Thinking of taking a vacation - Do you choose a hotel or a villa ?

Thinking of Taking a Vacation – Hotel or Villa ?

Are you thinking of taking a vacation and staying in a hotel or villa ?

Are you are looking for all the comforts of home but with all the services provided by a good standard hotel.  Have you ever stopped to think how wonderful it would be if you could have all of this ?

Well it really is possible by renting a vacation home.  Try Googling "FloridaSunTime.com" or "Florida vacation rental".  You will find so many homes that you can stay in that will provide everything you are looking for.  A fabulous "home from home" far away from all the other holidaymakers in a hotel.

Next time you are planning a vacation, please take a look at all the wonderful homes that are available to rent.  We spent quite a few years staying in hotels, and then one year we hired a house.  We have never stayed in a hotel again.  To my family, this is the only way to have a fantastic holiday.  You really do get the best of both worlds.

There are of course several types of home in many locations in and around the Disney area.  They vary in size from 1 bedroom condo's (sleeping 2) up to 7 bedroom villas (sleeping up to 16).  Most villas will have a private pool, some will have a spa and/or a games room.  Some also look out over open spaces or golf courses.  It really does depend on what you personally are looking for, but rest assured all will have the creature comforts that a hotel cannot hope to provide, and surprisingly at a very reasonable cost.

Like my wife and I some years ago, I am sure you will be thinking that these villas will cost an extortionate amount of money and they are only for the rich.  Not so.  Most rental homes are priced very reasonable and most families will be able to afford them.  If you look closely at the prices, you will find that they are in fact very reasonably priced compare to a good quality hotel.

They can accommodate a variety of people, not just single families but groups of friends and relatives.  They have king bedded rooms, double rooms, twin and single rooms, all just waiting for you to come along and have your dream vacation.

The best part though is actually splitting the cost down by person to arrive at what you will find is great value.  Some homes can cost as little as $10 per person per day.  For example, in low season, a four bedroom home sleeping up to 10 will cost around $700 per week including pool heating.  That is $100 per day, equaling just under $10 per person.  A good quality hotel room for 4 will cost around $60 per night, equal to $420 per week.  As there are 10 of you, you will need 3 rooms making a total of $1260 – OVER twice the price of a villa.

We have all heard of the expression "location ,location, location".  Well, you will often find that in a hotel, that "location" will mean close to a major road or intersection as this brings in the most income for the hotel.

This is fine until it is time to "turn in" at night and then you are kept awake by all the traffic noise from outside.  A very thick pillow or ear plugs are often the best remedy.

The best part about vacation homes is that they are nearly always located in quiet suburbs with very little traffic but are still close to all the attractions (Disney, Sea World, Universal Studios etc), Our own home is located in a "dead end"  with minimal traffic and is therefore ideal for families with smaller children.  In many cases they will be in beautifully landscaped, resort style communities that may even have a view or a lake or conservation view.  If you are a family that likes these communal developments, they can range from very quiet and simple community lounges through to fully equipped lifestyle resorts with large communal swimming pools, man made beaches, fully equipped gyms, spa, cinema, children's play areas.

Most vacation homes will have a very high level of facilities including private pool, large comfortable living areas, dining areas, fully equipped kitchen, garage, televisions, dvd player, laundry facilities, internet access etc.

One of the best parts about taking a vacation in a villa is that within a few hours, you feel just like you are a home.  You begin to unwind and then your vacation really starts.  After a tiring but enjoyable day in the parks, come home, go for a dip in your own pool, get a beer from fridge (or make a coffee), then curl up on the sofa to watch a favourite dvd.  You can really escape from it all.

If you haven't yet tried this alternative to a hotel, then please give it a try.  We can assure that you will not be disappointed. You will have the vacation of a lifetime without having to share it with hundreds of other holidaymakers sharing the hotel.  You have vacation home all to yourself.

Phil and Sue Cornish have travelled extensively in Florida and in 2000 purchased their first home in Kissimmee - see http://www.simply-florida.com.  They also run a very successful web-sites advertising Florida vacation rentals at http://www.floridasuntime.com and http://www.DisneyvillasinFlorida.net