I’m a big fan of Airbnb. It’s our go-to for family travel accommodations. Over the last seven years, I’ve spent roughly seven months living in other people’s places through the Airbnb platform alone.
We’ve also used other platforms like VRBO, and of course, we stay in hotels at times, but the majority of our travels, especially the slow travel variety, involves a stay at a home listed on the Airbnb platform.
Over the course of dozens of stays, I’ve taken mental notes on the best and worst aspects of the experiences we’ve had on various trips around the world.
When visiting any place for more than a day or two, it’s really helpful to have the amenities of an apartment or house.
A kitchen or kitchenette. Separate bedrooms for the grownups and kids. A second bathroom doesn’t hurt, either, when you’re traveling as a family of four (and occasionally welcoming visitors).
There are other platforms that provide this, though, like VRBO, booking.com, and others that have recently entered the short-term rental market.
Usually, I only look at Airbnb. Why? The search function works really well. You can set up filters to weed out places you don’t want. The pricing is consistent.
You’ll know upfront, on the map and search results, how much you’ll be paying per night.