A Room? How About a Whole Vacation Home
November 29th, 2009 by Mandy Morris, under Vacations. 4 Comments
Discover the secrets of vacation rentals and cabins that are spread across most of the world. Imagine all the comforts of home for your family vacation in the perfect location: on your favorite river, near Disneyland, close to the ski slopes in Lake Tahoe, or on the beaches of Maui, Hawaii and the Gulf Shores. The comforts, perks and amenities are many, but the location and cost for a week-long family vacation may surprise you, in a good way.
More space to relax – A 400 square foot hotel room vs. a 2,500 square foot home…any more questions? That extra space equals more relaxation while traveling with family and friends. A vacation rental is a wonderful alternative to a hotel room. On a family vacation, everyone just needs their space. The kids need to play, mom and dad need to wind down and relax, and your guests certainly need their own room (not a creaky, uncomfortable rollaway bed right in the middle of everything). Not even a fancy end suite in a hotel can provide the space you’ll find in a vacation rental – not to mention the $3000 per night you’ll spend for that end suite. The kitchens alone in most vacation rentals, beach homes, ski chalets and condos are larger than even a 5-star hotel room.
Hotels have to cover extraordinary costs with their nightly rate, their room service and restaurant prices, and their fees for services. That’s why even tiny 400 square foot rooms can be so expensive (and that’s before you’ve even eaten or gone anywhere). Vacation rental owners have much more modest costs to cover to maintain their property. And they pass those savings on to travelers. Vacation rental homes begin less expensively, allowing you to enjoy more of the things you’re on vacation to enjoy: the attractions, a couple of really good meals out, peace of mind.
“Our hotel is very quiet and private.” Until Housekeeping comes in your room at 7:30 am. Until the people in the room above yours decide to party till the wee morning hours. Until the raucous group returns to the hotel at 3:30 am, bouncing down the hallway knocking on every door. In a vacation rental home, it’s your choice: surround yourself with 25 of your best friends and stay up all night reminiscing…or surround yourself with a warm blanket, a mug of hot chocolate and bucolic silence.
“Sorry, I can’t take the leftovers, we’re staying in a hotel.” Oops, that was money, going down the drain. Or, “Wrap it up – I will LOVE eating the rest tomorrow!” In a vacation rental home you can enjoy that leftover gourmet meal from a plate, warmed up in the microwave, with real silverware. You can cook your own gourmet meal. Pack picnic lunches. Enjoy breakfast in bed without the heavy hotel price tag. AND you can enjoy eating out, but you don’t HAVE to eat out.
Locating the travel route for the next shuttle crammed with others is not an ideal way to plan your own schedule. The last time I checked hotels did not offer a board games for the family, a private hot tub, books, pool tables, free WIFI, romantic fireplace or how about a backyard. The cool amenities are truly endless when it comes to these type of accommodations. The best thing about it is you say when, where, how and who is going. Plan your travel schedule on your time which may simply include leaving Dad at home for a daytime nap. Personally, I love leftovers so the option to munch on the leftovers from the backyard grill is a complete treat not to mention the savings.
Lake Tahoe rentals for Tahoe family vacations are a great choice Lake Tahoe hot spots are fantastic for family vacations but did you know that aside from the Lake Tahoe area most all top travel destinations offer vacation rentals in addition to hotels? Here are some of the well known getaway destinations that offer beach homes, cabins, houses, condos, chalets, villas and cottages:
Here are some of the more popular areas for vacation rentals. Cape Coral, Myrtle Beach, Indian Shores, Orlando, Destin, Breckenridge, Vail, Keystone, Telluride, Steamboat, Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Lakes, Big Bear Lake, Table Rock, Shawnigan Lake, Davenport, Hilton Head, Fripp Island, Scottsdale, Cancun, Palm Desert, San Diego, Las Vegas, Oregon, the Virgin Islands…just about any destination you can think of, you will find a vacation rental, not just hotels. Beach rentals in The Gulf Shores, Orlando, Florida or any beach house travel destination and ski cabins where you as a kid grew up still exist and make great family trips for you and your new family. Areas like Lake Tahoe and Breckenridge, Colorado make for some great ski adventures. The Gulf shores and Santa Cruz, California offer beach rentals that will have the kids filled with enjoyment throughout the entire day. It doesn’t get any better than vacation rentals in Maui, Hawaii for a completely relaxing vacation. In no time you will be on the phone extending your stay with the owner of the beach home or condo.
How about that cute little cabin along the river where the kids can play in the swimming hole throughout the afternoon or that ski home next to Northstar ski resort in Lake Tahoe? A nice bungalow in the Caribbean can have its advantages. Don’t get me wrong, hotels do have their place, but for family travel, take advantage of some of the great deals on your next beach home down in the Gulf Shores or wherever it is you like to vacation.
A tip for your next family vacation rental should be to always use caution when booking vacation rentals. From Lake Tahoe, Nevada to Maui, Hawaii to the Gulf shores most “rent by owner” websites do not verify thier listings and scams are in this marketplace just like all areas that allow individuals to advertise. Simply because the vacation home is listed does not mean it has a foundation and an address. Always find out as much as you can about the owner of the rental before submitting your hard earned money. Owners and listing sites that accept credit cards should be placed at the top of your list. Check with the owner of the website to ensure each vacation rental, beach home or ski cabin has been checked out and verified with documentation. It only takes a few minutes to research this but time well spent prior to sending someone you don’t know a thousand bucks!
There is only one really good way to determine if the Tahoe vacation rental or the Gulf Shores beach home is verified. Only search vacation rental websites that verify all rentals posted on the site AND accept credit cards. These advertising sites should have strict guidelines and owner-provided documentation that is reviewed before the listing is made available to travelers. Be very careful with sites that provide renter reviews. Inquire who reviewed and posted this information. As a general rule, take an average of the best and the worst reviews and draw your own conclusion right down the middle. Booking your vacation rental through a reputable, local property management company is always a good idea. You might pay a few extra bucks, but surprises are never good while traveling in groups. Remember to use the new adage “know BEFORE you go.”
You are all ready to book your next Lake Tahoe Vacation, family get-together in San Diego or a Maui, Hawaii adventure. Finding a vacation rental is as easy as search, find and book. Simply type in “BOOK VACATION RENTALS IN TAHOE” or “BOOK VACATION RENTALS in Maui, Hawaii” or “BOOK VACATION RENTALS IN THE GULF SHORES” OR where ever you desire and away you go!
Learn more about Gulf Shores Rentals. Stop by Mandy Morris’s site where you can find out all about Gulf shores Beach Homes for your next family Gulf coast family holiday.
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4 Comments
Sorin on November 30th, 2009
You can book a villa or apartment here : http://www.holidaysbyowner.com
mark @ LAKE TAHOE CABIN RENTALS on December 24th, 2009
This is a really good article. I enjoyed the comparison made between hotels and vacation rentals. Since I work for a Lake Tahoe Cabin rentals outfit I would thing a vacation rental is the way to go if you are traveling with family.
Jeffrey Johnsen on January 19th, 2010
Nice site – Wishing you and yours a very happy and prosperous new year !
Erik The Butler on November 29th, 2009
Bars and Butlers Maui offers vacation assistance on the Hawaiian Islands to folks who might otherwise stay at a five star Hotel but opt instead for the Luxury Villa.
Your favorite drink is poolside, towels are folded, your lunch is ready and served, the car rental has been cleaned up after yesterdays jaunt, the nanny has everything she needs and reservations for dinner have already been made at that restaurant you mentioned earlier.
All you should have to do on your vacation is relax!