February 7 is Book Direct Day! Today, we celebrate and encourage the savvy vacationer’s practice of booking direct. In a world of big booking platforms, dominated by the likes of Vrbo, AirBnB and Booking.com, its easy to think that these technology giants offer the best way to book a vacation. However, that’s simply not the case! There are many powerful reasons why you should book a vacation direct with...
It can sometimes be confusing about who gets a tip and how much that tip should be. Guests can really struggle with the minefield of tipping restaurant and hotel staff in Florida. That’s why we’ve created a handy guide on tipping in the USA to help remove any uncertainties travellers may have. In the USA, restaurant staff waiting tables often rely on tips to make up a significant proportion of their...
The Ellis Exclusive Villas team shares our favourite Disney World top tips. This is everything you need to know about Disney World! Even experienced Disney visitors will learn something from this collection of our favourite Disney hacks. If you are planning to visit Disney World while staying at one of our Orlando vacation homes, make sure you try these best-ever Disney World Hacks. Let us guide you step by step...
If you are planning a trip to Universal Studios Orlando during your stay in Florida, you need to read these 10 Universal Orlando tips before you go. We’ve pulled together some amazing hacks for you. Universal Orlando features three amazing theme parks — Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure and the Volcano Bay water theme park — it offers days and nights of endless fun for every member of...
How many times have you wished you could have a local show you around while on vacation? That ‘fish out of water’ feeling that you’re missing some vital knowledge that would help your day go smoother is particularly acute at big theme parks like Orlando’s Disney and Universal because there is simply so much to see. Jennifer of Magical Edge is a Florida native who specialises in helping visitors to...
At the end of last week, the pound hit a seven-month high against the dollar, following the publication of a Federal report which kept interest rates on hold and lowered growth projections for the USA. Earlier in the week, the pound had been bolstered by positive news on wage growth in the UK. It all adds up to mean now is a great time for our British guests to start...
You may have seen in the news lately, that the UK Government has made changes to the UK driver’s licence and read reports that this is impacting car hire and rental agreements for travellers and holidaymakers, not least because of teething problems with the new system. We have asked one of our partners, Orlando car rental business ‘Car on the Drive’ to explain what the changes mean for UK drivers...
Driving tips for Brits in Florida The number one rule is to drive on the right – here the left side is the wrong side. Obviously you’ll be hiring a car, so the driver’s side is on the right too. This difference can take a little while to get used to. Plus, many hire cars are automatic. If you’re uncomfortable driving an automatic, you’ll need to make it clear when...
We’re at peak season for pool heat at the moment. Here’s 5 hacks to help you get the most out of it during your stay at an Ellis Exclusive Villas holiday home. 1. Book before you go With any Ellis Exclusive Villa, pool heat is ALWAYS charged as an extra. It’s worth thinking about whether you want it before you go because it takes a little while for the pool...
