No one loves a great luxury hotel experience as much as I do.
I am an addict. I simply love them. Incredible room, service at your fingertips, some form of private concierge amenity, butler service on your floor, the list goes on and on. I feel like Eloise at the Plaza in the 1960’s.
BUT that’s when I am traveling alone. For family trips, I always rent a house. Either privately, through VRBO or AirBNB. For years with my son and often 4 or 5 family members in tow, I would rent houses in the Caribbean because the savings were insane, we were on a beach and the house came with cleaning and if we so desired, someone to come in and cook dinner. I rent homes when I am skiing, too. The cost per person represented a huge savings.
So what do you prefer:
Luxury hotel…. Or your own vacation home for the week?
And do you have a favorite way to rent a home? A service you prefer? Everyone wants to know!
Mar 10, 2022·edited Mar 10, 2022Liked by Andrew Zimmern
Both are nice options depending on the people on the trip. While I love the convenience of a hotel, my youngest has multiple food allergies 5 out of the top 8 which requires me to cook for him. If we dine out, I usually have to bring a meal as to not risk the possibility of anaphylaxis. I will call a hotel and/or restaurant ahead of time to speak to the chef directly to have a special meal made for him so that he doesn’t feel left out at the table( as a treat with meticulous planning). It can be hard traveling with food allergies especially if his older sibling has no allergies. I think a house with the option of cleaning service and a chef works out pretty well.
How about neither (although I love both!) Now I sound like a politician. I'm an old school (but not old...LOL) regular ol' B&B person! I love coming together in the main living area for happy hour, meeting other guests, and joining up again at breakfast getting to know different people from all walks of life. Part of my enjoyment is the breakfast cooked up by the innkeeper. I've been to so many great ones but The Old Monterey Inn (CA) was exceptional. And thank you, Andrew, for this spilled milk chit chat. It always seems to show up in my inbox exactly when I need a break from something stressful or fun diversion.
For a 1st time visit, a hotel may provide extras amenities and local knowledge. As you noted, for a week with family members, a vacation home will provide a better and cheaper experience. While on the subject of vacation homes, I have been unable to convince my spouse of the economic benefit of renting for a week (or month) versus 12 months of ownership!
I think lately, I've been renting via VRBO. My wife and I are looking into a two week vacation in Belize this year for our anniversary and we've been weighing VRBO against a nice hotel. I think that in places where I know nothing about the country / location I opt for a hotel. Unless I get some local input and figure out how to deal with the necessities of my stay ahead of time. My wife seems to prefer everything being 'in order' whereas I don't mind a little adventure while.
We have done both because both have their merits. For short stays, a hotel is great, but longer than a weekend, a house is much better especially for comfort and cost. Breakfast gets so expensive everyday in a hotel and I find we overeat. While staying in a home, we can go out if we want usually for one meal and the other two eat in. We have also had local friends visit while staying in a home, which is hard to do in a hotel room. I stand by VRBO and have used it for many years. When my son graduated from college last year, we rented a house near his college and because of COVID we could not attend the ceremony, but he was close enough to see him and have a small gathering. Rented an awesome apartment in Hawaii up in Hawaii Kai away from Oahu. Such great experiences.
For me it depends. Renting a house is great for family trips. In the mornings everyone can get up at their own pace. And there's more room for the kids to spread out, which is a lifesaver if the weather is bad. I've used VRBO for years and had good results overall. When it's just my wife and I traveling, though, I'll take a nice boutique hotel every time.
A house. For sure. The savings are great. You can become a neighbor, a (semi) regular at the grocery, a restaurant, a liquor store. We like group vacations. We all have dogs.
