Vacation rentals or hotels when traveling??
 

I have a small business with vacation rentals in Los Angeles area where I help my fellow Swedes and Europeans find great vacation rentals in LA area. I have noticed it's a very popular way for travelers to well, travel..and enjoy a town, city as a local. also as it can get cheaper when you have your own kitchen etc. What I do for the Europeans is that i take care of all the negotiations and paper work and act like the middle man and also as I work with management firms and home owners i have been to all properties to make sure they are well represented in the picks and they are nice and clean.

I'm trying to find out what other Americans think about vacation rentals or if people still like to stay in hotels?
the pros and cons?


is it the concierge service that some miss if they would rent a home?

anyway..just some thoughts

have a great week everyone!

Here in Los Angeles it's a big weekend of BBQ's and pool time as the weather is amazing right now.

:):)

Liselott

Hi Liselott, I have rented in Cape Cod, Ma twice in the past few years and stayed in hotels, motels. I like how it feels to rent a condo or small apartment over a hotel because it makes me feel more "settled in", it feels more homey. It is also very nice to stay in a neighborhood because you really get a feel for the place you are visiting, I love that.

The nice thing about staying in a hotel is you do not have to do a thing, everything is done for you. You have your room cleaned each day, bathroom is cleaned, trash is removed, fresh towels are always there, clean glassware, etc. When you rent you have to clean up after yourself each day.

I would say I like to do both, but for a long stay of say 2 weeks, I prefer renting a small condo.

Hotels definitely. I want 24 hour room service, breakfast in bed, a good concierge and not to think about housework or look at a kitchen.

I can understand that a rental might be a better deal for people with kids - especially small ones. But I don;t go on vacation to take on other people's responsibilities.

We considered renting a villa only once - on the riviera. And were getting caught up with the desire to be near restaurants but wanting the privacy of a property with a private pool. We finally decided we could do cabs to and fro dinner - so we could still have wine with dinner. and also looking to have a chef come in and cook dinners. But a family situation forced us to postpone the trip - and haven't been able to organize timing with the other couple yet.

I must admit I had concerns even about that. Since no matter how good the owner/manager/caretaker - there is always the possibility of a problem with plumbing or electricity etc. No - put me in another room as with a hotel.

I prefer an apartment so we have a kitchen and a bedroom separate from the living room in case one of us gets up early or stays up late.

Unless I'm traveling alone, I prefer a suite or apartment. Here are some things that have gone wrong or bothered me with that type of accommodation; I hope it will be helpful as far as what *not* to do:

No towels or sheets available. Even if I know to bring ours from home, I still like the option, even if I have to pay a small rental charge, in case we forget or something gets dirty, or wet...

You could have optional midweek or daily maid service, for a fee (I *hate* when they come in and put everything I've moved back the way it was and mix my son's stuff up with mine)

No pots and pans. How are we supposed to make use of the kitchen if there aren't at least basic cooking vessels/utensils and dishes/cutlery?

No clue about how or where to get groceries; perhaps you could send your guests the links for grocery delivery services like Peapod so they can order ahead. I also appreciate it when a small starter, like a bowl of fruit and some bread, is there when I arrive.

A couple of people have mentioned the concierge; you might want to include guidebooks, novels and magazine that feature your city. There are also tourist services that you could connect people to; give them the contact info before they get there, so they know it's available.

You might want to think about gym passes, spa services and the like. Maybe you could give their guests a discount if they let yours use their services or something.

Maps. I like maps. Lots of scales and topics. Then again, they freak some people out, so maybe you should put them all in a clearly marked folder. Another piece of info to send before people arrive would be the links to map/guidebook websites so they can download stuff onto their phone before they arrive.

The first day. Maybe my luggage got lost, or I forgot the sunscreen, or my kid is cranky, or we were rushed, then delayed en route. Check in on us, see how we're doing. Offer to help, but don't expect to be taken up on it (unless it's really bad)

I happily admit to being a nerd, but when I get to a hotel and am braindead, I often pick up the folder that has dividers for info on the hotel, their services, the area, whatever, and leaf through it. You should include all the various types of info for your guests in one convenient package too. You can probably tell that I'm a big fan of doing it digitally too. One reason that would help you is that no matter how beautiful the file in the room is, it doesn't do any good if people aren't there to see it. Having it on your website lets them see that they'll be taken care of.

This is all just my $.02 as a traveler. Hope some of it's helpful!

We go with apartments when we are staying long enough in one area. The downside for us, as others have mentioned, is you are more on your own. We are currently renting an apartment for a month, and there was no iron or ironing board. In a hotel, you can expect to get one sent up. Here, I had to contact the owner and have her buy the stuff and bring it over. We have had generally good experiences with apartments, although this current one is really lacking in kitchen equipment. Next time I will ask before renting, even when they check the box indicating they have it all.

liselott or lease a lot or lies a lot: You're advertising your business here too, I see. Against the rules, chickarina...

This is a country with 300 million people. "Americans" as a group don't like or dislike anything. Some Americans like vacation rentals. Some Americans like hotels. And some Americans like both, depending on the type of trip.