Vacation rental vs. hotel room

Should you rent a vacation house or a hotel room? That depends.

Do you want breakfast delivered by a bellhop to your bedroom door each morning? Do you want gourmet dinner served to you in a 5-star restaurant every night? Then you should stay at an all-inclusive resort. There are some lovely ones in Costa Rica but you’ll pay for the luxury.

Do you want to stumble home from the bar each night to a hotel room 50 meters away? Do you want a 24-hour concierge, to sell you tours and give you their restaurant recommendations based on commission? Do you want to hang with other tourists, around the pool or in the gift-shop? Do you want to eat every meal in a restaurant and sip every cocktail in a bar? Then you should stay in one of the small hotels in downtown Samara.

But if you want . . . .

Comfortable and spacious accommodations at a lower price.
To save money by cooking at home some evenings.
Snacks and cold beverages available anytime.
Fresh coffee on the terrace while you bird-watch and wait for the kids to get up.
To stick around for at least 4 days and get to know Samara: the culture, the many activities, the secret beaches.
To wake up to the call of Howler Monkeys in the forest next door instead of the garbage truck backing up to the hotel kitchen.
Space to spread out and not worry where you’ve set down your camera or Ipod.
A good night’s sleep on a quality mattress with a reading lamp beside the bed.
Secure parking for your rental car.
Not to worry about who’s got a key to your room while you’re at the beach.
Bedrooms for the children without abandoning them completely to separate living quarters.
Privacy and quiet instead of the noise from the other side of the wall or the disco next door.
The advice and personal attention of an owner who knows the area and is committed to your vacation enjoyment.

. . . . . then, you should stay in a vacation rental.

A vacation rental, whether a house or condo, is your home away from home. After playing hard all day, it’s your familiar refuge. Return for an afternoon nap or to read a good book, before heading out again to dinner or a club. With easy chairs and rockers, a vacation rental is more comfortable than the typical pair of queen beds in a standard hotel room. If you love to cook, you’ll want to check out the local markets for fresh fish and produce and save money by cooking at home. Sometimes you just appreciate a glass of wine that doesn’t cost a fortune.

Steve and I often stay in vacation rentals when we travel. We like to wake up to our normal routine: Steve makes the coffee and checks his email while I sleep just a few minutes more. Instead of rushing out for our requisite caffeine fix, we can plan the day still in our jammies. And we do it for less money.