If I have the choice to vacation in a hotel room or a timeshare, it’s not even close. I don’t have to think very long, the timeshare wins hands down. But let me first start off by saying that I am NOT telling you to go out and buy a timeshare. That’s not what this blog or our online community, Timeshare Juice, is about. Timeshare ownership is not for everyone. But it can be a lot of fun. It’s often misunderstood because many people have been abused by devious salespeople with devious sales tactics. What this blog is about is comparing staying in a hotel vs. a timeshare on vacation.

What people don’t realize is that you don’t have to own a timeshare in order to stay in one. There are thousands of timeshares available to rent. Timeshare salespeople make you feel like there is this “shortage” of units and you should have this urgency to buy. You can rent a unit from an owner or from a resort. And you have the freedom to bargain with either one. I have rented my timeshare out several times and it’s always worked out great. You don’t need a management company because the resort handles check-in, security, and any extra charges the renter might ring up on their tab. You simply get payment from the renter and then make the reservation for them at the resort. They check in at the resort, give a credit card for damage deposit, and have a great stay.

Not only does the timeshare offer you more but it’s also less expensive to rent. Here are the 3 biggest reasons why it’s better:
1. Tons of space: Hotel rooms are claustrophobic. It’s one room. There’s barely room to walk by the beds. A whole family in one hotel room is really pushing it. In a timeshare, there are multiple rooms. It has a separate bedroom, a kitchen, and another living room that converts to a bedroom at night (sometimes there’s even a locking door in between that offers complete privacy). You also get a balcony to sit outside, get some fresh air and enjoy a nice glass of wine. That’s not happening in a hotel room. You can eat meals at a kitchen table and/or kitchen island. The bathrooms are much larger and some units include a Jacuzzi tub.
2. Lots of amenities: Just having a kitchen is a huge win. Personally, I like going to the fridge (a real one, not that mini bar thing in your hotel) and grabbing a cold drink and some food when I want. I don’t want to have to call room service and hope it’s open and then hope they remember to bring my food an hour later. I like having it now. And if you are vacationing with kids, every minute counts to avoid the dreaded “meltdown”.

I like not having to rush out in the morning for breakfast before we go out to the theme park or day trip. It’s healthier, less time consuming, less expensive and a more relaxing way to start the day. At night you have separate TVs so there’s no arguing about what to watch and even a DVD player. My unit has a really nice sound system (not that little alarm clock from the hotel room that can’t keep a station unless you hold the antenna and stand on one foot).

And there’s no maid service knocking on your door waking you up to clean the room every day. Timeshares have service once mid-week and once at the end. You don’t have to put that door hanger up for privacy which is ignored or stolen most of the time.

3. Cost – It’s actually less expensive to stay in a timeshare. I know it’s hard to believe but there are thousands of timeshares that you can rent right now for much less than the cost of a hotel room in the same exact area. And if you own, the annual fees are definitely less than the cost of 1 week in a hotel room. A hotel room will cost you at least $150 per night with taxes. That’s over $1,000 for the week. If you’re on an island vacation it’s 2-3x that price. You’ll find almost all timeshares for rent that are below that price.

I know another option is renting a house. But there are a lot of unknown variables with that like who’s liable for damages or theft, location of house in a neighborhood, no brand name and unknown quality. I just think it’s odd to be sleeping in someone else’s bed and using their refrigerator. So to me, it’s not worth the hassle unless you know the owner or know first hand someone that has stayed there and it’s a quality place. And most of the time, the cost to rent a house is much higher anyway. So that’s not a viable option for me.

So there you have it. It’s pretty cut and dry, the timeshare wins. But before I can honestly tell you to go out and buy one, I think the industry has a bunch of things to work out. But I won’t tell you to stay away from timeshares either. If you know how to buy them and how to utilize them each year, you will have so much fun on vacation you’ll be silly!

May a fantastic vacation be in your near future!