Hotels are typically our first option when choosing vacation accommodations. This is no surprise. Where else would we stay? Everyone knows that when you are out of town, you stay in a hotel. We see them on the side of the road and littering the beaches. Hotels are advertised on every travel website. So when we plan our family vacations, our goal is often limited to simply getting the best price on a "hotel." And that we do. We are proud of ourselves and our $100 a night accommodations.

The hotel room is not a shocker. We know what to expect. We are immediately greeted with the bathroom. Straight ahead is the window with those one-inch thick curtains. To the right is the bed (or maybe two). We are happy when there is a nice chair with a table next to it. We are really living in luxury if there is a private bedroom, but we would have paid $200 or more a night for that option.

I have news for you. You are spending far too much for far too little. How happy would you be if I informed of the option to vacation at a luxury resort for the same price or cheaper than the average hotel room?

Now imagine walking into your resort accommodations. Walking in the front door, you would see a full kitchen off to your left. Straight ahead is the living room with a couch, chair, and love seat facing an entertainment center. The whole place is decorated very tastefully. Windows line the far wall. The master bedroom is off to the left, with a whirlpool tub in the private bathroom. Just before walking into the second bedroom to your right, you notice a closet containing a washer and dryer.

Do you realize that those resort accommodations will cost you the same or less than much smaller hotel lodging? The price for a week at a luxury resort generally runs $600 - $1500 a week, or about $85-$215 a night. When you also consider the fact that your full kitchen can be used as a dining out replacement, you've really got a money saving option.

So what's the catch? Resort rental is so cheap because there are thousands of timeshare owners who have purchased these units and are now trying to rent them out. Dozens of websites are dedicated to just this -- helping timeshare owners rent out their unused resort units. Be aware that resorts rent out units in full week increments. You can't use this option for an overnight business trip. That's what hotels are for.