The season is in effect! We have decided to not only provide you with one playlist for riding, but a top ten every week! So, gear up and load your iPod with the best tunes to jam out to on the slopes! Feel free to reach out to us with YOUR favorites as well! ENJOY!

1. “19 2000” – Gorillaz
2. “Daylight” – Matt & Kim
3. “In the Waiting Line” – Zero 7
4. “Lisztomania” – Phoenix
5. “The Instrumental” – Lupe Fiasco
6. “Midnight Voyage” — Ghostland Observatory
7. “I Own America, Part 2” – Slick Rick
8. “Epic Holiday” – Angels & Airwaves
9. “Cinderella Man” – Eminem
10. “Hey Ma” – Cam’Ron

Most ski destinations experience an “off-season” twice a year in the months of May and October.  This is the time when locals choose to escape for an extended vacation, while lodging properties sit close to empty awaiting the season ahead.

As much as I love traveling, the off-season is an awesome time to live in the Rocky Mountains.  There are plenty of times in life when it’s hard to find an “escape.”  Vacations are thought to be that much needed escape, but rather often turn into a stressful experience that leaves you exhausted and your bank account hurting.  Take a vacation to your favorite ski destination in the off-season and you will find it easier to relax and much cheaper!

In the past month I’ve been fortunate to journey to the destinations of Aspen, Breckenridge, Vail and Beaver Creek.  Walk down Main Street or explore the villages of these towns right now and you’re pretty much the only person around.  It’s refreshing  to look around and notice that you have a place to yourself that is at other times of the year so busy with tourists you feel the need to get out.   I almost question why these months are considered to be the “off season” when the weather is just as lovely and sunny as ever and you have the freedom to do just about whatever you like without fighting the crowds.

Not to mention the off season specials the restaurants and shops offer.  In the off season the best restaurants around offer killer specials to get people in the door spending money.  In Vail, for example, Montauk and Billy’s Island Grill, two of Vail’s finest seafood restaurants are offering 50% off all entrees. Up the road in Beaver Creek, Toscanini is offering 30% off the entire check, while the Beaver Creek Chophouse is offering  a 3 course dinner special for just $33.00.  Step inside the ski shops and you’ll find last season’s gear at unbeatable prices.  Shopping and fine dining at half the cost – Thank you “off-season”.

Here is a playlist of our favorite tunes to jam out to while shredding the pow! We took a vote around the office and chose the best from there. So here you have it, Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals’ very own soundtrack to the perfect day out on the slopes!

1. “Half-Mast” – Empire of the Sun
2. “First Snow” – Emancipator
3. “Ooh La La” – Goldfrap
4. “Round the Wheel” – String Cheese Incident
5. “Time to Pretend” MGMT
6. “Instantly” – Sound Tribe Sector 9
7. “Colorado” – Railroad Earth
8. “Magic Spells” –Crystal Castles
9. “Rhinestone Eyes” – Gorillaz
10. Anything Miike Snow

Thanks for checking it out!

A Message to the American People: Don’t Stress

My fellow vacationers: you work hard year round. You provide for your family or work enough hours to make sure you are living the life you want. I know the economy is tough right now and the country seems like it’s bad and getting worse. But if we are all going to make it through the next few years, we need to make sure that we are pacing ourselves and not getting burnt out. We need to make this work ethic last. What we need to do now is get excited. We have a unique opportunity to work together as a country and pull ourselves back to the standards that we know Americans can achieve.

If it makes it any easier, healthcare reform has begun to kick-in to save you money (Just so we’re clear, healthcare reform will not cost the American public a dime until 2014 when more advanced regulation takes effect, and will actually save our economy money over the next decade).  We’re stressed, but equity markets are trending upwards. Jobs are being created by public programs and private sector companies alike. Those jobs are going to create a better, more technologically advanced infrastructure than we have ever seen if we do things right. So take comfort in that and don’t get too stressed out. And I know our political environment is as “interesting” as it has ever been, but remember that people elect politicians. Don’t ever forget that you, the people, are in control of this country.

