Airbnb vs. Hotel

Repost of my guest article on the travel blog Ready to Check In.

When booking travel, you are faced with the important question: Where should I stay? Multiple factors come into play, such as location and quality of service. However, the biggest factor in inspiring you to hit that purchase button, ends up being the price. For that reason, many travelers have been turning to Airbnb as their preferred method of stay over a hotel. In this blog, we’re going to compare the benefits of these two options, arming you with the information you need to make the best decision for your upcoming travels.

Why should I choose a hotel?

Hotels have long been one of the only options available to travelers seeking for a place to stay for a night. Due to this high competition, hotel chains offer some impressive amenities to entice guests to choose their location over others in the area. These amenities often include access to a hotel pool, a complimentary breakfast, and a concierge available 24/7 to handle any need that may arise. Depending on the size of city and quality of hotel you are traveling to, amenities may include additional services such as complimentary transportation to and from the airport, items placed in your room upon request, valet parking, and even a personal assistant for the duration of your stay.

Another point in favor of a hotel is the ability to earn rewards points. Frequent travelers often sign up for free membership programs with a specific hotel chain, in order to earn points on their purchases. These points can then be redeemed on future stays with hotels within that chain, sometimes even allowing travelers to journey to areas of the world that might have been previously inaccessible due to price. Depending on the membership program a traveler chooses, points can be earned through nightly stays, the use of specific credit cards, or even by deciding not to have the hotel maids clean a room, saving the hotel money.

A third reason for choosing a hotel over Airbnb is the fact that hotels are large and often have a plethora of rooms available. If something is wrong with your room, such as a broken air conditioning unit or a shower that only sprays cold water, then the hotel concierge will transfer you to another room more suitable to your taste, free of charge. (Of course, the exception to this being if an event happens to be going on and the hotel is fully booked.)

Why should I choose Airbnb?

You’ve now read the main benefits to choosing a hotel and it all sounds amazing to you, so now the question is, why Airbnb? A hotel is large and in charge, often located in a prime area of interest. Well, avid users of Airbnb will express to you that these are big reasons to instead go with Airbnb!

Staying at an Airbnb is a personalized experience unlike a hotel. It is unique and intimate, where a host is providing an area of their own living quarters to guests. This is something that many travelers love, who want to get away from the mainstream hotel game. You can choose what area of town to stay in when booking your stay, often finding a gem off the beaten path such as a lake house or cabin. For this reason, Airbnb is known to be less expensive than a hotel, as guests are often sharing the building with the owners and less amenities are provided. Not every city allows for Airbnb due to fire codes and other safety regulations, so it’s important that travelers wanting to choose Airbnb stay flexible when booking their travel.

The extent of Airbnb’s personalized experience is evident immediately upon visiting their website. Travelers have a large list of options available to them when searching for available listings:

Required information from travelers:

• Dates of travel
• How many guests

Optional filters available to specify:

• Rooms and Beds (how many beds, bedrooms, and bathrooms available for rent)
• Home type (choices being an entire place to yourself, a private room that shares common spaces, or a shared space)
• Sliding price scale
• Trip type (whether your trip is work-related and you would prefer options such as a workspace, wifi, or self check in, or if your trip is family-oriented and will require the use of a kitchen or large common areas)
• The ability to stay with a “Superhost” (highly rated by Airbnb for traveler reviews, response rate, hosting at least 10 times per year, and reliability)
• Accessibility needs (features such as step-free access, wide hallways and walkways, lit paths, and grab bars, to name a few)
• Amenities (such as wifi, washer and dryer availability, air conditioning, and a provided breakfast, to name a few)
• Facilities (free parking on premises, hot tub, gym, and pool)
• Property type (such as house, apartment, guest suite, cabin, and townhouse, to name a few)
• Unique homes (barn, camper/RV, castle, farm stay, or tiny house)
• House rules (suitable for events, pets allowed, and smoking allowed)
• Host language (31 languages listed)

For someone who has always chosen a hotel as their preferred method of stay, going with Airbnb can seem daunting and strange. Both options have their benefits, so it boils down to your overall preferences and willingness to sacrifice certain items for a lower price. Quality locations for Airbnb do fill up quickly, so be sure to start looking for arrangements as soon as you know your travel dates!