Great views including the Cactus!

Just read this interesting article by a travel writer that recently visited Scottsdale.

Scottsdale is all very hip and happening, with fancy hotels, great golf courses (allegedly—I’m no golfer) and highly rated restaurants. But during my visit last year, I was mesmerized by the cacti. So many varieties, so many personalities. I snapped umpteen photos.

Sometimes we who live and work in Scottsdale forget how beautiful it is. We have one of the most beautiful deserts in the world. Even our cacti is unique.

When families are renting our vacation rental properties at SpecialtyLodging.com, we always try to feature the views, because our clients are looking for that desert view, gold course view, mountain view, sunset view or even a lake view.

When planning your next Scottsdale area visit, make sure you visit SpecialtyLodging.com for the best deal on Arizona vacation rentals and corporate housing.

Scottsdale CVB's “Name the Scottsdale Cowgirl” promotion has selected a Name

The formerly nameless diamond-roping cowgirl featured in the Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau’s newest ad campaign will now be known as Camelback Kate as voting for the “Name the Scottsdale Cowgirl” promotion ended April 15.

Web site visitors chose Owen Edgar from Scottsdale for his name submission of Camelback Kate.

All total, 928 votes were received for the contest finalists. More than 4,200 names were submitted for the contest and came from 46 states, as well as throughout Canada.

The entries generated by this contest are significantly more than any other promotion the CVB has conducted in recent years. The “Name the Scottsdale Cowgirl” contest was part of the Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau’s efforts to promote its new brand advertising campaign, which launched in January.

Five new Scottsdale ads showcase the city’s sophistication and vibrancy in the Sonoran Desert while exploring the layered experiences inherent in a quintessential Scottsdale vacation.

Specialty Lodging Is Celebrating Mom’s The Entire Month of May with A Free Rental Car

Specialty Lodging Is Celebrating Mom’s The Entire Month of May with A Free Rental Car

This May Specialty Lodging will be offering a free Enterprise Rental Car
with a weeklong vacation rental during the month of May.

Scottsdale, Arizona – April 2009/Specialty Lodging/Press Release – Specialty Lodging, the leading professional vacation rental firm based in beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona is pleased to announce, they will be celebrating mothers, grandmothers and families this May. All vacation rentals arriving in May will receive a free Enterprise rental car for one week – allowing families to get out and explore Arizona!

Specialty Lodging has plenty of properties perfect for Mom & Dad to get away for some much needed rest and relaxation. But, they also manage vacation properties that the whole family will enjoy – from Great Grandma all the way down to the youngest children. Imagine a vacation were the whole family will enjoy spending quality family time in private luxury homes with private pools, gourmet kitchens, game rooms, theatre rooms and high speed Internet. Specialty Lodging prides itself on offering luxury vacation rentals at prices that make traditional lodging prices seem Outrageous.

“With all that Mother’s do for a family, we at Specialty Lodging think they deserve more than one day a year for us to show our appreciation. An Arizona vacation with a free rental car is a great way to say thank you!” says Jim Kempski, President of Specialty Lodging. “Now that Specialty Lodging is providing a free rental car for the week families will be able to fly into Phoenix, pick up their car and head straight for their vacation – does it get much easier?”

For more information on this special offer from Specialty Lodging, interested travelers should call 866-316-4821 or visit Specialty Lodging on the web at: www.SpecialtyLodging.com.

Specialty Lodging offers vacation rentals throughout Arizona, allowing vacationers to choose a luxury home base while taking advantage of everything Arizona has to offer. Whether it is sightseeing the Grand Canyon, golfing at some of the best golf courses in the United States, enjoying the many street festivals and events, relaxing at world class spas or enjoying the dining and nightlife – Specialty Lodging has the Arizona property for your perfect vacation.

