When planning a vacation or business trip, traveling has many expenses. From food to lodging, airfare or car rentals, the amount of money travelers spend is growing.
Statista reports that the cost of a hotel room per night has increased over the past 17 years. As a whole, in 2016, $683.1 billion was spent on leisure travel, including both domestic and international travelers.
So what does this have to do with vacation rentals?
When travelers rent vacation rental properties instead of hotels, they save money!
One example shows that in the off-season, a hotel room in Hilton Waikoloa Village on Hawaii’s Big Island is $174/night (without tax). Or, you could get “A two-bedroom, two bathroom condo at Vista Waikoloa. It has a full kitchen, access to pools, hot tubs, and concierge service. $195/night (without tax).”
Of course, the vacation rental property is the better deal!
Where Vacation Rental Properties Save You Money
Vacation Rentals Offer More Accommodations
Vacation rentals have features that hotels don’t, like Wi-Fi, board games, and video game systems. These additional features function as selling points between vacation rentals. Yet, you aren’t charged for these extras.
You would have to pay for any additions if you stayed in a hotel. In hotels, these fees can include:
- Parking services
- Internet, telephone, movies, and TV channels
- Laundry and cleaning fees
- Mini-fridge snacks and liquor
Vacation rentals also provide:
- Access to a private washer and dryer
- Private parking and space
- Extra features:
- Decks and porches
- Hot tubs and pools
- Pet-friendly options
- You don’t have to board your pets, bring them with you!
Vacation Rentals Save Renters Money On Meals
Food and alcohol are the most costly item for travelers. Access to a kitchen cuts down on the amount of money spent eating out. Hotels with kitchenettes can overcharge and are not as spacious as an actual kitchen.
What do vacation rental kitchens do? They:
- Save travelers money
- Do not need to buy an expensive hotel room with a kitchenette.
- Freedom to cook meals at home instead of going out.
- Helps if you travel with picky eaters or those with allergies
- Finding a restaurant that everyone will love is challenging. Yet if you cook at your rental, you can have a meal which everyone will enjoy.
- If you suffer from a serious food allergy, you may be more comfortable cooking for yourself.
- Offers another space for family and friends
- A kitchen space is another room for family and friends to gather in. You wouldn’t be able to squeeze your in-laws into a hotel kitchenette, could you?
Vacation Rentals Have More Space
As you can see, there are many differences between hotels and vacation rental properties. This ranges from their rates, kitchen features, and overall space.
Depending on the location, vacation rentals can be equal to, or cheaper than, hotels. Vacation rentals can offer more living space from sunrooms to offices.
Visiting an Area
As we’ve discussed, booking a vacation rental property offers more savings over hotels. Staying in a vacation rental property will also provide a better experience.
Are you visiting a college with your children? Checking out a retirement location? Or just visiting a location you’ve always wanted to?
Staying in a vacation rental gives a temporary introduction into a neighborhood and community. Renting in a particular neighborhood allows you to experience the area’s weather and culture. The neighborhood interactions will help you decide if this area is right for you.
If you stayed in a hotel, it is likely you would have less of an opportunity for such experiences. Thus, booking a vacation rental will save you from future financial mistakes.
How Do Vacation Rentals Save You Money?
Vacation rentals are the best lodging decision for travelers. Vacation rentals provide extra amenities, more space, and lower rates than hotels. This allows renters to save money.
In what ways have you saved money when booking a vacation rental property? Do you have a favorite property you always return to? What makes it special?
Comment below to share your thoughts and experiences.
Kristen Martinelli
As Futurestay's Marketing Coordinator, Kristen's writing blends her literature background with entrepreneurship and design. She is excited to follow the growth of the vacation rental industry and provide resources for rental entrepreneurs.
27 comments
I like that you mention how vacation rentals can offer more living space. Having more space could be useful to make sure you can fit your entire group into one building. When choosing a vacation rental for your lodging, you’d probably want to figure out how many people you plan on having so you can look at options that will help you be comfortable during your trip.
Hi Tiffany,
You make a great point. Vacation rentals allow for large parties to comfortably vacation, but also saves money on accommodations and other expenses like food. Renters will also have more privacy in a vacation rental than if they book a hotel.
My wife and I have been looking into vacation rentals and how they would be helpful for us traveling this summer. I’m glad that you mentioned that vacation rentals allow for more accommodations than a standard hotel like wi-fi and TV. I’m going to have to share that with my wife and see if we can find some good vacation rentals when we travel in about a month!
Hi Max,
I’m glad our article was helpful! Vacation rentals not only offer more amenities but space and privacy as well.
A friend of mine has been thinking about going on vacation to Costa Rica, but he wasn’t sure if it would benefit them. I had no idea that vacation rentals actually cover things that hotels usually wouldn’t! I know that our son would love to have access to board games and free wifi throughout the trip.
