TripAdvisor Offers Up Ten Great American Vacation Rental Amenities

TripAdvisor Survey Shows Amenities a Key Selling Point for U.S. Renters

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Aug 09, 2011, 09:30 ET

NEWTON, Mass., Aug. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- TripAdvisor®, the world's largest travel site*, today announced ten outstanding vacation rental amenities according to TripAdvisor editors and the results of its vacation rental amenities survey of more than 1,000 U.S. travelers. Forty-two percent of travelers said they have booked a vacation rental primarily because of a particular amenity, be it a private pool or an in-house game room, highlighting the importance of property perks to potential guests.

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Full Kitchens the Top Amenity for Travelers

32% of travelers thought access to a full kitchen was the most important vacation rental amenity
22% most prefer Wi-Fi Internet access
10% prioritize an outdoor deck or patio

Top Vacation Rental Dream Amenities

38% of respondents wish for a vacation home with a private section of a beach or lake
23% crave a personal chef
8% desire an included boat rental

Vacation Rentals Top Hotels on Amenities

41% of travelers believe that vacation rentals typically have better amenities than hotels
26% believe the amenities are comparable across the two accommodation options

10 Great U.S. Vacation Rental Amenities:

Included Yacht: Cape Coral Yacht Club Home, Cape Coral, Florida – Summer Rate: $1,650 per week

For travelers interested in hitting the waves, this three-bedroom vacation home includes a 24-foot yacht in the rental price, which guests can use to explore the nearby canals and beaches. As one TripAdvisor traveler raved, "It was really great having the boat and quick access to the river."

Private Chef: Hale Kai Nani, Oahu, Hawaii – Summer Rate: $695 per night

For travelers who want to have their taste buds tickled without having to leave their vacation home, Hale Kai Nani, located on the sands of Sunset Beach, offers guests access to a private chef who will whip up gourmet dishes in the home's exotic wood and granite kitchen.

Private Beach Access: Provincetown Gem, Provincetown, Massachusetts – Summer Rate: $2,100 to $2,700 per week

If battling for a spot on the beach doesn't sound appealing during a vacation, guests at this Cape Cod vacation rental will be pleased to learn that it includes a pass to the nearby Delft Haven private beach in Provincetown. As one TripAdvisor traveler gushed, "This condo is in a great location, with the private Delft Haven bay beach across the street which you have access to. This beach is clearly the nicest bay beach in all of P-town."

Backyard Putting Green: Exclusive Gated and Secure Estate, Cave Creek, Arizona – Summer Rate: $2,500 per week

Golf enthusiasts will appreciate the many amenities included with this estate, including its barbecue grill, private pool and hot tub, but its on-site putting green sets it apart as place to practice their swings from the comfort of their rental home.

Game Room: Tropical Retreat, Kissimmee, Florida – Summer Rate: $973 to $1,183 per week

Whether guests have children or are just young at heart, they're sure to love the game room at this Orlando area home, which is equipped with a pool table, multiple arcades, an air hockey table and a Pop-a-Shot basketball hoop. As one TripAdvisor traveler said, "I can't say enough good things about the game room."

Private Island: Dreamcatcher, Cook, Minnesota – Summer Rate: $1,840 to $4,040 per week

For travelers truly looking to get away from at all, this Lake Vermilion rental offers guests four stories of living space and numerous fun amenities, including a kayak, foosball table, and charcoal grill, all on a picturesque private island. As one TripAdvisor traveler put it, "If you are looking for the island feel... this is the place."

In-Home Sauna: Cherry Circle, Manzanita, Oregon – Summer Rate: $1,925 per week

This vacation rental with stunning Pacific Ocean views is decked out with an in-home sauna, which can help guests soothe away any aches, pains or stresses from their daily lives while they're on vacation. As one TripAdvisor traveler raved, "What a lovely home! Beautiful views! Fantastic sauna! Room for everyone!"

Theater Room: 5 Bedroom Luxury Cabin, Gatlinburg, Tennessee – Summer Rate: $1,685 to $2,808 per week

Movie buffs are sure to appreciate the comfortable private theater room built into this luxury cabin near the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. As one TripAdvisor traveler noted, "The hot tub was fantastic and the theatre room was totally cool."

Maid Service: Lift One #302, Aspen, Colorado – Summer Rate: $1,320 per week

For travelers who don't want to lift a finger during their trips, this renovated condo with scenic mountain views includes daily maid service so guests don't even have to think about cleaning on their vacation. As one TripAdvisor traveler said, "We were impressed that the condo was cleaned every day."

Tennis Court, Chalet on Timphaven, Sundance, Utah – Summer Rate: $450 to $485 per night

While this rustic cabin impresses guests with its gorgeous mountain views and spacious living area, active travelers will surely appreciate its private tennis court nestled between towering trees.

"When making the decision to stay at a vacation rental, amenities are often a key consideration for travelers," said Hank Hudepohl, director of vacation rentals at TripAdvisor. "Vacation homes offer guests a wide range of unique and fun amenities —from their own private section of paradise or a movie theater all their own — to make their lodging a full part of their travel experience."

To explore the more than 125,000 vacation rental listings available worldwide on TripAdvisor, visit www.tripadvisor.com/vacationrentals.

About TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor® is the world's largest travel site, enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features (including Flights search, TripAdvisor Mobile and Instant Personalization) with seamless links to booking tools.

TripAdvisor® Media Group, operated by TripAdvisor LLC, attracts more than 60 million unique monthly visitors* across 19 popular travel brands**. TripAdvisor-branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 45 million unique monthly visitors***, 20 million members, and over 50 million reviews and opinions. The sites operate in 30 countries worldwide****, including China under daodao.com. TripAdvisor also operates TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that provides the tourism industry access to TripAdvisor's millions of monthly visitors. The division includes Business Listings, which allows hoteliers to connect directly to millions of researching travelers, and Vacation Rentals, which helps property managers and individual home owners list their properties and showcase hotel alternatives.

TripAdvisor Media Group websites have been recognized as top travel resources in 2010 by Conde Nast Traveller, Good Housekeeping, TIME magazine and Travel + Leisure.

TripAdvisor Media Group generated $486 million in revenue in 2010. TripAdvisor and the sites comprising the TripAdvisor Media Group are operating companies of Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE).

TripAdvisor and the TripAdvisor logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of TripAdvisor LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

*Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Media Group Sites, Worldwide, June 2011

** In addition to TripAdvisor, The TripAdvisor Media Group of websites includes: www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.everytrail.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.onetime.com, www.seatguru.com, www.sniqueaway.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.travel-library.com, www.travelpod.com, www.virtualtourist.com, www.whereivebeen.com, and www.kuxun.cn.