Updated: 07/07/18 | July 7th, 2018
I used to hate renting apartments from websites like Airbnb, Wimdu, or Homeaway. As a solo traveler, I preferred the social atmosphere of hostels. You got to meet people, they ran activities, hosted events, and were what you were “supposed to do” as a solo traveler. And. when I did want something other than a hostel, I used a hospitality network liked Couchsurfing or simply stayed with friends.
But, as I’ve grown older and decided I like my space and privacy, I’ve grown to love this type of travel. A LOT. While I may not use apartment rentals all the time, I often stay in them more than I do hostels these days. I’ve found that they provide incredible value (especially if you’re traveling with multiple people), privacy, space, and a great home-like environment.
And so after using this method regularly for a couple of years (and now as a host on Airbnb), I wanted to post in detail about how they work, how to pick the perfect apartment, and how to not get cheated. This may be old news for many of you as apartment rental sites have been around for many years (if so, check out something else from the archives!), but they really seem to be hitting the mainstream now, and I’ve found they’re still new news to many.
How apartment rentals work?
Apartment rental sites allow people to rent out an individual room, couch, or entire apartment. The host lists their place online, posts photos, writes a description, hit publish, and, presto, they make extra money with the unused space.
The booking process is like booking any other type of accommodation. You search online, find a place you like, create an account, and request a booking. When the owner accepts, you are sent a confirmation. (See below on how to find the perfect place.) 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 place!
As an added bonus, most of the apartments are usually located away from overpriced tourist areas where hotels call home (rental sites have maps so you can see where your place is in relation to everything), allowing you to get a feel for the everyday rhythm of life and eat at restaurants that don’t just cater to tourists.
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.
If you want to travel the world but aren’t into the hostel scene and can’t afford hotels, this is the perfect compromise. A rental will be a lot quieter and more relaxing than a hostel. You’ll also be able to cook your own food, helping keep costs down on your long trip.
With a big group or a family? This is definitely the option for you. Squeezing a bunch of people into these apartments will be much cheaper per person than a room in a hostel or hotel. Plus, you get space to spread out and relax in. Dorm rooms and cramped hotels don’t give you a lot of “me” time.
How to pick the right Airbnb
I’ve been lucky. I’ve never had a bad host on these sites. There was only one space place in London that was a bit smaller than advertised but that’s a minor thing. I avoided bad hosts in part because 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:
- 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 an active user? – Active users are good users, so see when they last logged on. If it’s been a while, your query might go unanswered.
- 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.
- Do they have good photos? – Any listing that doesn’t include a lot of photos of the place is probably lying about its quality.
- 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.
- Do they have reviews? – If other people stayed there, had a good time, and found the apartment as advertised, you probably will too.
- Have they been someone else’s guest before? – If they were someone’s guest and that went well, it’s likely they aren’t going to be crazy.
- Do they have multiple listings? – This is important because many people use these sites to be property managers. They rent 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.
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.
I’ve never had a bad experience as a guest following these rules.
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 in Barcelona. Japan recently banned Airbnb. NYC has strict laws against.
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.
Therefore, 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. 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 (maids steal from hotel rooms, dorm mates take clothes from hostels, Couchsurfing hosts 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.
The Best Sites to Find a Rental Apartment
While Airbnb reigns supreme, there are actually four website that are the best for renting an apartment / room when you travel:
- Airbnb (if you’re new to Airbnb, get $35 off your first stay)
- House Trip
- Homeaway
- Wimdu
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.
And 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. Airbnb style places are a great 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! Trust me.
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
NomadicMatt
Hey everyone! Due to the age of this post and the difficulty in moderating lots of posts spam, comments here have been turned off. If you would like to continue the discussion, head over to the forums at http://forums.nomadicmatt.com and chat there! I post frequently and reply to threads on the boards! See ya there! Thanks! – Matt