Why People Prefer Vacation Rentals Over Traditional Hotels?

[Cole Simpson]

Rentals provide quite a few perks. There are many reasons to choose a vacation rental when visiting a new destination.

Here are the top 3 reasons why people prefer vacation rentals:

Kitchen access

Value for money

Privacy

A vacation rental is different from a hotel or inn because it's typically a regular house or apartment. So, when staying in a vacation rental, you'll get to live like a local and have access to things that you wouldn't normally have in a hotel. Plus, vacation rentals are decorated according to the individual taste of the owner, so the atmosphere is often homier than an impersonal hotel room. 

If your vacation rental has a kitchen, for example, you can save money by cooking your own food. And this doesn't just go for bigger groups - even singles or couples might be surprised at how much less a one-bedroom apartment or small cottage costs on the vacation rental market compared to a hotel room.

You might find a vacation rental to be less costly, in general, rather than a hotel. Plus, if you're staying more than a few days, there's often a discount applied.

What are your thoughts on this?

[Jerry W.]

@Cole Simpson, one of the things I have found is that groups travel together.  You might be able to get a motel room for less than many VRs, but it is common for me to have 2 couples or couples and multiple children.  They can put many children in one house or 2 couples or more, split the cost and end up with half the cost of a Motel room.

Motels here run from about $180 to $80 per night, and vary from a small one bedroom, one bed, to 2 beds in one room.  My Vacations average about $50 per bed, so $100 for a 2 bedroom and $150 for a 3 bedroom house.  Rates vary a little with season but rarely more than $20 or so.  There is a cleaning fee ranging from $20 to $75 per visit.  I also allow pets for an additional $20.  Now when you add in the fees for VRBO or AIR BnB it is still cheaper.  The taxes are the same for both motels and VRs.  I think some like not having anyone come in, not even maids during the stay as well.

I also try to add a little local flavor.  My best unit is fairly swanky, Hickory hardwood floors, pictures of horses and cowboys everywhere, wagon wheels, ice and water dispensed in the fridge door, elk horn lamps, antique furnishings, lamps made out of mason jars, log beds, etc.  It adds some flavor compared to the plain Motel rooms.