I would do what hotels do which generally seems to be charge more for larger rooms and/or more beds. Hotels don't charge double the price for couples vs singles and they definitely don't charge a family of four 4x a single person.

However, they do charge more for more and larger beds. So, if the single person gets the smallest room and bed they pay the least and the fanciest room or for double beds pays more. Any families wanting two rooms pay two room rates and the quality of each room will determine that.

Split by number of adults/don't count kids

If you are getting a group rental together part of the deal is that 1) you will be able to get a bigger/better place than you could otherwise afford 2) you are going to be sharing the common areas (kitchen, game room, living area, pool, etc) - which will be nicer than a less expensive rental would be.

Pay by the bedroom. If a family of 4 is cramming into 1 bedroom they should not be paying more than a single person who has a room and a bath all to themselves.

I would measure the square footage of private space devoted to each person, then adjust each family's rent based on this.

Anonymous wrote:Single person should obviously pay less. It's per person. Kids = person. Single person shouldn't be punished for not wanting or having kids!

The single person is enjoying the group rental rate. They would be paying way more if they were trying to get their own place for a week. If the single person occupies a bedroom w/private bath while a family of 4 has 2 bedrooms but shares a bathroom, then the price should reflect that.

If the single person prefers to pay less than they can always take a room w/o a private bath and share a hallway bath with the kids (or whomever). Or the single person could choose to share a bedroom with someone else.

Room with private bath = $450 (divide by 2 if sharing with another person)

Room w/o private bath (use hall bath) = $350 (divide by 2 if sharing with another person)

Room w/o private bath (use hall bath) = $350 (divide by 2 if sharing with another person)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Single person should obviously pay less. It's per person. Kids = person. Single person shouldn't be punished for not wanting or having kids!

It’s obviously their choice. They can choose to stay home or only vacation with other adults. It matters not to me.

Sounds like she’s be better off not vacationing with such a pompous and selfish person anyway. Why should a single person have to pay a premium to put up with your annoying kids?

I think This also depends on family dynamics. Not talking about friends, but my single brother makes 3 times what my family makes. And he would not feel comfortable with me (and my family of two kids and two adults) paying 400 while he pays 125. It is just who he is, but he would not want to split like that. I feel like situations like this require talking to all parties and offering suggestions that everyone can live with. As people have said, if people are too high maintaince or travel differently, split up. But no one solution works for everyone.

Anonymous wrote:Single person should obviously pay less. It's per person. Kids = person. Single person shouldn't be punished for not wanting or having kids!

It’s obviously their choice. They can choose to stay home or only vacation with other adults. It matters not to me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How would you split this? 5 bedroom, 10 person house- adults and older kids (no babies).

Group 1 (2 adults, 2 teens)
Group 2 (2 adults, 1 kid)
Group 3 (1 adult, 1 teen)
Group 4 (1 adult)

For example, the rental cost $1000.

Adults- 1
Kids (under 18)- .5

Group 1- 3/ $375
Group 2- 2.5/ $312.5
Group 3- 1.5/ $187.5
Group 4 -1 / $125

This seems fair.

We're splitting a 5 BR place this summer and paying by BR. I'm paying double everyone else because my family is bigger and needs two BRs. And one single person is coming who is sleeping on a couch -- we aren't charging her anything, but she's offered to buy wine for the house and a nice meal out for everyone, which I thought was very nice.

I think by the room. It is not going to be perfect - but I think the best. When we travel as an extended family any college kid who sleeps on the couch pays nothing. Doesn’t matter size of room or own bathroom - each room is the same. It seems to work out and no one complains.

Usually the person making the arrangement gets dibs on the rooms.

Anonymous wrote:My sister in law had a lovely plan for my mom's 2 bedroom vacation home. She and my brother would get the master bedroom, her kids would get the other bedroom (they're small kids! They need naps and space!!) and my mom and I should share the pull out bed in the living room. My mom and I made a new plan: Leave the selfish people at home and go to Bali by ourselves. Bonus: we didn't have to babysit!!

You and your mom made the right choice. There is no need to have to deal with selfish people on vacation. Go Mom!

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get the concept that singles use less of the common areas than couples with kids? Are you in a 15 person house with one couch? I guess I’m assuming no one would unilaterally take over a common space (and that adults get seating preferences over kids for example). Otherwise a house that fits 5 sets of people should have enough space for them to comfortably exist without confining themselves to bedrooms only.

Singles don't use less common space - they use the same as other adults & kids. Hence the "per person" perspective (kids, especially those older than toddlers, use just as much common space as adults).

My sister in law had a lovely plan for my mom's 2 bedroom vacation home. She and my brother would get the master bedroom, her kids would get the other bedroom (they're small kids! They need naps and space!!) and my mom and I should share the pull out bed in the living room. My mom and I made a new plan: Leave the selfish people at home and go to Bali by ourselves. Bonus: we didn't have to babysit!!

Single person should obviously pay less. It's per person. Kids = person. Single person shouldn't be punished for not wanting or having kids!