Posted on Monday, 12 April 2021

When it's time to book a holiday, many Britons opt for the usual accommodation-and-flight package deal, which almost invariably includes a hotel stay. But there is real merit in considering a self-catering apartment or villa rental for your next break.

Here are ten reasons why you might choose a holiday rental over a hotel...

1. Better value for money

Renting an apartment or villa may be cheaper than a hotel stay, especially if you're travelling as a family or with a group of friends. The overall cost-per-head is likely to be much lower than booking multiple hotel rooms.

2. Keep the group together

 When travelling as a big group, it's impossible to stay in the same hotel room. But a villa or apartment rental means you won't need to split up, and getting together for breakfast or excursions will be much quicker and easier.

3. You'll be able to cook for yourselves

Buying and cooking your own food is of course much cheaper than eating out every day. Consider that a group of four eating at a restaurant might cost 80 euros. For the same sum you could buy groceries that could feed all four people for several days.

4. Better absorb the local culture

By renting an apartment in a town or city you'll be exposed to real life in your destination country. You'll be better positioned to meet locals and practice the language. You'll also be able to visit local markets and socialise in regular bars. Compare this to a hotel where you'll only meet tourists and you may be presented with an idealised, sanitised or just plain touristy version of the surrounding culture!

5. Do what you want, when you want

Hotels tend to run to strict timetables: if you get up after 10am, you might miss breakfast. Other narrow time windows must be observed for buffet lunches and dinners. And you can't have midnight cheese toasties without being stung by room service! By comparison, a rental gives you the freedom to sleep in until 11, then rustle yourself up some breakfast. Additionally, there'll be no cleaners to interrupt your afternoon nap.

6. More space

Hotel rooms are often small, which can impact your ability to relax properly. This is easily the case if you have young kids who are in bed by 7pm - resulting in you being extra quiet for the evening. Compare this to an apartment rental, with bedrooms for young kids. This gives adults the chance to relax and enjoy themselves in the evening, perhaps in the living room or on the balcony. And with more space, you won't have to worry about your children annoying other hotel guests!

7. Flexible dining

Aside from the cost benefits of buying and cooking your own food, there are numerous other plus points: you'll know exactly what's in your food, which might be important for health, for those with allergies, or for vegans, vegetarians or those on a special diet. Plus, kids can be fussy eaters and not always pleased by restaurant menus. There might also be the possibility of setting up your own barbecue if you have access to a garden.

8. Washer dryer access

After a couple of days of holiday fun, it may be tiem for a little laundry. With a hotel, you'll need to pay extra for this service, and wait for your clothes to come back (possibly minus a sock or two). By contrast, your rental apartment or villa may include a washer-dryer - meaning laundry can be done for free and to your timetable.

9. Parking

Many hotels charge a daily rate for parking - whether you brought your own car or rented one. By contrast, your rental may have free parking, which could save you a pretty penny over the course of a week or two.

10. Get away from the tourist masses

For some people, a good holiday means getting away from your own compatriots - or avoiding other tourists altogether. Renting means you won't end up spending your exotic overseas break with people from your hometown, without speaking a word of the local lingo.

Where to book your holiday rental

There are a vast number of companies available online through which to book your holiday rental; Airbnb being one of the biggest, most well known sites.

Airbnb V's hotel

When making a booking through Airbnb, not only will you benefit from the above 10 advantages that a holiday rental can provide, but Airbnb also offers a wider variety of accommodation choice, which could appeal to you more than a standard hotel.

Hotels and bed and breakfasts used to be heavily relied upon for lodgings in the areas in which you were looking to stay. These days, through Airbnb you can now choose from studio apartments, villas, houseboats, castles, or even yurts.

The benefits to staying in a hotel vs Airbnb

If you enjoy the luxuries that a hotel stay has to offer, you may find this a more appealing choice over an Airbnb stay.

With a hotel stay you will find:

• All of the amenities are at hand and if they're not, there's someone to help you just a short phone call away – Great if you require an extra towel, blanket or pillow.
• Most hotels offer a daily room cleaning service, not something that you'll generally find at an Airbnb accommodation.
• And of course, who can resist the temptation of the buffet breakfast that most hotels offer!
• Hotels are usually situated in the perfect locations for sightseeing, business meetings and exhibitions, and entertainment facilities, restaurants and bars.

Hotel stays also provide an added element of security to your booking. Being legally required to offer you safe accommodation, there are a number of regulations that they must adhere to.

Airbnb hotels: The best of both worlds

In the past couple of years there has been an increase in the number of rooms available on Airbnb in the boutique hotels and bed and breakfast categories, along with hostels and resorts. Some of these even offer access to amenities such as gyms, pools and meeting room facilities, providing more choice for Airbnb customers when it comes to finding the perfect place to stay.

Motel vs hotel?

What about a motel as an alternative option to a hotel stay?

A motel is primarily designed for motorists so isn't somewhere you would tend to book for a more than a night's stay. As such, the facilities on offer will be different to those you will; tend to find in a hotel – you won't be finding a swimming pool or luxury spa at your motel stop.

If you're on a road trip, a motel could provide a good solution for a night's rest but for a holiday stay, or somewhere with a bit more luxury, you will be best suited looking for hotel accommodation.

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