Updated: 01/03/20 | January 3rd, 2020
I used to hate renting apartments from websites like Airbnb. As a solo traveler, I preferred the social atmosphere of hostels. You got to meet people, they ran activities, hosted events, and were where you were “supposed to stay” as a backpacke.
When I did want something other than a hostel, I used a hospitality network liked Couchsurfing or simply stayed with friends.
But, after a decade of life as a nomad, there are times when I like my privacy (and sometimes I also need extra space for work). While I may not use apartment rentals all the time, I stay in them often. I’ve found that they provide good value (especially if you’re traveling with multiple people), privacy, space, and a great home-like environment.
While Airbnb is not as good as it used to be (and while it does contribute to overtourism), there are still lots of great hosts on the platform who provide budget-friendly accommodation to travelers looking for an alternative to hostels that won’t break the bank.
After using apartment rentals regularly for years, I wanted to create a detailed guide about how they work, how to pick the perfect apartment, and how to not get cheated.
How Do Apartment Rentals Work?
Apartment rental sites allow locals to rent out an individual room, shared space (such as a couch in a living room), or entire home/apartment. The host lists their place online, posts photos, writes a description, hit publish, and, presto, they can start to make extra money with the unused space.
The booking process is like booking any other type of accommodation online. You search the database, find a place you like, create an account, and request a booking. When the owner accepts, you are sent a confirmation.
Additionally, many websites allow owners to list their place with an instant booking option, which means you don’t even have to wait for the owner to reply. You’re instantly booked in your accommodation (similar to when you book a hotel).
You’ll also be able to read reviews about the host and the apartment and see exactly what amenities are included. For example, you can see if there is a kitchen (so you can cook your own meals to save money) or if there are restrictions on noise, smoking, and pets. Maybe you need access to a washer and dryer or fast Wi-Fi. You can find all of that out in the host’s profile (or in the reviews).
Most accommodation rental sites also include a map so you can see where you’ll be located. That way, you can pick an apartment close to the attractions you want to visit, or, choose one further afield so you can have a quieter stay and get a feel for local life beyond the tourist crowds.
Who is this for?
Apartment rentals represent the space between hostels and hotels. If you are traveling on business and want the comforts of home, you probably aren’t going to stay in a hostel. But hotels may be too expensive or too impersonal for you. A rented apartment is a perfect compromise.
Or maybe, like me, you love the hostel scene but occasionally need more space and privacy. An apartment rental will be a lot quieter and more relaxing than a hostel since you won’t need to be around as many people (or as much noise). You’ll also be able to cook your own food, helping keep costs down on your trip.
Traveling with friends or a big group? This is definitely the option for you. Squeezing a bunch of people into a rental home/apartment will be much cheaper per person than a room in a hostel or hotel. Plus, you get space to spread out and relax. Dorm rooms and cramped hotels don’t give you a lot of “me” time.
Additionally, if you choose a “shared accommodation” option (which usually means sleeping in someone’s living room or other semi-private space), you can often find prices for even less than a hostel. While you won’t have much privacy, this is a good budget-friendly choice for travelers who just need a cheap place to crash.
You’ll also get to interact with your host, who can provide lots of insider tips and insight to your destination.
How to Pick the Right Airbnb
Unfortunately, as accommodation rentals have exploded into the mainstream, it’s become harder and harder to find great hosts. A lot of hosts now own multiple properties and live elsewhere. That means you often deal with property managers and never get to interact with the actual owner.
Additionally, a lot of apartments aren’t quite as nice in reality as they appear in the photos (my team had to get a refund on an apartment in Boston because it was dirty and falling apart).
In order to find suitable accommodation, I use the same criteria for sites like Airbnb as I do for Couchsurfing. This lets me weed out bad listings. Here is what to keep in mind when looking for a host:
- Do they have positive reviews? – If other people stayed there, had a good time, and found the apartment as advertised, you probably will too.
- Do they have multiple listings? – This is important because many people use these sites to be property managers. They buy a bunch of apartments and then re-rent them on Airbnb. I try to avoid these places because they are usually not as nice as other apartments and lack the personal touch that comes when hosts rent out their own apartments.
- Do they have accurate photos? – Any listing that doesn’t include a lot of (quality) photos is probably hiding something (or at the very least misrepresenting the accommodation).
- Do they have verified photographs? – Having verified photos means someone has been there, seen the place, and vouched that it actually looks like its photos.
