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> In my experience Airbnb isn’t even cheaper, just has more “interesting” housing available. I think it depends. For relatively short stays of one or two peopl

> In my experience Airbnb isn’t even cheaper, just has more “interesting” housing available. I think it depends. For relatively short stays of one or two people, a hotel is nearly always a better deal in my opinion (for short stays the cleaning fee alone can be a big percentage of the total price). But for week or longer stays with a family or larger, they usually come out ahead given multiple bedrooms and the fact that the cleaning fee is amortized over more nights (not to mention access to a kitchen can save a ton of money). In this segment, though, they're really no different from VRBO or a host of other vacation rental providers that have been around for a long time.

ghaff 3y ago
The whole house thing for a group is where I see Airbnb (or VRBO) etc. being a big win over most hotel options. But for most singles or couples traveling, predictability and lack of issues is pretty much the priority. That's not to say I only stay in chain hotels--I've stayed in plenty of B&Bs and small inns--but I don't like rolling the dice on that aspect of my travel more than I need to.
- lotsoweiners 3y ago
  Absolutely. Most of the Airbnb/VRBO that we’ve done was to accommodate 12-15 people including 5-7 children. Only other time I do Airbnb is for specialty situations like a beach house where we can have a big patio with a grill etc.
- Brian_K_White 3y ago
  Myself, wife, and most of both of our whole families find all hotels lifeless and impersonal and uninteresting. Sure nice ones are nicer than bad ones, and it's fun to do that once in a while just as an experience, but generally the nicest hotel with impeccable staff isn't prefferable to a cozy appartment even if it has a few problems. The dice roll is way better. Even the bad ones once in a while are at least different and fun to mock. It's funny how almost the whole families have the same gut response to stuff like that. Look at something and what is the most immediate natural reaction to an idea or the look of a thing. And some other family might all have the same some other natural reaction. Like one person finds gold attractive and another finds it gawdy, and so do their whole family & friends groups. For me, hotels are only good for work. That's the only time the predictability matters. I avoid scheduling as much as possible on vacation. There are events of course but I don't try to tetris pack the days. But for a few days or a week at a customer, then a hotel just something I need like a highway rest stop bathroom.

ghaff 3y ago

The whole house thing for a group is where I see Airbnb (or VRBO) etc. being a big win over most hotel options. But for most singles or couples traveling, predictability and lack of issues is pretty much the priority. That's not to say I only stay in chain hotels--I've stayed in plenty of B&Bs and small inns--but I don't like rolling the dice on that aspect of my travel more than I need to.

lotsoweiners 3y ago
Absolutely. Most of the Airbnb/VRBO that we’ve done was to accommodate 12-15 people including 5-7 children. Only other time I do Airbnb is for specialty situations like a beach house where we can have a big patio with a grill etc.
Brian_K_White 3y ago
Myself, wife, and most of both of our whole families find all hotels lifeless and impersonal and uninteresting. Sure nice ones are nicer than bad ones, and it's fun to do that once in a while just as an experience, but generally the nicest hotel with impeccable staff isn't prefferable to a cozy appartment even if it has a few problems. The dice roll is way better. Even the bad ones once in a while are at least different and fun to mock. It's funny how almost the whole families have the same gut response to stuff like that. Look at something and what is the most immediate natural reaction to an idea or the look of a thing. And some other family might all have the same some other natural reaction. Like one person finds gold attractive and another finds it gawdy, and so do their whole family & friends groups. For me, hotels are only good for work. That's the only time the predictability matters. I avoid scheduling as much as possible on vacation. There are events of course but I don't try to tetris pack the days. But for a few days or a week at a customer, then a hotel just something I need like a highway rest stop bathroom.