My Top 5 Favorite Airbnbs 🏠

Since quarantine, I have been going through the thousands of photos on my phone. It’s been fun to look back on the places I have been and thought it would be fun to put together this post for others with the travel itch. I personally love staying in unique Airbnbs and have written a few posts about Airbnb including how to find and chose the perfect Airbnb and an informative Airbnb vs. hotel pros and cons list. For this post, I’ve rounded up my favorite Airbnb recommendations.

~The Treehouse at Danville

This Airbnb is my current favorite. This yurt treehouse is located on a property with several other Airbnb rentals including an airplane glider with games, planes and cars and a more romantic style yurt. The treehouse is located accross from the goat pens where goat happy hour is hosted every night at seven.The treehouse was furnished with almost everything we needed to barbecue premade kabobs and enjoy some chips and quac. There was even a super fun outdoor elevator to take you between levels. I had gone to this location for a fun romantic night away and I got exactly that. We spent the majority of the evening listening to music in the hot tub and swinging on the swings after exploring the rest of the property by golf cart. The next morning, I enjoyed an outdoor shower with a frog! This is definitely a cool spot to chill and let lose. The owner, Dan, has a special sign you can switch out if you happen to be enjoying the hot tub and do not want to be disturbed or visited. I recommend the treehouse if you want something similar to camping but with a few more accommodations.

~ Glamping '60s Style with a Romantic Outdoor Bath

This was the cutest little travel trailer and the outdoor bath was a dream come true. This space is actually in the backyard of a larger home also listed as an Airbnb rental. Inside the camper is the perfect amount of space for any personal items, breakfast, a big comfy bed with lots of pillows and a record player. The outdoor bath was surrounded by beautiful netting, plants, twinkle lights, candles and the sound of the birds. Don’t worry- this area was completely hidden from others and even had a door. To add to the retro vibes, the guestbook here was an instax photo on the fridge. When we arrived, we walked around the neighborhood but it was too muddy on this day to take out the kayaks that were also available on property. We had a big fire in the yard before enjoying Savannah’s nightlife instead.

~ Luxury Mansion - 10 steps to Bourbon Street

This Airbnb convinced me to go to New Orleans after being introduced to the city’s history in American Horror Story’s Coven. It is just beyond luxurious. Nicknamed the "French Quarter Mansion", these luxury lofts have been converted from an 1820's french colonial mansion. This particular apartment featured 18-foot ceilings adorned by TWO crystal chandeliers, wooden ceiling beams, a 7ft gilt Victorian mirror, original exposed brick walls & marble floors. To say they paid high attention to details is an understatement. There was even a bottle of champagne in the fridge and spa bathrobes and organic toiletries in the bathroom. Being ten steps from Bourbon street would also be nice if you plan on visiting the many local bars and want to still be able to make your way back to your Airbnb safely.

~Screen Writer's Nook with Private Porch

This is an older house with separate rooms and shared common spaces. I stayed in the writer’s room during a solo trip and it was perfect. This darling old southern home had so much charm and the beauty really was in the little details. The doorknobs and even the light switches were beautiful and the hosts left plenty of goodies and a very informative guide book on the bed. The room featured a twin bed, a writing desk and a huge window that opened up to a private second story covered porch with rocking chairs. It was the perfect place to enjoy a southern rain storm and relax.

~ Smokey Mountain Escape

How about these breathtaking views of this cabin in the mountains I rented for a family snowcation in North Carolina’s Smokey Mountains?! Epic doesn’t even begin to describe it. It was a total dream! We all loved this location, perched on the edge of a cliff up a winding mountain road that required all-wheel drive and two point turns to navigate. There is something I love about being somewhere new, but being somewhere with novelty; the mountains, the cold weather, making s’mores around the campfire, big mugs of hot chocolate, an indoor fireplace, family game night, watching the mountains change colors as the sunset and the hot tub, is what I really desire. This was a full home rental with a master bedroom on the bottom floor and a loft style bedroom with two beds upstairs, perfect for children. We had everything we needed to cook, do laundry and enjoy endless family entertainment without electronics. You can not go wrong with this Airbnb rental.

