Only work with verified owners – all owners are verified on AlaVHR.com.
Check a trusted no booking site, such as AlaVHR.com, early in your search.
Email the Owner for a Quote or visit their verified direct booking website using the Book Now button on AlaVHR – be sure to let them know we referred you!
If the owner does not have a dedicated website, this step may take a few days to complete. Be patient – it’s worth it!
If you have not heard back from an owner, contact us and we will follow up with them on your behalf.
Ask the owner any other questions, such as their cancellation fee, payment schedule, refund policy, etc.
Unsure about sending payment? Contact us at AlaVHR to double check the information for you.
Book your vacation and relax! You just saved a ton of money!
A typical vacation that costs around $2500 will add a whopping $300 to $575 in unnecessary fees
You may have heard that you can save a LOT of money by booking directly. What do we mean by “book direct” and why does that save money? Book Direct means you are going directly to the owner or property manager rather than paying one of the “big sites” to book your vacation. When you use one of those “big sites” you are paying “big fees” whether they are itemized for you, built in, or both. Here is an example:
Method
Booking Fee
Commission (Hidden)
Total
Est on $2500 Vacation
Booking.com
0%
15%
15%
$375
AirBnB
12-18%
0%
15%-21%
$300 -$525
VRBO
12-18%
5%
17%-23%
$425-$575
AlaVHR / Book Direct
0%
0%
0%
$0
Savings Comparison Between Booking Sites
As you can see, a typical vacation that costs around $2500 will add a whopping $300 to $575 in unnecessary fees. Think of what you could do with all that extra money on your trip! You could treat your family to tickets to OWA, several rounds of golf, experience great restaurants, go parasailing, heck charter a fishing excursion. Doesn’t that sound more fun than paying booking fees???
So why don’t more people book direct? The simple answer is convenience. The big sites make it quick and easy to book – but remember you are paying dearly for that convenience! If you can plan ahead and do a bit of research, you could enjoy so much more on your vacation.
So how exactly do you book direct? Start your search on a trusted site, such as AlaVHR.com, where you can contact owners directly without any of those added fees. You can find owners through Facebook or on Craigslist, but you need to watch out for scammers. Thankfully, on AlaVHR, every owner is verified before their listing goes live so you can feel safe booking with them. In fact, you can even contact our staff if you have concerns before sending money to an owner and we can double check the information. We bring peace of mind to travelers, like you, every day!
Once you find a great match (or two), check to see if this owner has a Book Now button – this will take you to their verified book direct website. There you will be able to see current rates and usually you can even book instantly (just like the big sites!). Not every owner has a dedicated website, in that case, look for the Email Owner button to ask for a quote. Some owners post their rates but lately, more and more owners are using dynamic pricing which makes it difficult to show their rates. Good news! Our website is being upgraded to work with dynamic pricing later next year to make your search even easier!
Did you hear? Now it’s even easier to get your Beach Fix! Gulf Shores International Airport (JTK/GUF Jack Edwards Airport) has partnered with Allegiant Airlines to bring DIRECT FLIGHTS starting in May 2025 from several major cities: Bentonville AR (XNA), Belleville IL (BLV), Kansas City MO (MCI), Cincinatti OH (CVG), Knoxville TN (TYS) and Houston TX (HOU). At this time, all flights from Allegiant are seasonal.
Savvy travelers also know that you can fly into Pensacola FL (PNS) with a short drive over to Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, and Fort Morgan. Pensacola offers direct flights from the following cities organized by state (as of 11/23/24).
