Do you love to travel, but hate sleeping in those tiny hotel rooms? Do you wish that your whole family could stay together when you go on vacation but hotels don’t accommodate that many people in one room? If the answer to either of those questions is yes, then you should consider renting a vacation home instead of a hotel room.
Renting a vacation house is a great way to experience your ideal location while being able to stay with your entire family or a larger group of friends. It also gives you more freedom than staying in a standard hotel does.
Live Like a Local
Part of the fun of traveling somewhere new, especially if you are traveling abroad, is to experience the country like a local. While you should still visit the tourist areas and important places, visiting places like family-owned restaurants, small shops and even local playgrounds can really give you the feel of the culture.
If you are looking to really have that local feeling, one of the easiest things you can do is stay in a vacation rental home that is nestles inside a neighborhood. It is also a great way to authentically enjoy the town that you are visiting. Taking a stroll down a street where people live can bring you conversations and experiences that you may not have had if you had stayed in a hotel.
Spread Out
One of the biggest draws to renting a vacation home is the amount of room they offer. Most homes are larger and can accommodate large groups of tourists under one roof. If you are from a large, extended family or traveling with a group of friends, this can be a great way to all be together.
Having ample space is especially great if you are traveling with kids. Being in a hotel can be hard for kids. Not having the room to space out and play can be frustrating, and it can be hard not to be on sensory overload when everyone is on top of each other. In a big home there is space to spread out and enjoy some time apart, making everyone happier. It also gives adults time to hang out after the kids go to bed without someone from each room having to stay behind.
Privacy
Along with the need for space is often the need for privacy. In a hotel, everything except your room is shared space. If you need a bite to eat, it’s down to the restaurant you go. Want to go to the pool? Half of the hotel may have the same thought.
In a vacation home it is just you and the people you are traveling with enjoying your space. If you are traveling to a tropical location, chances are your rental home has a private pool and sometimes even a private hot tub for your use.
Cost Saving
More often than not, renting a vacation house is a lot cheaper than staying in a hotel for a week. There are many factors that play into this, but it is especially true when you are traveling with other people. Splitting the cost of a home may make your vacation a fraction of the price it would have been if you would have stayed in a hotel. Especially if you like the nicer hotels!
Eating in is another way you can cut the cost while staying in a rental home. While not everyone enjoys cooking on vacation, most people don’t mind having breakfast and sometimes even lunch at the house. One trip to the market for groceries for the week can equal the cost of one meal in a restaurant. If you don’t mind making your own eggs or enjoying local fruit, you can reallocate that money to something you really want to do.
Depending on the area, these vacation rental homes may also offer washer and dryers inside of the homes, giving you the ability to do laundry on vacation. While this may not seem like fun right off the bat, you are able to pack less since you can launder your clothes, and you can have fresh beach towels daily instead of only when they are first pulled out of your suitcase.
Renting a vacation home is certainly a unique and cost-saving way to travel. You are able to live more like a local and relax without the hustle and bustle of a hotel swirling around you. Having food and a full kitchen at your fingertips allows you to eat when you are hungry and save some money by doing so. Being able to be with a larger group of people, not worrying about waking up your neighbors by talking loudly and having the flexibility to enjoy a little personal space can make your vacation much more enjoyable.
Planning a trip this year? Be sure to learn more about where Americans can travel right now.
