There is a distinction between the basic purposes of a resort and a hotel, although both offer temporary lodging facilities to guests and visitors. Fundamentally, a resort is a place of recourse, while a hotel serves as a temporary residence away from home. Some hotels nowadays attempt to create a resort environment within their premises. Thus, it is essential to know what type of experience you desire before choosing between a resort and a hotel.
Key Takeaways
- Resorts aim to provide relaxation and recreation in addition to accommodation, meals, and other basic amenities, while hotels primarily offer lodging and meals.
- People usually visit resorts specifically for relaxation or recreation, whereas hotels can serve a variety of purposes, such as attending a conference, a function, or a wedding.
- Resorts are typically located in natural and picturesque surroundings, while hotels are often situated near popular destinations, such as airports, railway stations, or business areas.
What is a Resort?
A resort is a place, town, or commercial establishment that offers relaxation and recreation in addition to accommodation, meals, and other basic amenities. A resort combines a hotel with various recreational activities, such as food, drink, lodging, sports, entertainment, relaxation, spa facilities, and shopping. Hotels located inside resorts are usually referred to as resort hotels. People primarily visit resorts for relaxation or recreation.
The purpose of staying in a resort differs from that of a hotel stay. Individuals looking to spend their vacation or holidays with family in a specific city or country are likely to choose a holiday resort. Holiday resorts are self-contained and aim to provide most of their clients’ needs, including entertainment, sports, relaxation, shopping, and tour arrangements. Some even offer shopping and tour guides. Resorts are typically located in beautiful natural surroundings.
There are various types of resorts, such as seaside resorts (or beach resorts) located on the coast, island resorts situated on an island, and mountain resorts positioned on or at the base of a mountain. These resorts offer activities like sunbathing, swimming, fishing, boating, snorkeling, kayaking, scuba diving, para-sailing, skiing, mountain trekking, and sightseeing.
Some hotels without full resort facilities market themselves as resorts, which may mislead tourists. Although a hotel is often a central feature of a resort, the defining characteristic of a resort hotel is that it exists purely to serve other attractions required for relaxation or recreation.
What is a Hotel?
A hotel is a place that provides lodging and meals. People who travel from one place to another for various purposes, such as attending a conference, a function, a wedding, an official meeting, or a vacation, usually book hotel rooms. Individuals who cannot spend the night at their home may spend the night in a hotel room, either alone or with their families. Generally, people do not prefer to stay in hotel rooms with their families for extended periods. Hotels are typically located in popular destinations, such as near airports, railway stations, major cities, towns, or business areas.
What is the Difference Between Resort and Hotel?
Resorts offer relaxation and recreation in addition to accommodation, meals, and other basic amenities, while hotels primarily provide lodging and meals. People usually visit resorts for relaxation or recreation, and they are targeted at family vacations. On the other hand, hotels can be used for short stays or vacations, but people may stay at hotels for longer durations depending on the purpose of their visit.
Another significant difference between resorts and hotels is their location. Hotels are usually located near popular destinations, such as near airports, railway stations, major cities, towns, or business areas. In contrast, resorts are situated in natural and picturesque surroundings.
Summary – Resort vs Hotel
The main difference between a resort and a hotel lies in their purpose. A hotel’s primary purpose is to provide accommodation, while a resort aims to offer relaxation and recreation to their guests. There are also other differences between the two, including location and facilities.
