Recently we discussed some of the partial week rentals owners have listed with RedWeek and how these make for fantastic short getaways. However, this isn’t your only choice when you need a few nights away. In many cases, renting a few nights directly from a hotel can end up being more expensive than renting a full week from an owner. So, even if you only need, say, four nights, you might find that a full week from an owner saves you compared to booking those nights straight through the resort (and, consider tax on top of that already-pricey bill!)
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| Aruba Surf Club: save on a 3-night stay by-owner |
Let’s break this down with an example. Consider this posting for Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club. This posting spans from April 3 – 10, 2014 and nets you an ocean view 1 bedroom/1 bathroom unit for $1,875 ($268 per night). Now, let’s jump over to the resort’s site for the same price breakdown. With the exact same specifications in mind (date, view and unit size), we see that the same unit is listed for $630/night, but when taxes and fees are included, effective rate is $692.85! Here’s your equation: take the RedWeek full week price ($1,875), divided by the resort’s nightly price with tax ($692.85), and you get 2.7062. In other words, the weekly rental on RedWeek is less expensive than booking 3 nights with the resort.
Even if you did only need three nights at the Surf Club, you’d still be investing a sizable $2,078.55. If you were to rent directly from the owner, you’d pay $203.55 less and receive four nights free (whether you decide to take advantage of them or not!).
Here are some other examples:
| Resort | Full Week from RedWeek | Resort-Direct By Night (with tax) | Book with RedWeek if… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harborside Resort at Atlantis | $1,500 (Mar 15 check-in, 1 br, garden) | $480/nt | Staying 4 nights ($1,920 from resort) |
| The Manhattan Club | $1,495 (Feb 21 check-in, 1 br) | $491.22/nt | Staying 4 nights ($1,965 from resort) |
| Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas | $1,550 (Mar 21 check-in, 2 br) | $361.90/nt | Staying 5 nights ($1,809 from resort) |
| Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach | $995 (Feb 22 check-in, 1 br) | $488.95/nt | Staying 3 nights ($1,467 from resort) |
| Sheraton Desert Oasis | $775 (Mar 14 check-in, 1 br) | $316.81/nt (on sale) | Staying 3 nights ($950.43 from resort) |
| Marriott’s Grande Ocean | $1,150 (Mar 16 check-in, 2 br, ocean) | $387.55/nt (avg) | Staying 3 nights ($1,163 from resort) |
You see, you can rent four nights from the Harborside Resort at Atlantis for $1,920… or the full week from owner for $1,500. Three nights at the Sheraton Desert Oasis will run you $950.43, while the whole week on RedWeek is just a mere $775. Are you beginning to see the pattern here? So next time you need a few days away, consider checking out one of the full weeks for rent (whether you use them or not). Once you break down the pricing, you’ll definitely appreciate it!
* Please note: all prices were confirmed to be accurate as of December 2, 2013, 11 am PST. Side-by-side comparisons were made, then the resort’s nightly rate was calculated by averaging the full weekly price with taxes and fees included. By-owner listings are limited in availability and may be booked quickly when featured. Outside vendors’ rates may change without notice.