Vacation Digs

My favorite rental house to date: The house with a view in San Francisco.



About six years ago we travelled to Maine and decided to forgo hotels and instead rent a cabin. It was a decision that forever changed the way we travel.

Since then, if we have more than three people and are staying more than three days, we always find a place to rent. What we've come to appreciate is that:

• We have space to spread out and do our own thing after a day of activities or sightseeing.
• Unlike in a hotel, we don't have to all call it a night at the same time and turn off the lights and TV so that everyone can try to sleep.
• We don't have to eat out morning, noon, and night. We very often cook a few dinners when we rent apartments or houses, and always eat in for breakfast. It's saved us time and money.
• We no longer need to call from one room to the other, seeing what the other people in our party are doing, or whether they're ready. We can just hang out in the living room, dining room, or kitchen and make ourselves at home -- because we're in a HOME.
• The apartments, condos, townhouses, cabins and houses are less expensive than booking two hotel rooms each night.

Most of all, we find incredible places to stay and usually wish we could live in the vacation homes we rent. So, where do I find these?  On VRBO.com (Vacation Rentals By Owner), HomeAway.com, and Sweet Paris Home. Though I always feel a little nervous about signing the rental agreement, forking over a refundable security deposit and figuring out the procedures for collecting the keys, we have always had great experiences. We have yet to be dissatisfied or to encounter a problem.

Renting accommodations is certainly not for everyone, but it's changed the way my family travels. Now, finding a place to rent is simply part of planning a trip.




We loved this yellow kitchen at the house in San Antonio, Texas.

 

Our townhouse in Washington, D.C.



Our rustic cabin in Maine.



                     

View from the loft and the very unique staircase in our modern Paris apartment.