Hi Frank,
Vacation rentals do offer amenities and extra features which make for a great vacation! These items are sometimes unavailable or extra money when staying at a hotel.
Interesting read on vacation rentals and some of the benefits they may have. It’s interesting to think that they can actually have a bigger space, like a porch or some playrooms. Sounds like this could be a good investment if some people are planning on having a big family retreat of some kind.
Hi Taylor,
Family retreats, reunions, graduations, or weddings are perfect reasons to book a vacation rental. Access to a kitchen, private property, and special amenities makes rentals a good investment.
I love to go on vacation and to see the world. The problem always comes down to money. It costs a lot for the hotel and eating out every meal. I have never been interested in a timeshare but had never thought about just renting someplace. If I rent a property then I don’t have to eat out all the time. I will have to suggest this to my wife the next time vacation comes up.
Hi Dean,
You’re correct, vacation rentals give travelers more for their money. Having more space and the ability to cook your own meals are some of the ways vacation rentals save travelers’ money!
I like how you said that vacation rentals can be a cheaper form of lodging than a hotel. We have a family of 7 so going to a hotel could mean that we have to rent more than one room to fit everybody. This idea of having a rental seems like it would be more efficient and economical than renting out a bunch of rooms for the family.
I like that you mentioned how with professional vacation rental management you won’t have to worry about paying extra for parking. My dad’s side of the family is looking to find a rental but we will have a lot of cars. I’ll be sure to talk to them about how with a rental we won’t have to worry about that problem.
Hi Kyle,
Yes, when you go to book a vacation rental property, they will likely specify the type of parking, location, number of spots, and if it is paid or unpaid. If your family books a house/estate, you can infer that parking would be available as well. Enjoy your travels!
It’s great how you elaborated on how vacation rentals save you money. I like how vacation rentals give you additional features such as Wi-Fi, TV, board games, and video game systems without being charged extra. I’ll definitely suggest this to my family for our next family trip.
Hi Spencer,
Thank you for your thoughts! Vacation rentals are a great option for family vacations. I encourage you to check out a rentals’ amenities and property photos to see the extra features available.
I like what you said about vacation rentals having things hotels often don’t, like video games systems and board games. We’re considering getting a vacation rental on our next vacation and we wanted to know what some of the benefits of it over a hotel would be. Thank you for the information on not having to pay for parking services or laundry. That really helps!
I like that you talked about how you can experience more culture when you stay in a rental. You have a better opportunity to meet locals and find the best places to eat and party. This makes a big difference in a vacation.
Hi Kenneth,
Yes! Some vacation rentals allow you to interact with the owner. They can give their guests insider tips and locations to visit, to make their stay even more memorable!
I like how you said that having lodging with a fridge and kitchen is good because it allows you to save money on food. This seems like a really good thing to invest in because then you could put that money toward other things that you want like souvenirs. My wife and I will have to keep this in mind if we ever go on a family vacation.
Hi Todd,
I’m glad you agree! Choosing to stay in a vacation rental saves you money in more ways than just food. On-site parking, a yard, larger living space, local experiences/insights, and more give travelers an opportunity to have the best vacation. Thanks for commenting!
I never thought about how a vacation rental would save you money because of fees, like you said. I agree that laundry and cleaning is one of the biggest ways you can save money. Vacation rentals seem to offer a lot of perks as well. They often include a full kitchen and some entertainment.
Hi Gary,
Yes! Depending on your reason for traveling, and the type of vacation rental you choose, there are many ways to save money, and experience more during your trip!
It’s interesting to know that vacation rentals are more cost-efficient in the sense that it has a lot of amenities to offer, such as private parking, kitchen, and even boarding options for pets. My family and I are looking to go out on vacation this May and we wanted to spend more bonding moments with the kids since my husband and I are always busy working during the regular days. I also have plans of preparing meals for my family there just like a regular home for our convenience and booking a vacation rental home will surely fit my plans.
Hi Elsa,
Thanks for the comment! You’re correct, a vacation rental property is a great accommodation for your family’s vacation! Not only will you have more privacy and space for your family, but (as you mentioned), you should have the ability to cook meals in your rental.
I really liked how you mentioned having access to a private washer and dryer. I don’t like packing a lot when we go on vacations, but this would totally negate needing to do that. We’ll definitely start looking at vacation homes to stay at for our next trip. Thank you!
Wow, I had no idea vacation rentals can provide access to a private washer and dryer as well as private parking and space. My husband and I want to take our kids on a long vacation to the woods next summer, so we’re considering a cabin or vacation rental with some amenities so we can stay longer. Thank you for the information about how such a rental could also have a deck or porch or even be pet-friendly so we can bring our dog.
Hi Sherry,
Great idea! Vacation rentals would be a great option for families as you can have access to private property, outdoor spaces, a kitchen to cook your own meals, and more.