There are so many cool places to rent on Airbnb from treehouses to house boats and I can’t wait to add to this list in the future. I’d love to hear which Airbnb would you most like to visit and what are your favorites you’ve already visited.

Have a

w0nderful day!

How to Find & Choose the Perfect Airbnb

 Airbnb has really taken off in the last few years with more and more rental options being added. There are many search features on the Airbnb site that can help you narrow down your results and find properties that fit your specific criteria, however it can be hard to know what to look for. Finding the perfect Airbnb property requires a little bit more than just finding the right amount of bedrooms for the lowest price, especially if you want to ensure you have a great time with minimal hiccups. Want to know what I take into consideration prior to booking? Read on to find out how to find and chose the perfect Airbnb for your next trip.

The Basics & Your Nonnegotiables: Make sure you fully utilize the search filters when you first search for a property. You can choose the number of bathrooms, beds, bedrooms as well as other specific amenities such as a pool or gym access. Whatever you NEED, make sure it’s provided. Not all listings will have WIFI and central air, especially those in remote locations or outside of the country, so keep this in mind before you book!

Tip: If you’ve found the perfect Airbnb, but it’s short a bed, you can always ask if there’s any additional sleeping spaces or if your hosts will allow or provide an air mattress. It never hurts to ask!

Budget: You can sort listings by price or price range. If you aren’t looking for a budget place, adjust your search range to fit what you are looking to spend. Just keep in mind there are numerous fees added on so when you see a $47  listing, remember that this can easily become $100/night. So, if you want a place under $200, you can set your search for $1-$150. I always sort high to low after selecting the features I want and look for the most interesting for the best deal.

Location, Location, Location: I like to choose locations that are centrally located to where I want to go so I can Uber or drive as quickly and affordably as possible. I tend to use Uber as much as I can to avoid having to find and pay for parking, so I do like to stay as centrally located as possible without having to pay an arm and a leg for accommodations. When searching a big city it will often bring up listings for surrounding areas which might be less expensive per night compared to staying in town. You might have to do some calculations to see which is more cost and time effective.

Tip: Exact addresses are not provided in the listings until after you book. If you want to know how far away a listing is from a specific location, you can always contact the host for these estimates prior to booking. I use this feature a lot when I want to be at a location to shoot at 7 am but don’t want to wake up extremely early in order to get the shot before the light changes and the crowds arrive.

Tip: If you want information regarding the neighborhood, safety or whether or not it’s noisy at night, read the reviews. That’s a great place to find out that sort of information if it’s not in the description already.

Amenities and extras: In my Airbnb vs. Hotel post, I mentioned the wide variety of possible Airbnb amenities. Sometimes I’m staying at an Airbnb just to sleep and sometimes I wont leave the Airbnb. Keep in mind what activities you plan to do during your stay and what you want to have access to. If I’m going to be doing water activities, I will probably want to have access to a washer and dryer. If I’m bringing my family, or will have a lot of downtime, I might want a pool or game room. If I’m looking to relax, I might want a nice patio or a porch with rocking chairs. It’s amazing the things you can find on Airbnb. I’ve also chosen listings based off of the availability of kyacks, bikes, outdoor baths and fire pits.

Looks matter: Once I’ve set my basic search filters, the next thing I’m going to be looking for is a beautiful and unique property that I can also create media content from. Keep your eyes open for a space that fits your taste if this is something that matters to you.

House Rules: Since this is someone else’s space, the hosts get to make their own rules and some are not as obvious or reasonable as you would think. Make sure you read the full listing prior to booking to avoid any unexpected surprises. Keep in mind that some Airbnbs allow pets or pets live on the property, so check the listing if you’re looking to bring or avoid an animal friends. Some hosts will not allow smoking of any kind anywhere on the property, while some allow smoking inside and outside. If you are bringing minor children, make sure your listing doesn’t exclude minors or children under a certain age. If you plan to have people over that are not on the reservation, make sure this is allowed to avoid being charged additional fees and receiving a negative review from the host.