Specialty Lodging destinations in Arizona include:
• The North Valley which includes: North Scottsdale, North Phoenix, Carefree and Cave Creek
• The East Valley including: Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and the famous Phoenix Biltmore area
• Northern Arizona including Sedona, Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon
• And coming soon: Tempe, Mesa and Tucson

About Specialty Lodging
Specialty Lodging LLC is a premier, luxury vacation home and rental management company. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Specialty Lodging provides a comprehensive and fully integrated management and marketing service program to individual owners of vacation homes or investors. Specialty Lodging's Property Management Program has taken traditional property management to the next level, providing traditional services of sound property maintenance, comprehensive accounting, and adding Specialty Lodging's Comprehensive Marketing Program.

Specialty Lodging is owned and operated by Jim and Mary Kempski. Jim and the team at Specialty Lodging are progressively involved in community and industry endeavors. Specialty Lodging can be found on the web at www.SpecialtyLodging.com and can be reached at 480-429-3844.

What a week in The Scottsdale area.

It has been a good week to be in the Scottsdale area. I have been to 2 Spring Training games this week, 1 more coming over the weekend and now we have 2 days of NCAA men's basketball.

Seems like the last 10 days of Spring Training brings the most night games. That makes it easier for those of us that live and work here to get to more games. The baseball fans visiting the area like it because that can watch 2 games a day now.

As we have always said, when you add the Scottsdale areas events with the sunny weather and add a great place to stay that makes for a great vacation. And with Specialty Lodging Arizona you have your choice of homes, condos, resort rentals, villas and estates to select from.

Check out SpecialtyLodging.com for the best deal on a professionally managed vacation rental and our Spring Specials.

The Scottsdale Arts Festival, one of the most premier arts festivals in the country

Another great reason to visit the Scottsdale area is always the events. This weekend we have the Scottsdale Arts Festival, one of the most premier arts festivals in the country bringing tens of thousands of visitors each day over the weekend.

The Festival is known for the high quality and variety of fine arts and fine crafts available, as well as the continuous presentations, performances and demonstrations that take place throughout the weekend.

The Scottsdale Arts Festival spans the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall, located in Old Town Scottsdale, adjacent to the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.

Live entertainment featuring jazz, folk, classical, blues, rock and world music. Roving entertainers offer impromptu performances throughout the festival grounds. And remeber when planning your Scottsdale area visit, you need to contact SpecialtyLodging.com. "We make traditional lodging prices seem outrageous.

Baseball fans all over started to wake up Today

Today was the opening of Spring Training and we were fortunate to attend the Cubs home opener in Mesa Arizona. And was it a beautiful day. 80's and sunny today in the Phoenix area.

For the first game of the year, the players performed well. The game was very entertaining. You could tell this was the first game for the fans. I overheard several calls and you could tell it was hard to admit to the callers that they were calling somebody attending a baseball game. The stands were full of out of town visitors, so you can image the reaction from that Chicago caller. You are where? It is how warm?

And the sights and sounds of spring time were there. It was wonderful. The bleachers resembled a picnic at the beach. Vendors were selling the usual; beer, peanuts, crackerjack, etc.

And the best part of today's game, Micah Hoffpauir, hoping to secure a spot on the 25-man roster, hit a go-ahead grand slam in the fifth inning.

There is still time to make your arrangement to visit the valley and watch your favorite team in a very intimate stadium. Contact SpecialtyLodging.com, 800-778-8532. Get your best deal on one of our Professionally Managed Vacation Rentals and we will include a free rental car for the week. Call for details or visit http://rentals.specialtylodging.com/SearchCriteria.aspx

Cubs Cactus League Record: 1-0

Specialty Lodging Is Attracting All-Stars This Spring

Specialty Lodging Is Attracting All-Stars This Spring

Baseball & Basketball Stars Are Finding Their Arizona Accommodations with Specialty Lodging

Scottsdale, Arizona – February, 2009/Specialty Lodging/Press Release – Specialty Lodging, the leading professional vacation rental firm in beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona is pleased to announce that they are experiencing a record breaking winter and spring rental season. What has led to this record breaking season--great weather and activities such as sight-seeing, fine dining, golf, festival & events and the great nightlife. Major sports stars and their fans staying with Specialty Lodging for the NBA All-Star Game and Major League Baseball Spring Training season took Specialty Lodging over the top.