Denver CO (DEN) – Frontier*, Southwest and United Airlines
Washington DC (DCA) – American Airlines
Fort Lauderdale FL (FLL) – Silver Airways
Miami FL (MIA) – American Airlines
Orlando FL (MCO) – Silver Airways and Soutwest Airlines
Tampa FL (TPA) – Silver Airways, Breeze Airways, and Southwest
Atlanta GA (ATL) – Delta Airlines
Chicago IL (MDW) – Southwest, (ORD) American* and United Airlines
Baltimore MD (BWI) – Southwest Airlines
Kansas City MO (MCI) – Southwest Airlines
St. Louis MO (STL) – Southwest Airlines
Charlotte NC (CLT) – American Airlines
Newark NJ (EWR) – United Airlines*
Cincinatti OH (CVG) – Frontier Airlines*
Cleveland OH (CLE) – Frontier Airlines
Philadelphia PA (PHL) – American* and Frontier* Airlines
Nashville TN (BNA) – Southwest Airlines
Austin TX (AUS) – Southwest Airlines
Dallas TX (DAL) – Southwest Airlines, (DFW) – American Airlines
Houston TX (HOU) – Southwest Airlines, (IAH) – United Airlines
Norfolk VA (ORF) – Breeze Airways*’
*Seasonal Flights – Check for Details
The beach misses you! Don’t delay – the best values and locations are going fast. No matter how you get here, consider adding Travel Insurance for your trip. Did you know you can insure your entire trip (airfare, car rental and lodging – even if you book direct) – learn more here.
Photo Credit – David Green. David is a native Alabama Photographer who has captured many incredible photos of our beloved state and beaches. View more of his work here.
Have you noticed when you book a hotel or look at airline tickets they have different rates for each day and if you check back tomorrow, the rate may be different than it was today? This is known as “dynamic pricing” and has been quite common in the travel industry for many years. Recently, this technology became available to vacation rental owners as well.
At this time, approximately 50% of our listings display a rate table and about 50% are using dynamic pricing. Because the rates change frequently, we are not able to show the current rates on our website if they are using dynamic pricing. When that happens, you will see a message on our quote calculator to contact the owner for a quote. Some owners will display an overall range for their rates where the higher end is for peak (summer or high demand periods such as festivals) and the lower end is for winter or off-season rates.
In the future, we hope to integrate with those services to bring you more accurate pricing. In the meantime, please submit an inquiry to the owner for a quote. If you do not hear back from the owner within a reasonable time frame, please contact us and we will follow up with the owner to make sure they received your request.
About half of all our owners have a verified “Book Direct” website associated with their account. If you see the “Book Now (Owner Website)” button, you can safely go to their website for an accurate quote and the ability to book instantly, if desired. We have also started adding a listing specific link which will appear just below the photos (not all listings have this enabled yet but you can always use the red “Book Now” button). See image below:
The Alabama Gulf Coast in particular is in very high demand for the summer months. Holding out for a “last minute deal” usually backfires – prices tend to go up (way up!), not down, for last minute openings in June and July. If you are on a budget and your dates are flexible, we have great weather and good rates from mid-April to mid-May and the prices start going down again in mid-August. September is a terrific time to visit – the weather is still warm enough to enjoy the pool and it’s less crowded.
And remember, you are already saving up to 20% just by avoiding those high booking fees and site commissions charged by those “big sites” – your vacation dollar goes farther on AlaVHR! Each listing is individually owned and operated. All owners on AlaVHR are verified. Please contact the owners directly through the website for more information or to book. Good luck and have a wonderful vacation!
February 7th is International Book Direct Day!!!! Here at AlaVHR, we celebrate #BookDirect Day everyday, but we thought we would take #BookDirect Day a step farther and celebrate the entire month of February!
What exactly is #BookDirect Day?
The “book direct” movement started in 2018 when the “big sites” like VRBO and AirBnB started charging ridiculous fees to travelers and hosts to advertise on their websites. These fees are now 20-25% of the total that the guest ultimately pays for their vacation. #BookDirect Day was created to educate travelers why they should book direct and how to do it safely.
When you “book direct,” you are going directly to the owner or property manager and cutting out the middle man. At AlaVHR, we connect you directly with owners and property managers with NO ADDED booking fees and NO site commissions! Owners pay us a small annual fee, and you, the guest, pay the owner directly. Super Simple and Super SAFE because we verify every owner that lists on our site.
