Living In Condos While On Vacation

There are multiple options for vacation lodging to select from including condos, beach houses, cabins, and hotels. The location vacationers are traveling to for their getaway will affect their decision about where to stay. Options will vary depending on the location. Travelers' choices will depend on their budgets, their preferences, and how long they're planning to stay.

Condos are residences just like houses, cabins, and hotels. The word "residence" means a place where someone temporarily or permanently resides. The word "condo" is actually an abbreviated form of the word "condominium." This type of home is a piece of real estate that is part of a community of similar dwellings. They are individually owned yet have common areas such as swimming pools, game rooms, fitness centers, elevators, and landscaped grounds. There is usually a homeowners' association referred to as an HOA that is run by a board. Membership dues are paid monthly, quarterly, or annually to cover expenses for the upkeep of the common property. Residents must abide by HOA rules such as not parking broken down vehicles in the parking lots, not conducting commercial business out of the units, and not raising livestock in the courtyard. Enforcement of these rules, regulations, and bylaws are dependent on the board of the HOA.

Beach houses are often available near the ocean and may be a good option for large groups vacationing together. If an entire family is flying in from around the country, a beach house could accommodate the whole clan. Participants in a family reunion could also be housed in condos by leasing a group of units in the same complex. The benefit of the individual units over the shared beach house is that couples or individual families could get away from the gang part of the time. Sharing bathrooms and kitchens with a multi-generational throng can sometimes be overwhelming. Cabins in the mountains are similar to beach houses as far as space and the possibility of sharing it; only the geographic location and terrain are different.

Hotels are fine for overnight stays but they're not nearly as comfortable as condos, beach houses, or cabins for longer term stays. Most hotels lack the amenities of condominiums or houses such as kitchens, separate rooms to sleep in, living rooms, and more of a home-away-from-home feel. Since hotels are usually geared for shorter visits, their prices are often more expensive per night. Once you add in the costs of three restaurant meals a day, you're talking about a substantial amount of cash.

When planning a vacation, families and individuals have various options to take into consideration. Choices will depend on how long they're staying, what their budgets can handle, whether more than one couple or family will be vacationing together, and the amenities desired. Booking a hotel room can often be accomplished online or by calling a reservations number. Reserving condos, beach houses, or cabins may be handled differently such as by making the reservation through the owner or a property management company.