Renting a home or villa with family (or extended family) is my preference. Love the experience of experiencing, at least for a shot visit, what the locals do. My MO is usually to be the chef except for a couple of nights of going out. That gets me to the local markets (always do research beforehand) and out into the the countryside. Always combine shopping with sightseeing. All that being said it has been nice in the past to go on a cruise and have all your needs taken care of. Did not think I would enjoy it but it was fun. Helped that it was in the Med for 10 days and it was one of the "better" lines. Room service has always been a disappointment for me but being 6'4" I can appreciate the king size bed that comes with many luxe hotels!
I love majestic old hotels for short visits! My hubs and I enjoy learning about their history and soaking up the charm and character that you find in these treasures. The Hotel Julien in Dubuque, Iowa is a perfect example of this and is one of my favorite weekend getaway locations! https://hoteljuliendubuque.com/ For longer extended stays, we've been renting condos the last few years. Especially with gas and food prices skyrocketing, it's nice to be able to hang out and cook at "home" occasionally. We have had very good luck with the Estes Park Condos website.
I too love a luxury hotel with all the service and amenities, but also enjoy a vacation stay in a rental property — they are very different types of travel, each with pluses and minuses. There is nothing like the service and pampering of a fine hotel, and sometimes that’s just what I need on vacation. For a family or group trip, a rental can be nice because you get more communal space, and depending on the place, more of a local experience. If I’ve visited a place once or twice before and stayed in a hotel, I’m more likely I’d be to do a rental for additional visits.
Both have their place. Like others said the unfamiliar or as you mentioned traveling alone then a hotel is typically ideal. Last fall I ran away to the beach by myself, and rented a condo on the beach. I loved the familiarity of a home vs hotel on this trip. Perfect relaxing way to recharge the batteries. I have a group of high school friends and we’ve been celebrating our “decade” bdays together for years. We’ve done cruise & all inclusive s …we have a Big one 😬 coming up… and I’m trying to convince the group a couple of homes on a beach! 😍😍 Is the way to go…we’re at 50/50 split, some just need the service experience to make it a vacation. I like the idea of maybe adding a couple of chef dinner nights! Maybe that will convince them 🤞
Definitely a home. We have rented apartments through VRBO twice for extended stays in Germany and also in the US when we have family in town. B&Bs are great in really touristy areas because the owners are usually a font of local knowledge. Besides, the breakfasts are really delicious.
Last time we went to Paris (which was WAY too long ago!), a friend connected us with a coworker whose parents had an apartment they rented out, so we thought we'd give it a try and we LOVED it. We loved mixing with the locals—we were in a neighborhood that wasn't loaded with touristy stuff—but it was super easy to jump on the Metro and see the sights. We grabbed fresh bread every day, went to the supermarche and neighborhood street market and stocked our little kitchen with French goodies. It was a really fun way to experience the city.
For me, I prefer the rental of a house for family/friends' getaways. I do a lot of research prior to a trip. Do not get me wrong, I would love a luxurious Hotel experience. (I did just prior to Covid, on a trip to Italy over the Christmas Holidays ending in New Year's Eve 01/01/20 in Venice. Magnificent experience. That was all about me!) Eating out is so expensive with multiple family members, especially with any of my 6 Grandchildren and 4 Greatgrandchildren. Age spread is 7 to 36! I love to cook and bring many coolers of prepped food for all to enjoy. At a hotel, you have to get dressed for breakfast! This does not work for the appetites involved. We do eat out, but not all the time. Since I love to feed people, share my passion for food and encourage young palates I do prefer this. Example: When my Grandson got married in Denver, I checked 2 suitcases out of Boston. One was filled with pre-prepped food, frozen and vacu packed for months before for family requests. I rented a house via VRBO, enjoyed by multiple family members and made the Groom's Cake and hosted the post-wedding brunch for all. (Lobster Eggs Benedict). We saved an enormous amount of money and had an awesome family experience. As Jackie mentioned, both are options based on the experience/ function. Both can be awesome! Thank you for your perspective and education re: food history, restaurant business needs and passion for all foods.
