Perks of staying Airbnb on your travels

When traveling there are a few things we really love, being comfortable, being able to cook for ourselves (if we want to), making a home away from home and checking out the local offerings. Personally we have found staying with in an Airbnb or VRBO versus a hotel provides us more amenities.

If you are not familiar with Airbnb or VRBO, they are services that help arrange accommodations such as an apartment, condo, home, or room in someone’s house. When using one of these platforms you can specifically filter for the amenities you may be looking for. You can find a short term rental property that fits your needs, from number of rooms you need, pet friendly, (check out my post about traveling with your pet for more tips and recommendations) or maybe you are looking for a spot with a pool. Some of these short term rental properties may have restrictions, so make sure you read the house rules. If you have never stayed with Airbnb set up your account with my link and you can get a discount on Airbnb of $40 off your first stay or $15 towards an Airbnb experience worth $50 or $15 towards an Airbnb experience worth $50 or more. Keep reading to learn more about the perks and tips of staying in an Airbnb or VRBO on your next travel adventure.

Live like a local

When you stay in an Airbnb or VRBO you are often able to stay in an area that you would may not have been able to if restricted to a hotel or resort. We love being able to explore an area that is less touristy as we can experience the area as if we were living there. We have also found that expanding the area you can stay is more affordable to stay in an short term rental vs hotel. Many Airbnb’s/VRBO’s can get you right outside some of then main tourist/downtown areas which can often mean, more affordable.

Cook for yourself

We love checking out fun restaurants and local food when we travel, but we also like to try to eat healthy and save money. Eating out for three meals a day during a week or two week long vacation can add up quite a tab for both your bank account and your waistline. Most hotels don’t offer kitchens so booking an apartment or home via Airbnb or VRBO opens more options and amenities that hotels might not offer.

We like to find a local market or grocery store, stock up on some local delicacies to cook at our home away from home. Some of the various Airbnb/VRBO host’s for spots we have stayed have stocked up with anywhere from basic spices, tea and coffee all the way to a fridge stocked with eggs, bottled water and local beer.

Get comfortable

Staying at an Airbnb/VRBO often provides more space to get comfortable and relax after a long day of exploring. Hotels are often just a spot to lay your head at the end of the day not where you can spread out and relax without tripping over suitcases. We also love the option of everyone staying together if you are traveling with friends and family. We have even found that our Airbnb’s in the past have become the meeting spot for friends or family at big get togethers. It’s nice being able to enjoy each others company without cramming into a tiny hotel room.

Tips

Read the reviews

The best tip I can give guests staying with Airbnb or VRBO is to read the reviews! We rarely book an Airbnb/VRBO that has 0 reviews. We especially won’t if we are traveling internationally (of course this is my personal opinion). By reading the reviews it can help you know that the spot is up to standard, you are getting what is pictured, and you can learn about the host and their interaction/assistance. I also read reviews to learn more about the area (restaurants, safety, things to do etc.) and transportation near the short term rental, since we often rely on public transportation when traveling.

Check the rates and fees

Many short term rentals like Airbnb or VRBO will have taxes, service fees, and cleaning fees, the website very clearly breaks them down once you select your dates. It is also important for you to enter the dates you are thinking as you browse as the rates can vary based off days, length of stay and sometimes even time of year. I have made this mistake, fallen in love with a particular Airbnb and found it to either not be available for my dates or the price was out of my budget for the time I was planning my trip.

Ways to save

While there are no Airbnb coupons or coupon codes there are a few ways to save when staying with Airbnb. Being an exceptional guest and having good reviews written about you can be helpful and pay off when it comes down to negotiating. You maybe able to reach out to the host and negotiate the cleaning fees especially if you have multiple reviews highlighting your cleanliness and if the cleaning fees are higher than similar Airbnb’s in that area. The length of stay can also be a way to save, it may be cheaper to book an additional day or two to receive a discounted rate if there is one provided for longer stays. This can also be something negotiable if a discounted rate is not built in you maybe able to negotiate or ask about. Last but not least by setting up an Airbnb account with my link you can get a discount on Airbnb of $40 off your first stay or $15 towards an Airbnb experience worth $50 or more.

Cheers,

Jessica