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José Balido's Blog (144)

Online Vacation Rentals Market Goes Gangbusters

by José Balido

With an assist from straightened economic times (from both the supply and demand side), vacation rentals -- aka holiday rentals, as our Commonwealth cousins put it -- have been booming even more than when I last talked 'em up on this blog a year ago. New agencies -- especially Internet-based -- proliferate even as we see pushback… Continue

Added by José Balido on August 16, 2010 at 1:00pm — 2 Comments

Miami's Mexican Invasion (of Restaurants, That Is)

Mexican cuisine may be one of America's favorite "ethnics," and Miami may be the single most Latino city in the United States (not to mention an increasingly foodie town in many ways) -- but until recently, Miami has sucked soggy jalapeños when it came to high-quality, authentic fare from the land of tacos and tequila.

Instead, we had to make do with the same chains the rest of the country does: Baja Fresh, Chipotle Grill, Qdoba, On the Border, yada yada, along with an also… Continue

Added by José Balido on July 11, 2010 at 4:35pm — 1 Comment

Three Top Travel Tips for 2010

By José Balido

Three top travel industry voices got together this past Sunday, February 28, at the New York Times Travel Show to share their tips and wisdom with the traveling masses – or what’s left of them, in the current economy. Still, 60-plus hardcore travel hounds, myself included, braved the bitter wind and snow early on Sunday morning…

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Added by José Balido on March 2, 2010 at 10:00pm — 2 Comments

For Value and Local Flavor, Vacation Rentals Beat the Competition Flat

by José Balido

Now, I truly do love good hotels. I love beautiful bed-and-breakfasts, intimate inns, ravishing resorts, and hip hostels. I love having a range of services (including housekeeping to clean up after me, God bless ‘em), stylish décor, and amenities like really cool bars to hang out in.

But let’s face it: it’s not like there aren’t drawbacks. There’s usually not enough storage space (and when was the last… Continue

Added by José Balido on September 7, 2009 at 4:30pm — No Comments