- Are they an active user or Superhost? – Active users are good users, so see when they last logged on. If it’s been a while, your query might go unanswered.
- Is their calendar updated? – While listings only show up in a search if they are available, hosts don’t always update their calendar. If someone hasn’t updated their calendar in 30 days, I tend to skip it. There’s nothing worse than going to book a place, only for them to cancel and say, “Whoops, sorry, it’s not available!”
- Do they reply often? – You don’t want your inquiry to go unanswered. These sites show the percentage of messages hosts reply to. The higher the better.
- Are they verified? – Verified accounts are less likely to be people of suspicious quality, as the listing site has at least found some background information on them.
- Have they been someone else’s guest before? – If they were someone’s guest and that went well, it’s likely that they will be reliable.
These nine rules are helpful guidelines, but at the end of the day, you have to go with your gut. I don’t need a listing to meet all nine points. I once had a host who hit only a couple of these points and she turned out to be my favorite host! And sometimes, in places without many hosts, you might have to be a little loose with this list.
But the more points a place meets, the safer I feel.
A Note on Gentrification/Legal Issues
Over the years, Airbnb and other apartment rental websites have dramatically raised the price of rents and pushed out the locals you want to interact with as people have started to buy multiple properties in order to rent them out to tourists. It’s a big problem.
In many places like Lisbon and Venice, most locals can’t afford the price of rent anymore.
There have been strong protests against Airbnb (and similar sites)in Barcelona. Japan recently cracked down on Airbnb. NYC has strict laws against it.
I believe the government can’t tell you what do with your place — but I also don’t think these websites have done enough to ensure that you are renting from actual people and not property owners who are buying multiple dwellings and forcing the locals out.
I strongly encourage you to only use Airbnb if you are renting a room in someone’s house. It’s too hard to determine if that entire home you’re renting is really someone’s private residence or a rental property owned by a giant company. If it’s a room, you know it’s a local’s place. If you do want to rent an entire apartment, make sure it’s someone’s real place — not a corporation.
Help end overtourism. You have the power. Don’t displace the people you want to visit!
Are Apartment Rentals Website Like Airbnb Safe?
These sites run on trust. All these companies try to verify both buyer and seller to ensure no one ends up robbing anyone else, but you sometimes hear reports of sex parties, robberies, or creepy hosts.
However, apartment rental companies do provide a window that allows you to get your money back if you get a place that’s not as advertised. Just call their 24-hour hotline and they will set you up somewhere else (you can also reach out on social media to get the conversation started). They also hold your money in escrow so that if the place isn’t as advertised, you’ll get your money back. You never hand it over directly to the host.
All types of accommodations have risks (cleaners can steal from hotel rooms, dorm mates can take clothes from hostels, Couchsurfing hosts can get creepy), which is why these rules are important. I don’t think apartment rentals are any less safe than your other options, and the benefits greatly outweigh the perceived danger.
Moreover, hosts rely on reviews much more so than traditional accommodation. That means, as a guest, you have a lot of power should there be a problem.
The Best Sites to Find a Rental Apartment
While Airbnb reigns supreme, there are actually several websites you can use to find rental accommodation while you travel:
- Airbnb
- House Trip
- HomeAway
- Campspace (for finding private campsites)
Another option for long-term travelers is house sitting and pet sitting. In exchange for looking after someone’s property or pet while they travel, you get access to free accommodation. It’s a great option for slow/long-term travelers looking to stay in one location for longer periods of time. Check out this post to learn more about it!
If I’m traveling by myself, I tend to stay in a hostel dorm or use hotel points, but I use Airbnb pretty much every time I travel with friends.
And many of the hosts have really made a difference. There was the host in Curaçao who picked me up from the airport (and drove me around the island), the host in Galway who took me out for drinks (he turned out to be a reader!), and the French hosts who left me a cute hand-drawn map and a bottle of wine. You won’t find such personal service at hotels.
It’s that personal touch that makes Airbnb like apartments the best budget option for those without hotel points or the desire to stay in a hostel.
If you’ve been on the fence about it, don’t be. Apartment rentals, when done right, are safe, affordable, and help you have a more authentic experience. Use the tips above and try one on your next trip. You’ll save money, get away from the tourists, and have a better trip!