Moreover, you are in control of your own life. You have the power to mitigate stress and to make yourself happy. Don’t get burnt out heading into the holiday season. Your country needs you now more than ever. I encourage each and every one of you to take some time to relax, take some time to feel again, take some time to enjoy your lives that you work so hard for. Take some time off, and come to the mountains and enjoy the fall and winter seasons that are upon us. These are the most beautiful times of the year for the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Telluride is in full swing with events from film festivals to concerts to outdoor markets. Breckenridge and Keystone are proudly displaying their eclectic spirit with that home town feel. Aspen and Snowmass are as interesting as they ever were, with the potential to spot Hollywood’s A-List at any moment and experience some of the most high end luxuries of mountain life. And, of course, Vail and Beaver Creek are constantly recognized for their world renowned beauty and splendor as some of the globe’s top resorts.

The leaves are falling, the sun shining, the air is crisp, and the people are friendly. No matter what happens today, that will still be true tomorrow. There is no reason to not treat yourselves to a little happiness, a little fun every now and then. It is your duty to your country to be happy and not stress about what you can’t control. So call up Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals today at 1-888-866-2305 and start planning your escape today. They’ll even take some of the excess stress away by setting you up with complimentary ski rentals and a concierge to care of all your needs.

Many people know that vacation rentals are a cheaper alternative to hotels. You save on food, activities and for large families, even on the price of the rooms. But people are consistently choosing vacation rentals over hotels not because it’s the cheaper alternative but because of the small details that make a vacation rental feel like home.

It comes down to the amenities that are available to guests, which vary by house and owner. Simple things like having a washer and dryer, a blender, a kid’s media room or a bottle of local wine ready for when they first arrive make all the difference in the world to people. Vacation home owners give their guests a personalized treatment that is rare in the hotel industry. And many homes are stocked with all the essentials for a memorable family vacation, including a wide variety of board games, movies, toys and kitchen appliances. Want to make waffles for breakfast? No problem! Just plug in the waffle iron, look up a recipe in the cookbook sitting on the counter and a homemade waffle breakfast is ready in minutes. You just can’t get that from staying at a hotel room.

A vacation home is all about privacy and exclusivity. Fancy soaking in a bubbling hot tub in your back deck with nothing but the mountains around you? Go ahead. Plenty of hotels may have hot tubs too, but they’re shared by thousands of guests. This hot tub would be all yours for a week, along with everything else the house has to offer. Having your own porch, fireplace, kitchen and living room, your own space to enjoy will make your vacation one to remember for the rest of your life. But be warned. Once you stay in a vacation home, you’ll never want to go back to hotels again.

Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals specializes in vacation rentals. For help booking or finding the perfect fit for you and your family, call 1-866-348-5129

Most often travelers to the Colorado Rockies are thrill seekers, and these thrill seekers are athletes looking to push their physical limits.  The thin air makes physical exercise that much harder, you dehydrate faster, headaches come on quick- it’s a test to push your abilities to the limits.  For the past 5 years Aspen has been putting on the “Ideas Festival”, meant to push and challenge intellect. Leaving behind the bikes and skies, bring your books and notebooks because this festival will get your wheels turning.  The Aspen Ideas Festival is going to be celebrating its 6^th year this July.  This festival brings together a diverse group of people to share new ideas, debate old ideas, discuss current topics in the media and that effect the nation and the world.  The goal of the festival is to make our world a better place.  From presentations and lectures this is sure to be intellectually stimulating with words from writers, artists, scientists, entrepreneurs, and other leaders in their fields of expertise. All of the events will take place at the Aspen Institute and the theme is “Ideas in Action”.  Aspen is a beautiful and peaceful setting that will stimulate your mind, body and soul.  Summer is a busy time in Aspen so be sure to get your travel plans made early so you don’t miss out on this big Idea!

