Category: Guides

Vacation Rental VS Hotel

You have booked your tickets for a flight to the Garden Island and now you need to find a place to stay. Vacation rental or hotel room? The choice is easy. My wife and I have traveled extensively over the last few years and we have found renting a vacation rental home for lodging far outweighs staying at a hotel. Here is why.

After a busy day out visiting a new destination it is wonderful to be able to come “home” to a private place.

We have found that Days tend to be a bit longer when one is on vacation. We are usually busy walking, hiking, touring, trying to see as much as we can and after many hours we are ready to relax, even if it is in the middle of the afternoon. Who wants to go back to a hotel room with just a bed a and a TV in it? When we make our lodging choice a vacation rental property, especially a nice one, going back to it at the end of an excursion is a welcome relief.

There is a kitchen, a living room and perhaps even a pool. When the weather is not cooperating (it happens, especially in tropical environments) we have a home in which to do indoor activities we like to do most (read, yoga, play games, or enjoy the view).

Eating out is great but three times a day?

When we are on vacation the last thing my wife or I want to do is cook every meal. If our lodging choice is a hotel, however, there is no option we have to go out for every single meal. When staying at a vacation rental we are able to cook up a breakfast while still wearing night clothes. We can pack a lunch and take it with us to the beach or where ever we decide to go. And, after a long day of hiking we can whip up something easy to eat rather than wait for a table at a restaurant.

When we want someone else to cook, we can hire a chef to come to the house or go to the restaurant of our choosing. This flexibility means less stress and more relaxation.

Most resort hotels have fabulous pool areas but they come with a price.

There are no doubts that most resort hotels have fabulous pools. Unfortunately though you must share those pools with many other people, including other people’s children. No offense against children but they can be loud, and you really can’t do much about it. If our lodging choice is a vacation rental with a pool it is all mine to enjoy.

Which leads us now to is privacy.

The only place private at a hotel is your room, even then housekeeping comes by each day and prompts you to feel the need to be out of their way. When we rent a vacation rental home we are assured of privacy. Often times the homes are in residential areas where the only people you might run into are the neighbors out walking their pets.

Owners of vacation rental properties generally take pride in their home.

Our experience is that vacation rental property owners want you to have a wonderful stay at their home. They are usually good about communicating and answering your questions prior to your stay. Most make sure to have books and brochures full of local information about the area and suggestions as to where to eat, shop or explore available in the home. In our case we supply our guests with our Digital Welcome Book & Local Guide.

Their local knowledge is especially valuable, if they live full time in the area.

A Vacation rental home will most times be less expensive than hotels.

If you have a large family or group that would require more than one hotel room, a vacation rental may save you money in the long run. When booking a home we always ask what the total amount will be, including rent, cleaning, taxes, or other related costs to the rental. A quote is always given along with payment requirements so there are no unexpected fees.

Often after making the lodging choice of a hotel room we tend to find out after arriving that there are Resort Fees & other charges tacked on to the bill. Many hotels charge for parking now on top of the room charges. We also take into account other rentals we might have to pay for such as bikes, tennis rackets, snorkeling gear, boogie boards or an ice chest. Our Poipu Beach vacation rental and many others, will provide these at no charge. All of these expenses need to be taken into account when you decide where to stay.

The Exception

Vacation rentals are not always the best lodging though, if we need a room for only one night. If we plan to stay for three or more nights, we will look for a vacation rental home in the area before booking anything else. We will try to book directly with the owner. That way we can also save on any service or or booking fee a manager or booking company like VRBO, Airbnb or HomeAway charge.

Now, we know these things, not just because we have traveled a lot, but because we own a vacation rental on Kauai, Hawaii. The photos above & below in the gallery have been taken of our home or of the surrounding areas of Manualoha at Poipu Kai. Every vacation rental that we have stayed in has helped to make us very aware of what is important to a traveler. That is what has allowed us to be able to exceed most traveler’s needs and expectations with many 5 Star Reviews.

We truly believe you will feel more rested and have a better experience at a vacation rental home especially if it is ours. Give our Vacation Rental a try, you’ll make the switch from hotels too!

You can read more of our Articles about Kauai, the Poipu Area or Vacation Rentals look for the Category List on the right side of this page. You can also click on these links if you are looking for more information about our Vacation Rental in Kauai or to schedule your next trip to Kauai.

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