As the Vacation Rentals and Shares Expert on About.com, you can bet that I have a lot to say about vacation rentals. A LOT. 90% of the time we travel, I book a vacation rental. I am such a fan of vacation rentals that several times per year my family and I book a large house for everyone to stay in.
Every year for the past five years, we have booked a vacation rental with at least 5 bedrooms. Sometimes it is at the beach. Sometimes it is in the North Georgia Mountains. Sometimes it is somewhere else close to Atlanta (less than 4 hours). This is how my family gets together. We stay in a vacation rental for 3-4 nights and have Thanksgiving dinner together. We always have an amazing time, make lots of memories and I get to see my family. We sometimes get some Black Friday shopping in there as well.
I choose vacation rentals because of the flexibility it gives you. Here are my 5 Reasons You Need to Book a Vacation Rental for your next holiday.
There are vacation rentals around the world and no matter where you want to go, you will most likely be able to find something to rent there!
As a family of five with three growing children, one room in a hotel can no longer really accommodate my family. We have to get two rooms at a hotel and these costs add up. We used HomeAway to book a two-bedroom apartment next month when we travel to NYC and it ended up costing less than a hotel room plus we are right off of Times Square.
If I want a bowl of cereal at midnight that is no easy feat in a hotel. However, in my vacation rental I only need to walk to the refrigerator. The same goes for snacks. We save a lot by cooking at our vacation rental and we are more relaxed plus we get the benefit of leftovers.
Our vacation rental in NYC next month is costing less than $300 per night whereas a hotel room was going to run us over $500 per night. This is the only feasible option in some cities for my family. Vacation rentals offer value no matter what size of family you have.
Yeah this might sound strange but I always get a vacation rental with a washer/dryer or laundry facilities. Nothing is worse than coming home from vacation and having to do multiple loads of laundry. I do all of the laundry during the last few days so that everyone comes home with clean clothes that only need to be put away. I get to relax after vacation and you should too!
My children are big proponents of travel and they really are the main reasons we go where we do. They love to travel and see new places plus they love to re-visit some of our favorites.
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We always do laundry when we travel. It makes packing so much easier to only have to bring half of the amount of clothing we need.
So much more handy to book a home than a hotel. Especially with kids! Like you mentioned, laundry is so awesome to have!!
These are all great reasons to book with Home Away! Time to book my next vacation!! being able to do laundry and not pack so much is a huge bonus!!
As a family of 8 including 6 teens, it’s more affordable and comfortable for us to book rentals rather than hotels. We can all sleep under the same roof and eat together this way instead of booking double hotel rooms and spending tons of money.
probably Pine lake for the day on Father’s day with a bunch of friends and their kids too.
I am going with my teens, my boyfriend and a bunch of friends to spend the day at Pine Lake. Cooking out and enjoying time together.
Vacation rental can really save you big bucks. We used that few years ago and it was awesome. Laundry and kitchen is what I am after especially that I have kids.
Being able to do laundry is a big selling point for me. Living out of a suitcase is not my favorite thing to do on vacation.
It is crazy that a whole rental is less than a hotel room in NYC! I love having a lot of room on vacation too. I just go stir crazy stuck with only 2 beds and a TV.
I always book a home, it’s so much better. Being able to do laundry means less to pack, it’s a lot of fun to stay in as well.
HomeAway is such a great option for vacationing families. I would love to be able to have a laundry room and separate bedrooms for the kids when we’re travelling. It’s a great idea!
This looks like an awesome vacation rental. I am all about a great deal and so I need to look more into this!!
I have talked to my husband about doing this. We want to get away some time this summer and see the rest of California.
I prefer vacation rentals than hotel rooms because they are cheaper. I also like the feeling that you’re in your own home.
This is a great option, especially for a family with several kids. It can get crowded in a hotel room. The next time we travel with the grandkids, I’m going to look into this option.
Size and laundry are my reasons for using rentals!
This is the way I would go if vacationing. For sure. With such a big family, there’s no way I would book a hotel room. Vacation rentals seem more logical and make way more sense for us!
I love this, we need to book a vacation right away. I need to get away from the same old scenery. I love the picture by the way, so pretty!
We’ve never tried staying in a vacation rental. We’ve always stayed in hotels. But knowing that you could actually save more, I would take a look into it on our next vacation.
Vacation rentals are such a great alternative to a hotel. I love that you have all of the conveniences of home when you’re away.
Yes! These are definitely great reasons for a vacation rental! I never thought about the laundry option before- that could be a life saver.
This sounds like a great idea!! I really do need a good vacation.
That’s not a bad idea to do. It makes it a lot homier than trying an extended type hotel deal. While they’ve got fridges and a place to cool, it’s still got that hotel feel.
I really think a vacation rental would be a great option. Plus it feels more homey and you can wash clothes. Most hotels have the option but you might have to wait on others who had the same idea.
You had me at 2, 3, and 5. We’ve had a villa before and it was the best vacation ever.
Huge vacation rental fan here. I like my space. And I also hire a chef and cleaning service for the stay as well to give my family a true vacation without much work.