Check what’s already provided: If you are planning to cook or do laundry, look into whether or not specific cooking tools or laundry supplies are provided. This is also true for toiletries, a hairdryer, an iron or beach towels. Sometimes, if I know these things are provided, I’ll skip packing my own.

Food & Drink: Some hosts will provide breakfast, coffee, snacks or complimentary adult beverages. This is a great way to save time and money during your stay, but get clear on what is actually offered as sometimes a listing may say that breakfast is provided, but doesn’t say what that actually consists of. For example, in one Airbnb the breakfast that was provided was canisters of cereal with scoops that just seemed unsanitary to me, so I skipped it. Other times, it has been oatmeal packets but I’ve also had a host who was gracious enough to cook me a full breakfast with eggs from their pet chickens.

Parking: Some people can parallel park and then there’s people like me. If there’s not free easily accessible 24-hour parking available on site, I will not book that stay for everyone’s safety!

Read the reviews, especially the most recent: The reviews are going to be your best source to discover the good and the bad about a property. Sometimes it’s not listed that a certain outlet doesn’t work, that the lock box is hard to find or that there’s a nightly goat happy hour on the property – yes, really! It’s nice to know in advance what to stay away from, plan for and what to make sure you don’t miss.

Tip: What if you’ve found the perfect listing but there are no reviews? I personally wouldn’t say at a place with no reviews, but if you’re OK with taking a risk, you may leverage the lack of reviews to get a discount from the host who will be eager to start racking up the positive reviews.

 Last but not least, feel free to contact the host with any questions and if something seems off, skip it! I hope you found this article helpful and you enjoy your next adventure!

Hotels vs. Airbnb - A Pros & Cons List 🏩🏡

So, you’re planning a trip and are wondering where to stay. Your two main options are to rent an Airbnb or book a hotel room. It’s impossible for me to pick a favorite since they both have different pros and cons. In making your decision, there’s a lot to consider. I have compiled a pros and cons list below to help you decide which is the best option for your upcoming trip. If you have any other pros and cons, or disagree with any of mine, please leave me a comment below! I’d love to hear what you think.

Hotels

From my experience, some hotels are nicer and newer than others, but the typical hotel stay is pretty generic and one I think most people are familiar with. You check in at a front desk, they give you a room key, and your room is usually furnished with a bed, tv, desk, mini fridge and a bathroom with some miniature toiletries. Housekeeping refreshes your room, replaces your towels, removes your trash and makes your bed each day. You may order room service, spend time in the gym or by the pool, but you pretty much come and go. Hotel stays are pretty predictable and reliable. You all know what I’m talking about.

Let’s look at some of the pros of renting a hotel vs. an Airbnb:

-      Can be cheaper, especially for a small group, unless you stay in a single-room Airbnb. I am not a hotel snob, don’t tend to hang out on hotel properties and generally can find a hotel for $65-$150 a night almost anywhere I’ve looked. Reward memberships and discounts can also make this a cheaper option as well. I have seen a lot of reviews that say the opposite, but that has absolutely not been the case for me. My only guess is that they are searching in different cities than I have been to, wont stay in a $70 hotel or are splitting the cost of an Airbnb with others.

-     24/7 Access & Assistance: In the event that you need assistance, you will usually have people on property to help troubleshoot whatever comes up. If you need to switch to a different room or something needs to be replaced or repaired, it can usually be handled pretty quickly.

Hotel stay cons:

-     Predictable, reliable, generic: If you like knowing what to expect, this might be a pro to you, however, certainty doesn’t really call to my gypsy spirit.

-       Little to no privacy: I’ve never been the only guest on property at a hotel. There are always people within eye and ear-shot. This can be a con if you’re looking for a romantic dip in the pool, have young children, or want to have a late night get together anywhere other than your own hotel room.

