Well, those who love Craigslist…I think that I might be willing to join your camp!
I wrote a post last week about looking for a Jazz Fest getaway spot through Craigslist and there were SO many options to choose from! I wrote about 6 people that had posted ads on Craigslist and received quick responses from all of them – give a + for that…unfortunately for me, it seems that I started my search a little on the late side, as five of the 6 wrote me to say that Jazz Fest weekends were all booked.
I even had one “helpful” renter inform me that HIS condo booked months and months in advance of Jazz Fest and I might want to remember that in the future…you see? They’re just SO helpful on Craigslist…are you picking up on the sarcasm? I’m laying it on a little think here…
Anyway, I got a little worried about my timing after I got that one particular response (as I got it first or second) and started wondering if we were just going to have to go the hotel route after all. Then, I started seeing some postings about cancellations and hope sprang once again.
Luckily for me, even though 5 of the owners wrote me to say that they were already book, I had one reply telling me that the weekend was still available. YEA! Insert a GREAT BIG happy face here. The bad news, because you know there’s always a down side…the price was about $50 higher per night than I really wanted to pay. I told her that in my reply email, sort of hoping that she would agree to meet me on this. Her reply back to me? Sorry. Yep, just one word. Oh well, it was worth a try.
Later that evening, I was catching up with Mr. CC and told him about hearing from this lady. He was very quick to point out that even if we paid the $50 more per night, it would still be cheaper than a hotel. You see, the hotels were going for $179/night, plus taxes and parking. This condo was $200/night, but included taxes and parking. Yes, Mr. CC you are wise beyond your years…
But what was a girl to do? I’d already written her and told her that it was out of our budget! Oh well, in this scenario you only have two options…suck it up and beg for forgiveness or move on and keep searching. There are many out there that would probably go for option #2, but I’d already done all the searching that I really wanted to do, so option #1 it was. I was nice and blamed Mr. CC for the mix-up! LOL! Just kidding, Mr. CC – relax. I actually told the owner that after discussing things with my fiancé, we had decided that we would be willing to pay the extra $$ and was the condo still open? Then I held my breath…
And held it a little longer…
I’ll admit it, she had every right to make me wait a bit. But lucky for me, she’s not mean either, and she wrote me back at the end of last week and told me that the condo was still available at $200/night. I replied that we wanted to book it for just two nights of the Jazz Fest. And then I waited to hear back from her. We had a busy weekend, so it wasn’t until late last night that I realized that she had not written me back finalizing things. Just about that time, my crackberry buzzed to let me know that I had a new email.
Sure enough, it was the owner…and surprise, surprise…she really wanted to rent the condo for a full three nights and was willing to come down to my original asking price of $150/night if we would stay for three nights. Deal! Sold! Where do I sign?
So we’re taking a mini vacation to NOLA the first weekend of Jazz Fest! And we’re getting three nights at an awesome condo for only $50 more than we were originally going to pay for two nights! Awesome! And check out the pictures that she sent me…this place looks SO cool. Private condo right on Canal street, private security entrances, parking included, rooftop pool and a fitness center…I don’t think that I would have asked for anything else.
I wrote a post last week about looking for a Jazz Fest getaway spot through Craigslist and there were SO many options to choose from! I wrote about 6 people that had posted ads on Craigslist and received quick responses from all of them – give a + for that…unfortunately for me, it seems that I started my search a little on the late side, as five of the 6 wrote me to say that Jazz Fest weekends were all booked.
I even had one “helpful” renter inform me that HIS condo booked months and months in advance of Jazz Fest and I might want to remember that in the future…you see? They’re just SO helpful on Craigslist…are you picking up on the sarcasm? I’m laying it on a little think here…
Anyway, I got a little worried about my timing after I got that one particular response (as I got it first or second) and started wondering if we were just going to have to go the hotel route after all. Then, I started seeing some postings about cancellations and hope sprang once again.
Luckily for me, even though 5 of the owners wrote me to say that they were already book, I had one reply telling me that the weekend was still available. YEA! Insert a GREAT BIG happy face here. The bad news, because you know there’s always a down side…the price was about $50 higher per night than I really wanted to pay. I told her that in my reply email, sort of hoping that she would agree to meet me on this. Her reply back to me? Sorry. Yep, just one word. Oh well, it was worth a try.
Later that evening, I was catching up with Mr. CC and told him about hearing from this lady. He was very quick to point out that even if we paid the $50 more per night, it would still be cheaper than a hotel. You see, the hotels were going for $179/night, plus taxes and parking. This condo was $200/night, but included taxes and parking. Yes, Mr. CC you are wise beyond your years…
But what was a girl to do? I’d already written her and told her that it was out of our budget! Oh well, in this scenario you only have two options…suck it up and beg for forgiveness or move on and keep searching. There are many out there that would probably go for option #2, but I’d already done all the searching that I really wanted to do, so option #1 it was. I was nice and blamed Mr. CC for the mix-up! LOL! Just kidding, Mr. CC – relax. I actually told the owner that after discussing things with my fiancé, we had decided that we would be willing to pay the extra $$ and was the condo still open? Then I held my breath…
And held it a little longer…
I’ll admit it, she had every right to make me wait a bit. But lucky for me, she’s not mean either, and she wrote me back at the end of last week and told me that the condo was still available at $200/night. I replied that we wanted to book it for just two nights of the Jazz Fest. And then I waited to hear back from her. We had a busy weekend, so it wasn’t until late last night that I realized that she had not written me back finalizing things. Just about that time, my crackberry buzzed to let me know that I had a new email.
Sure enough, it was the owner…and surprise, surprise…she really wanted to rent the condo for a full three nights and was willing to come down to my original asking price of $150/night if we would stay for three nights. Deal! Sold! Where do I sign?
So we’re taking a mini vacation to NOLA the first weekend of Jazz Fest! And we’re getting three nights at an awesome condo for only $50 more than we were originally going to pay for two nights! Awesome! And check out the pictures that she sent me…this place looks SO cool. Private condo right on Canal street, private security entrances, parking included, rooftop pool and a fitness center…I don’t think that I would have asked for anything else.
Has anyone else taken a non-wedding related trip during the middle of planning? Did you feel that it helped you to get away from all the planning, even if it was only for a weekend?
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