May 13, 2008
Rentalo.com has now entered the hotly-contested Orlando market, poking fun at the high cost of hotels and praising vacation homes instead
Things are heating up in the vacation-home-vs.-hotel controversy for Orlando, Florida (Disney World and friends), with newcomer Rentalo.com (www.retalo.com) issuing a press release in which it first tells about $385 hotel rooms and then describes more spacious vacation homes for as little as $99 a night. Here's the opening part of their unusually combative salvo:
Disney World's Grand Floridian resort costs $385 per night, plus 12% tax, and even their "value" resorts are $82 per night. Granted, they allow the whole family to cram into one room, but why would anyone want to do that?Write and read comments about this post.
On the Rentalo website, families can find a three-bedroom condo for $99, a five-bedroom house for $125 per night. And a house with a kitchen means savings on meals, as well. In addition, Rentalo's SmartSearch feature means travelers can easily find a property that suits their needs. Some of the houses available this summer include:
Villa Magic Orlando for $120 per night
This four-bedroom, three-bath house in Eastern Kissimmee is in a gated community, just off the main highway to Disney World. It has a screened-in pool, air conditioning, smoke detectors throughout, a fire extinguisher and emergency lighting, as well as a fully-equipped laundry room and kitchen. It is large enough that two families can share it. From June 1 to August 31, the house costs $120 per night, with a four-night minimum.
Windsor Hills Apartment for $99 a night
One bedroom has a king-size bed, the other has two full-size beds and there's a sleeper sofa in the living room of this ground floor apartment in the Windsor Hills Resort. It's only two miles from Disney World and is a short walk or drive to shops, restaurants and a supermarket. Windsor Hills has 24-hour security, a clubhouse, community pool with a water slide, kids' playground, tennis and an internet café. The apartment features a screened lanai. It costs $99 per night, plus tax, from May 23 to September 1, with a seven-night minimum.
Labels: accommodations, orlando
Fifty years ago, 
Arthur Frommer is generally acknowledged to be the nation's foremost travel authority. He is the founder of the
