Vacation Rentals vs. Hotels in Costa Rica

Planning a vacation to Costa Rica and not sure if you want to stay at a hotel or a vacation rental? Hotels are usually the logical choice and are easy to find online. Vacation rentals in the past have been more “risky” because you were never quite sure what you were going to get. Thankfully with travel websites like Trip Advisor, Flip Key, VRBO, and Homeway there is now plenty of information available about the vacation rentals and previous guest experiences. Additionally, when comparing the costs associated with a hotel vs a vacation rental, a vacation rental can turn out to be a great cost saving option.
With amenities like full kitchens, laundry, multiple rooms, DVD’s, movies, etc. the benefits of a vacation rental start to add up.

Pricing:
The average price of a hotel room is approximately $225/night and the average price of a 2 bedroom condo that can sleep 6 is approximately $207/night.
Square footage:
The average hotel is approximately 400 square feet where as the average vacation rental is closer to 1800 square feet. Family vacations are a time to grower closer but everyone could use a little space at the same time!

Cost of Meals:
With a vacation rental you can cook all or a majority of your meals in your own kitchen whereas with a hotel you are forced to eat out. Sure you can buy some boxes of cereal for breakfast and some peanut butter sandwiches for lunch but you are on vacation. The average costs of a meal here in Costa Rica is anywhere from $6 to $30 per person/meal so the costs can really add up.

Extras:
Most of the vacation rentals come with washers and dryers, movies, board games, etc. that all add up to value added amenities available to you that are all an additional charge when staying at a hotel.
Vacation Rentals are a great alternative to hotels given the benefits of space, privacy, and added amenities. Vacation rentals generally offer additional space for less cost per night versus the typical hotel room. Amenities offered by vacation rentals often include washers and dryers, full kitchens (so you can save money by dining in), DVD players, hot tubs, games and even private pools.