Comments on: 7 Reasons to Skip Hotels & Rent Vacation Homes

By: Travel Gal

Travel Gal — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 03:29:24 +0000

VRBO (Vacation Rentals by Owner) is a great spot on the internet for the US and all around the world! I’ve used it several times.

By: jessica

jessica — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 02:02:28 +0000

I’m looking into renting a condo in New orleans directly from the owner. I’ve never done a vacation rental before so i don’t know if this is normal, but the owner wants a 20% deposit to hold the reservation and then the remaining balance paid in full 30 days prior to arrival. is this a good idea. i want to trust her. but its a good chunk of change to just give to a stranger. any suggestions?

By: ken10hcky

ken10hcky — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:41:29 +0000

Also, sleeping in a tent at a campground and buying a campstove can be great fun! We have a very nice boat that we spend most of our time on and we camp for a very low place to stay!

By: DDFD at DivorcedDadFrugalDad

DDFD at DivorcedDadFrugalDad — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:46:42 +0000

Nice post! This is especially true for longer stays . . . it is more like home.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 22:29:04 +0000

I totally agree that vacation homes are a great place to stay. When my family traveled to Paris, we stayed in an apartment because we wanted to be there for an entire week. This worked well because it was much roomier than a hotel room and actually worked out to be cheaper per night.

As was said in this article, having a kitchen is great because it is much easier to avoid eating out, especially for dinner, which can be more expensive than breakfast and lunch combined. Working out deals with private owners of vacation homes can be tricky unless you use sites that act as the middle-man.

I would suggest all travelers to look into it because you are also given the opportunity to slow down and spread your stuff out instead of being cramped in a hotel room. Hostels, though not as fancy and nice can be another option when you want to spend only a night or two in a certain place.

Travelers wish to be frugal have many options besides traditional hotels that they should consider before accepting high rates.

By: ClaireTN

ClaireTN — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:33:17 +0000

Vacationrentals411.com is also great. If you can manage to get a way for an entire month, the rates can be really great.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:24:19 +0000

Vacation homes seem like the way to go, especially when you have lots of people to go with. I know some vacations I went on that the food cost more than the accommodations. I enjoy cooking for myself, even when I am on vacation.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:14:50 +0000

My girlfriend and I just did this for the first time with a little place on the waterfront in Newport, OR. It was a great experience. We found the place on vrbo.com, negotiated a little directly with the owner, and ended up staying in a really nice little place for a much better deal than any comparable hotel. For us, the availability of a kitchen is a perk, as we like to cook for ourselves and get tired of eating out all the time while we’re vacationing.

By: zach

zach — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:09:08 +0000

My friends and I rented a Vacation home when we went to Hawaii. It was awesome, about a 15 minute drive outside of the city. We rented a little amigo for the week, which was also great to get all over the island.

Our house did not have a pool, but we did have a pool table! They had surf boards and kayaks to use, one computer for internet (no wifi). But all in all, it cost like 200 per person for 5 days (In JUNE!!).

Vacation homes for the win!

By: Jenn

Jenn — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:06:39 +0000

I also like VacationRentals.com (in addition to VRBO.com) – they specialize in discounted vacation rental properties and I’ve always found good deals there.

By: Alina

Alina — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:11:00 +0000

We have been renting condos in Naples, Fl. and Sarasota, Fl. for the past 20 years. We used to rent a 5 bedroom condo for $1500 a week during the summer, which is the off season for Sarasota. Original cost of the Condo was $5,000 a week (20 years ago). Amenities were great, indoor/outdoor pool, right on the beach, healthclub, bikes, tennis, golf course, barbecue pits, and beach cabanas,just to name a few. You can try rentalo.com or intervalworld.com.

By: Infinion

Infinion — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:59:53 +0000

Rev, VRBO.com is probably one of the largest site for just what you want. There are plenty others too though. Just use common sense, talk directly to the owner, and make it clear the terms. I always make sure we’re both agreeing to a rental agreement in writing. Renting directly from the owner has been great for me. Not only is there a financial incentive, but it’s a lot more personal. We’ve been able to meet owners at the property often. They are usually quite kind, want you to take care of their property, and want to make sure you have what you need to enjoy your time there. It’s really easy to negotiate with owners, and you can also usually negotiate other perks too. For example, I’ve stayed at condos before where the property charges guests for WiFi. I ask the owner of the condo if they will provide an access code for free, and they’ve been more than willing to do so.

By: Studenomist

Studenomist — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:35:08 +0000

I just want to add that it depends on what you want out of your vacation. When I went away with my girlfriend it was a little more relaxing than when I go away with friends. We always rent a hotel because we get to spoil ourselves with already made food and the services that come with the room.

When I go away with a few buddies it’s usually a bit wilder and we prefer some sort of a vacation home. We love to have a big place that fits all of us and allows us to be guys (aka noisy)while we cook meat on the grill all day.

By: DebtorinNYC

DebtorinNYC — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:23:02 +0000

Another (small) negative is that you have to buy, prepare,and clean up all your food.

An excellent way to save overall though!

By: Trish

Trish — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:15:37 +0000

#7 is incorrect: “Hotels? Forget about it, you have no chance.”

There’s plenty of pet friendly hotels. Here’s websites where you can check them out:

http://www.petswelcome.com/
http://www.dogfriendly.com/