Apartment Rental Vs Condo Rental

Image by StevenM_61 via Flickr

There are a wide variety of resources for consumers looking for a home to rent. However, the terminology used can be confusing. What is the difference between an apartment rental and a condominium? These terms are often used interchangeably and may not have any noticeable effect on the tenant. Simply looking at the outside of a building, it is impossible to tell the difference. Legally, there are a few vital differences.

Condominium (or "condo") is a legal term that specifies a particular piece of property (usually an individual unit) is individually or privately owned. The shared areas of the building are associated with the individual ownership, but maintained and operated by an association of owners that act on behalf of the whole. Examples of shared areas include hallways, gym facility, parking garages, heating systems and elevators. These associations are often called "strata councils" and empower the owners to make decisions and be responsible for maintenance of the building. Condominium rentals do not usually put tenants on the strata council. That is reserved for individual owners and/or landlords.

In contrast, leased flat usually exists in a building owned by a single developer or landlord. The tenants of the building are all responsible to the same entity and that developer or landlord is solely responsible for maintenance of the shared areas. This is very different than a condominium building in which each unit is owned individually and may be occupied by either the owner or a rental tenant. Shares of an apartment building may be offered to the tenant as part of a co-op.

Consumers looking for property on hire often can choose to rent a privately owned house or a developer-owned rental flat. There are pros and cons to each choice and the tenant must weigh their concerns and priorities with care.

Condominiums that are rented by private owners often give the tenant access to a single landlord when they have concerns about maintenance. However, this landlord may not have much experience with building maintenance or tenant management. In contrast, an apartment on lease is almost always managed by a larger company with several landlords for one property. This gives apartment rental buildings consistency and experience in their care of tenants. Renters are happy to know their maintenance concerns or questions will be met promptly and professionally.

Keep these points in mind when considering an apartment rental or a condominium for your new residence.

Tips on How to Choose Great Gran Canaria Hotels

Image via Wikipedia

You are thinking about taking a great vacation to Gran Canaria, but how do you go about choosing a great hotel to stay in? You have never been there, and you don't know anyone who has. You don't want to get stuck in a fleabag hotel with crummy service, and you don't want to pay too much for your room. Read my tips for ending up in a great hotel in Gran Canaria or anywhere else you want to go.

Tip Number One.

Visit several hotel booking sites, such as hotels.com, Priceline, Orbitz, and several other sites of that nature. If you don't know the name of any others besides the ones I have mentioned, just type in "hotels, " into your search bar and visit some of the sites that come up. When you visit the site such as hotels.com, what you will want to do is type in Gran Canaria as your search, and see what hotels come up and what the price ranges are. After you visit some of the sites you will start to get a in the idea of what hotels are available, in which areas, and what the price range of the different hotels are. You can confine your search to the types of motels that you are looking for, in other words, don't look for two star hotels if what you are really interested in staying in is a five-star hotel, and no need to look at five-star hotels if your budget only runs to two-star.

Tip Number Two.

When you are searching on the hotel sites for the different types of hotels, pay attention to things that are important to you. If it is important to you that the hotel have a pool, then you can put that into your search request, or just skim over the ones that do not have a pool. Likewise, you can do a search for family-friendly hotels, beach hotels, half board or full board hotels or any other features that are important to you. No sense wasting your time looking at hotels that will not fit the bill for you. And of course you will want to make sure to put in which area of Gran Canaria you want to stay in. You will want to know in advance if you want to stay in La Palma area or Playa del Inlges area.

Tip Number Three.

When you have gotten an idea of what the price range is for the type of hotel you are searching for, then you can move on to researching each individual hotel. Choose five or six hotels that sound really good to you, and that you are happy with the price with to do your research on. Then head on over to trip advisor, and the plug in the name of the hotel that you are searching for. This is a great way to get reviews of hotels from unbiased people. You will want to read through a few of them, so that you get a general idea of how most people feel, not just how one person feels. You also have to be able to read between the lines a little, as some people are not happy with anything, and some people are happy no matter what kind of place they are staying in. If, however, you are looking for a family-friendly hotel, and a lot of the reviews tell about how this is a party hotel with partiers roaming the hotel until 3 or 4 AM, then you will know this is not the type of hotel that you are looking for and you can move on. But you do not need to put too much emphasis on someone saying the beds were terribly uncomfortable, unless you read the same thing in several of the reviews. You will also want to pay attention to the comments about how far you are from the beach, or if shopping is close by. If you think you are going to be in the heart of the action of Playa del Ingles, the review may tip you off that you are further away than you want to be.

