Monday 10 March 2014

Independent travel versus group travel

A tour or a rental? What will you choose? Safety is important and there is safety in numbers. It is reassuring to know the group will be shepherded at all times. Being surrounded by fellow travelers with the same background, speaking the same language, visiting the same places is comforting. It’s easy to make friends similar to ourselves and relaxing to have all decisions made for us in advance.



Less pleasant are the constraints. You don’t choose your co-travelers; you may soon get tired of them. Willy-nilly, rain or shine, time to get up, to join the group. Your opinion as to what to see, eat, linger on does not count. You have only so much free time away from the group: the bus is waiting. When you rent your own place, you are free.





It goes with a certain amount of risk. By choosing a rental you have opted for adventure. The trip is unpredictable and fun. You create your own memories. You are not sure what the French person at the train station is trying to say. If driving, you don’t know at what exact time you will reach your destination. You wonder what metro line to this tourist sight is the quickest. There is no right and wrong. Each of us is different. When planning a vacation, follow your instinct. You picked the country you want to see according to your personality, experience, desires.  Do the same to choose between a rental and a tour.

Supposing some serious, unexpected event worried you -illness at home or in your party, lost luggage, stolen passport- France: Homestyle will be there for you. We’ll know what to do. We know about emergencies: canceled flights, medical conditions, locked out renters, erupting volcanoes, broken boilers and water leaks. 
 
By renting with France: Homestyle, you combine two ways of traveling, at their best. You, our guests, are independent, allowed to be yourselves, in the driver’s seat. Yet you are safe. Our teams of good people in France and in Seattle are a phone call away. An added benefit is making friends with people who on the surface are not like you. Meeting locals is a pleasure mentioned repeatedly by returning guests.

Choosing to rent is a good decision. You will be on your own but you will always manage and this achievement brings great pleasure. Try renting once. Like so many of our returning guests you will do it again and again. Good luck choosing!


 
 
 
 

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