What are Vacation Rentals? Well, Let’s Talk About Why They Might be the Perfect Accommodation for Your Next Vacation!
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If you’re looking for unique, flexible accommodations for your next vacation, then vacation rentals may be the perfect choice for you. In the short of it, vacation rentals are private properties, such as apartments, villas, or houses, that are rented out to travelers for short-term stays. What is the appeal? Well, unlike traditional hotels, vacation rentals provide a more personalized and home-like experience. Plus, they offer a wide range of benefits and amenities.
You can find a vacation rental of any size, from apartments that only sleep 1 to 2 people to large lodges and houses that can fit 40 to 60 people! No matter what type of vacation you’re planning on having, whether it’s a quick getaway or a large family reunion, there is a vacation rental out there for you.
So, you’ve asked what, now let’s talk about why! Vacation rentals have gained tremendous popularity in recent years, thanks to the rise of online booking platforms like Airbnb, HomeAway, and VRBO. These platforms have made it easier than ever for property owners to rent out their homes to travelers and for tourists to find unique and affordable accommodations. With vacation rentals, travelers have the opportunity to stay in a fully furnished and equipped properties. This makes your vacation feel like you’re at a home away from home. These homes are not so cut-and-dry like most hotels are. They truly offer unique options!
Why You Should Book a Vacation Rentals
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Vacation rentals are a great way to provide something for your entire party, big or small.
Variety
Perhaps the most appealing aspects of vacation rentals are the unique and personalized experiences they offer. Each vacation rental is distinct, with its own style and character. Staying in a vacation rental allows travelers to immerse themselves in the local culture and experience life as a local. This typically provides a more authentic experience. Staying in a residential area immerses travelers in the local culture, allowing them to explore neighborhoods and interact with locals in a way that traditional hotels cannot offer. Vacation rentals often come with insider tips and recommendations from the property owners, helping guests discover hidden gems for your enjoyment.
You’ll get this experience whether you rent a cozy cabin in the mountains, a beachfront villa, or a trendy loft in the heart of the city. Vacation rentals have the opportunity to give travelers more varied choices when it comes to a space that fits their preferences and enhances their overall experience.
Additionally, vacation rentals provide more space than traditional hotel rooms. These unique properties provide you with additional space and privacy. Instead of being confined to a single hotel room, vacation rentals offer the luxury of multiple bedrooms, living areas, kitchens, and sometimes even private gardens or pools. This extra space allows travelers to spread out and relax, providing a comfortable and inviting environment to unwind after a long day of exploring. Families with young children especially appreciate having separate bedrooms for both parents and children, as well as a kitchen to prepare meals.
The options truly are endless, I’ve seen vacation rentals that are surrounded by Highland Cows in the Pacific Northwest, tiny homes, even extremely fancy airstreams in the middle of forests. You truly can find unique and magical experiences via vacation rentals!
Flexibility
One of the main benefits of vacation rentals is the flexibility they offer. Unlike hotels, which often have strict check-in and check-out times, vacation rentals allow guests to arrive and leave at their own convenience. This is particularly useful for travelers who have early or late flights and don’t want to be bound by hotel policies. Keep in mind, some rental places do have quick changeovers if they have another family coming in–but that is something to discuss with the owners themselves!
Now, keep in mind this is not the case for every vacation rental and for every booking. Some locations have a staff that manages the property for them, and some have very specific rules that are important to keep in mind. This is imperative to being a good guest, especially if you want to return year after year!
Another flexible aspect of renting vacation rentals is the ability to choose a location that fits your parties needs. Have a bunch of kids running around? Find a place with a private pool. Want to find some hikes or kayaking? Find a place in the mountains by a lake–they may even have kayaks you can use or rent!
If you want a loft in the middle of the city that allows you to walk to the surrounding attractions, you can find that too! You’re not limited to finding a hotel far from what you actually want. Whether you’re traveling with family, friends, or looking for a romantic getaway, vacation rentals offer an alternative to traditional hotels that can enhance your overall vacation experience.
Personalization
Remember how I said speaking with the owner earlier? Well it’s true! Talk about a personalized experience!
Most of the time when you book a vacation rental you’re going to be dealing with the owner directly. Not 100% of the time, but most of the time. The advantages of working directly with the owner of the property is they, typically, truly know all about it. They know about their property, and the surrounding area and they care for it–unlike the hired staff at hotels. You get a beautiful, personalized touch when booking a vacation rental by owner.
They typically offer information about the best restaurants, events and things happening around town. And we’re not just talking about handing you a pamphlet! These are usually recommendations from personal experience. These little things add personal touches to your vacation that you can’t find anywhere else.
Amenities
One of the main benefits of renting a vacation home is the amenities! Some places have full-blown kitchens, laundry, private pools, hot tubs, sauna’s, fire pits, grilling areas, or even waterfront access. Yes, you can find some of that at hotels as well, but you usually have to share them with other people! Vacation rentals guarantee privacy for your enjoyment.
