeaWorld Spooktacular

There have been some changes this year, with new socially distancing measures in place. COVID secure safety measures have been implemented across the parks, with staff checks, hand sanitising stations, and mask wearing all designed to keep you safe.

Please remember: we all need to follow the guidelines and keep ourselves and others safe.

Meanwhile, there is still plenty of ghostly trick-or-treat fun and a feast of candy this Halloween!

SeaWorld’s Spooktacular is running on Saturdays and Sundays, from September 19th through November 1st.

It’s included in park admission and this year your little ones can look forward to:

• A trick-or-treat trail bursting with candy and adventure
• A special Halloween breakfast with Sesame Street friends
• Cookie Decorating with Cookie Monster
• Halloween Maze
• Meet a Mermaid

All park attractions have the necessary measures, enhanced cleaning procedures and physical distancing in place, to ensure everyone can still have a fun-filled experience with peace of mind.

Because of this, there have been some changes to the Trick-or-Treat Trail this year:

• Costumed youngsters go through in a single direction, with limited capacity, so they can have loads of fun whilst staying safe.
• At the entrance to the Trick-or-Treat trail guests must purchase a new reusable bag, from an assortment available, in order to prevent contact between individuals.

For the Grown-ups: Flicks & Frights

This year, you can enjoy a spooky film night under the stars at SeaWorld.

This is a brilliant drive-in experience! With a nostalgic twist, you can enjoy a classic Halloween movie from the comfort and safety of your car. There’s also local food trucks to visit before the feature. It’s $40 to park your vehicle and for all seated passengers to view the movie.

Saturdays, Sept. 19 – Oct. 31 and Friday, Oct. 23 & 30

Family-friendly Halloween film: 7:45 p.m.
Fright-filled Halloween film: 10:30 p.m.

Book your Halloween fun now!

While we now prepare to enjoy our much-loved theme parks in this different environment, we can still experience and enjoy the magic.

You can find out more about SeaWorld Halloween Spooktacular here.

If you’d like to book your stay in Florida to enjoy a visit to SeaWorld Orlando or any of the fun-packed fall events that are happening in central Florida and its wonderful attractions this year, please check out our homes here.

We’re delighted to bring you another post by our homeowner, Ruth Moriarty.

Ruth loves sharing her insider tips for places to visit in Central Florida beyond the theme parks. In this post, she shares her passion for local vineyard, Lakeridge Winery.

Lakeridge Winery, Florida

Lakeridge Winery and Vineyard is on Highway 27, just north of Clermont.

It is a wonderful place to visit for many reasons.  Yes, wine and wine tasting are definitely up there but it is such a peaceful spot. 

Located on a 127-acre estate in gently rolling countryside some 25 miles west of downtown Orlando, it’s lovely to just go and sit and enjoy the peace and quiet. The winery opened in 1989 and has gracefully developed over the 20 years I have been visiting.  They now produce over 1 million bottles a year and win lots of awards.

Initially, I had no idea that Florida produced wines and so it was a very pleasant surprise to find this not far from my home.

Touring the winery and finding out how they make their wine is really interesting and then, especially on a hot day, it’s lovely to enter the cool, dark tasting room and the good sized gift shop, which features all the Lakeridge Wines, gourmet foods and many other gift items and wine accessories.

You can update your cork screw, bottle cooler, wine glasses but also laugh at the customized, fun T-shirts (I now have two!) and hats/caps, as well looking through a variety of cookery books and wine reference guides.

This is one of my Tees – it always brings a smile when I wear it!

Complimentary Winery tours and wine tasting are offered 7 days a week; Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, 11:00 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Please note, there are some ID Requirements for Tastings: US citizens: will need to bring with them their state-issued driver’s licence, military ID, or state ID card. International guests will need to bring their original passport (this is preferred) or valid government-issued photo ID which includes your date of birth.

Lakeridge Winery is also famous for its food and music events. Throughout the year there are regular events, usually at weekends, often for free or for a very modest entrance fee.

Every Saturday afternoon in January, they hold a Music Series, with live music on the outdoor stage and inside at the Wine & Cheese Bar upstairs. The musicians selected are all fantastic local performers. February sees the return of the Winefest, an opportunity to enjoy a range of the wines they produce. March is the annual Wine and Seafood festival – great food and music and…OK… some wine too.

In February 2020 I went to a Blues gig at the Winefest, out in the open, with the incredible backdrop of the vines and the beautiful building, people singing and dancing to a top musician who once played with BB King.

People had taken their own chairs and some had small picnics, though there were plenty of food stalls and bars. There was also a local arts and craft fair to wander around if you needed to stretch your legs and spend a little money on some very interesting and beautiful items – definitely not your everyday purchases or souvenirs.  It was also good to be contributing to the local economy.

Sadly some of their Festivals and events for 2020 had to be cancelled due to the Covid-19 restrictions implemented by the State of Florida but I am sure they will be reinstated as soon as it is allowed and people can attend safely. The winery has a projected programme available, with artists and prices to be decided.

It’s a great day out, especially if there is an event going on.  Parking is free and there are free shuttle carts to get you from your car to the main building when events are on. I’ve been there when it’s very quiet as well as when there are crowds who’ve come to enjoy the music. I’ve always enjoyed it and am hoping I will be back there in 2021.

For more information, visit the Lakeridge Winery website.

Cheers and Good Health!

About Ruth’s home

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

Ruth’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. 

