At least that's what the experts say.

AccuWeather.com Chief Long-Range Meteorologist Joe Bastardi predicts that the Pacific Northwest will see a much colder and snowier winter than last season: Get the full low-down on Joe's super snow predictions.

Another AccuWeather.com expert Meteorologist predicts up to 20% more moisture (meaning snow!) for the Pacific Northwest for the 2010/11 winter season: Get the full snowy details.

So who do we have to thank for all this anticipated snow and a powderlicious 2010/11 ski season? Her name is La Nina.

La Nina (translated: "the girl") is the weather pattern that develops when the sea surface temperature drops 3 to 5 degrees Celsius below normal. La Nina is El Nino's (translated: 'the boy's") darker half, bringing cold wet weather to the areas she touches. She tags along behind her brother, chasing his above average temps and dry weather with her frosty wet touch. The two operate in a cycle, taking turns playing with the world's weather.

As a woman, I'm not sure I appreciate this description, but as a snowboarder, I'll get over it.

Do you feel a chill in the air?

Posted by Adrienne

You've made your decision; you are going to buy a vacation rental home - congratulations! You've decided that you'll buy a place that appeals to your own preferences as you'll be spending as much leisure time as possible there.

However, you also want to appeal to the rental market, since you want to rent it out when you are not using it to help pay for some of the operating costs.

Having already looked around at some real estate opportunities, you may still be somewhat uncertain of what property qualities are most attractive to guests looking to reserve a vacation rental home.

We've narrowed the list down to top 3 things to consider when buying a vacation rental home:

1. Location
2. Amenities
3. Size

1. Location of the Vacation Rental Home

You've decided on the location of the destination or resort, and now you are considering different homes in different areas of the destination.

The closer the property is to the destination's main attraction, for example, the mountain and ski lifts or the beach, the more likely it will be more expensive. However, keep in mind, vacation rentals in close proximity to the main attraction are typically more desirable and more in demand by guests. Most times owners may be able to charge a reasonably higher rental rate than those properties in less desirable areas.

Of course you will also want to consider your own budget and vacation preferences.

2. Vacation Rental Home Amenities

The number of property amenities depends upon what is the norm in that particular destination. For example private hot-tubs may be prevalent in most vacation homes. If that's the case, then it would be to your advantage to buy a property with a hot tub (or add one), as it is somewhat expected by guests coming to that destination.

If your property doesn't have a hot-tub, then you need to adjust your nightly rental rate accordingly. You may also experience less bookings as your place is somewhat less desirable.

Overall, the more attractive amenities you have to offer prospective guests, the more competitive your vacation rental is and the more likely you will enjoy higher occupancy rates, providing that your rental rate is reasonable.

3. Size Category of the Vacation Rental Home

Most vacation rental homes appeal to larger groups that may not fit (or may not want to fit) in multiple hotel rooms.

Once again, the ideal home size will also depend upon the destination and its visitors. If it's a family oriented destination, larger homes would be the norm, vs. an adult destination, where smaller condos would be more desirable.

Typically two-bedroom vacation rentals accommodate medium-sized families or smaller families with an additional caregiver like a grandparent. In general, they appeal to the largest number of Guests.

One bedroom vacation rentals can sometimes be more difficult to rent out if there are many competing hotels nearby.

Vacation Rental Information

Get more vacation rental information and learn how to take the business to the next level.

Already own a vacation rental? What were your deciding factors when you bought your vacation rental home?

Being that this is the blog for a vacation rentals website, it may seem odd to compare our offering with hotels, but we realize we're not for everyone. We also realize that there are a lot of people who haven't discovered the world of vacation rentals or may not fully understand what they are.

Before I started working for alluraDirect.com, planning a vacation meant booking a flight and a hotel room. Vacation rentals weren't even on my radar. Now I mostly book vacation rentals (because I'm a budget-conscious traveller), but I still fall back to hotels on occasion (mostly for short or spontaneous getaways).

Your vacation time is precious and so is the money you drop to enjoy that well-deserved getaway. That's why it's worth learning about your accommodation options and finding somewhere comfortable to both your budget and vacation style.

Negating options like hostels (which can be super cheap and fun if you're a single 18-25 year old - believe me, I loved my stay at one in New York City and it's where I met my husband) that leaves you with two main avenues to choose from: vacation rentals or hotels. So what avenue should you venture down when beginning your accommodation search?

