5 compelling reasons to consider a Maui vacation rental over a hotel

Okay, so you’re all set to book your dream Maui vacation and now comes the big question: stay in a hotel or a condo?

Each option has its ups and downs. Some people love the “all-inclusive” experience of a hotel, from the valet parking to the restaurants to the fresh daily bed sheets.

Other travelers have discovered the awesomeness of condos — better known as vacation rentals — and haven’t turned back. Here are five reasons why:

Vacation rentals save you money

It’s a fact: vacation rentals cost a fraction of the price of hotel rooms.

For example, $700 a night gets you a basic hotel room in upscale Wailea. A comparable vacation rental in Wailea? About half as much.

Let’s talk food. Hotel restaurants are known for being expensive. For families or travelers on a budget, eating every meal at the hotel can very quickly add up. Not everyone can afford those $35 per person breakfast buffets!

And let’s not forget those pricey “daily resort fees” that hotels sneak into your bill for basic amenities like parking and internet. Condos, on the other hand, don’t charge daily resort fees. Parking and internet are free.

Vacation rentals offer more amenities

Hotels are designed to remove the parts of your home that remind you of the daily grind, like the kitchen and laundry (cooking and washing clothes). In place of this you get a mini-fridge and 4-cup coffee maker.

That might be nice, but vacation rentals take a more practical approach. Nearly all condos offer a full-sized kitchen that’s stocked with all major (and minor) appliances, from fridge to stove to blender to pots and pans.

You’ll also find a washer and dryer in your vacation rental. This means less clothes to pack and more chances of having something clean to wear at all times…and no trips to the laundromat!

Vacation rentals also have private lanais (aka porches — spacious ones, not the tiny two-chair-only hotel kind), barbecue grills and recreation games like volleyball, bocce ball, horseshoes, etc.

Vacation rentals are more spacious

Condos are more like small homes than the one-room set up you find in hotels. This means a dedicated living room, a bedroom or two with doors that close and a bathroom (or two).

Vacation rentals give you more privacy

Ever mosey on down to the hotel pool, only to find it swarming with guests who’ve claimed all the reclining lounge chairs and shaded spots?

Believe it or not, swimming pools at vacation rentals are almost always empty, leaving you lots of space and privacy to unwind, relax and read a book.

Vacation rental properties are also quieter overall — no convention groups or huge wedding parties to contend with. Just guests on vacation minding their own business.

The vacation rental experience is more authentic and local

If authentic local culture is what you’re after, stick with the vacation rental. Sure, a hotel can sell you an “authentic luau experience,“ but the casual ambience of a vacation rental makes it feel more natural to mingle with locals and other travelers.

Did you have an unforgettable time in your condo unit? With a vacation rental, you can stay in the exact same unit the next time you visit, and the next time(s) after that. Good luck doing that in a hotel!

Lastly, the check in and check out process of a vacation rental is often effortless. No lines at a front desk and no awkward small talk in the elevator.

You simply get what you see and what you pay for, and that’s a good thing!