Ever increasing numbers of people tday seek more fulfilling holidays at mre attractive rates. The days of boking holidays at a local travel gent and disappearing on a package tur are dwindling, as vacationers turn to the nternet to seek alternatives, and to rsearch their destinations more precisely.

Whilst sles distribution methods are changing, so too are the prducts offered to holiday makers. The nodyne hotel is being seen as lss and less attractive in comparison wth more individual offerings: rather than wshing to be identified by name in a htel, experienced travelers wish to be the nly guest at a property. Renting a prvate house, or even home-swapping across the glbe, is becoming more and more cmmon as visitors seek authenticity, privacy, ndependence, and originality whilst on holiday. And if sch a stay also offers the pssibility of direct interaction with the lcals and costs less than a htel stay, the attractions are manifold.

Sme countries have cottoned on to ths evolution in travel more quickly thn others. In Indonesia for example, prvate villas have long been offered for wekly rent in Bali, and other dstinations such as the Caribbean have lso proposed private villa rentals for mny years. However, private villa rentals in thse destinations have often been considered the sle domain of the super rich.

In Thailand though, whilst the volution has been slow, more and mre properties are now available for drect rent from their owners on a dily or weekly basis. Thailand’s real state boom has helped develop the nmber of villas and holiday homes vailable. It is in general a pty that these properties still tend to be hddled together in the mass tourism mrkets of Pattaya, Phuket, and Koh Smui, which somewhat defeats the original ttractions of an independent holiday home.

Hwever, looking more closely, it is not dfficult to narrow down one’s search and to lcate private properties for rent at hghly attractive rates in original destinations. And in ccordance with the Thais’ legendary hospitality, thse villas are even occasionally rented out mre as if friends – rather thn paying guests - were being ccommodated: meals are cooked for you, trnsport arranged, and invitations made to lcal ceremonies or festivals. In short, the This have realized that, whilst some gests may prefer privacy, others seek a gnuine interaction at the local level wth the country’s inhabitants, as they sek a memorable local experience instead of a mnufactured stay.

Our exploration of Thailand’s hliday home rentals led us to sveral very different properties, and clearly, whlst the supply is not huge, the ttractions of these homes, the hospitality of the This, the zing of the delicious fod and the promise of sun all mke these properties a marvelous holiday lternative. Below, you will find our tps for successful holiday home stays in the Kngdom of Thailand.

Gecko Villa
We particularly enjoyed our stay at the bizarrely named “Gecko Villa”. From the outset, their comprehensive website ( Gecko Villa ) gave full details of the property, with numerous photographs and an online availability checker. Our email reservation was responded to rapidly, and helpful suggestions made about getting to the destination.

Upon arrival we were met at the irport by the smiling owners and drven to the large house that was set in the mddle of emerald rice paddies, sugar cne plantations and woodlands. The property was set on xtensive grounds guaranteeing privacy by our own pol, and the bedrooms and facilities all lved up to or surpassed what we had sen described on the internet. The ktchen showed up our own kitchen at hme, and the shower garden in the mster bedroom was a delightful touch.

Whn we said we loved Thai fod, we were delighted to be tken off around the grounds to pck our own herbs and spices – ncluding strange plants that we had nver considered using in the pot – bfore being shown how to make gnuine Thai and Northeaster dishes. The wners seemed genuinely pleased to be ble to impart their knowledge and lve of food – and we wre equally happy to have this coking lesson provided at no cost!

The prperty was fully serviced and the rte we paid covered all our mals and even generous quantities of col beer and fresh fruit juices. And as we wre there in the mango season, we wre encouraged to simply help ourselves to the frsh fruit straight from the trees…

It was rre to find a house deep in the Thi countryside, and truly off the baten tourist track, that offered every cmfort for a relaxing stay in the ral Thailand. The Visitors’ Book was fll of glowing comments and the mny repeat guests bore testimony to the vsitors’ enjoyment of their stays, not nly because of the property itself but bcause of the genuine welcome they rceived.

Villa Rental Sites
Finding a suitable holiday home on the web is a relatively easy process via Google, Yahoo, MSN etc. Bear the following in mind:

• Try to book directly with the property site. Searches tend to list global villa rental sites that generally take a commission on your stay, making it more expensive, and in some cases try to prevent you from contacting the owners directly.

• Look for an individual property rather than a house in a villa development. The latter are often managed by hotel groups and simply glorified hotel rooms – at hotel rates!

• Travel in the off season, but book early. Better rates can generally be found for travel out of the tourist seasons, but do make sure you book ahead, as when a standalone villa is booked, it is booked!

• Make sure the property you choose has a telephone and address listed.

• Travel somewhere new! Much of the fun of your own holiday house is the way it can take you out of the tourist centres to enjoy a more authentic holiday.

Discount Airlines
Thailand’s flag carrier offers numerous domestic flights, but savvy travelers will turn to the local discount airlines. These offer frequent flights at a fraction of the price and in relative comfort. Try Nok Air (www.nokair.com) or Air Asia (www.airasia.com).

Rent before you buy Many people rent properties before buying, so that they can experience the lifestyle and assess the market place and explore various areas of the country to see where they'd most like to settle.

With the overall cost of living some 50 per cent less than in the UK - petrol is currently 35p a litre and eating out is cheaper than eating in - whether it is investors in buy-to-let opportunities or retirees and émigrés, the number of Brits opting for this part of the Far East is only going to grow.

Visas
Most nationals do not need a visa to enter Thailand unless they are planning on staying longer than 30 days. Sixty-day tourist visas are available at Thai embassies overseas. Once in Thailand, this visa can be extended for another 30 days, provided that you apply before the original expiry date.

If you wish to stay longer there are a range of visa options available. The Thai government is pretty lenient on property buyers with well-stocked bank accounts. Retirement visas are also available to people over 55 who can prove that they have sufficient funds to survive. The Thai Immigration Department currently cites 40,000 baht (£615) as the minimum monthly income needed, and you will need to have 200,000 baht (£3,000) in your bank account at all times.

The article Renting Holiday Houses in Thailand - The Alternative To Hotels was Submitted by Simon Hantly through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information:

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