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Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
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Peggy
I have also used AirBnB as well as Homeaway many times. I usually travel with a group of friends and renting an apartment is less expensive than individual hotel rooms (never did the hostels). I also like having a kitchen and living space to unwind in after a day of touring. Most of the hosts are awesome (including sending great information or recommendations before even staying in their apartment). I have never had a bad experience and have rented apartments in Greece, Spain, France, and Portugal. The only comment I would make is that I find it’s easier to send deposits and do final payments when they are on Paypal, and Paypal offers an extra level of verifiability. It seems that hosts realize this too as more of them are now on Paypal than were there a few years ago.
karen mulhern
My daughter and I are travelling to Iceland/England/France this Sept. and using Airbnb for the first time ever (for both of us)
Instinctively I already did everything you’ve mentioned. I read reviews ad nauseum, and google “street walked” the addresses/neighborhoods before contacting anybody, feeling two women travelling alone need the added security of knowing an address’s “sketchiness factor” in advance. I’ll report back after we return, but we’re hoping the apts we chose work out nicely!
FYI: I had great difficulty finding an appropriate host/apt in Paris. Calendars that appeared open on our dates were actually not, and several inquiries to others remain unanswered–and these were hosts with good reviews!
Ultimately I gave up and booked a private ensuite in a hostel that allows all ages.
Wish us luck! We’re excited to try out this “new” way of travelling!
Brian
We’re big users of Airbnb and other apartment rental sites. They’re a great complement to the more traditional hotels, hostel and B&B offerings. And I’d agree 100% with Matt’s assesment that they offer “incredible dollar value.” And for longer-term travel, we really appreciate the ability to cook our own meals without having to jockey for space in a shared kitchen.
Brenden
Love this post. I love renting apartments, and it’s pretty much my sole way of traveling up until this point. Not saying I don’t use other forms of accommodations (because I do), but usually I rent apartments. They’re VERY cost effective if you choose the right one and when you start cooking your own food you can save tons of money. People always ask me how I can afford to travel as much as I do. Well, a lot of it is because I rent budget apartments with at least a kitchenette and if the apartment has at least a washer, even better.
I love Airbnb because it seems to be much more regulated than sites like VRBO, for example. With VRBO (which I’ve used many times), owners can choose not to post reviews (or at least they used to be able to, haven’t used it in a while because of this reason). That’s a terrible model IMO. That turned me off of that site. With Airbnb, owners CAN have reviews taken down, as guests can write false things, but it’s much more difficult from my experience. There needs to be proof. In summary, the reviews on Airbnb are much more trustworthy than the reviews from a site like VRBO.
Anyways, those are my thoughts on the subject. I love renting apartments, as you may be able to tell.
-Brenden
Shawna
wow, I had no idea that VRBO listings could choose to not post reviews. That explains a bad experience I had in June renting a place in Seville that had all great reviews on VRBO but was actually a dump with no hot water! Thanks for that tip!
Katie
I will be using Air BnB for the first time over Christmas and New Year in Cape Town where we are renting out an entire 3 bedroom house with a pool for only US$30 each per person for 5 of us. We want to become Air BnB hosts ourselves too once we move into our two bedroom apartment in Manly, Sydney in a couple of weeks – great way to meet people and make some extra money 🙂
Marbree
You’re lucky you’ve had such good experiences. I’m about ready to give up on AirBnB and would caution that even when all 9 of your criteria are met, problems can still arise. In the end, everything has always worked out one way or another (have to roll with the punches, right?) but not always the way we’d like. I’d recommend only using AirBnB when you have a local SIM card or phone with data (or are prepared to pay any roaming costs your home carrier may charge) so that you can reach your host and AirBnB if a major snafu comes to pass.
Gloria
Cool tips and checklist!
I love using AirBnb especially in Europe because you also have the possibility of staying in one of those beautiful old buildings you may dream of living in from outside. I’ve stayed in a beautiful old Viennese building, and had a full artistic painters studio to myself in Brazil.
My main criteria for checking on hosts is whether or not they have a lot of reviews. And you should read through all the reviews as well. I don’t believe reviews that may all say only perfect and beautiful things (written in hyperbole). Somehow if there is just one area for improvement (since I believe there would always be an area for improvement) I tend to trust those reviews even more.
That being said though, I did once have a situation in Prague where I was staying alone in an AirBnb and the front door to the building had a sign that said ‘Please make sure the door is closed, there has been a homicide in the building’ which truly freaked me out. Turns out, neighbors were annoyed at the number of AirBnBers leaving the front door unlocked so decided to scare them. It deff worked into scaring me to make sure the doors were locked!
