If you are planning a vacation to the Park City Utah area, you may find yourself overwhelmed with options. While Park City does have a few big name hotel chains, the majority of the lodging options are privately owned homes and condominiums. The question many vacationers ask is “Where do I even begin”?

Property management companies offer these privately owned residences for nightly rental. You may also be able to rent directly through an individual homeowner but this can be slightly riskier for the consumer. There are also central reservations agencies and private booking companies who contract with management companies and usually take a commission of up to 25% for the service. Since the property manager has to pay a commission to the booking agency, sometimes you can get a better deal if you contact the property manager directly.

Experienced visitors often visit the Park City Chamber website to search for information on property managers who offer condos and homes for nightly rental. The chamber is a great resource but they only display the name of the property manager and the user has to search each manager’s website individually and compare potential rentals from one site to the next.

Precisely because there are so many different companies offering rentals, many visitors end up booking through booking agencies or central reservations services. While making a reservation in this fashion definitely saves time; it is doubtful that you are getting the best deal possible since these companies have such high commissions built into the rental rate.

I recently became aware of a website called www.localtourist.com that specializes in connecting visitors with businesses in the Park City area. Local Tourist is an informational directory similar to the Park City Chamber; however, it allows you to search individual rentals and then contact the property manager directly. You are probably going to get a better deal since they don’t take a commission like booking agencies.

Local Tourist doesn’t just help with lodging; the site also helps you research the three ski resorts, activity vendors, and restaurants. The restaurant search has all of the standard search functionality you would expect as well as a detailed neighborhood search so you’ll be able to find the perfect restaurant close to where you are staying.

Park City has become a destination for foodies as well as adventure seekers. The town now boasts over 100 restaurants and many are highly acclaimed so you’ll definitely want to do some research before you plunk down your hard earned cash while on vacation. Local Tourist does a great job with their restaurant search feature but you should also check out the Park City Chamber’s website www.parkcityinfo.com because they have a nice restaurant search as well.

If you are an avid skier or someone looking for a picturesque vacation destination away from it all, Park City is a great choice. In addition to world class skiing and snowboarding, the town is home to the celebrity packed Sundance Film Festival, fine dining, spas, and numerous other activities. This quaint little mountain town is also increasingly popular in the summer with attractions such as food and wine festivals, art festivals, fine dining, mountain biking, hiking, and the clean, clear, mountain air. So whether you visit in the winter or summer you are sure to enjoy your stay in Park City, Utah.