About

Why spend hours on sites like VRBO and Airbnb searching for vacation rentals by owner when you can get advice from travel writers who’ve actually stayed in the properties?

Travel by Vacation Rental was founded by experienced travel writers Noreen Kompanik and Kristi Dosh, who rounded up some of their travel writing friends to help them profile the best vacation rentals in the United States, Mexico, Canada and more.

Noreen and Kristi met on their very first press trip back in 2015 on St. Simons Island in Georgia. Since then, they’ve traveled the country together and started two businesses, this site and their own travel writing retreats for travel writers who are ready to take their writing to the next level.

The ladies launched this site after staying in some amazing vacation rentals both for travel writing retreats and for personal travel. They love getting to experience destinations more through the lens of a local by staying in condos, townhomes and houses that allow them to settle in and feel right at home.

Meet Noreen Kompanik

Noreen Kompanik is a retired registered nurse, legal nurse consultant, and military spouse turned travel writer. She launched her travel writing career in 2014 and has over 600 articles in both digital and print publications.

She is an assistant editor for Food, Wine, Travel Magazine and a senior writer for Go Nomad. Noreen is also a regular contributor to Travel Pulse, San Diego Explorer, Edible San Diego Magazine, International Living, and Europe Up Close, and pioneered the Travel Writer’s Café for Great Escape Publishing.

Meet Kristi Dosh

Kristi Dosh is a “recovering attorney” turned publicist, as well as a contributor with Forbes, POPSUGAR, AARP, CraftBeer.com and Entrepreneur. She has also written for such outlets as Glamour, Men’s Health, Woman’s Day, Parents, Golf Digest and more. Kristi writes about beach travel and lifestyle on her pen name website, SavannahCarlisle.com.

Kristi previously served as a multi-platform reporter at ESPN and holds a law degree from the University of Florida. She is the author of two books and a frequent public speaker, in addition to teaching as an adjunct in University of Florida’s Journalism, Public Relations and Sports Management programs. She also teaches programs on social media for travel writers, personal branding, public relations, public speaking and writing.