Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Planning a Golf Getaway to the Lake of the Ozarks

Fall is arguably the best time of year to visit the Lake of the Ozarks, especially if golf is your game! The colors of the fall foliage are spectacular, especially with the backdrop of the Lake. Today's blog from the best vacation rental company at the Lake of the Ozarks offers information on planning a golf getaway this fall!

Lake of the Ozarks Golf Courses


Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks Golf Trail features over a dozen amazing courses for you to check out. Carved out of the Missouri Ozark Hills, the courses feature beautiful tree-lined fairways and many courses overlooking the Lake of the Ozarks itself. These courses will challenge anyone, from novice to expert. Our golf trail is the premier destination for golf in the Midwest. Check out the individual courses:

Fall Golf Tournaments 

Wayne Thomas Classic at Osage National - October 8 
On Sunday, October 8, Osage National Golf Resort will host the 4th Annual Wayne Thomas Classic golf tournament. It is a 4-person scramble that features 18 hols with cart, light fare, a silent auction, cash bar and prizes based on flights. Golf gets underway with a 12:00 pm shotgun start. Proceeds from the tournament go to benefit the Lake Ozark Junior Golf Association. For more info or to register, call the Pro Shop at 573-365-1950 or visit www.OsageNational.com.

22nd Annual "Play for the Kids" Golf Tournament - October 15 
The Annual YMCA "Play for the Kids" Golf Tournament will take place at the beautiful Old Kinderhook Golf Course this year. Registration and Lunch begins at 10:00 am, with an 11:00 am shotgun start for the tournament. This is a 4-person scramble setup. For more information, contact the YMCA at 573-348-9230 or www.LakeYMCA.org.

Osage National's Mission Impossible Tournament - October 15 
On Sunday, October 15, Osage National will bring back its annual Mission Impossible 3-person scramble. Entry includes 18 holes with cart and dinner following the round. You may have played Osage National before, but not like this! To learn more about the event, call the Pro Shop at 573-365-1950.

Places to Stay 


Your Lake Vacation is here to help with all your golf getaway planning needs. From finding you the perfect Lake of the Ozarks accommodations to setting up your tee times, your fall golf getaway is just a phone call away! Here are just a few of our units that would work great for golf groups:


Osage Vistas 348 - Sleeps 8 (5 Separate Beds) 
Osage Vistas is a very spacious 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath condo located in the Four Seasons area off Carol Road. (This condo is not on the water and does not offer a lake view.) The condo sleeps up to 8 guests; if separate beds are required, it will accommodate 5 golfers. Nearby courses include The Cove, The Ridge and Osage National. 



Old Matt's Cabin - Sleeps 9 (6 Separate Beds) 
Old Matt's Cabin is a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath private waterfront cabin located on the 18 mile market of the main channel. It will sleep up to 8 people; if separate beds are required, it will accommodate 5 golfers. Nearby courses include Deer Chase, Lake Valley and Old Kinderhook.



Imperial Point 761 - Sleeps 12 (7 Separate Beds) 
Imperial Point is a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath waterfront home located on the 7 mile marker of the main channel. It sleeps up to 12 guests; if separate beds are required, it will accommodate 7 golfers. Nearby courses include The Cove, The Ridge and Osage National.




Key Largo - Sleeps 18 (14 Separate Beds) 

Key Largo is one of our most popular homes because it can sleep so many people! This 5 bedroom waterfront home is located just past State Road KK in Osage Beach, and at the 28 mile marker by water. It will sleep up to 18 people; if separate beds are required, it will accommodate 14 golfers. Nearby courses include The Oaks, Hidden Lakes and the Dogwood Golf Range.

To start planning your Lake of the Ozarks golf getaway today, just let us know how many golfers you have and which courses you're wanting to play, and we'll customize a package just for you! Call 877-284-0267 to speak with a Your Lake Vacation representative today. We offer the best selection of waterfront home and condo rentals at the Lake of the Ozarks!

For more information please call us toll free at 1-877-284-0267!!
4571 Osage Beach Pkwy, Suite A
Osage Beach, MO 65065
Local - 573-365-3367
Fax - 573-365-5076  


Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Responding to Negative Reviews

In today's climate of social media, you can find a review for just about anything under the sun, and that also include's someone's experience with a vacation rental at the Lake of the Ozarks. How you respond to a negative review, as an owner or manager, can make all the difference in how the vacationing public views you and/or your company.

