Vacation Rental House vs. Extended Stay Hotel

After three straight weeks staying in an extended stay hotel (Sun-Thurs), this week we were back at a vacation rental property. There are some pros and cons to each place, but overall we are fans of being in a house when possible. Here are some of our comparisons.

 

1) In the hotel there was a complimentary hot breakfast every morning. Also, Tuesday-Thursday nights the hotel had complimentary appetizers in the lobby (which was pretty much a meal for us). The pro is that I didn't have to cook and we saved a ton of money with all of this free food. The con was that I didn't have to cook and none of the food we ate was particularly healthy. 

2) In the rental house I actually cook at least one meal each week. This means we eat better and Daniel has better options for lunch since I typically have leftovers. Last week I tried cooking at the hotel and it was a flop.

3) Since we have a dog, staying in the hotel means multiple daily walks. Again, this is a pro and a con. Exercise is always a plus (I was walking an additional 2-4 miles per day) but it also takes time and if I didn't feel like walking or was tired or it was raining, I couldn't skip.

On the flip side, the house we stayed at this week is on 3 acres and we could just open the door and let Sophie roam to her heart's content.

 

4) The hotel suite was two rooms (a living room/kitchenette and a bedroom/bathroom). Once Jack went to sleep (for naps or the night) we were pretty much stuck in the bedroom part. We watched a lot of TV. In the rental house, there is much more room and once Jack was down for the night we weren't stuck in one room. Interestingly enough, we rarely watch TV when we stay in a rental house.

5) The hotel is a little further of a drive for Daniel so we never did anything fun during the week when we stayed downtown. Our evenings seemed to consist of going out to eat and then collapsing into bed.

This week, we squeezed in a mini hike at the Three Gorges part of the Cumberland Trail in Soddy Daisy. It was 5 minutes from our rental house and we will definitely be going back. 

6) Regardless of where we stay, I have been thankful to take advantage of the local YMCA's and their free childcare. This gives me a break and some time for myself.

On Wednesday I took Jack to a story hour at the Hixson library. Afterward I had planned to go to the Hixson Y to do a Kettle Bell workout. Unfortunately when I got to my car I realized I had left my tennis shoes at this house. So I did a quick about face and went to the downtown Y instead where I could take a Yoga class. It has been great to be in a city again where we have so many options!

Overall we have been making our transitional lifestyle work for us (whether we are in a hotel or a house). I know we will both be thankful to be back in a home of our own full time. We have been spending the last several weekends working on our house and hope to have it listed for sale by the end of the month.