5 Benefits of using Airbnb

Hi! Megan here from Soup of the Day Blog! I just got back from a long weekend trip to Florida and after three snowstorms in Baltimore this year, I was VERY ready for the warmth! When I started making plans for our Florida trip we checked out hotels and were blown away by the prices! We wanted to stay somewhere close to everything we would be doing and seeing, but we knew that we didn’t plan to spend much time in our room. We were going to be out and about and really just needed a place to sleep at night and $200 a night wasn't in our budget!

Steve, my boyfriend, liked the idea of Airbnb and wanted to check it out. After browsing the accommodations near Fort Lauderdale we settled on the most perfect little house. We had an entire home vs a single room, had a driveway to park our rental car, were within walking distance of restaurants and shops, and had a pool and hot tub to use. It wasn’t huge but had a kitchen, living room (with a murphy bed that pulled down), a bathroom and a laundry room to wash our wet towels and clothes. We were able to book 4 nights on Airbnb for less than HALF of what it would have cost to stay in a hotel in the same area.

Without a doubt we will be using AirBnB for our future trips and here are a few reasons why:

1. Price- The price is right, that’s for sure! Entire homes cost roughly the same as a single hotel room (price varies based on location). As I mentioned above, we were able to book a house for less than half of what we would have paid for a hotel room in Fort Lauderdale or Miami.
2. Customer Service- The person renting out their home wants you to have a good time. They don’t have the marketing or name recognition that most large hotel chains have. After staying in a rental you can write a review of the accommodations on AirBnB. Most places we considered staying in had high reviews from people just like us.
3. Local Recommendations- The owner of the home is also willing to recommend places to eat and things to see/do while you’re on vacation.
4. Flexibility- Most owners set a check-in time and a check-out time just like you would see at a hotel, however, they are more flexible. The owner was in contact with us regarding our flight in and out to make sure that the place was ready for us upon arrival.
5. Comfort- I don’t mind staying in hotels, but sometimes I want to be in a place that feels like a home not a hotel room. We had a kitchen and were able to make breakfast before heading out each day. We also brought back leftovers and were able to heat them up when we didn’t feel like going out.

I was skeptical at first that staying in someone's home would be better than a hotel room, but I can say with confidence that it was great! You should look into Airbnb for your next trip! 

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