Composing Your Response


Responding to a negative review in a negative manner, trying to make excuses or blaming others, probably won't gain you main more rentals. Potential customers will get a negative perception and people don't want to do business with someone that has a negative attitude, especially toward their guests! As much as you want to react in that manner, DON'T DO IT!

So how do you respond to those bad reviews? Well, you can just ignore it and hope that it goes away (it won't). You can respond in a negative manner (probably not the best idea). You can answer by blaming the guest, the housekeeper or someone on your staff (also probably not a good idea). Or you can give an honest answer and just state the facts if there was something in the review that just wasn't true. Just be sure to do so in a manner that doesn't cast you in a negative light.

Our Negative Review Experience


Recently, we had a guest that wasn't happy with the cleaning at one of our homes. The first thing the next morning, we sent over someone to take care of the few items that had been missed. The unhappy guest sent the cleaner away without allowing them to clean because they were eating breakfast. So I called the guest and left them a message asking when the best time would be to take care of the cleaning issues. The guest never called back.

In the review they left online, they mentioned the cleaning issues and the fact that we sent someone over, but not that they sent them away. However, they continued to complain about the cleaning. In my response, I thanked them for their review and then politely stated the facts; that we sent someone over to clean, but that they sent them away. That I had left a message, but they never responded. I also mentioned that we do make errors, but that we have a full staff available 24/7 to respond to and take care of any problems they may encounter. Even though i already thought we had tried to do the right thing, I apologized and invited them back to give us another chance with a discount on their next stay.

When other potential guests read the review, they will see that we responded, that we don't treat our guests in a negative manner, and that if they do encounter a problem, that someone will respond. They will also see that we acknowledge our mistakes and don't just make excuses. The famous quote goes, "There's no such thing as bad publicity," however, your response to the bad publicity (review) can be bad or hopefully, good!

Russell Burdette is the owner/broker of Your Lake Vacation, a professional vacation rental company at the Lake of the Ozarks since 1986. If you would like more info on renting your Lake of the Ozarks condo or home as a vacation rental, give us a call at 573-365-3367. If you're interested in making a reservation in one of our condos or waterfront homes at the Lake of the Ozarks, contact us at 877-284-0267.

For more information please call us toll free at 1-877-284-0267!!
4571 Osage Beach Pkwy, Suite A
Osage Beach, MO 65065
Local - 573-365-3367
Fax - 573-365-5076  



Thursday, September 14, 2017

Old Matt's Cabin at the Lake of the Ozarks

Old Matt's Cabin


Located on the 28 mile marker of the main channel, Old Matt's Cabin features 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. This private waterfront cabin at the Lake of the Ozarks is just down the road from Seven Springs Winery and Big Surf Waterpark. Shopping and dining can be found just a short distance down the highway. 


Comfortable Lakefront Cabin 


The entrance to the home affords parking for up to 5 vehicles; this includes a car port in front of the home. The main floor features the kitchen with all the conveniences of home, and the living room with plenty of seating, a flatscreen TV, and DVD player. The dining room features a 10-top table, expansive lake view, access to the deck and a wet bar. 


Sleeping for Up to 10 


Downstairs you will find all of the bedrooms. The master bedroom features a queen bed. The first guest bedroom features 3 twin beds, while bedroom 2 features a king bed and a twin bed. Downstairs you will also find a full sized bath, the laundry room and access to the downstairs deck. 



On the way to the dock, take a look at the shade and grass yard for the kids to play in! The dock features a swim platform and a 12' x 20' slip. 


Vacation Rentals at the Lake of the Ozarks


Whether you're looking for a cozy retreat like Old Matt's Cabin or a small Lake of the Ozarks condo for a weekend getaway, Your Lake Vacation has your accommodations covered. Since 1986, we've been offering the best vacation rentals at the Lake of the Ozarks. Give us a call at 877-284-0267 to book Old Matt's Cabin or for information on other available units. 


For more information please call us toll free at 1-877-284-0267!!
4571 Osage Beach Pkwy, Suite A
Osage Beach, MO 65065
Local - 573-365-3367
Fax - 573-365-5076  

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Lake of the Ozarks Bikefest 2017

The 11th Annual Lake of the Ozarks Bikefest is happening now, September 13-17! Motorcycle enthusiasts are making their way to the beautiful Lake of the Ozarks for a weekend full of live entertainment, food and drink specials, vendors and more! Keep reading to learn more about what this year's Lake Bikefest has in store!