Archagon
I’ve really grown to love apartment hopping as well. It lets you live like a local and gives you all the privacy a hostel doesn’t. Unfortunately, so far between Spain, France, and the UK, I’ve only been able to find cheap (read: hostel-priced) Airbnb rentals in Spain, presumably because the rent there is substantially cheaper than in the other two countries.
If you stay somewhere for approximately a month or more, I highly recommend looking into subletting. I was able to find fantastic flatshares in Paris and UK very close to the city centers for cheaper than hostel rates, on Craigslist and Spareroom respectively, sans contract. It’s funny: we tend to think of hostels as “cheap”, but compared to local rental prices, they’re often actually very expensive!
Sarah
Matt, your list is spot on. I used airbnb to travel across the states a couple of years ago and had the most wonderful experience in some beautiful homes. The hosts were all extremely welcoming, making me some wonderful breakfasts and furnishing me with a bundle of local travel and eating tips as i went. They were all incredibly caring and welcoming people. Including one host in Chicago who left a key out for me when i missed my train to LA in case i couldn’t get the next one! Stick to Matt’s list, make sure they have some good reviews and are proactive users of the site and have a blast! Airbnb will feature heavily in my upcoming travels
Jessica C.
This is great! We love Airbnb. I’m a big fan of Aloft hotels too, but really, I like the feel of a “home”. We usually rent out an entire place since we are a couple, but have also stayed in a place where the person stayed as well…but this is usually just if it’s a night and a place to crash. You can make good relationships with these people too! My husband needed someone who spoke Italian to help him at a local town hall-type place to get certificates, and another let us sign a lease for a longer term so we could register as residents in the country. So, sometimes you get so much more than a bed and shower!
We just wrote a review on Airbnb as well! Thanks for this post, more options are always great to have!
Johan Cruz
Nice stuff. There are several matters working in our mind whenever we are going to buy or have to rent an apartment like the proper place, friendly host and neighbors etc. If anyone wants to operate all these own, there will be a great mess. In this concern I may suggest the name of Jade Ocean where all the desired leisure will be easily acquired. I am very benefited with their service.
Brooke
I’ve been very hesitant to try this option, but your tips and things to check for make the idea a little more reassuring. It sounds like a good option in place of a hostel and a good way to meet people.
Coral Clarke
As a 67 year old first time traveller I can only praise AirBnB. Travelling on my own, I always felt safe, comfortable, happy, and a LITTLE bit like a local! Mostly studio type apartments with loft beds, I’ve used their services in Venice, Prague, Budapest, London and Paris, some with continental breakfast included, all well equipped, clean, located centrally,(as described) and with a charm and individuality hotels don’t have. Read listings carefully, check out the map with each listing to assure yourself the location is right for you ,check things like availability of lifts, (I chose a cute 4th floor studio in Montmartre, no lift, fine for me, but maybe not for others, so make sure you check that, if it could be an issue for you. DONT assume anything, what seems basic for you isn’t always so in other countries. Happy travelling! Coral
Joyce
I had a somewhat a negative experience in Roomorama before, unable to contact Roomorama customer service, so I change to AirBnB and really worth it, the experience is ideal, the hosts are really wonderful and would highly recommend this to all travelers. Thank you for sharing Wimdu and Homeaway Matt, this will serve as my reference in my future travel.
Vickey Barron
Wimdu has always been my first choice but this time I want to try AirBnb as it sounds good and realistic. I hope they are going to meet my expectations!!
Alex Modica
I LOVE Airbnb! I’ve used it a dozen times or more, both in the U.S. and in Germany. You will have to do your homework though, to have the best possible experience, and you have to read the fine print. I’ve only stayed at properties that have had the highest ratings from reviewers, and those that have been in “business” several years. I stay away from new listings and those that have not had any or mixed reviews. I hope Airbnb is here to stay, with all the trouble that seems to rumble in the rental world….
Femmy
I’ve never tried AirB&B. I always thought they were more expensive than the hotels and only for the rich and didnt really research much into it (regret it big time).
It seems to be a great way of saving money because hotels can get notoriously expensive.
And it’s an awesome way of interacting with the locals and finding out the best places to see and eat. Too many good things not to give it a try.
Thank you so much for the tips, will definitely try it out on my next travel
Levi Armstrong
I agree with what you said that I should check if the apartment has great reviews because this means that past tenants had a good time stating in the place. My sister is looking for a three-bedroom apartment to rent with her friends. I’m helping her find one, so thanks for the helpful tips!