An Orlando home-stay rental is not a time share, because renters do not pay maintenance fees or have any type of ownership in the house. Renters simply check into the rental as they would a hotel, but they receive more space and freedom for their dollars. Houses often have more amenities than hotels.
Several companies in the Orlando area specialize in home-stay rentals, including Kingdom State Villas, Dream Homes Inc., Easy Choice Vacation Homes, Villa Style Orlando and Disney 4 Villas. Some owners choose to rent their own houses through Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO).
Full kitchens reduce the necessity to dine out every evening, plus laundry facilities mean renters can pack lighter. In Orlando, most rental houses have private pools, barbecue grills, wireless Internet access, game systems and DVD players. The houses here often sport game rooms with billiard tables and home theaters. Rental homes range from two to seven bedrooms and from 1,050 to 4,000 square feet.
Besides offering more space and privacy, vacation rentals can often be less expensive than renting multiple hotel rooms for everyone in your group. In Orlando, rental homes start at about $120 per night are able to sleep eight people, rather than the customary two guests per hotel room.
Besides traditional vacation rentals, another option for more flexible travelers is to consider house swapping with an Orlando homeowner. This is a cost-effective way to travel and spend time in the sun.
There are more than two dozen homes available for swapping in the Orlando area through Home Link International, a house-swapping company that has been in operation since 1953 and manages 13,000 properties.
Another option is Intervac Home Exchange International, which represents 20,000 homes and has been in operation since the early 1950s. Intervac has five homes in the Orlando area.
Be flexible, research the area and ask the homeowner lots of questions. Make sure you are comfortable letting strangers sleep in your bed and use your home. Share clear guidelines about your rules and regulations, and make sure you know what the swappers expect in their home. Share lists for emergency contacts.
