Why An Apartment Rental May Be Right For Your Next Vacation

There are few things we love more than splurging on a stylish boutique hotel. But sometimes that’s just not an option, especially if we are staying in one location for longer than a few nights. Our second favorite (and slightly more affordable) choice of accommodation? Apartment rentals.  If you’ve never rented an apartment on your travels, then here are a few tips to get you started:

How Does It Work:

There are numerous websites that connect you to locals renting out rooms and apartments around the world. AirBnB is the most popular, and with over 550,000 listings around the world, this billion-dollar company is becoming somewhat of a household name. In fact, as we write this post, we are relaxing in a sophisticated apartment in Medellin, Colombia that we found on—you guessed it—AirBnB. Even better than having access to a fully equipped kitchen is the fact that we’re paying a whopping $30 a night for an entire apartment in the most stylish part of town.

Another apartment rental site we’ve used is GoWithOh! Unfortunately the site only lists rentals in 24 European cities at this time, but it’s a great option if you’re on the right continent. When we wanted a bit of an off-the-beaten-track experience on our last visit to Paris, we chose to use GoWithOh! to find an apartment in Montemarte. The experience was a great success, and not only did we have a stunning apartment with an adorable balcony in one of our favorite neighborhoods of Paris, three nights only set us back $350 USD.

It’s relatively straightforward to find a room or apartment to rent on these websites. In addition to searching for your desired destination, typically you can select a price range, the number of people traveling, and if you prefer a room or an entire apartment. Most importantly, you’re also able to read reviews and see ratings from previous guests. We definitely recommend taking the time to actually read the comments and reviews before choosing your apartment rental, both to ensure quality and safety.

Once you have selected the apartment rental that works for your needs, simply connect with the owner, confirm your travel dates and then make payment over the rental website. In our experience, the host has 24 hours to confirm or deny your rental request. After that timeframe, payment is not processed but you’re left needing to find another accommodation option.

When your request is approved, the host automatically sends you detailed information on how to arrive at their apartment, how to contact them if needed, and any additional information you might need to know about checking in and house rules.

PHOTO: Our Apartment’s Balcony in Paris

Pros of Apartment Rentals:

• If you are looking for a unique experience, an apartment rental offers the comfort of living like a local in some very unique parts of town that are typically outside the touristic hotel zones. This means you’ll be right next to the shops and restaurants the locals actually frequent, rather than having to rely on those establishments that cater to hotels and tourists.

• Most apartments have fully-equipped kitchens you are free to use. Preparing your own meals is both cheaper and healthier than eating out three times a day.

• For any stay that is longer than a few nights, an apartment rental allows you to feel like you are at your ‘home away from home.’

• Apartment rentals are a much more affordable option than most hotels, especially if you are traveling long-term. 

PHOTO: Air Bnb Apartment Rental

Cons of Apartment Rentals

• It all depends on the apartment that you choose to rent. Some apartments are nicer than boutique hotels. In contrast, we’ve seen one apartment listing that had no furniture. If you take the time to look at the photos, read the descriptions, and analyze the reviews and ratings, then you should have no surprises.

• Many times you will only be renting out one room of an apartment. If you prefer privacy and space, either rent an entire apartment or go for a hotel.

• Don’t expect room service. If you want to be pampered and spoiled, then an apartment rental is not for you. 

• Additional fees and cancelation policies vary from host to host. Sometimes there’s a cleaning fee, an additional person fee, and extra taxes based on the city you’re traveling to. Some hosts have flexible cancelation policies, others don’t. All the information is clearly listed on the websites, but be sure to read the fine print.  

We only have experience with AirBnb and GoWithOh!, but other vacation rental sites to consider include Roomorama, Flipkey, and Homeaway.

For the right trip, an apartment rental can be a great alternative accommodation option. Have you ever rented an apartment on your travels? Do you have first-hand experience with these—or any other—vacation apartment rental websites?