In the grand perspective of things, the vacation rental industry is a relatively new industry. Perhaps made most popular by Airbnb's ease of access, COVID has made vacation rentals even more popular with private space and the ability to work from anywhere. While I work in the industry now, there was a time when I was nervous to stay in a vacation rental. Though that has changed, clearly since we have been living in them since last December, I still stay in hotels from time to time.
Right? Who would have thought it. While vacation rentals are my choice the majority of the time, they are a much better choice than a hotel.
So, now on to the fun stuff!
Traveling Alone - Depends, for me, Hotel
A lot of this depends on the person. Things can happen anywhere, vacation rental, hotel, the street. However, I personally am more comfortable staying in a hotel if I am traveling alone for not only safety reasons but also for ease. I like having a restaurant right downstairs that I can go to without leaving the property, and people to talk to when I'm feeling chatty. I still put all the locks on the door and maybe even some furniture in front of it, just to be safe of course.
Short Stay - Hotel
Vacation rentals are unique properties. Sometimes the person you book the rental from has more than one that are located near each other. And, sometimes, they only have one or have multiple that are far from each other. This is very different from hotels that have many rooms in one building. Hotels have cleaning people on staff. Whether they clean 1 room or 100 rooms in a day depends on how many rooms are booked. However, there are some working each day either way. In a vacation rental, there is a fee to clean each property that is only incurred if someone is staying at the property. A fee that is passed on to the person staying in the rental. For this reason, I always choose a hotel if I am traveling for 1 or 2 nights. Anything longer than that and I would choose a vacation rental.
Group/Family Travel - Vacation Rental
This is an easy decision. It is soo great having a large space to hang out with your group and then being able to go to your separate rooms when you are ready for bed. This is also a HUGE money saver because you can split the cost of the rental with your group. Most times, this ends up being cheaper for each person the rental is split with than if you had stayed in a hotel. Not to mention the money you save by hanging out in all of the space you have and cooking meals at home. Huge bonus points if you have a backyard and a grill or a nice pool to hang out in as well.
Privacy - Vacation Rental
Hotels can be loud. Kids screaming, snoring from next door, that weirdo in the hallway that keeps looking at you funny, the bar is the only place open late at night with the music blaring so loud it's impossible to think. Shall I go on? Yeah, hotels, sometimes loud, sometimes not. Of course, with some vacation rentals, you are going to get the same thing (e.g., the neighborhood rooster crowing at 4am...). However, with a vacation rental, it's much easier to find a location that is more remote if you are looking for peace and quiet. And, if you had your own pool and backyard area to lounge in, it's just heaven. If you are looking for privacy, make sure you book the entire place to yourself and not a vacation rental where you would be sharing a space with others.
Urban Location- Hotel
Staying in vacation rentals in cities can be tricky as most cities have a lot of rules. From having to stay 30 days minimum to needing a hotel license, to requiring the owners to live in the home you are staying in. There are a lot of rules and usually more than just one applies to each vacation rental that is in an urban location. Especially in cities like New York and Los Angeles, it's best to get a hotel unless you are staying for 30 days or more. Even then, be sure to understand the requirements of where you are going and never ever book with someone who says "don't tell anyone you speak to you are staying in a vacation rental". Recipe for disaster.
Bringing Pets- Vacation Rental
If you are bringing along your pets, a vacation rental is the way to go. Now, we've stayed with the dogs in hotel rooms before but only if we are staying for one night. Pets, especially dogs, need more space than a hotel room offers. And while they will be happy just to be with you, finding them a nice location with space and even a yard will put a smile on their face, and yours too. We've also found that it is much less stressful for them to be in a vacation rental than a hotel room where people are constantly walking down the hallway. Depending on where you are, it could be much easier to find a pet-friendly vacation rental than a pet-friendly hotel as well. Don't forget to make sure your rental is pet-friendly before booking!
Unique Options- Vacation Rental
Kimpton's and Hotel Indigo's have always been my favorite hotels. They do their best to make each hotel unique with thoughtful local flair. And Kimpton is the most dog-friendly hotel you will find. With that said, vacation rentals take unique to another level. Want to stay in a house-shaped like a dog? A yurt? What about an airplane hangar or a restored vintage caboose? It's truly amazing all of the options you can find with a quick search for "unique vacation rentals".
For us, most of the time we prefer to stay in a vacation rental over a hotel. However, we still think there are times where hotels are a better fit for us. What do you think?
Until Next Time.
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