Airbnb:

If you are not familiar with Airbnb, it is simply a website that allows individuals to rent out their properties, rooms, RVs, train cars, treehouses, camp spots etc. to people, short or long term. An Airbnb experience is anything but routine and generic. If you have never used with Airbnb, read through to find out more of what you might expect! I also want to mention, there are several websites similar to Airbnb, and I assume these pros and cons would apply to those types of rentals as well.

Pros:

-     Unique accommodations and amenities: Airbnbs are better known as being more than just a place to shower and lay your head while away from home. I usually seek out Airbnbs when I want more of an experience. Just to give you an idea of what I mean, I have rented a vintage travel trailer with a fire pit, hammocks and outdoor bath for an evening, a yurt treehouse on a goat farm with a hot tub for a romantic getaway, a mother-in-law suite with a pool for a girls’ trip and single rooms in larger, sometimes historic, homes for solo trips. 

-      Personal touches and curated guidebooks: Most of the Airbnbs I have stayed in have had unique personal collections and touches left by the owner. Some will leave out candy, postcards, stickers with the house logo, etc. These little touches just give off a warmer feeling than the note pad and free plastic pen you might find in a hotel. Additionally, I think we all are familiar with the stands in most hotel lobbies full of brochures from local attractions, but in an Airbnb you will most always find a book that not only includes information and history of your location or home, but a well thought-out guidebook to the area. Another personal touch I have found in most Airbnbs is some form of a guestbook or map you can add a note, pin, or Polaroid photo to. I traveled to Savannah and left a Polaroid on a fridge and months later someone recognized us and sent a picture of it to our friend! It’s fun to get to an Airbnb and see what is waiting for you and they are very well known for these thoughtful personal touches.

-     Opportunity to connect with your host or other guests: If meeting other travelers and locals sounds appealing to you, you might enjoy an Airbnb experience over a hotel. Often you can share a home or property with other guests who likely also enjoy the same things as you.

-     Privacy: This is not always the case, but you have better options available if you are seeking privacy if you rent an entire home versus one hotel room of 100.

-     Ideal for families or big rowdy groups: An Airbnb can be better for a big group, family or rowdy bunch when it comes to cost and again, the privacy. An Airbnb also gives you an option for more beds and more bathrooms for your group and some allow or provide extra air mattresses.

-     Experience a place like a local and have a more authentic experience: Airbnb had a campaign called Live There that showcased this exact principle. With Airbnb, you get to live in a location and experience the city from a local’s point of view. For more cultural or foreign locations, this could get very interesting!  

-      Lots of reviews to help you chose the right rental: Scroll through any established Airbnb rental and you will see plenty of reviews from real people who will leave their own pros and cons on a listing. It is usually these reviews that help persuade me to book a specific property. I read every single one once I’ve booked and be sure not to miss anything another guest recommends I see, do, or bring.

-      Wider option of amenities: You can find a wide and often unique range of amenities like a washer and dryer, private pool, kayaks, outdoor baths, hot tubs, fire pits, bicycles, grills, a full kitchen and all you would need to cook, if that’s what you want. You will not find that in a hotel!

Cons:

-     Cleanliness: I hate to put this one on there, but Airbnbs are not always super clean like a hotel is. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never seen a dirty rental, but since it’s a home, it usually tends to have some dust in places a hotel just wouldn’t or have a less than luxurious bathroom fixtures. Again, no problems, but if you’re a clean freak, Airbnb might not appeal to you anyways.

-      You are the maid! You’re expected to clean up and put everything back where you found it and then they charge you a cleaning fee! I don’t leave anywhere an absolute mess, but in an Airbnb you are expected to make the extra effort to put everything back, do your dishes, clean up all trash, and some even expect you to make the bed before you go.

-      Added fees and costs: Sometimes $100 plus! I already discussed the cleaning fee, but a listing for $40 on Airbnb can easily become $100 plus. Just be aware.

-     No room service and your host might not even be in the same country: Just keep this in mind and be flexible in case the WIFI is out or the a/c breaks.

That wraps up my pros and cons list and comparison of Airbnbs vs. hotels. Which would you chose, or neither and why? I’d love to know!