One big tip for scoring the right vacation rental:  Don’t make your travel arrangements until you have confirmed your rental.  

If you do it the other way around, you may have to settle for less than perfect housing in a less than convenient location. Or, if you can only get the property that you want for a portion of your vacation, you may have to shift between rental and hotel on one or both ends of your visit. Who wants to deal with unpacking, repacking, and unpacking again when there are more fun things to do? 

The best way to go is to figure out the date range for your vacation, then shop for properties that are available in that time frame and select the candidates that work for you. Contact the owner of each and go through the process of narrowing down to your final choice.  

When you have confirmation of your rental, shift over to concentrate on your travel arrangements. If you are doing all this well in advance of your vacation, you should still be able to score good prices for air, rail, car, or whatever transportation will get you to your rental.

Hotel or Rental? A Vacation Accommodation Quiz 

When it comes to accommodation, what kind of vacationer are you? Do you like the hotel experience, or do you prefer to have your own home away from home for a chunk of time? Here’s a way to check your vacation rental style. Select the answer that fits for you. 

Length of Stay 

1. I only want to stay in one place for a few days and then move on. That way I can see as much as possible in the time I have available.
2. I really love staying put and getting to know a place.

Flexibility 

1. I would rather keep my reservations cancellable without penalty in case something comes up.
2. I prefer to get my accommodations nailed down well in advance of the trip so that I can get exactly what I want for the best price.

Maid Service 

1. Getting my room cleaned every day is a great luxury, and I can’t do without the mint on my pillow every night.
2. I hate being bothered by hotel staff who want to clean my room or restock the minibar, and would gladly give up having the bed made every day in order to have my privacy.

Meals 

1. I want someone else to do all the cooking and serving on my vacation. I don’t even want to make a cup of coffee.
2. I can’t think of anything better than having the option of grocery shopping and cooking my own meals; it’s one way to get local flavor.

Space 

1. I don’t mind living in a space the size of my homes’ guest bedroom while I’m on vacation.
2. I want a home rather than a room during vacation, with plenty of space for all of us to do whatever we want.

Cost 

1. I don’t mind the room price and relative impersonalness of a hotel; it’s worth it for the flexibility and extra amenities.
2. I want the best value for my money without a lot of add-ons that drive the bill up.

Are all of your answers 1’s? Yes? Then you are definitely a hotel person. You can stay flexible in your plans, visit different locations in a short period of time, and have people to call on for a variety of services. 

If all of your responses are 2’s, a vacation rental is your cup of tea. You will have a lot more living space for your dollar compared to a hotel room, loads of privacy, and can choose to live like a resident during your stay. 

If you fall in between, with a mixture of 1’s and 2’s, chances are that the right accommodation depends on the circumstances, with hotel rooms working in some situations and vacation rentals the right way to go in others.