Homes Away Blog - Website Information

Image Video

nospam@example.com (Arthur P. Mattejat) — Sun, 06 May 2012 12:47:40 +0200

Just a few days ago, we have relaunched our website with some unique features, which make using our website even more comfortable.

As of now, you can quote the rental rate without filling in the booking form. The pre selection of holiday villas has become more precise and you will now be able to view videos of single villas. Step by step, they will be added to each of our rental villas. Click here or here so view some samples.

In addition, we have created an introduction video, which you can find here. Enjoy!

Useful information when traveling to/in GERMANY

nospam@example.com (Arthur P. Mattejat) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 17:15:15 +0100

1. About money:

The currency is EURO / €. Credit cards are accpeted in most shops and restaurants and all petrol stations. Acceptance of Diners Club and AMEXCO cards is not common in Germany. Major cards are VISA and MasterCard. Cash dispensers are available everywhere

Unlike boutiques and shops, only few grocery stores and supermarkets accept credit cards. Be sure to carry some cash with you to prevent precarious situations.

Change money at banks, post offices, airport or train stations. Travellers cheques are hardly accepted

Most banks are affiliated with several international ATM networks (Cirrus, Plus, Star, Maestro)

2. Electricity and phones:

The voltage is 240V AC / 50 Hz. Make sure, that your appliances are suitable for this voltage

Most public pay phones no longer accept coins but only Deutsche Telecom phonecards, which are available in denominations of € 5, € 10, and € 15 from post offices, newsagents, some tourist offices and public transport offices. You can also buy prepaid cards from other providers which can save money and are used by dialing a PIN. Credit cards can only be used from a small number of public phones.

Germany operates on a GSM network, which is compatible with the rest of Europe and Australia, but not with the North American or the totally different system in Japan. T-Mobile, Cingular and some other U.S. wireless firms do use GSM, but on different frequency bands.

A multi-band cell phone allows you to use the same phone in the USA and Europe. However, there are several alternatives, including buying or renting an unlocked GSM wireless phone just for use in Europe and other GSM areas of the world (about 190 countries).

The coverage is good in Germany, and there's a funny thing you should know: When Germans talk about their cell phones, they use an english word for it you may not understand: They call it "Handy".

3. Local time:

Germany operates on Central European time (CET), which means that the country is six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (EST) in the United States and 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Summer daylight saving time comes into effect on the last Sunday in March at 2am, when clocks are put forward one hour and ends on the last Sunday in October. Official times (eg shop hours, train schedules) are usually indicated by the 24-hour clock, eg 7.30pm is 19.30

4. Driving in Germany:

The German road network is unique in the world - it covers about 230.000 km, there is no toll to pay for driving the motorway (Autobahn). Speed limit is 30 km/h on urban roads, 50 km/h on city roads and 100 km/h on two laned highways. Partly, on the motorways, you may drive as fast as you want to. Bear in mind, that there is a general recommendation not to drive any faster than 130 km/h on motorways, even if there is no speed limit indicated. To hire rental cars in Germany you need to be at least 21 years old and additionally, car rentals in Germany want see a valid driver’s licence and a major credit card when picking up the rental car. More than 98% of the German rental cars are manuals - be sure to ask for an automatic if you require one.

Seat belts front and rear are obligatory at any time. No hand held mobile devices are allowed when driving.

The drink-drive limit is 0,3 per mill. German beer is way stronger than the beer in the US! Keep this in mind and respect the drink-drive limit at any time to prevent big problems with the police.

5. Residing in private villas:

White goods and household appliances are not as large as in the US. If required, the owners will gladly instruct you how to use them.

Double beds are not always KingSize. Usually double beds are 1,4m to 2m (4.6 to 6.5 ft) wide

AirCondition: it is not common to have air condition in German houses - it is rarely found. If avaialable, normally the consumption of electricity is measured and charged extra.

Do not expect towels and sheets to be changed every day. In our vacation homes, towels are usually changed mid weeks and linen is changed every week. If you require such to be changed more often, please inform us or the owner/custodian and it will be arranged accordingly.

6. Restaurants:

You will discover the modern German cuisine which is influenced by the light Mediterranean way of cooking as well as traditional regional specialties, which are delicious and distinctive.

Guests are free to choose their table without being seated by the waiter, unless a reservation has been made.

Paying the bill: unlike in the US, there is no cashier in restaurants. Ask the waiter for the bill - he will bring it to you and payment (incl. of tipping) is made directly to the waiter at the table.

Tipping: usually a tip of 5 - 10 % of the amount due is given

7. Shoping groceries, food and beverages in Germany:

You will find a vast choice of grocery stores and supermarkets. Opening hours are usually from 08:00 until 20:00 hrs from Monday to Saturday, subject to regional exclusions. On Sundays, shops are closed. Except bakeries, which sell fresh bread and bread rolls in the mornings. Low budget brands grocoery stores are ALDI and LIDL, which you will find it almost every town. Medium brands are TENGELMANN and KAISERS, which are also spread all over the country. Ask your landlord or custodian/handyman, if you wish to find other shops - they will gladly assist you.

Beside the traditional way of cooking, which is mostly very substantial, healthy and balanced diet is capturing German kitchens. From the Northern Coastline to the Alps one will find more than 300 kinds of bread, a wide assortment of specialty cheeses and other dairy products. Besides the grocery stores, weekly and local markets offer fresh meat and fish, fruit and vetgetables. We highly recommend and encourage you to visit this markets - they reflect life and local tradition.

