Catered Vacation Rental
Feb 8, 2021, 1:49 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Durham, NC
Programs: DL GM, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 66
Catered Vacation Rental
Hi all,
As I'm sure all of us are now - my family and I are ready for a getaway. I have been looking at several resorts in the Southeast, but I haven't quite found what I'm looking for. I'd really like some place where we could rent a cottage/bungalow/house that we could get catered - like, breakfast, lunch, and dinner (if we wanted). I have zero desire to go into any restaurants, and I'm tired of cooking. I've seen a few places, but they have very limited in-room dining menus compared to their restaurant offerings. Does anybody know if any place that offers such a thing?
Thanks!
As I'm sure all of us are now - my family and I are ready for a getaway. I have been looking at several resorts in the Southeast, but I haven't quite found what I'm looking for. I'd really like some place where we could rent a cottage/bungalow/house that we could get catered - like, breakfast, lunch, and dinner (if we wanted). I have zero desire to go into any restaurants, and I'm tired of cooking. I've seen a few places, but they have very limited in-room dining menus compared to their restaurant offerings. Does anybody know if any place that offers such a thing?
Thanks!
Feb 9, 2021, 8:23 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: BOS
Programs: ALLLLLLL of them. Well, most...
Posts: 597
I don't have a recommendation for a resort for you, but just chiming in to say that we have had a few vacations on the east coast (only one in the southeast--that was in Naples, FL) where we wanted the same thing: I'm tired of cooking--and we were vacationing with extended family, so even more mouths to feed than usual. I couldn't find any resorts that do this kind of catering.
In the end, what I did (and do now) is find the place we want to stay--and then spend a lot of time online finding local chefs.
This can be hit or miss but obviously checking reviews of the chefs you find and your own communications with them will be your guide. I reach out typically by email first and see how responsive folks are. They'll ask about the number of people, dietary restrictions, etc., and will typically give a ballpark budget. They can also source all of your alcohol, which makes things easier (I can tell them to make some wine recommendations for the food they're cooking, plus deliver XX cases of beer, some vodka and tequila, etc.).
I've done full days of catering (meaning, all 3 meals provided by someone else, and dropped off for reheating); had chefs shop for and prepare the meal IN the vacation home (this won't apply for you if you are in a hotel, obviously); and done just dinners and snacks (e.g., crudite trays for days at the pool). My best advice is to maybe do ONE day of breakfast for the fun of it (a pancake or waffle bar with bacon and some juices is exciting for all ages) but otherwise, skip catering breakfast every day: not worth the cost, and easy enough to buy cereal and/or fruits and/or Belvita breakfast bar-type stuff. And if it's an active vacation (i.e., you might be boating certain days), ask for sandwiches, fruit and snacks for lunch and then just go all out on the dinner.
Another thing that makes the local chef thing good is you can--if you're so inclined--ask them to focus on local foods. You of course can veto anything you don't like, but it's a fun way to get, e.g., fresh seafood or any local specialties you may not be aware of.
Finally, if you're in a hotel with only a microwave, you'll want to let the chef know that's all the reheating you've got; an AirBnB with a full kitchen gives you more options, of course, but you don't need to have it if the chef knows in advance to deliver meals hot and/or only in microwave-safe containers.
Sorry that doesn't really answer what you wanted but if there's even one local chef wherever you're going, that's all you need! They appreciate the business and not having to cook makes it feel like a real vacation. Cheers!
In the end, what I did (and do now) is find the place we want to stay--and then spend a lot of time online finding local chefs.
This can be hit or miss but obviously checking reviews of the chefs you find and your own communications with them will be your guide. I reach out typically by email first and see how responsive folks are. They'll ask about the number of people, dietary restrictions, etc., and will typically give a ballpark budget. They can also source all of your alcohol, which makes things easier (I can tell them to make some wine recommendations for the food they're cooking, plus deliver XX cases of beer, some vodka and tequila, etc.).
I've done full days of catering (meaning, all 3 meals provided by someone else, and dropped off for reheating); had chefs shop for and prepare the meal IN the vacation home (this won't apply for you if you are in a hotel, obviously); and done just dinners and snacks (e.g., crudite trays for days at the pool). My best advice is to maybe do ONE day of breakfast for the fun of it (a pancake or waffle bar with bacon and some juices is exciting for all ages) but otherwise, skip catering breakfast every day: not worth the cost, and easy enough to buy cereal and/or fruits and/or Belvita breakfast bar-type stuff. And if it's an active vacation (i.e., you might be boating certain days), ask for sandwiches, fruit and snacks for lunch and then just go all out on the dinner.
Another thing that makes the local chef thing good is you can--if you're so inclined--ask them to focus on local foods. You of course can veto anything you don't like, but it's a fun way to get, e.g., fresh seafood or any local specialties you may not be aware of.
Finally, if you're in a hotel with only a microwave, you'll want to let the chef know that's all the reheating you've got; an AirBnB with a full kitchen gives you more options, of course, but you don't need to have it if the chef knows in advance to deliver meals hot and/or only in microwave-safe containers.
Sorry that doesn't really answer what you wanted but if there's even one local chef wherever you're going, that's all you need! They appreciate the business and not having to cook makes it feel like a real vacation. Cheers!