Airbnb is an abbreviated form of Air, Bed, and Breakfast. It came into existence in 2008. It is one of the largest players in online hospitality service and provides accommodation in more than 191 countries. Many users are preferring to rent Airbnb properties over hotels, the major reasons for which are discussed below.
Cost Effective
When you are traveling in a group, hiring an Airbnb property can be the best decision to make. If you are traveling in a group of 6, then you may have to hire 3 double rooms in a hotel. Availability of more rooms during peak season may also be an issue and you may also end up spending much more than you planned for. At Airbnb, it is easy to find an entire property to rent, which is ideal when you are traveling in a group. You can save money and find better amenities at the Airbnb property than most hotels.
Getting to Know Local Culture
When you stay in a hotel, you are living in a controlled environment and it hardly helps you to learn anything about the local culture and traditions. Airbnb allows you to stay at the property of a local host. You get to explore the city and its local culture in a much better and up-close manner. You can get an insight into how people live, their local traditions, cuisine etc. which can be memorable. You can also get first-hand recommendations from your hosts about what to do in the city, the places to visit, good eateries, shopping places etc. Renting a Airbnb property thus makes your vacation and stay more cherished and memorable.
More Locations
Airbnb provides you the flexibility to stay at your preferred location in any city. You may have specific hobbies and interests which may be best fulfilled in a particular location in a city. It is difficult to find good hotels everywhere in any city. Hotels are located mostly near the city center and hence may not be available at your desired location. Airbnb allows you to much greater flexibility in terms of location. You may head to a city and find good Airbnb premises located near museums and art galleries if you have an interest in art, as you will be staying in someone’s property which is located near the museum.
Better Amenities and Possibility of Cooking
Airbnb offers properties which have more amenities than hotel. These amenities are also much better than what you will find in a typical hotel. Rental properties can have amenities like bicycles, canoes, better views, free parking, private pool, spa etc. which will be difficult or too expensive to look for in hotels. You will have more spacious accommodation and also have a kitchen and dining space. This gives you the possibility of cooking your own food while you are on a vacation which is not possible when you stay in a hotel. Cooking for yourself not only ensures that you eat healthier, it also cuts down on the unnecessary and expensive dining costs in a tourist hotspot. You can always put the savings to better use.
I have always been a huge fan of organized tourism. I’ve been traveling the world a lot, but now I’m not going to look back. Maybe one day I will get back to travel agencies but definitely not soon.
I have never thought I would ever consider airbnb as my primary way of traveling. I really liked travel agencies and premium hotels but it changed after my first airbnb trip and it’s not only related with money. It’s the way how you can spend time and get familiar with local culture.