Both. Had a recent AirBnB in Volcano, HI that was tremendous. But did the hotels in Venice and Florence in all their 14th and 15th century glory the past couple weeks and there was nothing like it.
Have really come to love house rental. Travel during covid really locked this in. If I feel I need day to day assistance in a far away locale, a hotel is perfect.
Love a good hotel with exceptional service, but I prefer cooking my own meals. Yes, I love a good restaurant night out, but I would rather seek out a grocery and get what I need to prepare our meals from local ingredients.
Both are nice options depending on the people on the trip. While I love the convenience of a hotel, my youngest has multiple food allergies 5 out of the top 8 which requires me to cook for him. If we dine out, I usually have to bring a meal as to not risk the possibility of anaphylaxis. I will call a hotel and/or restaurant ahead of time to speak to the chef directly to have a special meal made for him so that he doesn’t feel left out at the table( as a treat with meticulous planning). It can be hard traveling with food allergies especially if his older sibling has no allergies. I think a house with the option of cleaning service and a chef works out pretty well.
How about neither (although I love both!) Now I sound like a politician. I'm an old school (but not old...LOL) regular ol' B&B person! I love coming together in the main living area for happy hour, meeting other guests, and joining up again at breakfast getting to know different people from all walks of life. Part of my enjoyment is the breakfast cooked up by the innkeeper. I've been to so many great ones but The Old Monterey Inn (CA) was exceptional. And thank you, Andrew, for this spilled milk chit chat. It always seems to show up in my inbox exactly when I need a break from something stressful or fun diversion.
For a 1st time visit, a hotel may provide extras amenities and local knowledge. As you noted, for a week with family members, a vacation home will provide a better and cheaper experience. While on the subject of vacation homes, I have been unable to convince my spouse of the economic benefit of renting for a week (or month) versus 12 months of ownership!
I think lately, I've been renting via VRBO. My wife and I are looking into a two week vacation in Belize this year for our anniversary and we've been weighing VRBO against a nice hotel. I think that in places where I know nothing about the country / location I opt for a hotel. Unless I get some local input and figure out how to deal with the necessities of my stay ahead of time. My wife seems to prefer everything being 'in order' whereas I don't mind a little adventure while.
We have done both because both have their merits. For short stays, a hotel is great, but longer than a weekend, a house is much better especially for comfort and cost. Breakfast gets so expensive everyday in a hotel and I find we overeat. While staying in a home, we can go out if we want usually for one meal and the other two eat in. We have also had local friends visit while staying in a home, which is hard to do in a hotel room. I stand by VRBO and have used it for many years. When my son graduated from college last year, we rented a house near his college and because of COVID we could not attend the ceremony, but he was close enough to see him and have a small gathering. Rented an awesome apartment in Hawaii up in Hawaii Kai away from Oahu. Such great experiences.
For me it depends. Renting a house is great for family trips. In the mornings everyone can get up at their own pace. And there's more room for the kids to spread out, which is a lifesaver if the weather is bad. I've used VRBO for years and had good results overall. When it's just my wife and I traveling, though, I'll take a nice boutique hotel every time.
A house. For sure. The savings are great. You can become a neighbor, a (semi) regular at the grocery, a restaurant, a liquor store. We like group vacations. We all have dogs.
Renting a home or villa with family (or extended family) is my preference. Love the experience of experiencing, at least for a shot visit, what the locals do. My MO is usually to be the chef except for a couple of nights of going out. That gets me to the local markets (always do research beforehand) and out into the the countryside. Always combine shopping with sightseeing. All that being said it has been nice in the past to go on a cruise and have all your needs taken care of. Did not think I would enjoy it but it was fun. Helped that it was in the Med for 10 days and it was one of the "better" lines. Room service has always been a disappointment for me but being 6'4" I can appreciate the king size bed that comes with many luxe hotels!