You will see a lot of posts on social media or digital classifieds where someone is offering to let you book directly with them – be very careful! Scammers are real and all too common. It’s very easy for them to pretend to own a vacation rental and scam you out of a down payment or worse, the entire payment for a vacation. We hear stories of families traveling 8-12 hours only to find they have no place to stay! Don’t let that happen to you – learn the signs (check out our short video with real life examples here) and be sure to check AlaVHR.com first!
If you ever have questions about booking with one of our owners, Contact Us and we will be happy to look at it with you to verify you are communicating with the verified owner.
Besides saving money and not getting scammed, there are many other reasons to #BookDirect:
Direct communication between owners and guests. Do you have any special needs or concerns? Speed up your selection process by going straight to the source.
Local Expertise – Our owners know the area and can offer tips on where to eat or things to do. At AlaVHR, you can also call us directly for information about your next stay.
Best rates – You are automatically saving up to 20% off those “big sites” – the average family saves over $400 – yikes!! Think of all the FUN your family could have with that extra money!
Supporting local small businesses
So go ahead, #BookDirect with one of our Verified Owners on AlaVHR.com – you will be glad you did!
Article by Susan Forson, Owner, ALAVHR.com, first published June 29, 2018
How to Spot a Scammer
Vacation rental scams are not new, but they have recently increased in our corner of the world. In July 2018, I received a frantic phone call from a traveler who arrived in Gulf Shores, suitcases in hand, and discovered that her family had been scammed out of their vacation rental. She called me because we have a very active Facebook community where we help connect travelers with vacation rental owners. I helped calm her down, and went through the scenario with her – yes, she had been scammed. It is very difficult to prosecute these scammers but I did encourage her to contact her bank and to file a police report. Fortunately, we were also able to help arrange a legitimate condo for her and her family to stay in. It breaks my heart to hear such stories – and they are becoming all too frequent.
We issue many warnings and reminders in our groups about scammers, but this phone call spurred me to action. I wanted to pull together what we have learned about scammers and make a video that you can share to educate travelers.
The bottom line is that no matter how careful you are, there is no way to prevent scammers from contacting you on Facebook or Craigslist. The best line of defense is to learn when to be suspicious and always choose a payment option that provides fraud protection. We cover all of these topics and even share real life examples from recent scams in our video.
Please take a few moments to learn how to spot a scammer and how to protect yourself – and please share with your friends and family. The examples used in this video were reported to the Scammer Busters group. Travelers may also contact us to ask whether someone has been reported or if you are not sure you are being scammed.
Facebook Profile Tips
Newly created accounts
Older accounts with very few photos or activities
Time stamps have been changed on photos
Profile and Timeline photos were BOTH recently changed, often at the same time
Account name does not align with URL version of account
Friends list not visible
Many foreign friends, particularly from Nigeria or other English speaking third world countries
If friends list is not visible, check to see who has “liked” or commented on photos – go back a month or more
Check which groups they belong to:
Are there a LOT of vacation rental groups scattered geographically?
Are they in mostly buy/sell groups?
What types of links are they sharing? Red flags are rental links from VRBO and AirBnB but the locations are literally all over the world. Click the links – is there any consistency in who is the named owner or property manager?
Lately Scammers select listings that are through very large property management companies so that it is impossible for you to know whether they are telling the truth.
Claim to be a realtor – check the company they claim to work with. Many scammers use the same fake company name
Claim to own their own property managemet company (Their Name Vacation Rentals), plus an “impressive” history of working for other vacation companies, such as AirBnB, VRBO, Vacasa, etc. Some even claim to “work” for AlaVHR!
At Alabama Vacation Home Rentals, we are dedicated to stopping scammers. We verify every owner that lists on our site and never charge booking fees or site commissions. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns before booking with one of our owners.