Here's a quick breakdown of each to help you decide:

Vacation Rentals (a.k.a. holiday homes, self-catering lodging, etc.)

A vacation rental can vary in size from a small studio to a palatial villa. Regardless, almost all vacation rental properties are larger than hotel rooms and they always have facilities for making your own meals. If the vacation rental is part of a condominium or community development, you'll have access to any common amenities (like swimming pools, hot tubs, games rooms, etc).

Most vacation rentals are privately-owned and rented directly from the Owner, meaning no commission fees are built into the rates and you know exactly what unit you're staying in. Other vacation rentals are part of a rental pool or operated by a rental management company so booking is through a middle-agent and you may or may not know exactly which unit you'll be staying in.

The main reasons people choose vacation rentals:

• Cost (especially for larger groups that can split the cost of a vacation rental): Generally speaking, on a cost per square footage basis, vacation rentals have hotels beat hands-down. Because many vacation rentals are rented directly from the Owner, there are no middle-agent fees factored into the rate.

  For example, in a search today for a one week stay in Whistler over the July-long weekend, hotel room rates on Expedia.ca ranged from $95 - $349/nt. When searching Owner-direct vacation rentals on alluraDirect.com there were 58 vacation rentals (everything from studios to two bedroom units) at or below $100/nt.

• Space: All vacation rental properties have common areas and kitchen facilities. This makes for abundant extra room when compared to a traditional hotel room. When renting larger properties, you'll get lots of common area space for group socializing.
• Kitchens: Cooking your own meals can save you tons of cash on your vacation. Kitchens should come stocked with at least the basic utensils and crockery and some Owners will even provide basic dry ingredients.
• Personal Touches & Little Extras: Although this can vary from one vacation rental to the next, most properties come equipped with extra items the Owner likes to have for their own getaways. This can include everything from waffle irons, to board games to DVD libraries. One vacation rental I recently stayed in even had a deep fryer! Because vacation rentals are individually owned, each unit often has its own style and is more cozy than a cookie-cutter hotel room.

Best Suited For: Vacation Planning Do-it-Yourselfers, Families, Groups, Budget-Conscious, Long-Stay Vacationers

Hotels

I think it's safe to pass-over a definition of this accommodation type :)

The main reasons people choose hotels:

• Familiarity: First off, many people are still not aware of the existence of vacation rentals. Even if they are, they may feel more comfortable booking with a hotel chain because they know what they're going to get. You can also book hotel rooms conveniently by credit card. Vacation rentals can be a riskier option if the Owner does not accept credit card payments (which can be reversed in the instance of fraud).
• Services: Hotels provide daily housekeeping and often room service. They also offer front desk or concierge services. If you value these services enough, it may be worth paying the extra for them. Keep in mind, some vacation rentals also offer concierge services or can arrange for extra services if requested in advance.
• Package Deals: Many hotels bundle their accommodation with flights and activities. If you prefer to stay hands-off with your vacation planning, a vacation package might be your best bet.

Best Suited For: Hands-off Vacation Planners, Weekend or Short-Stay Vacationers, Service-Minded Guests

-posted by Adrienne

Zoom airlines is facing the fate of what many low-cost airlines have before them. Operational costs have exceed revenue to a point where they can no longer carry on. Difficult trading conditions including the current state of the economy and high fuel prices have been cited as reasons for insolvency. All future flights have been cancelled.

Steps to Take if You've Booked with Zoom

Unfortunately, just like you can't get blood from a stone, you won't get a refund from Zoom. There are other ways however, that you may be able to recoup your payment:

1. Contact your credit or debit card company to apply for a refund.
2. Consult any travel insurance policies you may hold for your upcoming trip to determine if you can claim a refund.
3. Re-book your flight with British Airways or Virgin Atlantic who have kindly offered special fares to Zoom Airlines passengers whose travel plans have been affected.

Is this the beginning of the end of low-cost air travel? Are low-cost airlines a dying breed?

Canadian Westjet seems to be one of few airlines continuing to thrive. Did you know that employees of Westjet all hold stock in the company? This business model is reminiscent of another travel industry segment. Just look at direct vacation rentals and how they're building a following. Popularity in booking with the owner seems to be extending across the travel industry.

