Which is cheaper, staying in a hotel or renting a house? I was looking for an Outer Banks rental for this coming Spring break. We haven't been to the Carolinas and dh wanted to take the kids there. We also plan to visit some family friends while we're there. Right now, I'm leaning towards renting a house or a cabin. Since my daughter is already 12 years old, she now counts as an adult when we're making hotel reservations. I'm thinking we will also save on food expenses, we can cook instead of going out to eat. Now, I just hope I can find a not so expensive place by the beach.