With the rise of self-catering homes, this article may be of particular interest for many of you, and before you jump to conclusions…SPOILER ALERT! It’s not because I earn more money if you book a hotel. Many people aren’t aware that our most familiar go-to home rental brands have a travel advisor portal where professional agencies can book and earn commissions for a client’s stay. I also think it is important to disclose that Brian and I converted one of our long-term rental properties to an Airbnb for a period of several years, so we do have an intimate understanding of how the platform works both professionally and personally and understand its appeal for many.
But I want to be clear that this blog is an outline of the top reasons why I generally choose to stay in hotels when I travel for personal reasons rather than my professional advice on why you should too. I have a whole host of reasons related to why hotels make more sense for clients, and why villas and professionally managed rental properties are a better choice than owner-managed, but that is an individual conversation we can have together when we design your next trip.
#1 Most Important Reason
Authentic, local interaction. Wait, what? The king of vacation rental slogan themes is always rooted in the “live like a local” concept. But the reality is often far from the promise.
In my experience, rentals tend to encourage people and families to become more insular and less likely to engage with the local culture. I have found that I tend to stick to my clan during the day on excursions and then not leave the rental much when I come back. This is because one of the primary reasons I rent in the first place is to save money by staying home rather than going out. See how the cycle is set up for staying home (aka nonlocal interaction) before you even get on the plane? You rent with the intent of staying in or around the rental so that you can eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner there…or at least make it and take it with you. There is no motivation to get out and explore after a day with your guide and your group.
On top of that, unless you are to some degree fluent in the language of the destination where you are headed, and equally as familiar with the culture, neighborhoods, and people where you find yourself, and know for sure that your “host” is in fact a true local and not an investor living in another city or country, how likely are you to really have a truly authentic experience interacting with “locals” in a vacation rental-by-owner? Let’s be honest with ourselves and think about this logically for a moment. How likely will you be to go strike up a conversation with the non-English speaking Parisian neighbor who lives next door to your unit, who is certainly less than pleased that his neighbors decided to rent out their place to strangers week in and week out, and who couldn’t care less if you have a great vacation or not?
Besides the sheer fact that you rent a vacation home to stay at the vacation home, there’s no built-in friendly lobby to convene for drinks after a day exploring Roman ruins or chat with a friendly and fun mixologist over a glass of wine and some tapas at the bar, perhaps learning some favorite Italian slang phrases to whip out the next day. No in-the-know concierge who can direct you to EXACTLY his or her favorite place where the locals go, where there’s no English menu, making sure the proprietor knows that you’re coming beforehand to avoid an awkward, “I’m not sure what the deal is with this place” scenario on your end, reciprocated with the inevitable “I’m not sure what the deal is with these people.” comments on their end.
A hotel encourages interaction. They are one of the foundational components of the hospitality industry…emphasis on hospitality, which goes hand in hand with making connections and interacting with guests to ensure they get the best out of the city and their stay. A vacation rental does not have an iconic restaurant filled with locals and guests alike or a buzzy bar where after-work professionals gather for a classy nip on their way home. I don’t care if your host is a “Super Host”. I’ve been one. They do not come close to having the kinds of insider relationships with some of the fanciest AND most off the beaten path places in town that a hotel Concierge would, or local insight on who serves the freshest off-label wine from the no-label vineyard just outside of town. On top of that, you have daily engagement with a front desk person, doorperson, concierge, and waitstaff…all of whom are local to the area, and all of whom are excited to talk to YOU.
#2 Most Important Reason
Location. This also goes hand in hand with the above.
Most of the hotels we work with and that I personally love boast some of the best, most desirable locations in their respective destinations. Quiet streets in the beating heart of the city where everyone is a resident. Locations physically inside palace walls, or at the base of Great Walls, or right next to Iguazu Falls. Perhaps they are in a protected cloud forest, deep in a rain forest, or perched precariously on a cliff overlooking the Redwood Forest. Believe me, you will not find an owner-managed rental anywhere to be had that’s in the vicinity of some of these places, though some offer professionally managed ones. This all adds to that elusive notion of “sense of place” which is inexorably intertwined with authenticity. The best hotels have authenticity in spades over an owner-managed rental unit.
#3 My Favorite Reason
You’re on vacation. I realized after baby number three that the last thing I wanted to do on my vacation was to make 4 beds, 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners, and pack 5 snacks for the day. A close runner-up for the least fun thing to do on my vacation is meal planning and going to the store. Keep in mind store hours are different in many countries, and many are not open at all on Sundays in Europe, and a good number close by 8 even in the big cities. 24/7 supermarkets are not the norm like they are here. The idea of going to the market, cooking your own meals, and picking up a bottle of wine at the neighborhood wine shop every evening while you’re on vacation is highly romanticized and unrealistic, especially with kids in tow. As a mom, I want to think about none of this. I’ll gladly pay a bit more to be able to come home to clean sheets every day on a bed I didn’t make. Oh, and by the way, many hotels offer significant discounts for Suite + Room configurations for families. Twist my arm, and here’s my credit card.
#4 Must-Have Reason
The beds. The stress I would have about the bed situation after wrangling kids for 9 hours on a Transatlantic flight is replaced by blissful daydreams of the JK Place mattresses in Rome waiting for me when I get there. It’s the happy thought that keeps me going around hour 6 to power through the home stretch. I can’t even fathom the desperation I would experience if on arrival at my self-catering rental the key or keypad didn’t work, the host couldn’t be reached right away, and to top it off the beds sucked. Oh, and by the way, I would still need to think about getting to the grocery at some point before it closed. I would be very, very, very disappointed in my choice to save money versus going for the sure thing. Adding salt to the wound is the fact that I would need to make these sad, awful beds…. Every. Single. Day. On my vacation.
#5: Last But Farthest From Least Reason
Kid and Family Friendly Programming. Need I say more? From vetted babysitters to child-sized robes and slippers, a good family-friendly hotel, resort, or lodge has everything parents and children both could want.
I’ll never forget how the Four Seasons, Chicago set up a teepee tent and pillows in our suite for the 3 kids to watch movies in. Nor will I forget the incredible kids’ clubs at the many properties where I’ve stayed. These aren’t merely romper rooms with glorified titles to make parents feel good about dumping their kids for a few hours. No, these are actual clubs, with age-appropriate activities scheduled daily like nature walks, guided tours, art restoration classes, gladiator schools, hikes, cooking classes, and dedicated sandcastle artists! Believe me, the kids won’t want you to come to get them when the club closes for the day. It’s like summer camp, only better, because they can get fizzy sweet drinks on demand while meeting other children from all over the world.
So, while hotels may not always be the cheapest route, it is important to think through your trip carefully and weigh your priorities. Once you visualize how that might look on the ground versus how your mind’s eye imagines it, you can start to make informed decisions that are relevant to you and your family, not your best friend. It is important to keep in mind that vacation rentals can take many different forms, and most professionally managed ones allow you to plug in a la carte services like grocery shoppers, nannies, daily housekeeping, and chefs, all of which can be easily arranged by a travel advisor.
But for my dollar, when I travel with my husband and kids at this point in our lives, I feel that George Washington goes much further for us at a hotel. Maybe not so much on our final invoice, but certainly on the final accounting of intangibles.
