Vacation Rentals vs Hotels

Planning a vacation can be a daunting task and the norm is to automatically think of taking your family (or just yourself) and finding some chain hotel. The media inundates us with so many ads selling us airfare/car rental/hotel packages so we're left to think there aren't many viable alternatives. Nothing could be further from the truth! There is an entirely different way to stay on your vacation: Vacation Rentals.

Vacation rentals offer tons and tons of amenities that most hotels do not; beyond amenities, they offer an experience that you're likely to remember. Regular people looking to make some extra money, instead of large corporations, usually own vacation Rentals. So instead of cramming an entire family into one room, vacation rentals tend to give full kitchen and multiple rooms. You can find them everywhere you might want to stay too. They range in size from small studio apartments to entire large villas.

If you prefer to be surrounded by the bustling city life, you can find vacation rentals in the heart of the action, but can also find vacation rentals that cater to peace and tranquility. Many of these homes are set back from the busy streets and thoroughfares where hotels dominate. Instead of a condo adjacent to Vegas casinos, maybe you prefer a house a few blocks away with a walled garden and private pool. In this sense Vacation Rentals are better than Hotels because you can choose to be as close as you want or as far as you want from the action.

What about families traveling with pets? Hotels often don't allow pets, no matter how well mannered Fido is. Vacation Rentals, though, tend to be the way forward for pet owners, because many dogs and cats accepted (although some require an additional deposit). Vacation Rental websites like MetroFlats.com allow you to see if pets are allowed or not directly on the listing page.

Finally, there's the question of ambiance of vacation rentals versus hotels. Hotels are the same, regardless of where you are. They offer no personality and no unique experiences. This may be okay for people who do not like change, BUT for those of us that go on vacation to build memories, more likely to find it in a vacation rental.

Naturally, there are of both hotels and vacation rentals. Be sure to look around before deciding where you want to spend your vacation.