In
part one of this series, we discussed some of the most obvious benefits of
opting for a vacation rental over a hotel or resort. Here are a few more perks
you stand to gain.
Pets
Dealing
with pets when you go on vacation can be difficult. Dog sitters are often hard
to find, kennels are expensive, and any pet accommodations offered by a hotel
are bound to be even moreso. Since many rental owners have pets themselves,
vacation properties are more likely to be pet friendly. Granted, not all
will take pets, and there may be an extra fee involved, but a pet-friendly
rental is nevertheless much easier to find and much more negotiable.
Extras
Vacation
rentals often come with lots of furnishings and features their owners don’t
advertise, either because they’re not in pristine condition or because they
seem unexceptional. That said, you’d be amazed how much these little items can
do for your vacation experience. Rainy day? Good thing there’s a DVD player and
a closet full of puzzles and board games. Sure, there are a few pieces
missing--but a hotel wouldn’t have any of these extras at all, no matter how
swanky.
The
Local Experience
Hotels,
with their blue drinks, Hawaiian-shirted staff, manmade waterslides, and
continental breakfasts, are inherently touristy. Most offer a watered-down
experience of their locale in order to please as many guests as possible.
Rental properties, on the other hand, are private homes, which means they’re
likely to be closer to local communities, offering a better opportunity to experience
your destination as a traveler, not a tourist.
Memories
At
bottom, a hotel is a hotel. Every room has the same furniture, the same sheets,
the same theme and amenities. That generic and uniform quality can make for a
bland and unmemorable vacation experience looking back. Vacation properties, on
the other hand, are distinctive. That’s because they’re homes. They have unique
decor and quirks that reflect their owners. Whether fondly or not chances are
you’ll remember your vacation rental: the style, the smell, the colors. You may
even take a picture in front of it.
