Planning to rent a vacation home? Read this first.
Renting a vacation home rather than staying at a hotel has a number of advantages but also has its trade-offs. Simply stated, a vacation rental is not for everyone.
You are renting a privately-owned property (someone’s home). Don’t expect all the services of a hotel. You are, to a certain degree, on your own. If your expectation is on-call housekeeping, stay in a hotel. While we, as property managers, offer some basic assistance, don’t expect all the services of a hotel. You are, to a certain degree, on your own. Will do everything in our power to make sure you arrive at a vacation property that is in great shape: safe, cleaned, provisioned with the essentials, and well maintained but you will not having housekeeping (cleaning) services during your stay.
If an issue like the cable or Internet goes out because of storm damage or if a mechanical problem at the home arises that requires scheduling a service technician, please understand that this does not constitute some sort of compensation for your inconvenience. These are the same types of events that you would encounter at your own home and require the same types of corrective actions. We will address these types of issues as soon as possible but it may require the employment of an outside contractor or utility service to correct and, since external scheduling is outside of our control, it may not be something that be fixed during your time at the rental.
When renting, you will lose some predictability and the conveniences and services that hotels offer. This can, for some travelers, make renting someone else’s home seem a lot less vacation-like. The primary off-set however is, that depending on your travel/vacation plans or the number of people in your party, a vacation rental can more than compensate for what you give up.
Yes, you will give up fresh towels and daily bed service, the continental breakfast/coffee service, a morning newspaper, fitness center, and most guest services. But in return, you get a variety of properties from which to choose, increased occupancy, and in the end, a unique place to stay. Plus, you enjoy the same privacy and comfort as the home’s owners.
Advantages of a vacation rental:
- Value. Save money – especially if traveling with a large family or group of friends. Renting a vacation home can be surprisingly affordable if the cost is divided. Though it’s not true in all cases renting a home is much cheaper than renting enough hotel rooms to accommodate their entire group. During peak season, a vacation home, based on occupancy, will rent in the neighborhood of $50-75 per person per night while hotels will rent from $100-$200 per night per person. (Hotels are based on a 2 person occupancy while most second homes are based on a 6-8 person occupancy.)
- You will have plenty of space. There will be no arguing over who gets what side of the bed and what to watch on the only TV – our homes usually have more than one TV and plenty of beds and bathrooms.
- Keep your group or family together. Large families or a group of friends will be spread out among several rooms at a hotel – and may even be forced to get rooms at more than one hotel. A house, townhouse, or condo lets you all stay together and the accommodations are more comfortable — living room, family room, deck or patio, or around a dining table.
- Pet-friendly. Not all our vacation homes allow pets, but many do. Locally, the hotels have limited pet acceptance. At one of our pet-friendly vacation homes, your dog have space to run and play, unlike a hotel where they can only go for a walk to do their business. Barking also has minimal impact at a home vs a hotel.
- You prepare your own meals. This can be a blessing, depending on your cooking skills. Preparing your own meals can be a big budget saver. You’ll also be able to keep a fridge and cabinets full of snacks, and can have a cup of coffee, tea, beer or wine a moment’s notice. Special dietary needs? Covered.
- Free laundry facilities. Our homes are equipped with washers and dryers – no waiting for an open machine and hovering over it to ensure your clothing items are not stolen. When laundry is painless you not only save time and money, and you’ll be able to pack lighter.
- Location, location, location! Our home place you in neighborhoods with quiet streets, parks, perhaps a private beach or river front views. Or you could stay at a hotel with a view of the expressway.
Sometimes a hotel is the best fit.
If you are a newbie traveler who needs and appreciates a bit more support or if you are a ‘high maintenance’ guest to looks for the concierge upon arrival or appreciates the immediacy of guest services then a vacation home rental is NOT for you.
Scheduling is a factor. Renting a vacation home may not fit with your planned travel dates. Your vacation might start on a Friday but the home you want only rents Sunday-Sunday. Our rentals require a minimum-night stay, begin their rental periods on specific days and require long lead times for cancellations. Hotels on the other hand, give you the flexibility to come and go as you please. You can check-in and check-out any day of the week and stay for as long as you please. Choose a hotel if there’s a decent chance your plans might change or you require flexibility in scheduling your vacation.