Passport Ride Bike Giveaway 


Partake in the 2017 Lake Bikefest Passport Ride for your chance to win a Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide! Ride around to the different stops collecting stamps for your passport. After all the stop locations are stamped, you will turn in your passport at the Official Passport Booth located at the Lake of the Ozarks Harley-Davidson Dealership no later than 3:00 pm on Sunday. You do not have to be present to win. Passport ride location stops are as follows:

  1. Lake of the Ozarks Harley Davidson 
  2. Harmy's Cheese Store & More, LLC
  3. Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina 
  4. Redhead Lakeside Grill
  5. Ozark Distillery 
  6. Surdyke Yamaha 
  7. Dog Days Bar & Grill 
  8. Tirebiter's Peanut Pub 
  9. Wobbly Boots Roadhouse
  10. Osage Beach 1st Assembly of God 
  11. Backwater Jack's 
  12. Shady Gators
  13. Camden on the Lake / H. Toad's 
  14. Ozark Yacht Club 
  15. The Leather Man 
  16. Tucker's Shuckers Oyster & Tap 
  17. Lucky's Bar & Grill
  18. Boathouse Lakeside Bar & Grill
  19. Paradise Tropical Restaurant
  20. American Legion Zack Wheat Post 624
  21. Cannon Smoked Saloon 
  22. Franky & Louie's 
  23. Captain Ron's Bar & Grill 
  24. Oh Tommy's Pub & Grill

Other Festivities & Participants


Over 300 biker-friendly bars and restaurants are welcoming participants of Lake Bikefest 2017. Many of them are even offering food and drink specials during the event. You will also enjoy over 50 live music and entertainment shows at various locations throughout the Lake of the Ozarks. Vendor Villages will be setup at Lake of the Ozarks Harley-Davidson and the Toad Cove Compound at Camden on the Lake. Be sure to check out some of the scenic views riding around the Lake of the Ozarks. For more information, visit: www.LakeBikefest.com

If you don't already have a place to stay for Bikfest weekend, give Your Lake Vacation a call at 877-284-0267. We still have some great Lake of the Ozarks condos and homes available for vacation rental this weekend. As your premier vacation rental company at the Lake of the Ozarks, we have all your accommodation needs covered! 

For more information please call us toll free at 1-877-284-0267!!
4571 Osage Beach Pkwy, Suite A
Osage Beach, MO 65065
Local - 573-365-3367
Fax - 573-365-5076  




Friday, September 1, 2017

The History Behind Labor Day

Labor Day is observed on the first Monday of September each year. While the holiday is often thought of as the end of the summer season, it was created to pay tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers. In today's blog, your Lake of the Ozarks vacation rental company discusses the history that led to the implementation of this federal holiday.


Labor Day History


The idea behind Labor Day was created during the labor movement in the late 19th century. During the height of the Industrial Revolution, the average American was working 12-hour days, seven days a week! Even some children as young as 5 or 6 worked in mills, factories and mines across the country. People of all ages faced extremely unsafe working conditions. They had insufficient access to fresh air, unsanitary facilities and not enough breaks. Labor unions became more prominent and more vocal. They began organizing strikes and rallies to protest these poor working conditions. Unfortunately, many of these events turned violent, such as the infamous Haymarket Riot of 1886.

The First Labor Day 


The first Labor Day in U.S. history featured a parade, where, on September 5, 1882, 10,000 workers took unpaid time off to march from City Hall to Union Square in New York City. The parade was meant to show the public the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations. The idea of a "workingmen's holiday" caught on in other industrial centers across the country, and many states passed legislation to recognize it. However, Congress did not legalize the holiday until 12 years later, in 1894. On May 11, 1894, employees of the Pullman Palace Car Company in Chicago went on strike to protest wage cuts and the firing of union representatives. Then on June 26, the American Railroad Union called for a boycott of all Pullman railway cars, which hurt railroad traffic nationwide. The federal government tried to break the strike, which led to the deaths of more than a dozen workers. In attempt to repair ties with American workers, Congress passed an act making Labor Day a legal holiday.

Your Lake Vacation hopes you have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend! As you're celebrating the end of the summer with your family at your waterfront house at the Lake of the Ozarks, remember what this holiday is all about and how far American workers have come. If you're not staying with us this weekend, we hope to see you soon! It's almost time for fall golf - call 877-284-0267 to setup a fall golf getaway at the Lake of the Ozarks today.

For more information please call us toll free at 1-877-284-0267!!
4571 Osage Beach Pkwy, Suite A
Osage Beach, MO 65065
Local - 573-365-3367
Fax - 573-365-5076