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May 4, 2022

Hotels vs. Dharma Properties

Hello to all our beautiful Dharma friends! This month we are going to talk about the elephant in the room (or apartment). Which is the better stay - hotels or short term rentals?

Short term rentals have been around since the 1600s, when Louis the XIII had the Palais de Versailles built as a hunting lodge. In the 1800’s, Europeans got the notion to ask friends to stay at their vacation homes instead of building their own. Americans built upon the idea in the 1950s, when homeowners put out ads in the paper offering to rent out their homes for other families’ vacations. Fast forward to the 20th century, where the internet and companies like VRBO and AirBnB have made it easy to find and rent luxury properties.

As the popularity of these rentals has grown, there has been an ongoing debate about whether it is better to stay in a short term rental or go with a traditional hotel stay. We are here to break down the argument point by point. Since we can’t speak for every short term rental property, we will use Dharma as the basis of comparison. We checked a brand name hotel of equivalent quality and location to Dharma’s property at Monte Carlo and made a side by side comparison.
SPACE

Dharma
Dharma has an array of choices when it comes to space : We have studios, one bedroom and and two bedroom apartments that have separate sleeping and living spaces that allow privacy for multiple guests. Dharma’s apartment sizes range from 450 to 1000 square feet.

Hotel
In the hotel, your space consists of a bathroom and a bedroom, which usually consists of a bed and perhaps a chair or two and a desk. You can upgrade to a suite, but that means even if you get a living area, it isn’t necessarily separated by a wall, allowing any visitors to view and access your bedroom. The typical amount of square footage you get in a hotel is 250 feet.
LENGTH OF STAY

Dharma
Dharma has a minimum three day stay , which isn’t for the person who is just looking for somewhere to stay on the way to somewhere else: short term rental properties are designed to make you feel at home . That’s why we have room choices that have desks, laundry facilities, and a kitchen stocked with everything you could require. You can stay as long as you need to get the job done.

Hotel
If you are looking for a place to stay overnight, a hotel is the better bet. You can stay any length of time; however, the longer you stay, the less convenient a hotel becomes.
AMENITIES
Dharma
In addition to the two pools, Dharma also has a hot tub . While Dharma’s property doesn’t offer bicycle and water sports rental, they give you the flexibility in choosing what amenities you would like without forcing a fee upon you. You can choose to rent towels and umbrellas, utilize the Citibike Miami bicycle rental system, or walk down the beach to rent kayaks and paddle boards. And while there is no on-site restaurant, every apartment comes with a fully equipped kitchen for when you tire of eating out. They also have a washing machine and dryer for emergency spills and lighter luggage . This is especially convenient for guests who are here for more than just a weekend or for business travel : you don’t have to feel like you're living out of a suitcase .

Hotel
While both the Hotel and Dharma properties have two pools and a fitness center, there are differences in the other amenities offered, mostly in the matter of freedom of choice. The hotel has an onsite restaurant. While this is a convenience in many places, in Miami Beach it is only a difference of a few feet to find a restaurant, leaving you with many choices. The hotel charged a daily resort fee that included: internet access; beach chairs and towels; a discount to their restaurant; and bicycle and water sports rental. The downside to this is that you are charged the fee whether or not you use any of the amenities.

SERVICES

Dharma

Dharma gives the guest the option to choose this service . While a professional cleaning service before and after your stay is included in the price at time of reservation, extra cleaning services can be provided for a fee: that way, you don’t have to pay for a service you may not even want.

Hotel

Some enjoy the daily cleaning service of a hotel; however, many don’t feel that it is necessary. Others don’t like the idea of someone entering their private space when they are not there; hence the DO NOT DISTURB SIGN. Either way, you are paying for the service since it is included in the price of the hotel.

PEACE OF MIND
Dharma
It used to be, in the beginning of AirBnb and VRBO, that you didn’t know what you would be getting once you arrived at a property. You didn’t know who was in charge, and there was no assurance of quality that came with a chain hotel. There are even horror stories of owners that would get caught renting out their apartments illegally; guests would show up to find the place locked up and no one there. Now there are companies like Dharma, who can guarantee the reliability and quality of rooms and service for all their properties.

Hotel
With hotels, depending on the company, you know what you are getting. Each one has a reputation for different things - service, affordability, convenience.




CONCLUSION
So which is the better stay? Admittedly we are biased, but for vacations and a harmonious work/travel life, we would choose our Dharma Home Suites anytime .

If you’d like to know more about the history of vacation home rentals, you can click here.