Have you heard of airbnb (or its cousin, vrbo—vacation rental by owner)? My husband and I used vrbo for a big family vacation a couple of years ago and it worked out great! We stayed at an airbnb for two nights in Hawaii last month, and we just got back from our second airbnb stay in Missouri. We are huge fans!
If you’re not familiar with the concept, airbnb (pronounced air B ‘n’ B, as in air bed and breakfast) is a fairly recent phenomenon—an online marketplace that allows people to lease or rent short-term lodging, usually a basement or attic guest space in other peoples’ primary dwellings, sometimes a cottage intended solely as a rental, or often, a whole house. Prices tend to be less per night than a hotel, even if you’re renting someone’s entire home.
The “air” part actually comes from the fact that the founders’ early rentals were air mattresses! But it could easily refer to the fact that all the listings are online, and both hosts and guests make all arrangements via the airbnb.com website. There are now over four million listings all over the world! You might be surprised to find that your city or small town has airbnb offerings!
Since the three sisters in my new Chandler Sisters Novel series are running an airbnb, I thought renting one myself would be a great way to research the concept. Ken and I have rented two airbnbs near where our daughters live and have used them as a hotel and work retreat that allows us to stay for longer visits without falling behind in our work. Since we are often working at the airbnb for long stretches, we prefer renting a whole house, rather than a room or suite shared in the hosts’ home.
Airbnbs are different from typical bed and breakfast establishments (or hotels) in that you are usually literally a guest in someone’s home. For some, that might take some getting used to. It means their personal items might be in the shower you use, their clothing might be in the dryer, and their food and beverages might be in the cupboards…along with the ants those things attract (our most recent experience! Yikes!) It also means you’ll make your own bed, and won’t have fresh linens every day unless you wash them yourself.
What airbnb offers guests is a bed with clean sheets, a bath with clean linens, and if you’re renting a whole home, access to amenities such as laundry, microwave, coffeemaker, refrigerator, etc. In the three homes we’ve rented through airbnb, we have had almost full access to every part of the home, including multiple bedrooms, laundry, kitchen, living room, etc. Ken and I have set up office spaces in the dining rooms and on a charming sun porch, and we treated each home as if it were our own.
[The photos here are all from our airbnb stays, three charming homes, responsive hosts, and great experiences all around!]
I wanted to share some of the pros and cons we’ve discovered in our admittedly limited airbnb experience. (Note these apply to our rental of an entire home, rather than just a portion of someone’s home, which many of the listings tend to be.)
PROS:
• Significantly less expensive than a hotel or traditional bed and breakfast (starting at $39/night for a guest suite and avg. $69-99+/night for an entire house), especially if you’re bringing a whole family
• Freedom to spread out in a larger space than a hotel, and come and go as you please
• Ability to save money by buying groceries and cooking at the house
• Freedom to choose a style of home and a neighborhood we’re comfortable with
• Access to a home’s private deck/porch and other outdoor spaces
• Use of a garage and/or close-to-the-door parking space free of charge
• Free use of a washer and dryer and other household appliances
• Benefit of the hosts’ recommendations for local restaurants and activities (our first host included a $10 gift card to a wonderful local coffee shop! Such a nice touch!)
• Easy online check-in and -out; you may never even meet your hosts unless you request to
• If you travel with a pet, many hosts will happily accommodate them
CONS:
• Cleanliness may not be up to hotel standards (you have a chance to see reviews of your host, and to rate them after the stay; cleanliness is highly valued, but standards vary as we’ve discovered)
• Availability is limited in smaller towns, and the host may cancel with little notice (with a refund, of course)
• Being a guest in a stranger’s home takes some getting used to and you may feel like you’re an intruder rather than a guest
• Counter space, closet space, and storage may be at a premium if your host lives primarily in the rental
• If your host has a pet, houseplants, or other allergy triggers, you may suffer (you have the opportunity when booking to ask any questions you may have)
• You will usually pay a one-time cleaning fee of around $40 and a small fee to airbnb, but no additional taxes or charges apply; laundry, kitchen, toiletries, etc. are almost always included in the listing fee
• Despite that second “b” in their name, the places we’ve stayed haven’t actually provided breakfast beyond a basket of granola bars and a coffeemaker
• Although reviews will tell you quite a bit, you never know for sure what you’re getting until you’re checked in, and then it may be too late to make other arrangements
As part of researching the airbnb concept for my new series (releasing this fall!) I even “listed” our home as an airbnb host. (Don’t search for it…I haven’t yet gone “live” with our listing, but it would be a fun way to meet people, share our guest rooms that only get used a few times a year, and make a little extra money in the process.) The beauty of hosting with airbnb is that you control your calendar completely and can take your listing down at any time—a cheap way to test if you’re really cut out to manage a bed and breakfast!
If you’ve ever stayed at an airbnb, what was your experience? What are your thoughts about the concept?”
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Thanks for the info. I may have to check it out for when I go to a Friends wedding in Jan. The hotel near where the wedding will be is around $150 a night and I will probably need at least 3 nights maybe 4.
I have stayed in a B&B in Canada that my friends ran and was lucky to have the larger room with an ensuite. It had a shared kitchen and Lounge and deck.
An airbnb should be considerably less than the hotel, Jenny! I hope you find a great place to stay!