Occupying slightly less than sixty miles at the edge of the continent, Alabama’s Gulf Coast is more varied than a first-time visitor might imagine. The beaches, less well-known than their Florida counterparts, are less populated with tourists and still look largely as nature intended. The tourists go there, to be sure—tourism is one of the state’s most important industries—but not in the kind of numbers that Florida sees. The result is a stretch of white shoreline dotted with colorful and historic towns in a part of the state that happens to be one of the most biodiverse regions in the United States. And with a culture influenced by French, Spanish, and English settlers as well as African slaves, Alabama’s Gulf Coast is a region not quite like any other.
City Summaries:
The largest city along the Gulf Coast of Alabama is Mobile, a port city located on the Mobile River and Mobile Bay. Founded by the French in 1702, the city’s look and feel is similar to that of New Orleans, but without the raucous elements and with a decidedly more family-friendly vibe. It was actually in Mobile that Mardi Gras began, and it’s still celebrated there, but Mobile’s festivities are definitely PG-rated compared those in New Orleans. In addition to its Mardi Gras celebrations, the city is famous for its springtime azaleas and its seafood, both of which can be found in abundance there.
Gulf Shores is the major tourist destination along the Gulf Coast, and has the most options in terms of accommodations. It’s popular for a reason—the Gulf of Mexico is warm and usually calm here, making it an ideal place for a lazy day by the water. But there’s more to the area than the beach. Nearby Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge offers a taste of what the region was like before development; sea turtles, egrets, and alligators outnumber tourists here. And every year in May, Gulf Shores is home to one of the nation’s most popular live music events, the Hangout Music Fest, which is held right on the beach.
Gulf Shores
Tourism was slower to develop in nearby Orange Beach, a small town coast. Here, the main attraction is The Wharf—practically a small town in itself—that features a movie theater, plenty of bars and restaurants, a marina, and a beachfront Ferris wheel that offers spectacular views of the water. The Flora-Bama, a bar/entertainment venue/package store straddling the Florida-Alabama line, is a long-time favorite among locals and tourists alike.
For those who really want to escape civilization, the sparsely populated Dauphin Island offers pristine beaches and plenty of opportunities to explore nature, both in and out of the water. The island is also home to one of the state’s leading marine research facilities.
Historic Fort Morgan
There’s history along the Gulf Coast as well, and lots of it. Marking the entrance to Mobile Bay is Fort Morgan, which was built between 1817 and 1834 to defend the bay. It was near Fort Morgan, during the Battle of Mobile Bay in the Civil War, that Union Admiral David Farragut uttered the famously defiant phrase, “Damn the torpedoes! Full steam ahead!”
Across the bay on Eastern Shore are the cities of Fairhope, Daphne, and Spanish Fort. One of the state’s loveliest and quirkiest communities, Fairhope began in 1894 as a “model community.” Today, the city maintains the free spirit that guided its early years and is home to numerous art galleries, boutiques, and the Grand Hotel, a beloved resort that served as a hospital during the Civil War. In recent years, a number of production companies have chosen Fairhope for film locations, most notably for the movie Get Out. Daphne shares some of the laid-back, slightly eccentric qualities of Fairhope. In addition to a variety of shops and excellent restaurants, Daphne is home to “jubilees,” unusual events when masses of fish, shrimp, and crabs become trapped in the shallow waters at the coastline, making easy pickings for anyone hungry for seafood. Spanish Fort, the smallest of the three cities, is home to Blakeley State Park, a Civil War battlefield, as well as the Alabama Oyster Trail.