When deciding whether to rent or to buy skis or a snowboard there are five questions you should ask yourself:

1. How often do you plan on skiing/riding?
2. Are you a drive-in ski resort visitor or are you flying more often to get to your resort of choice?
3. How new are you to the sport of skiing or snowboarding?
4. Are you nervous about damaging equipment or prone to scratching your skis or board?
5. Are you a fashion king/queen even on the hill?

1 - Will you ski or ride a lot this year or for the next few years?

Quality ski or snowboard gear is expensive. It's also continually being improved meaning gear you buy today will be the way of the VCR in just a few years. This means that if you want to ride the best equipment AND save the most money, you need to be skiing more than a handful of times each season.

2 - Where do you ski or ride most?

Unless you've been living under a rock, you're aware of how airlines are adding new fees and charges like leopards have spots. Transporting your skis or snowboard is included in this list of new charges. Keep this in mind if you're thinking of buying and then flying skis or a snowboard.

If you ski close enough to home that you can drive to the resort this won't affect you. If you fly, factor the shipping of your gear into to your overall ski/snowboard ownership costs.

3 - Are you a beginner or a pro?

Newbies should almost always rent gear. There's three reasons for this:

1. Maybe you won't like skiing or snowboarding (doubtful, but we've heard it can happen).
2. You won't have a very good idea of what type of gear you need to buy.
3. You'll buy beginner gear, improve quickly and then need high performance gear in no time.

Rent gear when you're starting out and discover what you like to ride best and the length you're most comfortable with.

Advanced or expert skiers or riders may lean toward buying their own gear. If this is you, just make sure you're going to use it - a lot.

4 - Do you cringe when you ride over a rock?

Not to say you should use and abuse your rental skis but most people worry less about scratches or damage when they don't own the gear they're riding. Most rental shops and resorts (including Whistler ski and snowboard rentals from AlluraDirect.com) offer damage protection insurance for a minimal cost.

Hit a rock when you're riding your own stuff and have the scratch to show for it as long as you own the skis or board.

5 - If looks could kill, would you want your skis or board to at least score a knockout?

When you rent gear, you get good performing equipment but what it looks like is up to what the rental tech picks. If you want to make a statement or ride gear with a wicked design you'll probably have to buy it. Or if you're one of those people who likes to plaster your board with tons of stickers, you better buy the board. Rental shops won't appreciate your decorative touches. :)

Tips for the Indecisive Skier or Snowboarder

Still don't know if renting or buying is right for you? Consider the mid-way route: buying your own boots. Most people will agree that proper boot fit is crucial for a comfortable and enjoyable day on the hill. When you buy boots, you can also have them molded to your feet. Boots are also smaller and easier to pack than a full ski or snowboard set.

Another option is to set up a rental of equipment you're considering purchasing for the first few days of your ski vacation. This way you'll know if it's what you're looking for and most shops will credit your rental fee toward the purchase price.

What do you think about renting vs. buying ski or snowboard gear? Let us know by leaving a comment.

School never looked this good. Photos that show the view from Quest University are astoundingly beautiful. In other shots, students are biking, running, hiking, and smiling the good smile. Makes me want to go back to school and wonder, Why wasn't it always this way?

Focus

Not just fun and games, however, Quest University is a bold experiment in Canadian liberal arts education. Its focus is in providing a unique foundation and curriculum that's Intimate, Integrated, and International. The completion of the Bachelor of Arts and Sciences degree consists of studying 32 different course blocks. A student, for example, could spend one month studying Shakespeare and then the next month studying political economy, instead of taking multiple courses per term, as one would at a standard university.

The inaugural class's Cornerstone block is currently being spent in Rossland, BC at Red Mountain Resort.

It seems that Quest not only focuses on a sound mind for its students through liberal arts, but a sound body, as well.

Recreation

Sound mind and body is not hard to achieve in a top class university among nature's playground: Quest is situated in Squamish, BC "the outdoor recreational capital of Canada" and is within an hour's drive to Whistler, BC, a place which needs no introduction.

Just a few of the activities that await students:

• Mountain Biking
• Skiing / Snowboarding
• Windsurfing
• Rock climbing
• Hiking / Camping
• Kayaking / Canoeing / Rafting
• Eagle Viewing

Inspiration

We may not all be students anymore, let alone one at Quest University, but the school inspires us to continue to pursue education and outdoor recreational endeavors in our own way. It's the key to a balanced life. Think about that the next time you pick up a book to read or visit a ski resort to ski, snowboard, or try a new activity. And give yourself a pat on the back.