by Tracy Bee

Created on: February 16, 2010

Budget beach houses? These are not words you would normally put together, right?

Actually, it makes sense though.

Modern vacations have become based on one very wrong assumption - that travel requires a hotel stay. Yet, staying at a hotel on every trip can become very expensive, very quickly. One can usually expect to pay at least $700/week staying at even the most basic hotel. At the majority of hotels, the cost is double that. By the time one calculates taxes, fees, meals and facility charges, the total cost can balloon to double again. So, it is this "hotel stay philosophy" that has falsely perpetuated the notion that vacations are inherently expensive. The truth is that budget friendly beach travel is more than possible.

Think about it. Hotel living is expensive living. At home, people are much more budget conscious. Thus, to keep vacations on a budget, why not apply home-style budget principles?  

The first step is getting access to one’s own kitchen. At home, people rarely eat out every meal. Rather, meals are prepared, much more cheaply, in the home kitchen. While on vacation, these same budget principles can apply. Rather than spending all of your money on expensive beach resorts, shared with hundreds of strangers, and spending most of your budget of meals, why not book your own private beach house?

Renting a beach house may actually be the best way to maximize your vacation experience rather than merely maximizing your credit card bill.  

Here is a sampling of some of the fabulous beach houses available in Hawaii. I have also included the break-down of the math behind these great deals. Searching the internet for beach houses, I hand-picked these as samples due to their exceptional value. Most rentable beach houses cost less than $250 per room, per night. They are especially affordable if you are sharing the vacation with family or friends. Certainly, there are many uber-luxurious houses available that will cost much more, but there are enough affordable ones too worth writing home about…

BUDGET BEACH HOUSES IN HAWAII:

3 bedroom Oceanview House - Kona, Big Island
$77 per night, per person or $158 per room, per night.
Starts at $$475/night, or $3,325/week.

3 bedroom Beachfront House - Kona, Big Island
$57 per night, per person or $113 per room, per night.
Starts at $340/night, or $2,380/week.

"Sunbeam," Lahaina, Maui
2 bedrooms. Comfortably sleeps 4.
1,000 square feet cottage. The hillside location offers expansive ocean views and the beach is less than a mile away.
Ideal for 2 couples. $137.50 per night, per person. $275 per room, per night.
Starts at $550/night, or $3850/week

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