Things to Do on Alabama’s Gulf Coast:
See pristine, undeveloped beaches at Gulf State Park
Get up close with wildlife at Gulf Coast Zoo
Get a bird’s eye view of the Gulf by parasailing over the water
Try the Flora-Bama’s signature Bushwacker drink
Explore some of the area’s shipwrecks, including the LuLu, which is now a marine habitat
Explore military history at Fort Morgan, Fort Gaines, and the USS Alabama battleship
Kayak some of the local rivers and bayous
Try your hand at deep sea fishing
Have a meal at Lambert’s, a restaurant famous for its “throwed rolls”
Take a stroll along Gator Alley Boardwalk in Daphne
Get your camera and take in the scenic views from the Fairhope Pier
Have dinner at Wintzell’s Oyster House, a Mobile institution
Try your hand at harvesting oysters in Wolf Bay and Longs Bayou with Sailaway Charters
Spoil yourself at the Grand Hotel’s indulgent spa
Try some local brews at Big Beach Brewing Company
Explore Mobile’s Africatown, a community settled by the last Africans brought into the US
Our listings
Things to do within 60 miles of the Gulf Coast
Cross the state line and sample the casinos in Biloxi, Mississippi
Indulge in some retail therapy at Foley’s Tanger Outlets
Explore Gulf Islands National Seashore in nearby Perdido Key, Florida
Take to the skies at the Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival each May in Foley
Aviation buffs should take in a Blue Angels show from Pensacola Beach
For one of the region’s weirder traditions, check out the Interstate Mullet Toss at the Flora-Bama
See the South in full bloom at the lovely Bellingrath Gardens
Nearby Pensacola has a bustling arts scene with numerous museums and live music events
Get close to nature at the Pascagoula River Audubon Center
Learn about other cultures at the Pensacola Greek Festival each October
Witness the Blessing of the Fleet each spring in Bayou La Batre
How to Get to Alabama’s Gulf Coast
Numerous Southern cities are an easy drive from the Alabama Gulf Coast. The region is easily accessible via Interstate 90 and Interstate 65.
If you’re coming from farther away, the Gulf Coast is reachable from both Mobile Regional Airport and Pensacola International Airport.
Numerous taxis and shuttle services operate from the region’s airports and between its cities and resort areas.
Best Times to Go
For most people, summer is the ideal time to enjoy Alabama’s beaches. The beaches are typically their most beautiful in the warm months of summer. The water is warm and calm and it’s when many of the region’s festivals and outdoor events are scheduled. But it’s the peak season, meaning the crowds are larger and prices are higher. Spring is another popular time of year to head to the coast, especially if you prefer warm—but not hot—weather. The coast is a popular place for spring breakers, and it can become crowded in mid-late March through early April.
The off-peak seasons of fall and winter can be surprisingly lovely at the coast. After Labor Day, the crowds gradually diminish, and it’s quite possible to have stretches of the beach to oneself in the cooler months. There is also the added perk of lower prices once summer ends. Alabama’s winters are mild at the coast, meaning that—aside from the occasional hurricane—there really is not bad time to visit.
If you are ready to enjoy more and spend less on your next visit to beautiful Coastal Alabama, check out our website. We offer hundreds of beach houses and condos to fit every size and budget – book directly with Verified Owners and never pay booking fees or site commissions. ALAVHR.com – The site you can trust!
It’s no secret – the vacation rental industry has changed dramatically over the last few years and not for the better. These changes negatively impacted both the traveler andvacation rental owners alike. As a result, more and more owners are leaving the online travel agencies (“OTA’s”) and listing their properties on regional sites like Alabama Vacation Home Rentals, where there are no booking fees and no commissions. Most regional websites charge owners much less to list their properties and travelers pay absolutely nothing! This is how the OTA industry actually started – before they got greedy!
Alabama Vacation Home Rentals (ALAVHR) is a pure and simple listing site that connects travelers and vacation rental owners. We believe in open and direct communication between owners and travelers before, during and after the booking. In contrast, OTA’s want to control the process by making the rules to their benefit, at the expense of the traveler and owner. The reason that OTA’s block communication between owner and guest is simple, they want their money.
