Apartments are usually for long term rentals, sometimes with contracts like six months or more and come unfurnished or furnished. Quite often a credit check is required and you would pay the landlord monthly with no set check-out date. The nightly/daily rates are of course the cheapest of the three.
Hotels are typically more expensive than vacation rentals and apartments, but have cleaning and other services everyday. People tend to book them on short notice and often pay the price for it.
Vacation rentals on the other hand are for short term like a hotel, but without the fuss and extra expenses that come with hotels. No credit check is required like an apartment because usually you must pay in advance before you check-in. Also, unlike apartments, vacation rentals are usually fully furnished. Vacation rentals are ideal for the smart traveler who wants to save money on their vacation. It's like buying a used car with only 30,000 miles from a private owner and getting a good deal rather than buying a new car from a dealer and paying through the nose.
Term Fully Furnished Payment Terms Maid Service Price Apartments Long term No Credit Check, month-to-month No $ Hotels Short term Yes Credit Card Yes $$$ Vacation Rentals Short term Yes Payment in Advance, Credit Card, Checks or Money Orders (very flexible) No $$
For more information, Wikipedia's info on Vacation Rentals can be helpful.
Aloha,
This article was written on: January 18, 2010
Last updated: February 16, 2010
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