Tip Number Four.

If for some reason you do not find a review of the hotel that you are looking for at trip advisor, you can always again use Google or whatever search engine you use. Just type the name of the hotel into your search bar and hit enter, and start looking for sites that sound as if they may be giving a review. You are not looking for a site that will allow you to book this hotel at this time, instead be looking for words like "had a fabulous time at this hotel.", or "Don't let anyone talk you into staying here." If you find phrases like that, you can pretty much be assured that you will get a review of that hotel on that site. It may take you to some type of forum or other site where you can read someone's opinion of this hotel. You can also gather a lot of general information about Gran Canaria in this fashion, as people will not only talk about the hotel, but also their entire vacation.

Tip Number Five.

Now that you have done some research on the type of hotel you want, the location, and read some reviews, it's now time to go about booking the hotel that you have chosen. You have already done some price research, so you will know about what you can expect to pay for the hotel that you have chosen. Say for example that you have chosen Ifa Dunamar, and you know that the price per night is running between 75 and 100 on the sites you've checked so far. Now you want to go back to your search engine, and plug in the name of the hotel that you have chosen one more time. This time, instead of looking for words that will lead you to reviews, you are looking for a site where you can book that hotel. Don't forget to go to that hotels site, to check the price that they are offering. You can sometimes get a better price by going to a hotel's home page, however, that is not always true. You might have better luck finding a site that will offer you a lower price on this hotel by typing in the words "sale", "cheap", or something similar, along with the hotel name.

Don't forget that money is not always the only incentive to book at a particular site. Sometimes, you can get added value on one site over another, by the incentives they are offering, such as free breakfast, or, in the case of Gran Canaria, maybe they will include a camel ride through the Dunes of Maspalomas. If one site is offering the hotel for $75, and another hotel is offering it for $80, but includes free camel rides for everyone in the room, this may be a better deal, especially if you are taking a family.

I have given you some tips and strategies for finding yourself a great hotel in Gran Canaria. With just a little bit of time doing some research, you can be assured of getting not only a great hotel, but a great price or value for your money. So go ahead and start planning that great Gran Canaria holiday today.

Four Tips on Thai Culture

Image via Wikipedia

The way you present yourself while in Thailand is critical to how you will be viewed by Thai people, especially Thai Officials. There are Four Tips in presentation that the traveler to Thailand would do well to observe.

Many foreigners come from countries where the freedom to behave anyway they like is accepted. Any difficulties caused by the authorities are treated as intrusions, and responded to accordingly. Thai Government Officials have a much higher status than they do in countries like New Zealand, Australia, the USA, Canada, and the UK. It is important to understand this difference when dealing with them. Everyone, including the foreigners, benefit if foreigners show respect. The foreigner must understand that this is not an attack on their self esteem. It is not about freedom to express yourself or your rights, it is about giving face to people who are important within Thailand.

Often, foreigners' reference point for their behaviour is whether something similar would happen in their own countries. It is unwise to use this as a reference point in Thailand. It is a unique country with a highly developed culture of its own.

Here are Four Tips that will help you in Thailand:

Firstly, learn how to correctly wai Thai people. It is easy to learn the four basic wais. You will probably need only two of them. The wai is the joining of your palms together and the raising of your hands to different positions in front of your face. The fingers point up, with the thumbs closest to your head. When contacting Thai Officials it is best to wai by putting your fingers higher and close to your nose. You can also bend your head slightly. In Thailand, government officials have a high status, while businessmen have lower status unless they are very rich. Very highly placed government officials have a very, very high status, and you will probably not meet them. Your wai will usually be appreciated, and be to your benefit in doing what you have come to do. Also wai Thai Policemen in the same manner.

In restaurants, and with service people in Thailand the wai with the finger tips at the height of your chin is recommended. You wai could be higher, if you so chose. However, do not become 'wai-happy' which is wai-ing Thai people all the time. This will cause amusement than anything else. Wai-happiness is common when people come to Thailand for the first time.