Let’s talk about kitchens for a moment. One of the main benefits of renting a vacation home with a full kitchen is the ability to cook for yourselves! Now, of course you don’t have to, you’re on vacation. But, if you’re with a large party and are looking to save money, you aren’t limited to a mini-fridge only. With a fully equipped kitchen, guests can cook their meals instead of eating out for every meal.
Costs
Now that we’ve dove into the benefits of flexibility, variety, and amenities let’s dive into our pockets and look at our budget. When it comes to expenses, booking a hotel in a tourist destination can become extremely costly. Especially, if you have a very large party for a conference, wedding or family reunion. It can be costly even if you’re not in a tourist destination! Vacation rentals tend to be more affordable, especially for longer stays. This is because vacation rentals are typically charged per property, rather than per person, allowing travelers to split the cost among their group.
The cost-effectiveness of vacation rentals is yet another advantage. With prices often comparable or even lower than hotel rates, vacation rentals offer better value for less money. Consider you’re renting multiple rooms in a hotel, specifically so your kids room can be attached to yours. Now you’re paying per person for each room? That gets extremely costly extremely fast. That’s why vacation rentals are ideal for families or larger groups of travelers.
If you choose renting a single property, vacation rentals allow groups to share the cost and split the expenses. This makes it a more affordable option compared to booking multiple hotel rooms.
Now keep in mind on-top of these savings, you may also find added cleaning costs, unless you choose to clean the place yourself, or added fees from booking sites like VRBO and AirBnB but we’ll talk about those in a minute.
All in all you’ll be saving money. Vacation rentals are typically privately or individually owned unlike hotel-chains. This reduces costs that are added on to pay for things like staffing, maintenance and utilities.
Keep in mind these savings may vary depending on the property, time of year, and of course the location!
Deciding if a Vacation Rentals is the Right Choice for You
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There are some cons with choosing a vacation rental over a hotel and they’re important to consider.
Booking Sites
Now, we’ve mentioned AirBnb, VRBO and other similar sites. Renting vacation rentals on sites like Airbnb is convenient but costly due to high booking fees. They offer various filters for finding ideal properties. To avoid fees, book directly with the owner or explore Airbnb alternatives. Search for the owner’s website.
Booking a property through these sites still require a reasonable amount of vetting. There have been times where people head to a location with unpleasant surprises, like the property doesn’t exist. It’s important to put in the work and communicate with hosts and be aware of scammers. It’s also important to keep in mind that every location booked through these sites, or by an Airbnb alternative, have their own personal cancellation policies. Always read the fine print.
Lastly, there can be a lack of consistency when you’re booking a vacation rental through these sites. They lack the standardization and consistency that hotels offer. Make sure you thoroughly read through reviews and property details before booking your space.
Limited Services
Just like the consistency and standardization of hotel rooms, you may have a lack of services at a vacation rental. Some properties have on-site management that are there to help you, and some you’re completely on your own. Hotels offer housekeeping, room service, concierge assistance, fitness centers, business centers, and even on-site restaurants. If you’re booking a vacation rental you may have to manage all of this on your own. But that’s why it feels more at home!
Vacation rentals may have potential maintenance issues just like your own home might. Since they’re typically owned privately, you can’t just book a different room. You may have to contact the manager or even the owner to resolve any maintenance issues that could arise. As I mentioned, there may be an onsite manager, but the same 24/7 assistance that is available at hotels isn’t typically as available at a vacation rental.
All in all you are taking on more responsibilities when you’re booking a vacation rental. You may need to add grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning and managing household appliances to yourselves. There’s no staff on site lighting fireplaces and cooking meals for you (unless you hire a personal chef of course) which means you’ll have more independence on your trip!
Time to Choose!
Whether you’re booking your vacation rental through the owner directly, or a popular travel site it’s important to read reviews and communicate with the host. This will help ensure that the property meets your expectations. Make sure you ask plenty of questions about amenities, nearest grocery stores, restaurants, how to dispose of trash or what is expected of you as a guest. You may want to clean the property yourself when you check out, or pay them a fee to come do it for you. Remember when you book through an Airbnb alternative site you save money, click here to learn more.
Since vacation rentals may require you to handle some responsibilities, it’s essential to understand the terms and conditions before booking to avoid any surprises upon arrival. Have everything answered before you show up if you can.
Overall, vacation rentals offer a unique and flexible accommodation option for travelers seeking a more personal and authentic experience. With variety, additional space and privacy, flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and the opportunity to immerse oneself in the local culture, you can’t go wrong! Vacation rentals have become an increasingly popular choice for vacationers worldwide. If you’re planning your next trip, consider exploring the world of vacation rentals for a truly memorable and enjoyable stay.
