Choosing accommodation for your holiday in this day and age is not that easy. Not only do you have a million hotel booking websites, there are also villas, holiday homes, and AirBnBs threw in the mix.
There are no right choices here, only the best choice for the occasion. There are a plethora of factors that would affect which one is better suited, and here are the top threes:
Contents
Where you are going
Different destinations have different things to offer. Everyone going to Bali or Koh Samui is dreaming of a villa, but if you are headed to Hanoi or Bangkok a hotel won’t break your bank and are super nice. In Europe, Airbnb tends to be cheaper and cozier than hotels or if you are headed up to the mountains or a quiet getaway. These are a generalisation, but very much true.
There are several places where AirBnB aren’t the best ideas like Japan is making it illegal.
Who you are traveling with
What is this holiday/vacation about?
I’m going to repeat myself a little here, but for romance and gathering, villas are definitely the way to go, or a big AirBnB. Unless the people you travel with are picky, then you should consider a hotel or a villa with good service.
Villas
There are a lot of portals that book villas, you can even get them on Airbnb for example. But most of them are a hit or miss. The one I stayed at in Canggu in Bali through AirBnB was beautiful, but the outdoor furniture were filthy and there was co*ckroaches. Not ideal.
I was delighted to find out about Villa-Finder, a great platform with a curated list of villas in Bali, Koh Samui, phu*ket, Sri Lanka, and Mauritius. They personally vet and liaise with the owners and connect with a fleet of services to provide for you during the stay. You would also be paying directly to the service provider as Villa-Finder arrange it for you free of charge! They are eco friendly, too, planting a tree for each stay through ReforestAction and Yagasu.
How it works:
Inquire about a villa of your choice and leave a preferred method of contact (phone/email).
A staff will reach out with a questionnaire to help facilitate your stay e.g. Airport pick up, BBQ facilities, massages.
Enjoy your stay and contact the staff if you require more services!
P.S. They also refund any price difference found online!
AirBnBs
I’ve stayed at some stunning Airbnb and crappy ones in my life. From a crazy beautiful apartment in Zadar Croatia for 8 girls to a matchbox ant-infested apartment in Lipari, Sicily, I’ve got some tips for you:
Read all about check in and check out rules. If you are carrying large luggage and arriving early or late, it can be difficult to find storage if you have a rigid check-in system at your AirBnB. If you want to be able to leave luggage, then you’d have to sieve through the listing or find a storage locker nearby.
Accessibility – some don’t have lifts or requires some intricate instruction to enter or find and it can be unclear at times. So watch out for any information on that! It’s usually reflected by travelers who have stayed there. I’ve found a beautiful apartment but the doors are thumbprint access only, which means you need to wait to get in and out.
Cleanliness – not guarantee in AirBnB listings, so it’s best to read the reviews thoroughly before you commit to booking it. It’s really a mixed bag as I’ve stayed at sparkling clean places but also dusty apartments. You also won’t have make up service or toiletries most of the time.
Apartment and country laws – some countries or apartments have specific rules on day/week rentals. For example, you might get asked to have your passport photocopied staying in an AirBnB in Bangkok, so it could be troublesome if you are not aware or don’t speak the language to communicate.
Get 30 USD off if you are new to Airbnb!
Hotels
Hotels are the usual safe choice, but which website to book them on and how do you choose the right one? I usually end up using bookings.com or hotels.com, because of the discount and loyalty program. Agoda and Expedia are both popular, too, as is Trip.com that offers packages and good discounts.
Whenever I book a hotel, I tend to use Bookings.com because of the free cancelation function in case of last minutes changes. More often than not, I end up staying through them because rooms run out closer to the time. Generally, I find a lot of deals ends up being similar in price once whatever ‘fees’ are added in. However, if you are unlikely to change your itinerary then booking the cheapest platform would make sense.
A few notes on booking hotels:
Always check their reviews on both the booking website and TripAdvisor to get a clear idea
I usually turn the rating filter of at least 8/10 on, as well as for air con and WiFi
Check other traveller’s photos, as more often than not hotel listing uses flattering angles
Note: the post is sponsored by Villa-Finder but all opinions are my own
Nam Cheah
Hi, my name is Nam. I am 24 and spent half my life in Hong Kong and the other half in UK. I believe there's endless experience and beauty in the world and this is me chronicling how to experience the best at the best price.
If you're looking for a more unique or extended stay with more facilities, Airbnb will give you plenty more attractive options than most hotel chains. However, hotels are a safer bet when it comes to quality and the ability to save money in the long run. The final call is up to you and what you want out of your stay.
Another substantial difference is service, whereas a hotel may have 24-7 reception, concierge and housekeeping services, an apartment rental relies on hosts to give you the necessary information, plus, unlike a hotel, they don't have regular cleaning service, so for longer stays, guests will have to do chores like ...
Whatever the type of accommodation, guests who book via the website refer to it as 'an Airbnb' rather than a room, apartment or vacation rental. But these days, an Airbnb can be anything from a hotel, to a quaint B&B, to a treehouse, to a tent, to an igloo, to a church, the list goes on…
Depending on the type of Airbnb apartment and the hotel, Airbnb can be cheaper than hotels but can also be more expensive. In general, Airbnb is cheaper than hotels because Airbnb does not have to pay for the overhead costs of a hotel or the general management of such a large operation.
People choose an Airbnb vs. hotel due to: More customized accommodations, such as extra space and amenities for large groups.Lower costs for guests who opt to cook and dine in, rather than go to restaurants.
When booking independent travel, it's best to stick to reputable brands, like Virgin Holidays and Hays Travel, and travel comparison sites that you're familiar with. If there's a company you've not heard of before, look at reviews before you book anything.
Figuring out the best time to book a hotel isn't an exact science — there's plenty of variation throughout the industry. But if we're looking at statistics, the lowest prices for hotel rooms are typically found just 15 days before your stay. Yes, last-minute bookings are (usually) better.
Some cities have strict rules about renting properties for short-term stays. You should always make sure to check the laws in your area before deciding to host on Airbnb, otherwise, you could find yourself in some serious legal trouble in the future.
Airbnbs are usually cheaper than hotels for longer stays and large groups, but they don't offer the same services. Sally French is a travel rewards expert who joined NerdWallet in 2020. She previously wrote about travel and credit cards for The New York Times and its sibling site, Wirecutter.
Whether it's your personal information or health that you want to protect, Airbnb is usually as safe as staying in a hotel and can even, at times, be safer. There are secure messaging and payment platforms, and there's plenty of opportunity to connect with hosts, read reviews and contact Airbnb if plans change.
A cleaning fee is a one-off charge for cleaning the space you stay in and is set by the Host. It's an extra amount on top of the nightly rate when you book a listing. This fee covers the extra expenses Hosts incur when getting their place ready for guests to arrive or after they leave.
We asked Boston.com readers for their travel habits and lodging preferences since the pandemic, including if they prefer hotels over short-term rentals like Airbnb. Of the 75 readers polled, 73% said they prefer hotels, 16% said it depends on the trip they have planned, and 11% said Airbnb.
Disadvantages of hosting on Airbnb: Airbnb charges a commission for each booking, which can impact your profits, especially if you have multiple or longer-term rental offerings. Some hosts, including myself, attempt to offset these fees by charging higher rates or additional cleaning fees.
These days, more and more travelers are staying at someone's house, coordinated through home rental sites like Airbnb. Renting a vacation home via Airbnb can sometimes be the cheapest option. What's more, on Airbnb you'll typically have better luck finding more beds in the same unit than you'd find in a hotel room.
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