Secondly, the clothes that you are wearing determine your rank or class in Thailand. A suit will mean that you are a professional, well off, and that you have status within your society, and in Thailand as well. If you wear a tee shirt, especially one with no sleeves, you will project a low status, and will generally be treated accordingly, unless perhaps, you speak Thai or you are at the beach. The tee shirt, sandals, and shorts look, popular with New Zealanders and Australians, classifies you as lower class or perhaps in a separate class as a foreigner.

I have a suit which I wear for any contact with Thai Officials. There is a big difference in the way I am treated by Thai people when I am wearing my suit. I have a friend, Malcolm, who has lived in Thailand, and is currently living in Australia. He will put on a tie and suit whenever he comes to, or leaves Thailand. He says it is important, and he is treated very well on flights, where he is sometimes upgraded.

Thirdly, do not get angry under any circumstances. Thai people are more relaxed and subscribe to the Buddhist Philosophy. Becoming angry will have no benefits for the foreigner. You will be considered a 'jai roon'; a person who can not control their emotions. Undeveloped emotionally. Thais value the quality of 'jai yen yen'; staying calm under pressure. There is a 'best way' if you become angry in Thailand. This is to relax your whole body and mind. Then smile sweetly, and calmly state your case if the person speaks English. Thai people has this 'jai yen yen' because in the Buddhist view of things, they believe that the problem they are confronted with, is probably not that important in the scheme of things... and they are probably right!

Fourthly, Thai people are very shy with foreigners if they don't speak English. This is especially the case outside Bangkok in places like Isaan. They will be interested in you because you are different but their shyness may prevent them from approaching you. It is very good to smile at people generally, and particularly if you see them everyday. An attempt to talk to them, even with only hand gestures is a good way to break the ice. If you smile, your smile will nearly always be returned. Thais are a truly warm people and they will eagerly help you to learn about their culture.

Thais have a great love of Sanuk, or fun. If you watch a few of the Thai Variety Shows on TV you will quickly appreciate the Thai love of humour and having fun. If you enter into the spirit of things in Thailand while observing these Four Tips discussed, you will have so much fun... you may never want to leave!

Vacation Preparation

As we count down to the departure date for our Summer vacation, we often overlook a very important task - that is to make sure home security is taken care of in our absence. Here are 7 tips for home security while you are living it up at your holiday destination:
1. Arrange for a relative or family friend to collect mail and newspapers while you are away - this one action is a deterrent to any burglar. If away for an extended period, you can get your mail held at the mail exchange and cancel newspapers.
2. Make sure your pets are taken care of properly. You can get a friend to take care of them at their property, get neighbors to feed cats or fish, or book your cat or dog into proper boarding kennels.
3. Arrange for your neighbor or relative to put out your garbage on your proper garbage collection day. It is obvious to burglars when your trash is the only one on the sidewalk for days.
4. Together with credit/cash cards, make sure you have proper identification such as drivers' licenses, for each driver, especially if you are going to hire a car. Do not write down Pin numbers - memorize them. Make two copies of all identification, passports, drivers' licenses, credit cards and travelers' checks. Leave one copy with trusted family member and take the other with you.
5. Copies of the proper health and auto insurance cards and details are very handy. Travel insurance is a must if traveling overseas - never leave home without some arrangement. Shop around though, as there are plenty of great deals online.
6. Inform friends and family of your vacation details, especially a phone contact and copy of itinerary if you have one. In the event that something happens back home you can be easily reached, especially if there is no cellphone coverage.
7. Check all windows, doors and alarms - you do not want to get down the road and wonder whether you have closed all the windows, set the alarm properly and secured the locks. Travelers keen to get away have even wondered if they have left the iron on in their haste to get on the road!

Incredibly Beautiful Beaches of India

Image via Wikipedia

The beaches of India are a heavenly place for rejuvenating vacations and holidays. They are incredibly beautiful with the bracing sea breeze, refreshing wind, flowing waters, and awesome scenic beauty around. These beaches offer loads of fun and excitement in the form of like sunbathe, snooze in the shade, swimming, para-gliding, para-sailing, and snorkel. There is so much to enjoy and explore on the beautiful Indian Beaches.

Following are some of the most magnificent beaches of India:

Kovalam Beach: It is one of the best beaches of India situated on the Arabian Sea in Kerala. The golden glowing sands and the swaying coconut palm tress are the major attraction that acts as a magnet for tourists visiting India. This beautiful coastline is also known as the 'Paradise of the South'.

