The tales are often tall and sometimes terrifying; the hotel rooms you have stayed in during your vacation and the accommodations and service you have experienced. It’s time to try something different and a vacation rental is just the something you should consider. Perhaps the cost of a rental has been a concern, or maybe the length of your stay didn’t seem to warrant staying in a vacation rental. You want to easily check in and quickly check out, keeping things as simple as possible. This can all be done just as easily by renting a vacation property, with the added benefit of getting much more for your money. However, you need to always ensure that you triple check references and contracts when working with a property manager.
Now is the time to consider a vacation rental over a hotel for several reasons. In a vacation rental, you can relax by a private pool instead of the crowded one at the hotel. You can cook your dinner in a large, functional kitchen instead of the tiny kitchenette you would often have to pay extra for in a hotel. Enjoy a homey, comfy feeling as you spend your vacation in comfortable and personal surroundings, garnering the full, easygoing experience of a permanent resident. While these are just a few of the things to consider when deciding on a vacation rental over a hotel, here are five factors that are often overlooked when trying to decide between the usual, tried-and-true hotel route or going with a satisfying and rewarding vacation rental.
In a Big Country: The wide open spaces.
Stretch out and enjoy the roomy expanse of a rental property. This is not just a tiny space barely big enough to accommodate you during your stay; this is a furnished home or condo. People already enjoy living here and fortunately, you have the opportunity experience this as well by staying here during your vacation. Many of the vacation rentals listed by the owner can comfortably accommodate a whole family and even several friends. Take your time and call around for the most square footage that will suit your needs. This is ideal when traveling with family; since everyone stays together, you won’t be split up into several different rooms.
Help support a small business.
Why should those huge hotel chains get all of your money? Let the ‘mom and pop’ have a shot at making your vacation memorable while you support a local business. When you start to consider where you would really like to stay, your imagination will run wild; a cabin in the woods, a tiny villa on the beach, a luxury condo in the heart of the city. Call your vacation rental company and see what they have. Chances are they have just what you are looking for at a price you’ve had in mind. Every day, people just like you are turning their second homes into your next dream vacation. As you flip through the travel magazines, you can turn past the hotels and standard accommodations. See your destination as you have always wanted to experience it. Make your next adventure unique; tailored to your schedule among the accommodations you desire the most.
Puppy Power!
One of the hardest things to do is leave your dog behind while you go on vacation. Kennels are expensive and dog sitters are often hard to find. Few hotels offer pet friendly accommodations and when they do, they are often at a very high price. One of the greatest benefits of choosing a rental property over a hotel room is the increased opportunity to bring your pet with you on vacation. Many of the rental property owners have pets of their own, so requests from visitors to bring along their pets are not unusual. Not all will take pets, but the ability to locate a pet-friendly rental is much easier and much more negotiable.
Practical, personal, memorable.
Experience your vacation in a very personal way; tailor made to match your expectations and accommodations. The weekend at the beach side resort is more than a visit to the coast. The fresh seafood you bought at the local market is prepared by you that very evening in your spacious kitchen, complete with all of the amenities you need to make it the experience you have always dreamed off. Ride your bikes around town and keep them with you. Your choices for transportation will suddenly expand into ways you never considered; saving you money while opening new doors for adventure. When staying at a hotel, much of your schedule has already been determined for you with all of the shuttle schedules, complimentary dining hours, check-ins and check-outs. Often as a result, several limitations have been indirectly placed on your vacation plans. Put your vacation plans back into your own hands by staying at a vacation rental. Make your own schedule!
Be a traveler, not a tourist.
There is nothing wrong with being a tourist, and sometimes we prefer to stick with the schedule and stay with the tour. A vacation rental provides the perfect opportunity to do both, easily accommodating the opportunity to flex from one extreme to the other. You know you’ll be spending most of the day on the tour bus with the other sightseers, but when the tour is over, relax in your vacation rental, recalling the afternoon in the comfort of your private, spacious accommodations while planning your evening. Meet new people and explore a whole new aspect of your vacation you may not have even considered. Sit outside with your family and enjoy an evening the way the local residents do. Take in all the sights a tourist would while experiencing your vacation as only a local can.