Lyndsay Fogarty
When you’re on a family vacation or staycation, cozy accommodations that make you feel at home are ideal. They can even help you better stick to your usual routine while you’re away. Many families choose to stay in a vacation rental home instead of a hotel so they have more space, especially when they are traveling for longer periods of time or with a large group.
Is this the best way to go? I explored this question during a stay at Reunion Resort, a 2,300-acre property just nine miles from Walt Disney World. My home away from home for the weekend was a suite inside a 10-bedroom mansion in one of the property’s 13 neighborhoods, where resort staff members manage vacation rental homes of all sizes. I stayed with six other editors and had my own bedroom, bathroom and sitting area. Shared spaces included a private pool area with a hot tub, a lazy river and a splash pad, as well as a game room, a home theater, a fully equipped kitchen and dining areas both inside and out. There were even two laundry rooms and an elevator so we didn’t have to carry our luggage up the stairs.
We learned the home goes for $2,000 per night. While that seems steep, it’s technically $100 per night if you travel with 19 of your closest friends or $250 per night for eight couples (and that’s accounting for two bedrooms that could fit eight to 10 kids).
Take a tour of the home!
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Here are just some of the perks of a vacation rental home experience at Reunion Resort.
1. A Kitchen All to Yourself: You don’t have to eat out every night if you don’t want to. Bring your own groceries and prepare a meal just as you would at home using the pots, pans and utensils in the fully stocked kitchen. Reunion Resort also offers the option to have an in-home dining experience with a private chef from the resort’s catering department who will prepare an extravagant meal for you. I even heard you could request a favorite dish from on-property restaurants, Forte and Eleven, to enjoy in the comfort of your rental home.
2. Private Pool Area: Hotel pools can get crowded, especially if you’re visiting in peak season. Instead of having to wake up at the crack of dawn to get a lounge chair, rental homes provide a private pool experience so you can get to your pool chair at your leisure and come and go as you please. With cocktail in hand, of course.
3. There’s Plenty of Room: In a home like the one I experienced, you don’t have to worry about sharing a bathroom and you definitely don’t have to fight over the remote. Just like at your own home, you can have your own space and there are plenty of places to enjoy some down time after a long day of exploring the property or enjoying Orlando attractions.
4. Take Advantage of Resort Amenities: Since the vacation rental homes are on resort property, you can lounge at one of 11 pools, bring the kids to float in the water park’s lazy river, play a round at one of three signature golf courses, pamper yourself at the boutique spa, have dinner at all of the property’s restaurants and so much more. While theme parks and other area attractions are close by, you could staycation at Reunion Resort without ever having to leave the property.
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So what’s the verdict?
Go for a vacation rental home 100 percent if you’re traveling in a large group and are looking to get the best bang for your buck. If you’re traveling with just your significant other or with a small family, it’s probably more cost efficient to go the hotel room route. Lucky for you, you can do either at Reunion Resort.
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