I love majestic old hotels for short visits! My hubs and I enjoy learning about their history and soaking up the charm and character that you find in these treasures. The Hotel Julien in Dubuque, Iowa is a perfect example of this and is one of my favorite weekend getaway locations! https://hoteljuliendubuque.com/ For longer extended stays, we've been renting condos the last few years. Especially with gas and food prices skyrocketing, it's nice to be able to hang out and cook at "home" occasionally. We have had very good luck with the Estes Park Condos website.
I too love a luxury hotel with all the service and amenities, but also enjoy a vacation stay in a rental property — they are very different types of travel, each with pluses and minuses. There is nothing like the service and pampering of a fine hotel, and sometimes that’s just what I need on vacation. For a family or group trip, a rental can be nice because you get more communal space, and depending on the place, more of a local experience. If I’ve visited a place once or twice before and stayed in a hotel, I’m more likely I’d be to do a rental for additional visits.
Both have their place. Like others said the unfamiliar or as you mentioned traveling alone then a hotel is typically ideal. Last fall I ran away to the beach by myself, and rented a condo on the beach. I loved the familiarity of a home vs hotel on this trip. Perfect relaxing way to recharge the batteries. I have a group of high school friends and we’ve been celebrating our “decade” bdays together for years. We’ve done cruise & all inclusive s …we have a Big one 😬 coming up… and I’m trying to convince the group a couple of homes on a beach! 😍😍 Is the way to go…we’re at 50/50 split, some just need the service experience to make it a vacation. I like the idea of maybe adding a couple of chef dinner nights! Maybe that will convince them 🤞
Definitely a home. We have rented apartments through VRBO twice for extended stays in Germany and also in the US when we have family in town. B&Bs are great in really touristy areas because the owners are usually a font of local knowledge. Besides, the breakfasts are really delicious.
Last time we went to Paris (which was WAY too long ago!), a friend connected us with a coworker whose parents had an apartment they rented out, so we thought we'd give it a try and we LOVED it. We loved mixing with the locals—we were in a neighborhood that wasn't loaded with touristy stuff—but it was super easy to jump on the Metro and see the sights. We grabbed fresh bread every day, went to the supermarche and neighborhood street market and stocked our little kitchen with French goodies. It was a really fun way to experience the city.
For me, I prefer the rental of a house for family/friends' getaways. I do a lot of research prior to a trip. Do not get me wrong, I would love a luxurious Hotel experience. (I did just prior to Covid, on a trip to Italy over the Christmas Holidays ending in New Year's Eve 01/01/20 in Venice. Magnificent experience. That was all about me!) Eating out is so expensive with multiple family members, especially with any of my 6 Grandchildren and 4 Greatgrandchildren. Age spread is 7 to 36! I love to cook and bring many coolers of prepped food for all to enjoy. At a hotel, you have to get dressed for breakfast! This does not work for the appetites involved. We do eat out, but not all the time. Since I love to feed people, share my passion for food and encourage young palates I do prefer this. Example: When my Grandson got married in Denver, I checked 2 suitcases out of Boston. One was filled with pre-prepped food, frozen and vacu packed for months before for family requests. I rented a house via VRBO, enjoyed by multiple family members and made the Groom's Cake and hosted the post-wedding brunch for all. (Lobster Eggs Benedict). We saved an enormous amount of money and had an awesome family experience. As Jackie mentioned, both are options based on the experience/ function. Both can be awesome! Thank you for your perspective and education re: food history, restaurant business needs and passion for all foods.
Both. Had a recent AirBnB in Volcano, HI that was tremendous. But did the hotels in Venice and Florence in all their 14th and 15th century glory the past couple weeks and there was nothing like it.
Have really come to love house rental. Travel during covid really locked this in. If I feel I need day to day assistance in a far away locale, a hotel is perfect.
Love a good hotel with exceptional service, but I prefer cooking my own meals. Yes, I love a good restaurant night out, but I would rather seek out a grocery and get what I need to prepare our meals from local ingredients.
It all depends on the trip