Have you always wanted to plan a girls trip but never knew where to start? It’s honestly not as hard as you may think. I wanted to share with you tips on how to do it. I used Airbnb to find the perfect home to rent. It's one of the safest and easiest ways to find a place to stay. Be sure to make a list of what amenities are most important to you. For my group it was a private pool and Jacuzzi. I usually choose a listing that has reviews from other people who have stayed at the home and can vouch for it. Keep in mind that each home comes with a max occupancy; I found it’s best to rent a home that does not charge extra if more people than expected show up. It’s mentioned under the “house rules” on the listing so be sure to read it carefully.
In terms of costs, we rented a 3,500 square foot modern luxury home for $1,200 for two nights. There are plenty of higher and lower priced homes you can choose from. In addition to the cost of rent I usually add $300 to cover the cost of groceries for the weekend and an extra $100 for pizza one of the nights (we were a group of 18 girls!) We usually go out to a fancy dinner the other night. There is a cleaning fee that is included in the cost of rent, which is nice so that you and your guests don’t have to worry about leaving the house in an immaculate condition. I added up all the costs and divided the price evenly between the guests. The more people you have the cheaper it will be for everyone. I also instilled a rule that once you commit to the trip after a certain date, you will be financially responsible to cover your part even if you end up canceling last minute unless there was a serious emergency. This way people take their commitment to the trip more seriously, and it prevents them from changing their mind last minute for whatever reason and having the cost of rent go up for everyone else. The best way to collect payment from your group is via Paypal or Venmo. It’s really as simple as a click away if you have your bank account set up directly which allows you to avoid paying fees.
It was such a memorable experience. The home was spectacular, the weather was perfect, the group of girls was great, and the desert was beautiful. I will mention though that we ate at one of the highest rated restaurants in Palm Springs called TRIObut we did not enjoy our experience. The food was subpar and the people were rude so I wouldn’t recommend that place. We have eaten at The Riviera Resort and absolutely loved it. It's a great place for dinner and to lounge afterward.
There you have it! I’m sure you’ve wanted to plan something like this for a while, and now you know it’s really doable. If you have any other questions let me know. Hope you enjoy yourself!