Calangute Beach: This exciting beach in Goa is tagged as the 'Queen of Beaches'. There is much excitement under the shades of palm trees where tourists from all over the world come for rejuvenation and relaxation.

Majorda Beach: This is also a marvelous tourist destination located in Goa, a city that is known as the Beach Capital of India. The soft white sands and aquamarine waters of the seashore are cheering and joyful.

Alappuzha Beach: It is an extremely popular beach that is known as the Venice of the East. One significant feature is the pier that is about 140 years old. Apart from that exhilarating activities like boat race, backwater scene, and marine products are attention-grabbing features of the beach.

Muzhappilangad Beach: It is a gorgeous beach situated in North Kerala near Thalasseri. It is popularly known for its soft white sand, coconut groves, and in inviting ocean. It is also the longest drive-in beach in the country.

Konark Beach: This excellent beach in Orissa is characterized by a long stretch of sparkling sands and a divine stillness. It is best known for the scenic beauty of the sunrise.

Puri Beach: Located on the exotic coastline of Orissa on the Bay of Bengal, the beach is undoubtedly the most refreshing. The excellent view of sunrise and sunset along with the serene beauty of the beach leaves a lasting impression on one's mind and heart.

Minicoy Beach: This exciting beach is situated on the southernmost island in Lakshwadeep. The crescent shaped beachfront embraces the beauty in the form of largest lagoons and a 300 foot tall lighthouse.

Bangaram Beach: This wonderful beach is definitely 'The Jewel of the Lakshwadeep' in the midst of Indian Ocean. The exotic beauty is witnessed in the breathtaking sight of blue lagoons, silvery beach, lush green coconut palms, and sparkling coral reefs.

Defining Luxury Travel in Ethiopia

Image by A. Davey via Flickr

What is the most luxurious destination in the world? Is it Paris? Milan? Rome? New York? Tokyo? Or is it a hidden gem, like Ethiopia? If luxury, to you, means unsurpassed natural beauty, a rich and varied culture, a commitment to its ancient traditions, wonderful, serene accommodations, and the relative peace and quiet to enjoy its many attractions, then Ethiopia is indeed a premiere destination. As Ethiopia's tourism industry likes to say, come and enjoy Ethiopia before the tourists get here!

Ethiopia is also proud of saying that they are blessed with sunshine for thirteen months of the year. Hyperbole? Not really! Following the Julian calendar, Ethiopia has twelve thirty-day months, and a thirteenth month with five days. Another bonus for travelers, according to the immensely proud Ethiopians: their calendar is seven years and eight months behind that which is used by western society. You can literally turn back time and "you will be seven years younger when you arrive in Ethiopia." Sunshine and youth: what could be better?

Besides these very unique luxuries, what else can the beautiful country of Ethiopia offer the visitor? Many do not realize that it can be, in fact, a very lavish destination. Luxury hotels dot the incredible landscape, from its game-filled savannah to its rugged mountain peaks. These include a full range of amenities and are available for a number of different travel budgets. The ultrachic Hilton Addis, for instance, offers guests pools, shops, restaurants, gym, satellite television, internet access, beauty salons, gorgeous fully-appointed rooms, and much more. Hotels offering basics such as private baths and showers are much more numerous and budget-friendly. You can search for hotels by which particular amenities you require at Ethiopia's official tourism site.

Ethiopia's greatest gift to the traveler, and indeed to itself, is its wealth of history and culture. Over eighty different ethnicities co-mingle in the country, and you will hear the song of some 200 spoken dialects. Besides the natural beauty that is so evident in Ethiopia's national parks, where visitors can see lions, gazelles, cheetahs, baboons, green monkeys, and more, Ethiopia offers glimpses into ancient rites and rituals. Visitors can visit rock-hewn churches at Lalibela, amazing castles of Gondar, or the thriving and chaotic Merkato Marketplace. There is so much to see and do in this intriguing, multifaceted country.

Traveling to Ethiopia between October and April is ideal because the climate is more temperate. June through October is the rainy season, and you may be advised not to travel during this time. However, you may find it quiet and much, much more brilliant with green grass and wildflowers.

True luxury is finding beauty in the unexpected. Ethiopia is both very unexpected and entirely unforgettable.