How does one go about renting a vacation property? Although new, the vacation rental property industry has certainly gone through many changes over the last decade, giving the vacation renter new options when seeking a holiday home to rent. The advent of the internet and the massive advertising that goes along with it provides the holiday seeker a myriad of information and opportunities to take control of their own destinations like never before.

When choosing a property, the renter needs to contact the Property Owner or Management Company directly. Upon contact, the best way to start communication is to provide and ask for complete and accurate information:

1) dates required;
2) size of property required / number of people in party;
3) check proximity to the lifts;
4) property preferences (such as a private hot tub);
5) see if a management agreement is required;
6) whether and how much of a deposit is required;
7) payment terms;
what condition the property must be left in upon departure;
9) whether the property is pet friendly or not (and then respect that);
10) should you have special needs, like baby gates or sleeping cribs, now is the time to ask;
11) transportation inquiries - do you need a rental car?

Whistler Ski Resort is large and wide spread with accommodations ranging from one bedroom to multi million dollar private homes. If you have a large party and require a large property, the likelihood of close proximity to ski lifts decreases. This may be the trade off you are faced with in order to have your friends and family stay together when trying to obtain Whistler Accommodations and Lodging. The alternative is to choose two or more condos closer to a lift, although you may not be able to find them right next door to each other.

Price depends greatly on the age and quality of the vacation rental property but is mostly dependent upon proximity to lifts as, of course the closer properties are in higher demand. As you surf the site, use the filter to pare down your selection according to number of bedrooms or number of people the property accommodates. You may search on Type of Property as well: Whistler condos for rent, Chalets for Rent at Whistler, or Whistler Bed and Breakfast. In addition, you can check whether or not the property has a private hot tub or is pet friendly. About 50% of property owners use an availability calendar, but having said that, not everyone keeps theirs up-to-date. It is best to send the property owner an email and then follow up with a phone call to discuss the rental of the property.

Last but not least, be a responsible renter. There’s nothing better than being able to return to a property you enjoy. In order to establish a lasting relationship with the owner so you can return to a familiar property, treat it like your own and obey these rules from the Golden Rules of Kindergarten:

1. Put things back where you found them.
2. Clean up your own mess.
3. Don’t take things that aren’t yours.

Happy hunting for your vacation property at Whistler or at any one of the other ski resorts in Canada.

Yvonne Bezaire-Harris is a freelance writer for Goski.ca. Goski.ca focuses on providing travelers with Whistler accommodations and Whistler lodging information at Canada’s favorite ski resort Whistler Blackcomb.