Dollars & Sense: The Vacation Rental Reality Check

What to Know:Vacation rentals often advertise lower nightly rates but can add substantial cleaning, service, and occupancy fees. Many hotels have responded by eliminating or reducing some fees while adding amenities like breakfast, daily housekeeping, and loyalty rewards.The better value increasingly depends on the length of the stay, the size of the group, and what travelers actually need.Americans are traveling again in big numbers.If you’ve sat in holiday traffic, struggled to find a parking space at the airport, or searched for a hotel only to find “No Vacancy,” you’ve probably noticed.According to a recent survey by global consulting firm Deloitte, about 53% of U.S. adults – roughly 138 million people – planned to take a leisure vacation in 2025, up from 48% the year before. Researchers say many travelers now place a higher priority on experiences than they did before the pandemic.But while more Americans are traveling, one question has become harder to answer: where should you st