Knowing what you are looking for in a vacation and the needs of your party, whether that be just you and your partner, a small family or a large group of friends, is the first step to knowing if vacation rentals are better than a hotel. Both vacation rentals and hotels have certain advantages that you need to weigh up before deciding on what kind of accommodation you will reserve. Likewise, there is a third alternative that merges the advantages of both vacation rentals and hotel rooms that you might not have thought about.

Vacation rentals versus staying in hotel?

The great advantages of vacation rentals is the freedom and autonomy you get from staying in an independent property. You have more privacy and will probably share the pool with fewer people than you would at a hotel, although that depends on what kind of vacation rental you choose. Some vacation rentals may not have a pool at all, while others may share one pool for a large tower.

Space and cost are probably the two most important deciding factors for choosing a vacation rental over a hotel room. You are likely to find a much bigger vacation rental for the same price as a hotel room, and are more likely to find properties that can fit all of your vacation group into the same place rather than reserving separate hotel rooms. Hotel rooms are also subject to different taxes.

Hotels, on the the other hand, offer additional benefits that have more to do with your experience and quality of your vacation. Hotels offer all those onsite luxuries like restaurants, concierge, room service, daily maid services and someone on hand 24 hours to serve your vacation needs. Hotels are often located on the best beaches in the best spots and have a host of free activities for you and your family to enjoy. Pampering is the order of the day when you choose a hotel over a vacation rental.

What’s the alternative to vacation rentals and hotel rooms?

However, there is an alternative that can give you the benefits of both a vacation rental and a hotel room – timeshare rentals. When you rent a timeshare from a timeshare owner (or indeed decide to buy your own timeshare membership) at a resort, you will enjoy all the benefits of having larger living spaces will all the privileges of staying at a hotel.

The key to making your decision and choosing between vacation rentals, hotel rooms and timeshare rentals is to know what are the non-negotiable elements that you want from your vacation accommodations and work from there.