I’d heard talk for many years from friends of mine that when it comes to booking accommodation for your vacation, that a rental was a far better way to go than booking a hotel. I was dubious, how could booking into someone else’s home be better than the sleekly designed hotel which offered me service when I needed it and housed everything that I required underneath one solitary roof.

Last year I headed off to the Outer Banks of South Carolina for a much-needed break with my hubby, we decided to take the plunge and booked up a vacation rental with a company called Elan Vacations for a week. Despite my previous skepticism, after just two days in this beautiful house that we had rented, I decided that never again would I stay in a hotel for my vacations and that rentals were indeed, the way forward. If you are like I was then here are just some of the reasons why a vacation rental is better than a hotel.

The Price

Naturally, you will always be able to find a hotel which is cheaper than any given vacation rental but if we look at value for money and what you actually receive for the money that you spend, vacation rentals truly lead the way in terms of price. There are huge ranges of different types of vacation rentals available to suit all budgets so don’t be put off if you don’t have much money to spend.

Character

One area where a hotel cannot compete with a vacation rental is in its character and if you want to stay somewhere that has real personality and that human touch, then a rental is going to be the way forward. Hotels are built for purpose and of course, they are very accommodating and comfortable, but they do lack a certain pizzazz that you find in many of the vacation rentals out there. Most vacation homes have been bought and designed for the person who bought and designed it, not just for visitors and it is incredibly refreshing to step inside someone else’s world for a little while.

More Privacy

One thing that I adore about staying in a holiday rental compared with a hotel is the level of privacy which you can enjoy. Naturally, when you stay in a hotel you have the privacy of your room but when you are eating, bathing, swimming or drinking, you are always surrounded by strangers. When I stay in a vacation rental I have the choice to stay in its grounds and relax in peace or head out to a local bar or restaurant if I am feeling sociable. A few months ago we went away with a group of friends and stayed in a large, rented villa, the privacy that this gave us was wonderful and it allowed us to truly enjoy each other’s company. Had we done this trip and stayed in a hotel then we would all have been regularly separated and been forced to enjoy our silly swimming pool games in the company of strange people.