Really? $299 a week for a place to stay in San Francisco or a beach condo in the Cayman Islands or a cozy cottage in Tuscany? It’s true through the TravelBlue program—but only if you’re a member of the Penn State Alumni Association.

Penn State’s partnership with Endless Vacation Rentals by Wyndham Worldwide allows Penn Staters to stay in excellent accommodations in 80 countries around the world at affordable prices. There are no hidden fees. No sales tours to attend. Only a great place at a great price.

Just ask Fred Fornwalt ’71, who stayed in Scharnitz, Austria, with TravelBlue as an addition to a one-week European tour during the summer of 2010.

“We were trying to figure out a way to get a little more time in the country and started exploring TravelBlue options and came upon this place,” said Fornwalt. “It was great, an absolutely wonderful base of operation.”

The accommodations in Scharnitz, approximately two hours south of the Munich Airport, included an on-site restaurant, friendly staff, kitchenette and a balcony with views of the Alps.

“The only downside was that the mountains were blocking the view,” Fornwalt joked. “It was very picturesque and certainly quite affordable. We had a great time and would not hesitate again to use TravelBlue.”

Finding the perfect vacation accommodations through TravelBlue is easy. Search the online database for off-season and short-notice rental specials or call 877-782-9387 to talk to a vacation reservationist with Endless Vacation Rentals by Wyndham Worldwide. Steve Gentry ’69 has used TravelBlue five times with his wife, Carol Gentry ’69. Steve Gentry says it’s a breeze to find the right place, “TravelBlue is absolutely as user-friendly as you can get with a travel site.”

By using TravelBlue, the Gentrys have stayed in Myrtle Beach, S.C.; the Outer Banks in North Carolina; and Daytona Beach, Fla. They are also planning another trip in 2012 to Florida. The Gentrys have one piece of advice. “The earlier you start planning the better off you are,” said Steve Gentry.

Carol Gentry says their experience has always been fabulous. “Even when you search by lowest price, it’s a good quality,” said Carol Gentry. “It’s amazing what you get for the value. We’ve never had a bad place.”

TravelBlue is open to all Penn State Alumni Association members, 21 years and older. To search the TravelBlue database, a user name and password are required. Alumni Association members can call 800-548-LION (5466) option 2, then option 3 or e-mail alumni-member@psu.edu to obtain both.

For more information, visit the TravelBlue website.