While perusing the Wall Street Journal, I came across a couple of articles outlining interesting trends for air travel this summer. Travelers can take advantage of websites such as Bing to view historical price graphs for airline tickets. Those doing their research will note some surprising changes…

In previous years consumers waited to purchase their ticket until about 3 weeks out, when fares are at the bottom due to airlines slashing prices to ensure that the seats were filled. Times are changing and airlines have reduced their capacity because of the recession. Already sources are saying that airfares are up 22% for the month of June. Planes are filling up quick, so if you’re looking to spend some quality time in Colorado this summer it is in the interest of your pocketbook to book now!

Although airfares are up, you can find peace of mind knowing that lodging rates are still looking very affordable, as hotels still struggle to put heads in beds. Many smart consumers have begun to realize the benefits of staying in vacation rentals. A vacation rental allows a group to cook their own meals, have more space and just an overall more unique experience than found at a hotel. Groups can find peace of mind knowing if they want to stay in a house, or neighboring condos they can do so and save money at the same time.

Colorado in the summer; glorious.  Experience it for yourself and you’ll know why.

These days it takes a lot to put a successful corporate retreat together, the Colorado Rockies can be the perfect place to bring your next corporate retreat.  There are a number of factors from within your company and outside that can affect the success of your retreat.  When considering putting a retreat together the first step is to have a goal of what needs to be accomplished at the retreat.  Asking a team to come together outside of the work place is a big commitment.  Everyone has their own lives, and families to take care of, so asking them to step away from that for a few days can be a lot.  The goal needs to be clear and involve all necessary parties and departments- this means not just bringing in the upper level managers but involving all levels of management.

Time management is the next key element to having success at your next corporate retreat.  No one can dominate and no one should be excluded.  In larger companies often times departments don’t have any communication with one another.  Team building is another element of success at a corporate retreat, and this is usually the most fun part.  The Colorado Rockies play the perfect host to corporate retreats.  All of the mountain destinations provide a relaxed and casual atmosphere; you are far from the city so there are fewer distractions. And the fun stuff- team building activities, the Rockies offer more activities to do together as a team than anywhere.  In the summer you can take your retreat on a thrilling rafting trip, get the team together for a round of golf on the pristine mountain courses- they say most business is done on the course anyways! There are jeep scavenger hunts in the forest, quiet sunset horseback rides for reflection.  Rocky Mt Group Travel specializes in helping groups of all kinds find the perfect location for their next company outing.

All can agree that the business climate today is unlike anything most veterans have experienced in a lifetime. Many companies’ response to the contracting economy has been in short, downsizing, budget adjustments and streamlining of practices in order to focus on what’s going to produce the biggest ROI.However, not everywhere is hurting. In fact trends of the last two years pose a phenomenal growth opportunity to those with a vision and a means to act tactfully towards their vision. So when the economy gets back to the levels seen prior to late 2008 these companies are steps ahead of the competition.

Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals has been an anomaly in the lodging industry, boosting noteworthy growth in sales from the previous year. Management has taken on additional talented staff, preformed extensive research and is expanding their business model. Group Travel, RMVR’s most recent addition, was created to meet the growing needs of groups traveling to the Rocky Mountains. More times than not, someone gets stuck being the group organizer for a trip to the mountains, without having any knowledge of the area to which they’re traveling to. Yet they are expected by their peers to create a seamless, enjoyable experience for all. That’s why Rocky Mountain Group Travel team leverages their local knowledge, diverse lodging inventory, and partnerships; thus allowing the group organizer to relax, while RMVR handles all the details.

With 5,500 properties in Vail, Beaver Creek, Steamboat Springs, Keystone, Breckenridge, Copper, Aspen and Snowmass, RMVR can place groups in anything from a studio rental to a large private home. Considering that the needs of a particular group vary based on the nature of travel, size of group and length of stay, RMVR has an advantage that hotels don’t have for groups; options. From transportation, meeting space, tours, and special event coordination, RMVR has the experience and resources to take care of as much or as little that is required for each client. Groups will continually come through the Rockies year-round despite the macro economy. We will be here every expanding and refining our skills so that our clients can rest assured knowing that we are making them look good. Who doesn’t like that?