What Is A Resort vs. Hotel?

Are you having a hard time deciding where to stay for your next vacation? When you’re looking for comfort and great amenities, it can be daunting to try and figure out which advertised features are as good as they say. It can also be confusing with different locations being called a resort, others a hotel, and some hotel and resort. It’s no surprise that one of the biggest questions we are often asked is, “what makes a resort better than a hotel?” We are here to help you understand the unique benefits of staying at a resort and end the debate of resort vs. hotel for your vacation.

What is a Resort?

A resort is a self-contained destination that can provide for all of your travel needs in one location. You can find food, drinks, entertainment, shopping, and other activities all without needing to leave the property. Resorts also have great recreational facilities like swimming pools, courts and areas for various sports, and other activities.

What is the Difference Between a Hotel and a Resort?

The main difference between a hotel and a resort is that hotels are usually just a place for lodging while a resort allows for more privacy, entertainment, and experiences during your stay. While some hotels will have extra rooms for conferences and special events, you will often need to leave the property to find everything you are looking for on vacation. Some hotels may claim they are a resort because of entertainment and recreational amenities, but most of these locations do not offer the same privacy and isolated luxury available with a resort. You can also find much higher-quality experiences at a resort than you would find at hotels that offer the basics or nothing at all when it comes to amenities and luxury.

Making the Most of Your Vacation with our resorts

While resorts can offer more for your vacation than the typical hotel, not all properties are equal. Our resorts are is dedicated to providing the best amenities and options for our guests, easily deciding your resort vs. hotel debate.

Furnishings

All of our resort locations offer luxury furnishings and appliances to make your stay a home away from home. Instead of lumpy chairs, a couple mugs, and a microwave if you’re lucky, we provide full kitchens, televisions and blu-ray players, tables for dining, and other furniture and gadgets to help you feel at home.

A major advantage we offer is a fully stocked kitchen, which allows you to save on cooking family meals instead of dining out, makes it easier to prepare and store healthy, on-the-go snacks, provides a place to store leftovers, and lets you use and keep healthy, local ingredients for your meals. In fact, 91% of vacationers said that a kitchen improved their vacation experience.

“They had a full kitchen with everything you could possibly need which was great if you wanted to cook a meal or warm up food. They also had a wine opener in there too! There was an activity room with lots of things to do for adults and kids, which is great for a family resort.” - Romina I.

Privacy and Space

Our resorts' premium accommodations feature separate bedrooms, designated dining areas, and other locations to make your stay more comfortable and relaxing. These premium spaces offer more than just extra square footage, with well-laid-out floor plans that provide areas for family game time, a place for kids to watch TV or play games while adults regroup or prepare meals in peace, and enough rooms for uninterrupted downtime to recharge for the next day’s adventures.

“We were traveling with my entire family which meant making meals for 14 people, we opted with doing the cooking in one unit as to keep the family together at least for meals, and surprisingly even with all 14 people for breakfast or dinner the condo never felt crowded. there was room for five on the balcony while the rest would sit at the dining table or the kitchen counter.” - Venu S.

Resort Activities

Our Virtual Reality room at The Welk in San Diego provides hours of entertainment for guests—young and old alike.

“I’m bored.” Two of the most dreaded words when on vacation. Our Chief Fun Officer and the team at our resorts are dedicated to ensuring both kids and adults are able to find fun and entertainment during your entire stay. Our award-winning INSPIRED For You activities offer unique experiences for guests of all ages, with options like drone flight school, our virtual reality room, and spy school for the kids. We also offer one-of-a-kind dining experiences, craft beer tasting, and theater performances for grownups.

“I love this resort. The security is fantastic, the rooms are spacious and upgraded, the views are heavenly. There are activities every single day. The kids should not be bored here. There are shops and a great Farmers Market every Monday. This resort offers many services and is an ideal place to get away from the crowds, yet be close to San Diego and its tourist destinations. I highly recommend!” - Rosemary W.

Lasting Quality and Friendships

Hotels can often be impersonal and focused on how soon the next guest arrives. At our resorts, we value everyone who stays with us and love creating traditions for families. We have provided a beloved getaway for families for decades and take pride in our lasting, quality relationships that have and will continue to span generations.

“"We have been coming here for over 30 years and now have great grandchildren that also love going to these resorts! This past Thanksgiving all four generations… were enjoying the villas!!!”- Judy W.P.

“We spent January at this resort. Just three generations together to enjoy the sun pools and oh yes, the new climbing wall—enjoyed by kids from 70 to 12!”- Deanna H.

Want to end the debate of resort vs. hotel for yourself? Book a stay at any of our resort locations and experience the luxurious benefits that only a resort can offer.