If your sports team is headed for a big tournament, you’ve no doubt been challenged with where to stay. Maybe you’ve gone the hotel/motel route before. And one thing you’ve learned is, it’s not the most economical way to go. Rates are sky high and reservations are nearly impossible with groups of tweens or teens. It’s the same with meals-feeding a team of teens at a hotel can quickly eat up your travel budget. It’s rare to find a hotel that has a kitchen or outside BBQ-where you can prepare economical home-cooked meals. And after a hard day of competition, you really don’t want to share a relaxing spa or pool with strangers. It’s no wonder so many youth sports teams are opting to stay in a vacation home.
Close to Youth Sports Venues
Vacation homes are frequently just as conveniently located to today’s popular sports venues as hotels and motels. Many are also just minutes away from popular resorts like Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, Anaheim Convention Center, water parks, Orange County’s fabulous beaches and other attractions. Most homes are close to public transportation or vans and shuttles operated by sports venues and vacation destinations.
The Look and Feel of a Home
Vacation homes feel like a real home, not some impersonal hotel or motel. Youth sports groups and teams have found that these homes can be most accommodating to tweens and teens. Where else can you stay that offers kids/bunk rooms, two or more bunk beds and double trundles? These “team” accommodations allow many kids to share the same bedroom. Some homes even have four bedrooms, which can sleep as many as 16 kids/teens. A number of these homes have a sofa sleeper located in the family room to sleep two more kids.
Never a Dull Moment for Kids,Teens and Chaperones
Vacation homes are fully equipped to keep kids, teens and chaperones entertained. After a hard day of sports competition, everyone needs a break. Which is why these homes have smart TVs, fun-filled gaming systems like X-Box, DVD players, Netflix, Foosball, and plenty of Wi-Fi access for smartphones, laptops and tablets. These connectivity options offer just the right mix of information and entertainment for everyone.
Barbeques, Pools and Spas
Kids, teens and especially chaperones need to take a break from the rigors of competition. Vacation homes enable sports teams to do just that-in a way that can’t be done in a hotel or motel. They let you prepare hot dogs, burgers and other outdoor fun meals on a barbeque in a private back yard. Forget about waiting for strangers to finish (or clean up) their barbeque. Or having to share an outdoor area with strange hotel/motel guests. Vacation homes almost always have a spacious outdoor eating area equipped with tables, chairs, and lots of comfortable seating. Many homes also feature in-ground, private, gated pools and a spa or hot tub-for the exclusive use of your team.
Healthy, Economical Meals
Hotels and motels typically offer limited meal menus that can be quite costly when feeding a group of tweens or teens. Vacation homes, on the other hand, let you prepare healthy meals that fit your team’s health and taste preferences. The homes come with fully equipped kitchens that include stainless steel appliances (microwave, fridge, dishwasher, and double oven), granite counters, and roomy breakfast bars. Each kitchen is also fully equipped with bakeware, pots, pans, dishes, cooking utensils, flatware, even kitchen and paper towels.
Affordable Cleaning Services
Youth teams can be hard on uniforms and other clothing during a competition. Hotel and motel laundry services are often prohibitively expensive for sports and youth groups. Vacation homes include a washing machine and dryer to clean clothes quickly and economically. Cleaning up after sports teams is no small task, but thanks to available housekeeping services, chaperones can take a breather after a day of sports competition.