When most people plan a vacation finding a good hotel is a top priority. It makes sense as you and your family want a comfortable place to stay. But private vacation home rentals are more popular now than ever before. You can rent a villa, townhome, or a condo for the duration of your vacation. Here are five reasons to consider skipping the hotel.

1. Feel Less Like a Tourist. Most private vacation home rentals are in residential areas. You’ll experience what it’s like to live in the area. It’s also likely you’ll have neighbors who can give you tips on places and activities that the locals enjoy.

2. More Group Privacy. Staying in a hotel often means large groups are separated. You might have several rooms on the same floor, or in some cases on different floors. With one or more rental homes your entire group can stay together. You can choose from cabins, houses, townhouses, and condos for your lodgings. You’ll also often have private common areas, such as a patio or a deck, that you don’t have to share with strangers.

3. More Space. A hotel room can feel cramped. There’s often not much space, and you might find yourself bumping into each other. Being crowded together in a hotel room can make vacationers miss the comforts of home. In a rental home, you’ll usually have more than one television, several beds and bedrooms, and typically more than one to even several bathrooms.

4. Free Laundry. One setback to vacation is dealing with dirty clothes. You either pack them dirty or you pay to use the hotel’s laundry facilities. Rentals are often equipped with washers and dryers. You can easily clean your clothes without worrying about the expense. Make sure to confirm whether or not the rental includes laundry facilities because some don’t.

5. Cook What You Want, When You Want. The cost of dining out on vacation is expensive. Cooking your own meals saves a significant amount of money. You can buy enough at the store to stock the fridge and the cabinets. That eliminates eating out every night and buying snacks and sodas from a vending machine. You’ll also have the freedom to eat when you want, instead of waiting for restaurants to open or accommodate you.

Ready Set Go and Book a Private Vacation Home.

You have to admit, those are some pretty good reasons for choosing a private vacation home rental. Keep these points in mind when planning your next vacation. You just might decide to skip the hotel.