On February 7, 2018, we participated in the first ever “Book Direct” day. Vacation rental owners, hoteliers and industry related websites are coming together as one common voice to educate travelers and guests to inform them that there is an alternative to the OTA’s. Looking for tips on how to #BookDirect safely? Read our article here.
BookDirect to Save Hundreds of Dollars On Your Next Vacation Rental!
So say NO to VRBO! Other OTA’s that will gladly take you hard earned money are: AirBnb, Flipkey, HomeAway, Booking, etc. All of these websites will charge both the owner and traveler very high fees. Buyer beware! Ask questions and read the website! Some sites, like Booking .com, try to hide their fees as commissions tacked on to the owner cost. In the end, the traveler pays more for the same vacation and often times, the owner makes much less on their own property that the OTA’s.
Why pay more for the same vacation rentals?
Booking a vacation rental on a no fee-listing site can save you money, sometimes hundreds of dollars! Yes, hundreds of dollars! At Alabama Vacation Home Rentals: Our pledge to you: We do not charge a traveler fee and never will!
Receive personalized service.
Vacation rentals are not hotels. Each one is unique. In fact, not every vacation rental is for everyone. Booking direct with an owner or property manager allows for open communication so that you can ask important questions before you book.
Want the inside scoop? Owners are local experts who know their destination the best, the attractions,, the restaurants, the vendors, the happy hours the discounts, etc., and are more than happy to share with you their insider local tips. Remember, owners genuinely want your repeat business and will go the extra mile to ensure you are happy and enthusiastic enough to come back and tell your friends. Many owners appreciate returning guests so much that they offer special perks or discounts.
Receive the best possible price.
The cost for an owner to list their property on the OTA’s has become increasingly more expensive. While many of these OTA’s want you to think that they are offering you the best possible price, the fact is they are not. Owners have no choice but to pass the increase on to travelers. Your cost goes up! Speaking directly with the owner guarantees you the best possible rental price, access to special offers and/or last minute cancellations deals.
No fee regional listing sites are gaining in popularity. Alabama Vacation Home Rentals (a member of Vacation Home Rental Network) is one of them. Owners and travelers can make a difference by spreading the word that there is an alternative to VRBO, HomeAway, AirBnb, Booking etc.
You have saved all year for your vacation, so save some of those hard earned dollars for enjoying your vacation and not lining the pockets of a big OTA. Make sure it is your perfect vacation rental BEFORE you book.
With so much of our time today spent disconnected through electronics and social media, it’s important to set aside a weekend or even longer to relax as a family. A beach vacation is the perfect way to time to spend together and really connect. Here are a few tips to help make the most out of your time together.
3 Ways a Beach Vacation Can Bring Families Together
1. Get Everyone Involved in Making Decisions
Use the time planning your beach vacation to start getting everyone involved and excited. Ask your children to choose one or two activities they are most looking forward to on the visit. Once you arrive, even young children can help with finding the best spot on the beach, or send teens on an “adventure” – a list of important shopping items bring back to the beach house. Family members will feel more involved as they contribute to the trip’s success.
2. Create Unstructured Time Together
If your family members’ daily lives are crammed full of extracurricular activities, work, school, and other important obligations, finding time to relax together is tough. While at the beach, it’s easier to sit down to meals together, enjoy the sunset, go for walks, build sandcastles, look for shells and simply enjoy each other’s company.
3. Plan a Family Adventure
Whether learning to knee board, looking for starfish, going zip-lining, deep sea fishing or parasailing – the beach provides ample opportunities for your family members to bond together by helping each other make it through new and challenging adventures. Sharing new experiences creates memories you will treasure long after you leave the beach.
To learn more about how renting a beach house or condo can be fun for the whole family, contact Alabama Vacation Home Rentals based in Daphne, AL. With hundreds of rental homes along the Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Dauphin Island, Mobile, Fort Morgan, and Fairhope, they can help you find the perfect family getaway. To learn more about what they have to offer, call them today at (251) 333-6500, or visit their website to see their beach houses and condo listings.