Anyone used R & L Properties, Always on Vacation website?

I just put in a deposit on a great deal at Forest Dunes Resort through an independent owner. Their contract calls itself ';R %26amp; L Properties';. Has anyone had experience with them?

Anyone used R %26amp; L Properties, Always on Vacation website?

I am headed to Forest Dunes in a little over a week:-) I almost used VRBO but booked through resort. When I was talking with owner, she told me it would go through resort anyway. So...maybe that is the name of agency that books all the rooms whether you call directly or go through owner???

Anyone used R %26amp; L Properties, Always on Vacation website?

It seems as though this particular owner only owns a few rooms, they also have condos at Ocean Forest Plaza according to Alwaysonvacation.com. I%26#39;m thinking of calling the resort directly to see if they will tell me my particular room number is booked for my dates. Do you think this will work? I%26#39;m a little nervous; I%26#39;ve never booked through an owner directly. This is the only way we can afford to stay a whole week. Have you stayed at Forest Dunes before? It looks nice for the $.

The owner I was talking with charged the same price as the resort down to the penny. I haev not been there before, but I got a great deal. The only negatives I read were that some rooms are really dated in their decor. I am paying $250 for 4 nights oceanfront, 1 bedroom. I can live with how the room looks if I get an older one!! I do have to haev non-smoking and after that requested a ';premium room';. Yes, I would call and talk to them. Ask them the total price for the time you are looking at. It may be the same. GOOD LUCK!

We are paying $562 for a week in Jun. taxes and all, 1 bed/1 %26amp; half bath oceanview. Do you think that is suspiciously low? When I tried booking online on the resort site the price was much higher. Maybe I should just call to make sure. Thanks!

No. I think people are hurting and prices are lower overall. I would still call and ask for the best price from them ( Forest Dunes) directly. Our trip is in April so that is why mine is so low. Remember, it IS an older place and lots of new ones have sprung up so there is a bit of competition.

Resort websites show ';rack rates'; (like ';buy it now'; prices on Ebay). You can often get a better deal by telephoning the resort directly, rather than booking online. Telephone reservationists have room to negotiate.

I don%26#39;t know this particular situation, but renting from the owner is often cheaper than booking through the resort, since the owner bypasses some of the management commission and fees.

The other big advantage of renting from the owner is that you will get the exact property you have booked. (The resort cannot bump out a guest-of-owner for another, sometimes more valuable, booking.) Thus, if the owner is offering the same unit, at the exact, same price as the resort, she is selling assurance that you will get her place, since she controls access to the property you want.

On the other hand, if you have rented from the owner, you are stuck with what you get. The resort will not move you into another property if anything goes wrong.

Thanks for your reassurance. I did call Forest Dunes, and they did say my particular room number is not in their rental program, which is reassuring. They would not give me any info on R%26amp;L properties, which I suspected. Anyway, their rate for the same room and stay is 858 vs. the 562 I signed a contract for. Considerable savings. I guess I%26#39;m just paranoid that I will get down there and realized I%26#39;ve paid $$ for a room that doesn%26#39;t exist or is already rented. Oh, and I figure the condo will probably be dated and worn. But that%26#39;s o.k. as long as it%26#39;s clean, secure and has access to the pools. We%26#39;re not picky people. Have fun on your vacation next week; you got a phenomenal deal! Let us know how it goes.