We all love a good Airbnb stay. It’s unique. You feel like a local. You meet interesting people. And you often pay MUCH less than you would for a hotel.
But what about Airbnb alternatives? What are the best competitor sites to use, and how do they stack up against this powerhouse?
Most importantly, can they provide you with a one-of-a-kind travel experience that gives you just as much bang for your buck as Airbnb would?
The short answer: YES!
There are many Airbnb alternatives these days where you can book interesting and affordable accommodations the world over, and I’m here today with the best of the bunch so you can kick off your next trip feeling delighted with your temporary digs.
Bookmark this post so you can revisit these awesome booking sites whenever you need some accommodation inspiration!
Need some destination inspiration? Check out my list of favorites here.
6 of the Best Airbnb Alternatives
6 Airbnb alternatives you should probably be using #traveltips Click To Tweet
HomeAway
If you’re looking for an entire home to temporarily call your own, HomeAway has the rentals you’re looking for, in over 190 countries around the world.
To book the perfect getaway home, follow these simple steps:
- Enter the city, state or country where you want to go
- Enter travel dates to get rental availability
- Use filters and maps to narrow results
With your free HomeAway account, you can save vacation rentals to your list of favorites, track your messages to and from rental owners, and manage all of your booking information in one spot.
No need to share these gorgeous rental homes with noisy neighbors or nosy owners–that’s the beauty of HomeAway, you get the space allllll to yourself.
VRBO
VRBO stands for Vacation Rentals By Owner and is owned by the HomeAway company. As such, the process is the same as it is with HomeAway, including the perks like cancellation protection and zero booking fees.
This site currently offers over 2 million vacation rentals worldwide. Want some extra income for yourself? Try listing your own home on one of these sites!
Tripping
There are many Airbnb alternatives out there these days, but Tripping–the self-proclaimed “world’s largest search engine for rentals”–has to be one of the best.
Quickly compare vacation homes and short-term rentals in 150,000 destinations around the world to find the best deal possible (and the ideal setting) for your next getaway.
Trusted Housesitters
Are you a pet lover? Do you also love to travel? Then Trusted Housesitters is for YOU!
This nifty site allows pet owners to travel without worry and gives pet-loving travelers a way to stay for free in an exciting new city.
Win-win!
Booking.com
I’ve been using Booking.com for years now and chances are, you’ve heard of this site, too. But did you know they offer SO much more than just hotels?
Not only can you find charming apartments, bed & breakfasts, hostels, and homestays, but Booking.com has their very own search engine for beautiful vacation rentals in just about any city of your choosing.
I like Booking.com because there is almost always a fully refundable option (up to a certain date) so I can book something with the peace of mind that a) I didn’t miss out on the good stuff by waiting until the last minute and b) I can still change my mind if I find something better or cheaper.
HotelsCombined
This final Airbnb alternative is the absolute best search engine around for booking hotels around the world. Period.
Why, you ask?
Because HotelsCombined aggregates the search results from every other hotel booking site (even the ones you’ve never heard of) and compares them all side by side, so you can quickly and easily find the best deal on the exact hotel you want.
Don’t want a hotel? No problem. Just filter your search results to show only the accommodation type you want, including apartments, B&Bs, vacation rentals, guest houses, homestays, hostels, and more.
Have you ever heard of these Airbnb alternatives? Would you consider booking with one?
