Are you getting closer to that next trip or the big vacation that’s been on your mind for so long? Instead of checking in at a normal hotel this year, why not check out popular services such as Airbnb and VRBO? These companies allow you to rent a vacation home or condominium directly from its owner. Choose from many types of places to feel at home no matter where you go. But what, exactly, makes these services so much better than standard hotels?
Full kitchens
Honestly, what else could we possibly say about this? Eating out for every meal can really build up your vacation expenses and make it harder to be healthy. With your own rental home, you’ll be able to stock up on groceries and cook to your heart’s content each night. Plus, there’s never a line.
Location, location, location
OK, so most hotels advertise being near the water, a business district or some other sort of tourist attraction. Here’s the thing: Someone actually owns the house or apartment you’re renting when you use one of these services. Odds are they chose to buy it, at least in part, because they liked the location enough to live there year round. That has to be a good sign, right?
A personal touch
No matter what you’re led to believe through hotel advertisements, most people don’t feel very at-home in a bed or a bathroom that still smells from its last cleaning. Renting someone’s home means you benefit from the hospitality of them as a host. You never know what you’ll find — a personal note on the fridge, a plate of cookies for your kids, the Netflix password — but it could be something great.
Talking points
You know that couple who always comes home from vacation and spends the next three months telling everyone about the “cutest bed and breakfast in Cape Cod that you just haaaave to try?” Yeah, as annoying as those people are, nobody wants to hear about how great the cookie-cutter hotel you stayed in was. Rent a beautiful home and have an impressive talking point for the next year.