This record breaking rental season follows the records set in 2008 when Phoenix hosted the Super Bowl and is truly showing that even in a tough economy, travelers still need to get away and they want to come to Arizona. Specialty Lodging is the first and only choice for luxury homes with private heated pools, affordable condos, and romantic luxury villas and estates that will take your breath away. Specialty Lodging prides itself on offering luxury vacation rentals at prices that make traditional lodging prices seem outrageous.

“A review of our February arrivals showed us that we could have formed our own Major League Baseball All-Star Teams which made all of us at Specialty Lodging very proud. We strive to provide not only the finest vacation rentals at the best value in the areas we serve – but also to provide the best customer service. At Specialty Lodging all of our guests are treated like an All-Star,” stated Jim Kempski, President of Specialty Lodging.

Jim added, “With Spring Training in full swing and games starting on February 25^th, why not stay were the stars stay – Specialty Lodging? We still have limited openings for February, March and April and not only are our properties convenient to all the baseball action, but they offer all the amenities vacationers could ask for and you will also be able to enjoy all of Arizona. We invite vacationers to visit our website, www.SpecialtyLodging.com , view our real-time availability and book online or call our dedicated team at 866-316-4821 to book their next vacation.”

This year a record fourteen Major League Baseball teams will call Arizona home for Spring Training. With fan friendly ballparks, there's no better place to enjoy a Spring Training game than at one of the 11 stadiums in nine cities throughout Arizona that host the Cactus League. Best of all, Specialty Lodging has great professionally managed vacation homes convenient to all of the great Spring Training action.

Spring Training baseball games start on February 25^th and continue throughout March with the following teams participating in the Cactus League in 2009:

• Arizona Diamondbacks (Tucson)
• Chicago Cubs (Mesa)
• Chicago White Sox (Glendale)
• Cleveland Indians (Phoenix)
• Colorado Rockies (Tucson)
• Kansas City Royals (Surprise)
• Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (Tempe)
• Los Angeles Dodgers (Glendale)
• Milwaukee Brewers (Phoenix)
• Oakland A’s (Phoenix)
• San Diego Padres (Peoria)
• San Francisco Giants (Scottsdale)
• Seattle Mariners (Peoria)
• Texas Rangers (Surprise)

Specialty Lodging offers vacation rentals throughout Arizona, allowing vacationers to choose their base of operations for their trip. Whether it is sightseeing the Grand Canyon, golfing at some of the best golf courses in the United States, visiting your favorite Major League Baseball Team during Spring Training, enjoying the many festivals and events, relaxing at world class spas or enjoying the dining and nightlife – Specialty Lodging has the Arizona property for your perfect vacation.

Specialty Lodging offerings in Arizona include:

• The North Valley which includes: North Scottsdale, North Phoenix, Carefree and Cave Creek
• The East Valley including: Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and the famous Phoenix Biltmore area
• Northern Arizona including Sedona, Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon
• And coming soon: Tempe, Mesa and Tucson

About Specialty Lodging

Specialty Lodging is a premier, luxury vacation home, and rental management company. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Specialty Lodging provides a comprehensive and fully integrated management and marketing services program to individual owners of vacation homes and investors. Specialty Lodging's Property Management Program has taken traditional property management to the next level, providing traditional services of sound property maintenance, comprehensive accounting, and adding Specialty Lodging's Comprehensive Marketing Program.

Specialty Lodging is owned and operated by Jim and Mary Kempski. Jim and the team at Specialty Lodging are heavily involved in community and industry endeavors. Specialty Lodging can be found on the web at www.SpecialtyLodging.com and can be reached at 480-429-3844. This press release submitted and formatted by Visual Data Systems on behalf of Specialty Lodging.