How to Make the Most of Vacation Rentals When Traveling to Hilton Head Island, SC

Hilton Head Island, SC February 7, 2010 – With a TV commercial highlighting vacation rentals having aired in Sunday’s big game, football fans are discovering why renting vacation homes, condos, villas and cabins is a favorite choice for many versus hotels. Beyond the experiences families and friends build by staying in a home away from home in Hilton Head Island, SC, there are numerous benefits to choosing vacation rentals – sometimes in ways they’d least expect.

Whether trying vacation rentals for the first time or if you’re one of the nearly nine in 10 travelers who plan to rent again,* Hilton Head travel and vacation rental expert, General Manager Robert Stenhammer offers the following planning tips and insights as a post-game update for visiting Hilton Head Island, SC:

• KNOW YOUR DESTINATION: Whether you are a first-time traveler to Hilton Head or an old pro, it’s recommended that you become familiar with the state’s special events, seasons and offerings. Some of the most popular activities on Hilton Head Island include deep sea fishing, biking, dolphin tours, kayaking the lagoons, jet skiing Calibogue Sound, spa treatments, shopping at Harbour Town or Shelter Cove Marina, the Coastal Discovery Museum and more. This spring, two of Hilton Head’s signature events grace the island: the 25th Annual Hilton Head Food & Wine Festival and the Verizon Heritage Golf Tournament.

• LOOK FOR PACKAGES: During certain seasons, vacation rental packages can provide even more value, some with 2-bedrooms starting at just $175 per night, with all of the typical amenities of a resort and more. Search Hilton Head Vacation Specials online to become familiar with various vacation rental types, reservation rates as well as travel specials available in Hilton Head.

• AVOID AIRLINE BAGGAGE FEES: Most Hilton Head vacation rentals come equipped with washers and dryers, and ResortQuest Hilton Head Island also provides free laundry detergent and bath amenities. Travelers may choose to use these perks to pack less clothing and toiletries, avoiding commercial airlines’ baggage fees and restrictions.

• USE SPACE TO YOUR ADVANTAGE: Hilton Head vacation homes and condos can be from 1,000 to more than 7,000 sq. ft., often costing less than a single hotel room by sleeping up to 20 guests versus just a few.

• SAVE ON DINING OUT: With full kitchens, and sometimes, outdoor grills, Hilton Head vacation rental travelers often make and store meals and snacks for less, including football favorites like homemade nachos during postseason trips. Use local ingredients and recipes for more memorable mealtimes, like the famous blue crab and succulent shrimp found just off the Hilton Head coast. This also provides healthy travel options, cutting the amount of calories typically consumed while on vacation.

• ASK ABOUT AFTER-HOURS SERVICE: When looking into any vacation rental accommodations, check to see if there is an accessible customer service number for emergency needs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and for after-hour requests. ResortQuest Hiton Head provides a 24-hour guest services line for our customers.

• ENTERTAIN FOR FREE: Most of ResortQuest Hilton Head’s vacation homes, villa rentals and condos include amenities not found in hotels, some with game rooms, BBQ grills, wireless internet, wet bars, Jacuzzi tubs, private pools and hot tubs, sundecks, outdoor entertainment areas, free DVD rentals, discount golf and free tennis. Many are also in communities with access to bike paths, beachfronts, lagoons, parks, community pools, fitness centers, tennis clubs, golf courses and more.

• ASK ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS: Beyond the ability to live like a local on Hilton Head Island, vacation rental guests can also take advantage of our relationships with activity providers, shops, restaurants, tour companies and more. The ResortQuest Hiton Head Recommends Program offers exclusive discounts for ResortQuest guests on over 160 of Hilton Head’s most popular activities, shopping, dining and spa vendors.

• REMEMBER BIG EVENTS: Whether it’s for football championships or national Bowl games, concerts, baseball series’, basketball or other events, vacation rentals can save fans from the hassle of finding multiple hotel rooms during big events, and on the cost of multiple reservations.

• TRANSPORTATION: Other relationships to remember are those made between vacation rental managers and transportation providers, whether it’s rental cars, shuttle services, golf carts, bicycles or more.

For more information on Hilton Head vacation rentals, visit the ResortQuest Hilton Head website at www.resortquesthiltonhead.com or call 800-875-8726.

