Destin Thanksgiving: Book a home over a hotel!

Why a Home Trumps a Hotel for Thanksgiving

Posted on 10/8/2021

Do you have plans for Thanksgiving? You do now! The plan – take your family to the beach in Destin or neighboring South Walton. It's a perfect plan as temperatures here this time of year usually stay in the warm seventies during the day and sweater weather fifties at night. There's hardly any heat or humidity, and the beautiful white sand beaches are wide open. Our guests happily stay at vacation rental homes instead of a hotel for several reasons; here are our top seven.

1. It's Cost Effective

Save Money on Vacation

Hotels are ineffective and costly compared to staying at your own place with family and friends. Hotel rates this time of year average from well over $200 to $500 per night. A room, of course, is just a room. It may have a coffee maker and a small refrigerator, but that's about all. If you are planning to include family members and close friends on your holiday vacation (and who doesn't at Thanksgiving time?), the cost increases exponentially per room. Our vacation homes are rented out for one all-inclusive cost and may be shared by each member of your extended family or friends who are joining in. It allows everyone to share the price for less money than staying at a hotel and to reside at a big lovely place together. This simple solution is why savvy travelers have happily stayed with us at Ocean Reef Resorts for nearly four decades, not only at Thanksgiving time but also for Christmas, Spring Break, and throughout the Summer. This is really a bargain "no brainer" too since Thanksgiving time and up until early spring also happens to coincide with the lowest rental rates of the year.

2. Better Locations

Our vacation rentals, including distinctive private homes and luxury condominiums, are located in Destin, Miramar Beach, Scenic 30A, and Panama City Beach. Many of them are in prestigious, sought-after locales or within gorgeous exclusively gated resort communities like Sandestin. The vast majority of these properties are right on the beach or very close by, with plentiful panoramic views of the jewel-toned waters of the glittering gulf. In contrast, hotels here along the coast are few, and most of them are not on the beach but beside heavily traveled arteries like Highway 98. In fact, Destin proper has NO hotels right on the beach.

3. A Private Pool.

Vacation Home Private Pool

Hotels usually have public pools for their guests, where whoever is staying there may show up and plunge in. Many of our vacation homes come with their own private pool, which may be heated during your stay. Besides the luxury of having a private pool for your group, most of these come with grills for a poolside barbeque, and some include outdoor kitchens, living areas, or Tiki Bars.

Related article: 27 Destin Beachfront Vacation Homes with Pools

4. More rooms.

Off The Hook Miramar Beach

Related Vacation Rental: Off the Hook

When you are on vacation, a single hotel room is needed for each pair of visiting guests. Multiply that by the total amount of members of your party, and you get an idea of how many rooms will be needed for the stay. Our vacation rental homes come in all sizes. Some of the largest ones may accommodate well over twenty happy guests since they may have as many as ten bedrooms and come with multiple beds or bunks. This makes our properties a perfect place for a fun family reunion at the beach. Bedrooms can include luxury en suite baths. Some are located on separate floors of a home for extra privacy, and unique properties can include an individual guesthouse or guest quarters.

5. Mutual Living Space.

Villa Burago 2 Living Room

Most vacation homes include a main open living area with comfortable furnishings for relaxation and lounging. An extra-large TV is usually present for entertainment or that "must-see" game, and sit-down bars off the kitchen provide a place to serve favorite drinks. All of our beachfront properties include a breezy balcony or patio deck where you may congregate for fun, party together, watch the waves, and listen to the surf. Those with outdoor pools often include lushly landscaped patios that make you feel like you are in your own private tropical oasis.

6. Kitchens.

Best Kitchens Ocean Reef

Staff Picks: Destin & 30A Vacation Rental Kitchens

Just about all of our properties feature state-of-the-art kitchens. Many include gleaming stainless steel appliances, granite-topped bars with seating, and custom cabinetry with everything you need to cook and serve a meal. Sidebars usually straddle the open kitchen with the formal dining area nearby. This makes entertaining a breeze since you have plenty of room to layout a buffet-type meal, serve appetizers and deliver drinks along with everything else for a fun family feast. Not only are you all able to enjoy a wonderful time together, but you are also have the choice of saving big bucks by eating and drinking in rather than going out. If you want to enjoy some no-fuss great cooking and still stay in, enjoy checking out Sarah Ks Gourmet. This nationally renowned chef is known for her famous Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes and has received lots of well-earned publicity on television and in the print media. She has received the "Best of the Emerald Coast" award for her cuisine seven consecutive years in a row. Sarah K has a wide menu of choices for precooked entrees, appetizers, and desserts that include plenty of comfort foods. These offerings are ready to pop in the oven and warm up for savory delights. As an Ocean Reef Resorts guest, you also receive a free bottle of champagne with your order!

7. Time with Family and Friends.

Schot Family Vacation Santa Rosa Beach

Thanksgiving is about being thankful for all the many blessings of this life, especially celebrating warm, memorable times of bonding with family and friends. Hotels can be expensive, impersonal, and business-like, while our vacation homes are relatively affordable, welcoming, and inviting. These hospitable homes inspire the creation of marvelous memories that will last a lifetime. Take a peek here on our user-friendly website at what may become your own personal palette for the creation of such memories. Enjoy your blessings!

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