With travel becoming more and more commonplace in the post-pandemic environment, finding where to stay is once again a topic of conversation. For many, it is hard to move away from the traditional choice of staying in a hotel or a bed and breakfast venue. However, the rise of Airbnb properties – private homes turned into rentable lodgings – means that you have more options than hotels, B&Bs, and hostels. But what is right for you?
The benefits of Airbnb
The main benefit of Airbnb is that it is often much cheaper than renting a hotel. Hotels can cost you well more than three figures per evening. Airbnb venues are typically much cheaper. They also tend to come with facilities and amenities like a kitchen, meaning you can easily avoid having to eat expensive pre-cooked foods or using room service.
You also tend to get a bit more out of the local area by going to an Airbnb. You are usually staying within the community itself. This means it is easier to mingle with locals and get recommendations from people who live here. Hotels often feel professional and stuffy by comparison, filled with travelers who know as little about the place as you do.
For that reason, you can find that Airbnb allows you to enjoy a much more localized feeling at a fairer price.
The troubles with Airbnb
However, Airbnb venues are typically quite hit and miss with quality. You need to do a lot of searching around to find the right place for you. You might find that the landlord is rude or that the venue is simply not in the condition proclaimed. You can also find that hosts can cancel your bookings or leave you in the lurch, without any real compensation, far easier than a hotel would.
Sadly, Airbnb profiles can be like dating profiles – the photos can be from a decade ago, and the claims of greatness are exaggerated to the extreme. Also, with hotels, you tend to have more chance for things like refunds – with Airbnb, you are lucky to get anything back once you commit.
What is right for you?
There is no right or wrong answer. A bad Airbnb experience, though, will often be worse than a poor hotel experience. If you don’t mind doing your digging and pre-evaluating the venue before you arrive, though, Airbnb stays tend to feel more personal and personable than a hotel. There is no right or wrong answer, but most will go for the hotel just for consistency – Airbnb’s, though, absolutely are worthy of consideration.