7 Key Gadgets to Look for in Your Vacation Rental

[Nancy Ahuja]

skynesher

In today's world, lodgings of all kinds have upped their game - and that includes vacation rentals of apartments and houses. Increasingly coddled and interconnected, today's vacationers have come to expect increasing and more sophisticated amenities in their accommodations. Here are seven key examples to look for:

Device Charging Systems & Universal Adapters

Today virtually everyone owns a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, and brings them along on holiday - meaning high demand for electrical plugs and charging outlets, especially from families, each of whose members has one or more device. And companies and individuals who rent to them have taken note, adding conveniently placed outlets and even providing charging stations and adapters to ensure their clients remain happily plugged in if they choose.

Game Consoles

Whether you're a gamer yourself or a traveling with kids (who probably are), a gaming console is a great addition to your rental, and increasing numbers are becoming equipped with them. You might want to also ask ahead about compatibility with any games you might be bringing along. 

Smart Lighting

Lights that can turn on and off with motion sensors are a great idea for an enhanced vacation experience, eliminating the need to fumble for the light switch upon entering a room. Even better, smart lighting cuts down on electricity usage, thus lowering the rental's carbon footprints - a win-win for both you and the planet.

Smart Locks

Electronic keypads in lieu of traditional keys are showing up increasingly in rentals, allowing for enhanced security while providing entry to you as well as cleaning and maintenance personnel entry with the touch of a couple of buttons. The best smart locks keep backup logs including attempts to enter the wrong code, and many also have deadbolt cameras with remote monitoring to further maximize security.

Space Heaters

If you're traveling in wintertime or to a place where it gets chilly in the evenings, you may feel the need to supplement an apartment or house's heating system with space heaters that can warm specific areas of a room in which they're placed. These days many come fitted out with tech including auto shut-off and motion detectors, to enhance safety when in use.

Water Purifiers

Some destinations have tap water that's either unsuitable for drinking or a chlorinated or metallic taste from local water treatment. And even if that's not an issue, concern about water quality is on the rise in today's world. So these days many of the better rentals out there come with kitchen taps and refrigerators equipped with water purifiers, improving both the taste and healthfulness of the water you and your family drink on vacation.

Wireless Sound Systems

Working through Bluetooth or WiFi, these systems allow flexible positioning, are easy to set up, and enable streaming digital music controlled by a smartphone or tablet. Many of those on the market today offer audio quality similar to the best traditional speakers, and can work as sound machines, as well.

Are there any other gadgets or amenities not mentioned here that are important to you?  Please share in the comments!