• by Aaron Baar , May 26, 2014

Vacations may be about getting away from the everyday, but apparently having a little everyday -- in the form of a kitchen -- may make for a happier getaway. 

According to a survey of 1,000 vacationers who had taken a vacation where there was a kitchen, 90% said having the ability to make their own food improved the overall vacation experience. 

“We’ve always known time-share owners love having kitchens and separate living spaces, but that [evidence] has always been anecdotal,” said Peter Roth, vice president of communications and marketing at the American Resort Development Association, which commissioned the questions as part of an omnibus survey. “This is a quantifiable measure showing that those who have vacationed in a timeshare said that having a kitchen made it better.”  

Among the many reasons that consumers have cited for how the kitchen improved their experience were: having separate mealtimes for kids and adults, reducing overall vacation costs and less stress around mealtimes in general. 

“For a family going on vacation for a week, that means 21 meals out,” Roth says. “Take the money out of it; it’s hard to coordinate.”

Still, Roth admits kitchens are often not high on consumers’ lists when it comes to vacation amenities. Often, it’s not until people experience the kitchen before they fully comprehend its convenience.

“It’s one of those things where desire is one thing, but once people experience it, they enjoy it,” he says.

"People cooking in a kitchen" photo from Shutterstock.