General Manager Tim Brown says, “Our guest rooms range from 240-square-feet rooms with a view of the beach, to 850-square-feet garden suites with two bedrooms. Every member of our staff is warm, efficient, guest- and service-oriented, and we all strive to make our visitors feel welcome. Our guests feel very much part of our family and we enjoy seeing them return year after year.”

We are planning a family trip for just a few days. That is my family, my brother's family, and my other brother's family. Our mother will be joining us, too. That makes four households, seven adults and six children all under three years old. Praise to my brave wife who has somehow volunteered to coordinate the arrangements.

You are planning a holiday abroad for your family, and want everyone to have a good time. You surf the internet for hotel descriptions, but from the pictures that you see and what you read, all hotels project a perfect image of themselves. How can you tell which ones are better? You have never been there and do not know anyone at your destination. At the same time, you don't want a hotel room that will go over your budget. How do you choose?

The relationship starts when you walk into the lovely tropical office of Home and Condo Rentals and you are greeted with a friendly, “How may we help you?” If your goal is to find a quality short- or long-term rental that matches your needs, they won’t rest until they say, “Welcome to your new home!”

The Home and Condo Rentals team has assisted thousands of customers since 1996. Presently, they manage more than 500 seasonal and annual properties. “Our greatest pleasure is to work with our wonderful customers,” says Nancy Thompson, co-owner. The company works with many newcomers to the area, who are advised to rent for at least six months before buying. “It gives them time to learn the area,” she says.

The hotel has been in the ownership of the Miles Family since 1948, and the family takes great pride in its condition. It is currently operated by Bob Miles, as his mother Faye Miles is now 101 years young! Presently they are embarking on a new venture; actively promoting El Patio on their website, through the Venice Chamber of Commerce, publications and the internet. While the hotel has been previously known as a rooming house and catered to long-term residential guests, El Patio has been transitioned into a more traditional hotel.