Your family is about to embark on a vacation, and you’re considering booking a hotel. Before you do, consider the pros and cons of renting a VRBO instead. I have always found VRBO, or Vacation Rentals by Owner, a great alternative to hotels. We have been a fan of VRBO’s since our first VRBO experience, Mark and I honeymooned in Sanibel, Florida in 2002. Yes, way before the days of Airbnb. Today I want to share 6 reasons you should consider a VRBO instead of a hotel when planning your next family trip.
Spend Less Money
You’re probably more familiar with this reason than any other, considering that it’s usually first on every list. According to The Street, people who have elected to use home rentals instead of hotels saved an average of 51%. Most VRBOs offer lower prices than many commercial properties do, especially when it comes to the cost of amenities. Certain amenities such as private pools represent potential savings of up to 20%. I always love to save money on our lodging without sacrificing amenities so that I can budget that saved money for other experiences like when we rented a boat on our recent trip to Cape Coral!
Plus, if you are traveling with a group, you can split the cost of one location and avoid the need of paying for multiple rooms, making your lodging bill less expensive.
Privacy
If you’re travelling with your family or a group of friends, privacy might be an essential factor for you. I know it is to us! Let’s face it, privacy in hotels is non-existent as they include public areas such as lobbies and hallways to navigate through before even reaching your door. Then, of course, there are the paper-thin walls in many hotels that can affect your beauty rest or make for complete awkwardness. In contrast, VRBOs allow the vacationer to live as though they were at home.
Space
A great benefit of booking accommodations on VRBO is their ample amount of space. Depending on your rental, amenities are sometimes offered, such as new ping pong tables or foosball games available so guests may keep themselves busy. Stuck in a tiny hotel room while you wait for the summer Florida rains to subside can be pretty terrible. This summer, we had an indoor air hockey table in our rental, which relieved our boredom while waiting out those pesky Florida rains.
Eat Healthier and Cheaper
If you have read any of my other posts, you have probably noticed my love of staying in places that at least have a kitchenette. One, I can save a lot of money by being able to cook our meals. Plus, we eat a lot healthier than we would if we were dining out for every meal. Many people keep their kitchen amenities updated with the most modern appliances such as stainless steel dishwashers and double ovens, so it doesn’t feel like you’re suffering through a vacation when preparing meals in ‘vacation mode.’ The last three VRBOs we stayed in had gourmet kitchens that were versions of my dream kitchen. It truly made it a delight to cook while in vacation mode.
Choosing Amenities that are Important to You
The endless possibility of various amenities that come with a VRBO rental is some of my absolute favorites. How often have you stayed at a hotel or resort where you didn’t use the various amenities either because it wasn’t your cup of tea or you were off having other adventures during your trip? Or perhaps those amenities came with an extra charge? We love to have our private pool, jacuzzi, pool table, fishing doc; you name it, the possibilities are truly endless.
Create Memorable Experiences of a Lifetime
The best part about VRBO is that you can experience a different vacation every time. Whether you want to stay in the middle of Chicago, on top of a mountain, near an ocean shoreline or anywhere else there’s no telling where your next family getaway will take place and you’re sure to create memorable experiences of a lifetime! Have you stayed at one? We’d love to hear your story. Share below!