Difference Between Booking a Hotel and a Vacation Rental

by Online Hotelier on March 30, 2010

So you’re making plans to head out on a well earned vacation, to get away from the daily bump and grind that is your life. If you are heading to a Hawaiian island, one of the main things to think about is the accommodations you will have when you arrive at your destination. What do you look for? What location to do you want to be at? What sort of amenities do you want to have access to? With so many airline/hotel room/car rental packages your initial thought may be to just book it, after all it is very simple and non time consuming, and probably a bit cheaper. That being said there are a couple of different options available to you. More popular choices these days include Hawaii vacation rentals or Cheap Hotels New York. While usually not part of a packaged deal, more often than not, vacation rentals have a lot more perks to offer…

Corporate Owned vs Privately Owned

With so many vacation rentals being “ma and pa” owned this may be a better way to spend your money. You may see some upside to this; instead of giving your money to a big hotel corporation you may want to help out the the aforementioned “little guy” owned private vacation rentals. Many times the rate you will pay to stay in a vacation rental will be higher then what you will pay for a hotel room, but, the amenities you will get as part of staying in a vacation rental can far outweigh what you will get in a hotel room.

A vacation rental will often be located in local subdivisions or neighborhoods and will give you a more culturally integrated experience. You can often bike or walk around these areas. If you have a Hawaii rental car, you can park easily and have much shorter distances to haul any luggage or groceries. Hotels are often either in isolated areas that limit accessibility to the rest of the island, and make venturing out a trek, or they are in the heart of Waikiki and other hubs that feel overcrowded and hectic.

Amenities

While paying for a hotel room is probably quicker and easier it by no means gives you the comforts of home. One of the biggest upsides to getting a vacation rental is the amenities that will already be included in the price you pay. You will get some of these added luxuries just to name a few…

  • Extreme privacy
  • More square footage
  • Multiple bedrooms
  • Full kitchen
  • Separate living room
  • Separate dining room
  • Fitness room
  • WiFi
  • Big screen TV
  • DVD player
  • Game/Movie room
  • On sight laundry
  • Your own pool and/or jacuzzi
  • Yard
  • Patios
  • Balconies
  • Gardens
  • A friendly more personable feel

Remember all vacation rentals are different, you may not get all these in one booking.

Pet Policies

For those of us who like to travel with our pets, some vacation rentals can be very accommodating to them; though sometimes an extra fee may be added to the final price. Some hotels may allow pets to stay, but in general not many guests enjoy seeing random animals in the lobby of their hotel. With a vacation rental you don’t have to worry about this. Your pet can run and play in the private yard. You will also savor the fact that you are not spending more money paying someone to feed and watch your pet while you are away.

Owner Knowledge

Hotels will probably have a directory and phone book to help you get around, and they may even have a person that will give you directions to a sight or attraction you want to see, but booking a vacation rental gives you the added bonus of having access to the owner’s knowledge of the area you are staying. Don’t be too shy to ask about these things, most times owners will share the ins and outs of the area. More importantly they can tell you the very best sights and attractions to go and see as opposed to the places that are just tourist traps and really aren’t worth your time. You can also get easy directions as well as a more personal one on one experience. You will be pleasantly surprised at the amount of attention a vacation owner rental will give to you. Don’t be surprised if there are flowers or even some kind of local gift basket waiting for you when you arrive.

Choosing between a hotel room and a vacation rental does not have to be a hard task. Booking vacation rentals online has become much easier in the past few years, thanks to sites that consolidating listings. There are pros and cons for both choices. When it comes down to it, it is all about the personal experience you are looking to create. Staying outside the confines of a hotel and opening yourself up to a more private, personal trip could be the difference between a vacation and an experience you will cherish for years to come.

Cheap Hotels New York
Link:http://cheaphotelsinnewyork.co.uk/
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