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

We at White Rose Villas are constantly searching for ways to increase those valuable bookings for our owners; particularly in these unprecedented times. We’ve previously discussed altering your cancellation policy and rate flexibility to encourage wavering potential bookers; today we want you to take a look at the many positives to be derived from making your home pet-friendly.

Many of you may, for different reasons, have never considered such a move: property damage, extra cleaning, allergies etc. We certainly wouldn’t wish to advise you to take a path you’re not entirely comfortable with. We would, however, ask that you take a few minutes to consider the many benefits of offering your home to pet owners (and their precious animals).

We at WRV have a selection of pet-friendly homes and experience very few issues; in fact, these homes are renting and filling up first, plus the renters tend to re-book!

You may, if you prefer, make your home dog-friendly only, and specify the maximum weight of canine you’re happy to welcome. This may remove concerns about huge, unusual or exotic creatures inhabiting your home! Provided you make any such policy clear in your T’s and C’s, you should have no concerns.

Looking at the US: in 2019 there were 44% of households owning a dog and 35% a cat; an enormous potential market. According to a recent TripAdvisor survey, 53% of pet owners take their beloved animals with them, only 25% of rental homes are willing to accept them. 64% of dog owners plan their trips specifically with the ability to bring their pets with them, and 53% would pay extra ($100 or more) to ensure this. On average, pet-friendly homes have between 10-20% higer rental income and higher occupancy than others. Switching to accommodate them could be a further weapon in your armoury, and provide the competitive edge we’re all searching for.

You can charge more to cover extra cleaning costs; require a deposit against possible damage and make it clear that any and all damage will be charged for. Any responsible pet owner should be happy to accept this. The WRV professional cleaning team are well-versed in cleaning our pet-friendly homes, and will ensure your home is sparkling clean between rentals. Guest reviews show no difference in the cleanliness or condition scores of these properties.

To sum up: you may earn more, you’ll encourage repeat bookings, your property condition won’t be affected and your overall occupancy level should increase.

These are all positive reasons to consider when formulating your rental policy; offering a pet-friendly home may not be for everyone, but it’s something we advise you to seriously consider.

White Rose Villas are constantly on the look out for pet friendly homes, if you would like to discuss this option or are interested in us managing your home, please email us at admin@whiterosevillas.com or complete the form below and we will get back in touch with you.

Even if you haven’t visited downtown Orlando, you’ll recognise Lake Eola’s rainbow-hued lakeside theatre, its famous fountain and the swan boats from postcards and pictures of the city.

Many guests don’t make it as far as downtown Orlando, but Ruth Moriarty, one of our homeowners, says everyone should venture a visit!

We’re really delighted that Ruth has kindly shared some more of her Florida travel tips with us.  Her blog about Bok Tower Gardens was really well received. Plus, it’s so great to hear about attractions that are a little off the beaten track.

So… over to Ruth…

Lake Eola & Downtown Orlando by Ruth Moriarty

Firstly, although this is a blog about downtown Orlando, this is not about shopping …well, very little about shopping! 

I had a French friend over to stay with me in February 2020 and she asked about visiting downtown Orlando.  I have owned my home in Florida since 2002 and lived there for a number of years, but I think I only made it as far as downtown once before!

Lake Eola Park is right in the centre of the city, but far from hustle and bustle of any description. We went there one Sunday, so there were no problems finding a free parking spot right by the Lake.

It was wonderful to see families out together. A smile “good morning” went a long way to striking up conversations with all sorts of people.

This little pooch even came in his own car!

Lake Eola isn’t a tourist destination.  But there is a wonderful walk of around one mile you can stroll.

This is where locals come for downtime, dog walking, exercise and the Sunday market. 

The Lake Eola Farmers’ Market is a lovely place to wander around.  You’ll discover food stalls, jewellery, flowers, jams, drinks and much, much more. 

The Sunday Farmers’ Market usually runs from 10am to 4pm. 

When we visited, we treated ourselves to a bag of freshly popped corn.  Then, a bit later on, we shared a bag of warm, little donuts, freshly cooked and shaken in powdery sugar – extremely tasty!

The rainbow arcs of the Disney Amphitheatre sit just alongside the lake.  Regular events are held here – so keep an eye on local listings.  It’s also a colourful addition to any photos you take and can be seen from all round the lake.

The lake teems with birds.  We saw black and white swans, geese, ducks, egrets and anghingas.  We watched the anghingas fluff out their black wing feathers to dry off.  Then trod carefully by some protected swans’ eggs, nestled alongside the path.

There were no alligators as far as we could tell!

Our only small disappointment came from our discovery that the Swan paddle boats weren’t running the day we visited.  However, that’s simply given me a good excuse to return when I am next in Florida!

All in all, our lovely, slow saunter around the lake edge and the market took around 2-3 hours, stopping to take photos and explore the market. 

The great thing is – it cost us nothing, apart from the few purchases we made at the market.

The path is quite wide and very well maintained so wouldn’t be a problem for people with strollers or in wheelchairs. It’s a calm and gentle walk, great to be away from the madding crowds elsewhere. 

NOTE:  At the moment, the farmers’ Market is still closed due to Covid 19.  If you’re thinking about visiting, check the website for current information – hopefully it will be reopening soon.

About Ruth’s home

If you’d like to book your stay to enjoy downtown Orlando, Lake Eola or other Central Florida attractions, please check out our homes here.

Ruth’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.