Why vacation rentals are better than hotels
Hotels can feel like a wonderful luxury, but they won’t always fit your needs or your budget.
Space and freedom
Hotel rooms, even the generous ones, tend to be a lot smaller than a house, and even the most luxurious hotels will have routines that might not fit yours. From set mealtimes to cleaning schedules to having to be quiet at night for the other guests, there are some restrictions you might want to get away from.
On average, a hotel room in the US is about 300 square feet, and research suggests that this average is shrinking. It’s plenty of space for a bedroom, but you won’t have the option to put your feet up in the living room, make a snack in the kitchen, or relax in a private garden. Hotels also have an average of 313 rooms, meaning that you have far more neighbours and people to share the amenities with. This experience is very different from that at a vacation rental.
In a vacation rental, you get the freedom to use your space however you wish. If you want to have a midnight snack, have one! If you want to dance in the living room, dance! This freedom is also true in terms of routine: breakfast won’t be at a certain time, and you won’t need to consider when housekeeping is coming around.
There also aren’t other guests to worry about, meaning you can turn your music up just that little bit louder or stay up that little bit later talking.
Affordable
Vacation rentals are also more affordable overall. Although a hotel room itself will be cheaper than an entire property, the ratio of financial value for space is much more in favour of vacation rentals. You will get a lot more space for your money, which is ideal for families, or groups of friends who want to live together. Staying at hotels as a group can mean being spread out across bedrooms without any communal space to share together.
Everyone wants to relax and have a good catch-up when they are on holiday; vacation rentals offer the opportunity to do this without having to leave home. Have a chat and a glass of wine in your pyjamas right before bed, rather than having to say goodbye when you reach your room.
The additional costs acquired by staying in a hotel also make vacation rentals a financially better option. Without a kitchen, you will find yourself eating your meals out, which – although a delicious luxury – is expensive. When you opt for a vacation rental, you still have the option to eat out as much as you want, but if you fancy a quiet evening in or a cheap meal at home, you have the choice. It all comes back to having the freedom to choose and to shape your holiday however you would like to.
Amenities
It’s not just having a kitchen and a living room that matters, either. There are other amenities which you can enjoy when you have the whole property to yourself. Available amenities will, of course, differ from property to property, but you are much more likely to find somewhere with a dishwasher, a washing machine, an ironing board, and a fridge (or whatever else you want) when you look beyond hotels.
Many vacation properties also have private amenities for your personal enjoyment. Some have hot tubs or swimming pools, as well as barbeques or sun loungers. However specific your preferences are, you are much more likely to find them at a vacation property, and you are also guaranteed to be able to access them alone rather than sharing them with potentially thousands of other guests.
Ideal for long-term stays
Hotels can be a treat in the short term, but when you are staying somewhere for longer, you will probably find that you want more space and freedom. At a hotel, you won’t be able to make your own food when you’re hungry but will be restricted to the food available at the times it is available. You will also be vulnerable to badly behaved or noisy guests, who can ruin a trip.
Pet-friendly
Not all vacation properties are pet-friendly, but many are. If you want to travel with your pet, you will want the additional space that a vacation rental provides over a hotel which will be smaller and less likely to have appropriate outdoor space for your furry friend.
Whatever your preferences are on holiday, you will find that a vacation rental that suits you.
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