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When it comes to going for a holiday with your loved ones at the end of the year, it can be a time which you look forward to for the entire year. A chance to get away from work and spend a week or two relaxing with the people you love in a place away from home is what everyone looks forward to.
A choice will usually arise when you start to search for holidays of whether or not you should stay in a hotel or resort, or instead look for affordable houses for rent or small villas for the family. We are going to chat today about why you should consider renting your accommodation rather than staying in a hotel for your holiday this year.
Spend less
The main benefit of staying in your own home or flat during your holiday is the fact that it works out much cheaper than staying in a hotel. When you book a hotel normally you will usually pick either half board or all inclusive and this can cost a pretty penny purely due to the fact that you have to include your food, drinks and any other facilities you are going to use during your stay. However when you book accommodation in a home or villa you are only playing for the luxury of staying in that place. You can source your own food and drink and although you might think it would be more expensive, it pretty much always works out more financially viable for everyone. If you choose to stay in your own place you can buy as much or as little shopping as you want and it means that if you don’t feel too hungry one day and decide to skip breakfast, you won’t be paying for food that you didn’t eat anyway.
Your own space
Perhaps the thing which makes people the most excited about staying in a cottage on holiday is the fact that you are able to be in a private space where no one else can get in your way or encroach on your day. A villa for example in particular can be a really wonderful choice for you to stay in because not only are you totally alone and in privacy in the home, but many villas will have a private garden and pool area too. This means you no longer have to wake up at 6am in the morning for your holiday in order to save a deck chair for you and the family and you don’t have to feel at all self conscious swimming in front of strangers. Privacy can be a huge game changer for your holiday and it can make the experience so much more special than before.
Make your own schedule
One of the main things which can be a little bit annoying about staying in a hotel on your holiday is the fact that the timings can be a little restrictive. If you have paid for one or two meals during the day for example, you will only have limited time slots available to you during the day to go and eat these meals. It can be a pain if you want to stay out for longer after a day out exploring because it simply means that you cannot enjoy the freedom of your holiday. A cottage or house on the other hand is the complete opposite because it acts like a house. Instead of worrying about eating at specific times throughout the day, you can just head off when you are ready and if you find a restaurant while you are out, there is nothing stopping you from having a lovely impromptu meal out with the family.
You have choice
When you are browsing online for hotels in your chosen area you will largely have very similar things popping up for you to book. However when it comes to booking a flat, house or a cottage to stay in things can be much more fun because you have a lot more choice. For example you could be staying in an old church, a tree house, a wing of a manor and a ton more because when you rent from people for your holiday you can enjoy a lot more variety. It means that you can try something you have never tried before and this can make the holiday incredibly exciting and unique.
Room for everyone
Booking hotels is the most common way to book holidays for your friends and family because you will likely get discounts on booking multiple rooms and this can of course be helpful for everyone. However, at the end of the evening you all go your separate ways and you don’t see each other again until the mid morning or at breakfast which can be a bit of a pain. If you book a large home which fits over 10 people you can have everyone under one roof and it means you can have big meals, watch movies and snuggle up in your pjs in the evenings together instead of in separate rooms.
Meal times
At home there is no better way to have a good old chin wag with the family and catch up with them at the end of the day than having a lovely meal at the table together. When you eat together in your dining room it makes the meal process much more intimate and it allows everyone to bond over great food and stories about their day. When you book a stay on holiday you will be able to enjoy the same feeling at the dinner table and you can even get the whole family involved in preparing the meal with you! You can have bake your own pizza nights, Mexican nights and movie nights in with snacks as a family and it can really make that holiday atmosphere so much more inviting and fun.
Facilities
At a hotel you have access to a lot of great facilities such as things like a gym, spa and pool, but do you have access to a good kettle for a brew in the morning? Staying in someone’s house means that you have all of the comforts you enjoy at home at your fingertips and this can make your holiday feel more like a home from home. It will be an ideal way to spend your week and you can watch TV, play games and have a relaxing bath in your home during the holiday.
Pets can come along
When you go away for your holiday abroad, one of the most guilt inducing things you have to see is your pet’s innocent face looking up at you as you leave them in a kennel or a cattery for a week while you go away. Pets are a huge part of the family when you have them and it can be hard to imagine leaving your beloved pet behind when you go on holiday. Most hotels won’t allow you to bring a furry friend with you for health and safety reasons and this often means leaving them behind for a week or two. The good news is that you can bring your pup along with you in most cottages and villas abroad so this means that you don’t have to think about saying goodbye. Your dog can come along with you, enjoy the new environment and have a wonderful holiday with its family. What could be a better reason to rent than that?!