Hilton Head Traveler Reviews: Sea Pines Guest Service

From: Brent Messmer, June 2009

To Whom It May Concern;

I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to ResortQuest, and especially an employee named Stacy. We stayed at one of your rental homes in Sea Pines the week of June 13th. On our return home I realized I had left several personal items, including cash and an Ipod in a drawer of the nightstand next to my bed. It was my first thought that I would never see these items again.

I immediately called ResortQuest and explained my situation. Within 20 minutes I received a call back from Stacy who had personally gone to the home and recovered my items. The next business day I received my items via FedEx.

Thank you Stacy and thank you ResortQuest! I appreciate the extra effort and honesty of your staff. You can count on us as a return customer and look forward to a return trip next summer.

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Hilton Head Rentals

Hilton Head Traveler Reviews: Excellent Reservations Process

From: Janet Schmitz, Newnan, GA; July 2009

I wanted to write a quick note to inform you about one of your reservations/sales associate Heather Wise. While making my reservation with Resort Quest, Heather was extremely helpful and very courteous. She answered all of my questions and handled my reservation in a very professional manner. Heather is definetely an asset to your company.

In this time of hustle and bustle it is good to know that there are still some caring and considerate people. Please let Heather know I appreciate her kindness and it was a pleasure talking to her.

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Hilton Head Vacation Rentals

Hilton Head Traveler Reviews: Thank you for the exemplary service!

From: Mr. Thomas Martin, Anderson, SC.

Mr. Stenhammer: My family and I have stayed at the Palmetto Dunes villas during the S.C. Association of Counties annual meetings forever. We stay at Hickory Cove each year, but have recently discovered Centrecourt and fallen in love with it. I am not sure when ResortQuest took over the bookings for those units – whether it was when checkin was still at the entrance to Palmetto Dunes, or later – but in recent years I have had the pleasure of working with Shani Harris for our bookings, and, frankly, have been amazed at how pleasant she is to work with. I should have written you, or her supervisor earlier and said so, because now you’re likely to think that I’m just making that up, because of the remainder of this note. But I assure you that that is the truth – she has been a true pleasure to work with, even in a day and age when customer service, and just plain courtesy, seem to be lost arts. We have never had a single complaint when working with Shani – to the contrary, she is an exemplary model of customer relations, always building great customer confidence, satisfaction, and appreciation.

However, this year’s trip, ending Sunday, has forced me to add to my list of kudos for you and your staff. We stayed in Centrecourt 7804, as we have the last couple of years – and loved it again. We enjoyed the new keyless entry and the DVD rentals – and all the old, familiar accoutrements of that unit with which we are so familiar. We truly hated to have to check out Sunday morning. On the way home, my wife, Terry, noted that she didn’t have on her engagement ring – but confidently remembered she had put it into her jewelry bag, along with her other jewelry, as she was packing up. When we got home, she discovered that the ring was not in the jewelry bag. Panic city. MAJOR panic – not just because of the cost – by Hilton Head standards, the ring probably isn’t all that valuable – but as a piece of personal jewelry, of course, it is unimaginably precious. She called your housekeeping Sunday night and got the emergency housekeeper – a female, whose name I wish I had. That person was as assuring as she could be – stating “You’ll get it back!!” She told us to call housekeeping at 9:00 yesterday (Monday).

Terry did call housekeeping at 9:00, but the line was busy and she got a message. She was going to call back, but in the meantime called the regular reservation number and got Stacey. I could make this easy and tell you that was the end of the problem. In fact, I’ll do that. We told Stacey where we thought the ring was hiding, Stacey contacted Talley, and within the hour we had received one of the happiest calls we have gotten recently. Stacey literally took care of everything, from retrieving the ring from Talley (who actually delivered it, I think), to getting all the shipping info, packing the ring ultra carefully, and getting it in next day UPS to us. The ring was safely delivered this morning.

I cannot begin to tell you how grateful we are, to your entire staff, for many, many pleasant stays at Palmetto Dunes, for always being accommodating and courteous, and for giving exemplary service. I also can’t tell you how well they represent you. BUT, for right now, and because of the singular events of the past 48 hours, all I can tell you is “Thank you!!!”, from the bottom of our hearts!!

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Hilton Head Rentals