Totally about the conveniences of home…like LAUNDRY! With three young kids, I love not having to overpack and just throw the stuff in the washer / dryer.
A vacation rental definitely sounds like a great alternative to a hotel room. We are talking about getting a rental when we go to Disney World next year. We’ll definitely keep HomeAway in mind!
This looks like such a great option for families who vacation. We are staying local this summer but hope to travel in the spring.
These 5 reasons plus my 100 are really encouraging me to make my vacation plans now.
This would have come in handy two weeks ago when we took a family vacation. We’ve gotten vacation rentals before and we need to do it again. It’s so much more relaxing.
We will be going to Florida next month and I can’t wait. We will be visiting family and hanging out on the beach!
When I was living in FL I use to tell people this was the way to go all the time! Knowone ever wanted to believe me that it is indeed cheaper most times to rent a house than stay at the resorts!
Vacation rentals are the way to go because it is like a home away from home. It has all the conveniences of home. It can be much cheaper indeed. Thanks for sharing.
I would love to book a vacation rental and stay in Sunny Florida and take in the sites and go to Disney World. It would be a blast, and I like the idea of renting a house and having all the amenities and privacy there!
We almost always use a vacation rental too, just a way better value for your money!
This has always been something I have wanted to do and have not done t. I really appreciate all this great information. Thank you so much for sharing
I love staying in a rented home whenever possible when we go on trips. It’s so much nicer than being crammed into a hotel room!
Staying at a home instead of a hotel is so much better for our family. I have three kids so being the only people in our lodgings is great.
We have looked into this for our family a few times but so far havent done it. Need tonjist try it as you gave such good reasons to do it!
I really need to plan a vacation. It is long over due! I will look into vacation rentals, thank you!
We’ve always done hotels but this has me rethinking that decision! It seems like there are so many awesome benefits to booking a vacation rental with more room!
Having a private place with all the amenities of a home sounds great. I think I’d really be able to relax!
Booking a vacation rental just sounds smart! I love how you shared this list so that others, like me, when looking on how to travel for first time – they have some tips!
Our family has grown so much that we’ve outgrown the condo we usually book. We are now ready to begin booking a large house and this sounds like a great way to do it.
What a wonderful way to spend a vacation. I agree about the meals and the laundry. It’s nice to get it done when you want it.
This is a great vacation strategy and you bring up excellent points. I’m going to look into this for our next vacation.
I think vacation rental is a lot cheaper than hotels. It’s also a lot more flexible than hotels.
I am planning a trip next summer and will be booking a vacation rental. We want to have the flexibility of one and save money where we can!
I can’t wait for our next vacation! It’s long overdue!
Oh boy, you don’t have to try and convince me. I would get a rental every time if I could. Those are way better than traditional hotel rooms.
When traveling with kids, I always prefer places with laundry and kitchen. Thanks for sharing this helpful article.
My favorite think about vacation rentals is that I can eat breakfast in my jammies without rushing down to some continental breakfast. So much more relaxing!
It would be amazing to be able to do laundry in your room on vacation. I will have to remember this when i book my next vacation.
I lived in Fl for many many years and I was constantly telling people to book rentals instead of staying at the resorts! You get so much more for your dollar and most have there own private pools! How can you beat that?
Oh no, I missed the entry date! I would LOVE to book a vacation rental. I need a home away from home kind of break from the routine.
We are thinking about Florida for our next trip, but that will be next year. I also think a cruise sounds amazing.
We are going to the beach at the end of the month and have been debating on what we should rent, based on the many prices it’s tough to decide. I will be looking into this website and hopefully find something that will accommodate all of us. Thank you for sharing.
I’ve always wanted to book a vacation rental for my sweetie and I, and my brother and nephew. I think it would be really fun for all of us to go on a trip together.
Not only with those benefits – that giveaway is a temptation too. Seems wonderful!
Next time we take a vacation, we’ll likely book a rental. It’s much more of a home away from home setting and more relaxing than a hotel.
I love having the comforts of home when I’m on vacation with the family! These are all really awesome reasons to book a rental!
My vacation is coming up in two weeks and I can’t wait!! Next time I book I will definitely check out this site! Thanks for the heads up!!
I totally agree and love booking vacation rentals too! Our next trip? I’m thinking surfside beach in Texas!
Traveling and food allergies are easier when we have a room with a kitchen. I never thought about a vacation rental. Thanks for the suggestion!
I could use a vacation! But maybe next year! This years vacation is my maternity leave!!! Only a few short weeks till then!! YAY!
These pictures are amazing. I absolutely love the first picture.
This does sound awesome. Great reasons
Being able to do laundry is a must when you are at the beach. There’s nothing worse than sandy clothes when you get home. Good advice.
I think that a lot of people are under the impression that vacation homes are more expensive than staying at a hotel. However, as you pointed out, that is not necessarily the case. One vacation rental will usually cost less than two hotel rooms if you have a large family or group, and you’ll be able to save money on meals as well. Thanks for the information!
These are some really great and smart tips- especially when it comes to traveling with large families! Thanks so much for sharing, there is some really great advice in here!
very nice post
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