Sean Altice, Co-owner and COO of Sarasota-based Altez Vacations, was recently named the 2022 Siesta Key Business Person of the Year by the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce. Altice has been an active member of the Siesta Key Chamber for over seven years. At age 26, Sean Altice co-founded Altez Vacations, LLC, with a focus on luxury rental properties. His entrepreneurial journey began in predicting the exponential growth of third-party…
Shell Beach – One of Sarasota’s Hidden Treasures A slice may be generous, let’s say a sliver of beach access exists on Siesta Key’s north end and is known only to those who have achieved true local status...or those lucky enough to have stumbled on it from Trip Advisor. The sliver is named Shell Beach and arrived at via none other than Shell Road. If you’re entering the Key from…
When the economy is up, it's to maximize the revenue for your vacation rental. But What happens when it's not? It's time to create a Unique Selling Point for your vacation rental. As vacation rental hosts, we all look like geniuses when the economy is booming. There is an influx of traveler demand, the money is flowing freely, and you’re able to book the reservations you want when you…
Hurricane Preparedness, It's the most important aspect of successfully surviving natural disasters. One Year Removed from Hurricane Irma. The Real-Life Stories and Lessons Learned from a Vacation Rental Manager Part 1 It was early September one year ago when a massive Category 5 hurricane was barreling towards Florida. Hurricane Irma wasn’t the first hurricane scare I’ve experienced in my brief 2-year period living in Florida and at first impression, it…
Get out and explore Bend, Oregon for one of the best vacation days ever! 9:00 AM Wake-up and smell that fresh mountain air! That’s right, you slept until 9:00, because you’re on vacation, and sleeping-in, is a vacation thing to do. But, you don’t want to sleep in too much because sleeping the vacation away isn’t on the agenda for this trip. You wake-up fresh and excited to go because…
Preparing for a vacation home photo session is an important part in ensuring the result of your photoshoot are just as you've envisioned. Getting the right photos is key in advertising your vacation rental and showcasing what's unique about the property. Photos and drone shots of each vacation home could be viewed by up to millions of potential guests. Photography and video is also one of the most influential promotional opportunities in maximizing the overall occupancy…
Put down the shaky cell phone or cheap outdated camera. You don’t need to be a professional photographer to capture captivating quality photos but there are some important details to consider when trying to take a perfect photo. Your photos will be the very first aspect of your vacation rental listing to catch the attention of potential guests. From the very first picture, your potential guests will be judging…
Do you have your Memorial Day plans ready? If you know anything about the best places to travel to for Memorial Day weekend, then you know that Sarasota/Siesta Key is the place to be, and the TODAY Show with Megan Kelly, would agree. Sarasota was recently highlighted by the TODAY Show as one of the 4 Unexpected Places to Visit During Memorial Day Weekend by Travel director for Travel +…
Asking the Right Questions When Finding A Property Manager Hurray for you, you’ve finally done it. You saved up your pennies and bought your very own vacation home! You sit down with the calendar, mark out your vacation dates for the next year, and then realize, for the most part, your home may do a lot of sitting empty. So, you figure you’ll give it a try at the vacation…
What’s not to love about a good beach day? Who doesn’t want to splash in the water and work on that golden tan? And of course, there is no better beach to soak in those summer days than the #1 beach, Siesta Key. However, a Siesta Key Beach day could soon turn into a not-so-fun beach experience if you don’t come prepared with the knowledge of local. Arrive Early Pack-up…
An Introduction to the Vacation Rental Industry Welcome to the world of Vacation Rentals. One of the most exciting, and innovative industries in the world. An industry steeped in history dating back hundreds of years, has now grown to become one of the leading industries in the world. What once was a small mom and pop home sharing business, has now exploded into a culture built with technological advancement, competitive…
One of the things we love about our work is the ability to meet a variety of people. We are so grateful to cross paths with the lives of thousands who are either traveling or looking for rental assistance for their own home. We especially enjoy keeping in touch and hearing about their travels after the fact. We love to know their favorite (and not-so-favorite) spots, what they cherished most…
We wanted to start with the question, why hospitality? While the answer may be relatively simple we find the topic very fascinating. The average American (let’s name them “Casey”) will work roughly 2,054 hours in a year (7.9 hours/day x 5 days x 52 weeks).[i] The time Casey spends sitting at a desk, building a house, making sales calls, farming the fields or whatever Casey’s job may be, Casey is…
Going to a brewery in downtown Asheville on a weekend can be a little bit hectic sometimes. Thankfully, the local craft beer scene has been expanding into the outlying towns. In just a few weeks we’ll be able to sample craft beer made in Fletcher, about 15 minutes south of Asheville. Blue Ghost Brewing Company’s 1.5 barrel system is all in place, their TTB permits should be complete this week,…
