If you’ve been weighing the pros and cons of staying in a hotel vs. toughing out your vacation in a rental unit – look no further. I can help you with this.
But first, I begin with a cautionary tale involving my two sisters, who in July decided to drive to Maine (a low-Covid state) for a few days of nice sightseeing, good company and great lobster. Having booked the Hampton in Kennebunkport through Hotels.com, and they were looking forward to the usual amenities – free breakfast, indoor pool, room service, etc.
And here’s where it went a bit sideways. First, the pool was closed. Second, because of Covid concerns, the hotel was not serving breakfast (though we could pick up from the lobby in the morning a “grab and go” featuring a banana, a Nutrigrain bar and a muffin. As for room service? Out of an abundance of understandable caution and respect for people’s safety, the hotel would provide it, but only if you requested it in advance.
Now, none of this ruined the vacation, which was still lovely for my sisters and brothers-in-laws. They drove along the beautiful coastline, enjoyed shopping in some quaint towns, and thankfully still experienced wonderful meals (a la outside dining, of course).
But when you compare their hotel experience with what they might have experienced if they had rented a condo, I can think of three reasons why a rental unit makes more sense during a time when most of us are already weary of the restrictions governing our day-to-day lives:
- Control – From the time you enter the unit until the day you leave, your environment belongs to you. Like other rental unit owners in Florida, I’m complying with CDC guidelines for cleaning and sanitizing each unit in between renters, (Sandy Beach Vacay Cleaning Guidelines), so you know the unit is completely clean and sanitized, from beginning to end.
- Safety – This one goes together with control; in that you can create your own “pod” by inviting whoever you feel comfortable being with into your unit. You can stock your own supplies and cook your own meals (or bring in take-out) without risk and in general, live in a self-contained – and therefore completely safe – indoor environment, when you’re not out and about on the beach or by the pool. Which brings me to advantage number 3.
- Better experience and more options – My sisters were really looking forward to hanging by the pool when they reserved their rooms at the hotel in Maine. It was the main (no pun intended) reason why they picked the place. The fact that they didn’t have this option put a real crimp in their plans.
Imagine if they had traveled to Florida and stayed at one of the units at Ponce Inlet or Anna Marie Island. The pool would have been open and available to them all day, every day. And the beach would have been steps away, rather than the 40-minute car ride they had to take to get to the beach in Ogunquit.
Not only that, they could have hung out in a 1200 sq. ft. fully equipped two-bedroom condo with kitchen, balcony and living room, rather than the 325 sq. ft. hotel room that offered little more than a bed and an empty mini-bar. There’s no question – a condo definitely expands your entertaining options, especially if you’re vacationing with other family members or friends.
The choice is yours, of course. But if you are weighing the pros and cons of hotel/motel versus renting a condo, I really believe the better option is renting your own unit.
So…book a reservation at www.sandybeachvacay.com and see you poolside!
(Except not you, Pen and Candy – because you girls went to Maine instead. Sorry about that….)
Sandy