Potable water: it is harmless to drink water from the tab throughout the country

What would Germany be without beer? It is the king of drinks and is brewed in about 1500 breweries. Beer is not just something to drink in Germany, it is a part of culture. Being number one of German beergardens it has worldwide a great reputation regarding quality and taste.

Wine making is an old tradition in Germany. There are thirteen wine regions. Wine is gaining more and more popularity not only in Germany, but especially abroad. Did you know, that the Riesling grape is in such a great demand that it has become number one of German wine exports to the US and to Japan?

8. Individual/local information:

In each of our vacation homes, you will find a "house book" with comprehensive information.

Need more information?

Feel free to forward your questions to us by sending an email to info@homes-away.com

We will gladly answer, so that your vacation in Germany will not start with unpleasant surprises.

new "home away from home" in Puglia

nospam@example.com (Arthur P. Mattejat) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:57:39 +0100

We pridely pronounce, that as of today, another stunning holiday home has been added to our website. The region of Puglia in the south of Italy has kept it´s original charme, because the mass of tourists has not yet spoiled this region. So one may expect traditional and rural life. The old buidlings are called TRULLO, which are stone structures with conical roofs. The walls of a trullo are incredibly thick to create a comfortable temperature both in summer and in winter.

"When it´s 40 degrees outside, you climb onto the beds in the alcoves where it is wonderfully cool. In the winter, we just get a fire going" states Morten, the co-owner.

Trullo Angelo is set in a prime position, just 20 minutes driving from either the Ionian or the Adriatic sea.

"Medieval modern" that is the comment of the UK Elle Decoration´s article in October 2009

Visit our website to receive comprehensive information on Trullo Angelo. To book it, click here.

Holiday homes/villas/chalets in Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland

nospam@example.com (Arthur P. Mattejat) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:42:00 +0200

Domizile Reisen is now presenting a couple of very attractive holiday homes in Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland. The Bavarian Forest is a very traditional destination for an inexpensive family vacation. The Allgaeu allures thousands of people from all over the world each year. It is not surprising, since the royal palace Neuschwanstein and the Wieskirche are among the most visited sights in Germany. That makes it even more attractive to rent a villa for a recreative vacation in the area. The houses at the Bavarian lakes are especially popular. The Chiemsee is famous for its location. With good proximity to Munich and Salzburg the position is good for comfortable day trips. In Munich, the German Museum, the various art galleries and museums, the BMW World and the Hofbräuhaus are worth visiting. Salzburg offers just as many interesting sights: the Fort, the Mozart House and the Linzergasse are just a few. Seehaus Gstadt is located directly on the lake shore of Lake Chiemsee. Just a little promenade seperates the property and the house from the shore. You will have a stunning view over the Fraueninsel and the impressive mountains. The Chiemseevilla in Breitbrunn is located in a very quiet area; it only takes a short walk to get to the beach. Reit am Winkel, Ruhpolding and mountain hikes at the Kampenwand or at the Wendelstein are just some of the many places of excursions. It is also possible to just spend a day at the lake, sunbathe on a deck-chair or swim in the clear water. Some places offer sailing or surfing lessons. A boat trip to the Fraueninsel and the Herreninsel are a necessity for everyone who spends his holidays in the Chiemgau. Many guesthouses and rustic Bavarian tavernas spoil everyone’s palate with the modern but still very traditional Bavarian cuisine. Further in the Alps, in Zell am See, one can find Chalet Niederstein, formerly owned by a member of the Porsche family. It is only 6 kilometers away from Zell am See and offers splendid views of the „Three Brothers“ at an altitude of 1200 meters. The „Europa Sport Region“ offers a variety of activities that can be carried out year-round, like skiing, trekking or golf, to mention just a few. The Wörthersee in Carinthia is also very popular. Seehaus Theresa is the gem among the rental villas in Austria. It has direct access to the lake and a seperate rack. In the winter it is beautiful to relax in the sauna or the fitness area after a long day of skiing in the mountains. Lodge Verbier in Switzerland is an extraordinary home away from home. Domizile Reisen is one of the few European tour operators authorized to merchandise this luxurious property of Sir Richard Branson in Switzerland. In all three countries one can easily travel with the own car to spend a nice summer or winter vacation in one of our domiciles. Price-conscious vacationers have already started to book the Chalet for their next winter holidays, because the early bird rebates are still very atttractive.

The island of Elba - a wallflower?

nospam@example.com (Denise Makowiak) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:40:20 +0200

This beautiful island is the biggest of the Tuscan archipelago. It competes for the favor of the visitors with its sister islands Sardinia and Sicily. Elba is a very attractive destination for families. The comfortable and short journey with the ferry from Livorno to Portoferraio is the beginning of a great holiday on the natural finished island. A variety of family hotels and beautiful holiday apartments along the scenic beaches offer a high living comfort. The leisure time facilities comprise a wide range of activities, starting with watersports, tennis, horseback riding, trekking, mountainbiking and golf. We offer hotel rooms as well as apartments, summer cottages and luxurious villas with a private pool in the holiday urbanization Costa dei Gabbiani. As of April 2009 we present a new "home away from home" on Elba. Casa al Campo is an ideal holiday home for families, because it is located on large premises with a big yard, terraces and a lawn for the children to play. The beach of Marina di Campo is just a short walk away. One of the most charming towns of the island is Capoliveri. Life here is stressless and enjoyable. Art galleries, handcraft stores, small cafes and a variety of very good restaurants are nestled along the pedestrian area. Conclusion: With all that the island Elba has to offer it is truely no wallflower, but a destination for price-conscious individualists.