Checked some for the CBD and there are some good prices for an ensuite which would be great for medical appointments. Also the friends wedding I may need to spend a couple of days in the city and it would be so handy and very close to the places I need to go. For where the Wedding will be not so good. there are some rooms but most share a bathroom and are not right by the hotel which the couple plan to get booked for guests (so I think they will get a deal) they are going to have a bus to and from the wedding so I need to be where everyone else is. but saving in the city (the cost is about a third of what most of the hotels are) I would come out ahead.
I hope it’s a GREAT experience for you, Jenny!
I have never stayed in an official airbnb, but years ago my parents and I went to Expo67 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and stayed with a French-speaking family. We rented one room, and all three of us stayed in the same room. Since my cot mattress was uncomfortable on the cot frame, I put it on the floor and slept well with even support under the mattress.
Since I took French beginning in middle school and was in college at the time, I found it fascinating to talk with the family, who stayed in the house as well. They did fix us breakfast–eggs, toast, fried tomatoes, juice, etc. It was a memorable experience!
That’s really a neat memory, Suzanne! And what you experienced sounds like exactly the concept of airbnb. You were ahead of your time! 🙂
Have never rented one of those. They sound like fun. The closest I can think if is a room that is rented out in the retirement facility where my parents lived . It was like a sparse hotel room. Two beds, which you made yourself, a bathroom, TV and table and chairs. No fridge or microwave. But it was close to them, only one floor away. No breakfast privileges. Just an extra room close if a lot of us were visiting.
There was a room like that when my mom was in assisted living too. Living in the same town, we never used it, but I thought at the time what a blessing that would be to some family members! Thanks for commenting, Paula.
I’ve stayed in two airbnb’s. Both whole homes…all for us. One in Nashville. One in California…where we had to evacuate from the wildfires (a story in itself!!). Both were fabulous! Personally, I would feel uncomfortable staying in a house where the owner actually lived….we like our privacy and I’d worry about waking the owners, etc… We stayed in both houses with friends. What I loved about this concept is if we’d been staying in a hotel, we wouldn’t have a place to sit-around in pj’s and visit late into the night (or early morning). Hotel lobby’s frown on that…I think. Ha.
My daughter, who lives in Austin, rents her house out as an airbnb when she travels. As you said, it’s great additional income! And, she’s had great guests every time. (If you have questions for your research I can connect you.)
I remember that scary story, Roxy!! Wow! Makes you think twice about knowing the exits and even escape-the-city routes ANYwhere you stay! Thanks so much for the offer to talk to your daughter. I just may take you up on it for future books in the series!
The two Missouri houses we stayed in, the owners were either out of town or stayed with friends whenever they had guests, so we had complete privacy and the house to ourselves, but were living with their belongings too. You just have to remind yourself that they’ve chosen to do this, so aren’t going to feel like you’re intruding!
We’ve loved renting a whole Air B+B when attending a filmmakers guild every March, and also anytime we can while working on a set. It’s an excellent way to keep the cost down, and works especially well for anyone who tends to bring/grocery shop for their own food or has dietary restrictions. We split the house with as many friends as the place sleeps, which make the cost of staying very affordable, and gives the opportunity to carpool as needed. Love it!
Sounds like a party in the making, Bree! 🙂
My family has used VRBO numerous times. I LOVE it! For many years, we used it only for family vacations. But recently, I’ve even been using it when my husband and I visit cities for 2-5 nights for work purposes. We just stayed in a small VRBO apartment when we visited Philadelphia!
I enjoy having access to a kitchen so that we can make and eat breakfast (and sometimes lunch) at our rental. I also appreciate the ability to stay in a more spacious place that gives me an authentic peek into the neighborhood and a taste of the flavor of the location for LESS than a hotel. Plus, the parking is usually free.
I haven’t ever stayed in a unit that isn’t solely used as a rental. I’ve seen the “lived in” spaces available online, but I just feel strange about that aspect. I prefer empty closets and cupboards. 🙂 I’ve booked an AirBnB apartment for our family in Paris this June!
Paris!? Take me with you!!! 🙂 And I agree with all the reasons you like VRBO. Especially getting a peek at a neighborhood! We’ve considered moving closer to our daughters somewhere down the road, and this has been a great way to get to know various neighborhoods in the town, see how we like the shopping options, etc. Plus, it’s great research—especially staying in someone’s home (I promise we don’t snoop or violate their privacy!) But just seeing how others arrange their cupboards or furniture or knick-knacks, etc. is like people-watching without the people! 😉
We are renting a house this summer for the family. Thanks for the pros and cons list so we can have better expectations. The only other times we have done this have been overseas so expect there will be differences.
Looking forward to the book this fall. It sounds like a fun read.
Thanks, Jen. I hope you have a great airbnb experience!
My college girlfriends and I are renting an airbnb house in Nashville this summer. We’re going to spend 3 days reading, talking, laughing, and reconnecting. Really looking forward to it!
THAT sounds like an absolute blast, Dianna! Have fun!!
Fantastic article. Forwarded to all of my family. Only my daughter has done this, so I am awaiting a reply on her experience, but I heard no complaints at the time. Thanks for sharing!
Just now seeing your comment, Heather. Thanks so much for dropping by the blog!