Deciding whether to stay at a resort or a Vacation Rental (Airbnb/ VRBO) can be overwhelming for families that want to make the best of their vacation and have beautiful memories. We have always been pro-vacation rentals because they are off the beaten path and because we spend more time out exploring and seeing sites than staying in. Even our R&R time is spent picnicking in a beautiful park or at the beach. When we went to Maui, we stayed in an Airbnb for the first part of our trip and then the last part of our trip at a resort. We wanted to see what we were missing at a Resort if anything.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each, here are our top 3 for each:

Resort – Advantages

1. The rooms are luxurious! Resort properties also have pristine grounds, multiple pools, and a kids’ play area.
2. There are many amenities for an additional cost, including a spa, babysitting, onsite shopping, restaurants, bars, etc.
3. After check-out, guests have access to resort amenities and a courtesy suite for freshening up if you have a late flight out.
4. Bonus point! There are a lot of kids, so it is easy for kids to make friends and socialize.

 Resort – Disadvantages

1. Resorts in Maui are expensive! the average cost is approx. $389+ per night, so you can imagine how much a week would cost after all the taxes.
2. Resorts provide you no reason to leave the premises, so you could potentially miss out on all the fantastic things that the island offers, thus making it a trap.
3. Amenities onsite can cost a pretty penny and add up on top of the room cost.

Vacation Rental – Advantages

1. It is cost-effective; you could get a 2 bedroom condo for a third of a resort’s cost.
2. You are not forced to eat out/order in for all your meals; with kids, that sometimes means more than 3x a day. Vacation rentals usually have a fully equipped kitchen fully stocked with basics like salt, pepper, cooking oil, coffee/tea, etc.
3. You have more opportunities to venture out of the vacation rental, explore the island, and mingle with locals.

Vacation Rental – Disadvantages 

1. There is a lot more planning involved for things to do and sites to see. This may be an advantage to some.
2. Guests have no access to premises before and after check-out. The host may accommodate an extra hour for early check-in or late check-out. Therefore, you would need to time your flights well to avoid too much time between arrival and check-in or check-out and departure.
3. You likely will not have desirable amenities available onsite like babysitting, spa, restaurants, multiple pools, etc.

There is no right or wrong way to do it; pick what best suits your travel style and budget. Either way, it will still be a fun vacation for the whole family.