6 Reasons Why Airbnb is better than a hotel
I love all kinds of travelling and when I travel accommodation is one of the key things I look at. I have stayed in hotels from five stars to no star and also used Airbnb to book many an apartment on my travels.
With Airbnb becoming a major player in the short term accommodation sector, here are a few reasons why I think that when going on holiday, Airbnb is a better option than a hotel.
Location
The first thing many people do when planning their holiday is to choose a location. If you go on any travel holidays websites and search for a package or hotel deal you will find a list of hotels that tend to be in mostly tourist complexes.
If like me you sometimes like to go off the beaten track or want to be near a specific destination, your choices can be limited. With Airbnb, you will almost certainly find properties that are in the locality of where you want to be. Do an Airbnb search of any town and you will be amazed at the number of places that are available.
Space
Book a hotel and you are liable to get a room with en-suite shower and toilet only. When you book on Airbnb you can get a complete apartment or house that will comfortably accommodate more people. If like me you like more space, then Airbnb is the way to go.
Amenities
The last Airbnb apartment I used had everything from wi-fi, cooker, fridge-freezer, washing machine, satellite tv and music centre to fresh fruit and bottled water at no extra cost. My stay at a hotel that cost me over $100 per night came with wi-fi as an additional cost.
Price
When it comes to price Airbnb wins hands down over hotels. For a fraction of the price of a hotel room, you can get an entire apartment all to yourself. If you don’t want to book an entire apartment, you have the option in many cases of booking a room or two in a private residence.
Privacy & Flexibility
If you like a bit of privacy when you travel, then booking a full apartment instead of a hotel room will not only provide you with a bit more flexibility but also added privacy.
I recently booked an apartment in Malaga and on arrival was given the keys to the front door allowing me to come and go at whatever hour I pleased without having to worry about the reception or concierge following my every move.
I wasn’t restricted to the normal strict checkout times of most hotels as my host was very flexible when it came to me arriving and leaving.
Live like a local
With Airbnb accommodation found everywhere from main streets, beaches, side streets and canals, you can get to live like a local, immersing yourself in the local culture of the place you are visiting. You don’t need to live in typical touristy places to enjoy the different towns, cities and villages of the world and their many attractions.
Many hosts provide you with detailed and tried and tested places to eat, drink and see that you would only be able to get from the knowledge of locals. Many a time I have been texted by my hosts with great recommendations for eating out or places to buy food when cooking at home in the apartment.
Also, some hosts even provide you with meals with them at mealtimes and trust me, there is nothing like a local home cooked meal like a paella or home cooked La Bandera.
In a hotel, whilst you will get food at the restaurant or room service, the ambience does not give off the same welcoming feeling.
There are and have been occasions where I have wanted to be pampered, and have an extra special experience and have chosen to book a stay in a hotel, but in general In, when I am travelling to any destination and I can get accommodation using Airbnb, I tend to choose it over hotels.
If you would like to view Airbnb properties from anywhere in the world click here to browse.