Ski trips are very often a social occasion where groups of family and friends gather together to have some fun on the slopes and good food and drink amidst a party atmosphere when the sun goes down.
Deciding where to stay when you are booking your ski trip is always the subject of discussion amongst those that are going and this is where the idea of a vacation rental starts to look attractive, as it offers the chance for a group of family friends to share their company and keep the party going when the kids have gone to bed.
Plenty of good reasons
There are plenty of smart hotels to choose from in most of the top ski resorts but there are also plenty of excellent vacation rentals on offer too.
There are a number of good reasons why you might decide to choose a rental over a standard hotel booking and one of the best ones is the fact that you will often enjoy a lot of extra space.
Condos and homes available for rent often provide a great deal more square footage than their hotel counterparts plus you will get a living room and other common-area spaces with a rental, which makes the apr?s-ski activities much more enjoyable.
Value for money
You can sometimes look at the price of a vacation rental and think that it might seem expensive to hire for the week, but if you do the sums you will often find that you are actually getting good value for money.
It is not uncommon to find vacation rentals that are up to 30% less expensive than a comparable hotel room, which means that you will be getting the advantages of spacious and private accommodation for you and your family and friends, for less than you would all pay to share a hotel with others.
Dining options
Another point worth considering with vacation rentals is that you get a choice of catering options because you are getting a kitchen with your vacation rental, so you can choose what you want to do.
Not everyone wants to cook meals while they are on holiday, but the point about a vacation rental property with a fully-equipped kitchen is that you have a choice, so you can all help out and replicate a family gathering like you have at home, or simply head to your favorite restaurant if you prefer.
Do your research
Having decided that you might like to rent a property for your ski party rather than hotel rooms, it makes sense to do your research so that you make the right booking choice.
It always pays to read the reviews for a rental carefully, although you may find some differing views about certain properties from previous renters due to the fact that many of us have varying ideas and expectations, you can generally get a good indication of how suitable the property will be for you.
Do also check what services are available at the property such as free Wi-Fi, as you want to make sure that everything you want will be there when you pick up the keys.
Vacation rentals are definitely a viable alternative to staying in a hotel, so take a look at what is available next time you are planning a trip.
Jacquelyn John works as a travel planner and is also a passionate ski enthusiast who heads for the piste whenever she can. She enjoys sharing her experiences online and regularly writes for some ski and vacation websites.
