Everyone's looking for a great deal these days, and sometimes the words "deal" or "value" conjure up images of roach-ridden motels and red neon lights blinking through sheer curtains all night. If you're accustomed to such mental imagery when it comes to vacation lodging then it's about time you checked out the wonderful world of vacation rentals. Vacation rentals, if you don't already know, are cabins, condos, houses and townhouses that people own and put up for rent around vacation locations. They can range from one bedroom condos that cost the same as or even less than most hotels to enormous 14+ bedroom mansions that have pools, hot tubs, game rooms, maids, chefs, butlers and drivers included. The value you get depends on your needs, but there are three areas that are pretty much synonymous with all vacation rentals.
Privacy. Instead of packing yourself inside a huge building where you're surrounded by people on four sides, you get an entire house, cabin, condo etc. to yourself—no sharing walls, no noises from the neighbors, and no neighbors listening to you. You get more privacy per square foot than the best "value" motel and even the most luxurious hotels can offer. Vacation rentals will sometimes have amenities like their own pools or hot tubs so you don't have to share your pool-side relaxation with the entire hotel. If you have kids, they can play safely and securely inside a house and you don't have to worry about other guests. Whatever you need in the way of privacy, a vacation rental can provide it.
Space. Instead of renting just a room, you're renting an entire house or condo. There is far more space in a vacation rental for a family than there is in a hotel or motel. The rooms are full bedrooms and often have multiple bathrooms which is perfect for family vacations. When I was younger and my family was traveling, we had to get at least two hotel rooms each time. As my siblings and I grew up we would often need three or four hotel rooms to accommodate everyone and that can often be hard to come by during peak travel seasons. This is where a vacation rental now plays a key role in our family vacations. We can get Mom, Dad, sisters, brothers (and their wives and kids) all under one roof and split the cost—which brings us to the last area...
Price. Whether you're having a family reunion, on a family vacation or traveling with a group of friends, vacation rentals make it easy to save money on nightly rentals. Instead of getting motel/hotel rooms for $50+ a night you can get three-bedroom vacation rentals for under $100 a night. Split the cost and you're at just $33 per night. Let's see a discount motel pull that off and still look as good as our properties do. Don't forget that vacation rentals are homes that people own so they come fully furnished with every modern convenience, like a kitchen, which can help you avoid costly restaurant prices when deciding what to eat each night. That is a big bonus for whoever typically makes the meals at home but on vacation you can take the boring act of meal preparation and turn it into family or friendship bonding time by involving everyone. Whether it's the tangible value of money or the intangible values of privacy, space, and bonding with friends or family, vacation rentals have more value packed into every square foot than your average motel or hotel.
