North Captiva Island is a hidden gem off the coast of Florida, known for its pristine beaches, clear waters, and relaxed atmosphere. Whether looking for a romantic getaway or a family vacation, North Captiva Island has something to offer everyone.
When choosing where to stay on North Captiva Island, you have two main options: hotels and beach houses. Hotels offer the convenience of being all-inclusive, while beach houses offer more privacy and flexibility.
Which is best for you?
Uber-popular travel site, TripAdvisor, lists no less than 73 hotels within 18 miles of North Captiva Island. While it’s a terrific island for vacation, the truly hotel-bound are still going to be on the mainland. If you’ve got business in or around Fort Myers, it could make sense, but to really break out you simply must consider a house on the beach and a whole different way of experiencing the Gulf Coast.
For lots of travelers, a trip to the beach always means a hotel – and only a hotel by the beach. Looking carefully at any big, beautiful beachfront house – especially if you’re traveling with kids, older adults, or any party larger than three – should give you pause.
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The Bigger Beach House Advantage
By sheer square footage, a beach house will probably save you about 50%. Even if you’re paying “about the same,” a house rented at the beach will definitely give you more room.
For some travelers, that can mean bringing more family or friends along. Two couples instantly need two hotel rooms, but a single house for the cost of one hotel room will do just as well.
Likewise with kids, cutting corners by cramming two grown-ups and two kids into a single hotel room can quickly reduce your week at the beach to a nightmare. A day or two might be do-able, but then again traveling less than a full week is often less than a real vacation too.
Further, just like those two parents save by busting out of the hotel, two couples will often split the cost of a beach house – and save that much more! Suddenly you’re planning not just a quick break at the coast, but inviting your in-laws, or your best friends – and making a real holiday of it.
Of course, with a complete living room, entertainment areas and a balcony or patio, hanging out is a lot easier and more comfortable. A couple of rooms in a hotel, on different floors, or even different buildings are just not going to even out.
Better Eating, Too
Of course, restaurants can be a fun part of any hotel trip. Continental breakfasts are often included with your normal rate but after that – it’s lunch, dinner, and something more.
Lots of hotel guests will often cut their trip short – simply because the cost of eating becomes unmanageable. Of course, food in your hotel room can also create all kinds of problems – from bugs to hotel surcharges or even cleaning fees.
On the other hand, renting a house at the beach gives you that much more freedom. Ordering from the grocery store is easy, and can even be done before you get to the island. You arrive at a fully stocked kitchen and then can cook, eat and enjoy at your own pace without the need for cash at every turn.
Of course, you can still do restaurants when the mood strikes you. Captiva has many within easy walking (or golf cart) distance. With everything you’re saving, having prepared food delivered may also seem more appealing.
All the Beach Houses on North Captiva Island include full-sized, equipped kitchens. All the utensils necessary for a full-on feast are there too. And of course, because there’s a complete washer and dryer, you can also pack fewer clothes, take a longer trip and even bring along some groceries from home.
The Longer Beach House Holiday
It doesn’t come down to any of the above. But for many travelers, the make-or-break decision is the ability to stay longer. With lower weekly rates, big savings on cooking, eating, and entertaining, plus a top-notch WiFi connection (so you’re still in touch with work), a beach house is the way to go. And “working vacation” doesn’t have to mean no vacation or less vacation or anything of the sort. Today taking ten days off might seem outrageous – or worse – unthinkable!
But a week totally off and a few days “half-in-touch” is increasingly the way busy Americans travel.
For a quick weekend with the spouse, hotels are still a very nice option. But the advantages to a full house on the beach are generally too good to pass up. With daily housekeeping, concierge services, and catering, you may very well find the advantages too much to ignore.
To sum up, with more room, you’re traveling with bigger parties, more people, and staying a little bit longer. Even if yours is a “working vacation”, the house on the beach may very well be the first step toward reconsidering your entire relationship with vacation overall.
Ultimately, the best way to decide is to consider your own needs and preferences. If you’re not sure which is right for you, then I recommend checking out both options and see which one you prefer.
This article was written by james, a consummate beach-goer, travel writer, and blogger.
image source: wikipedia