How Airbnb Is Different From Hotels – A Detailed Comparison Between An Airbnb and Hotel
If you’re planning a vacation for this winter, you must be roaming around to choose the best place to stay in your destination. Hotels have always been there in the hospitability industry. But, recently, Airbnb has been getting high in numbers and demands.
There are many chances you have heard about the Airbnb stay from your friend who just had a getaway in New York City or any other corner of the world—preferring ease, more than 150 million people around the globe book Airbnb when visiting a new place!
This increased inclination toward Airbnb has initiated a debate between hotels and Airbnb, which travelers should know before heading out or booking a flight.
So, to help you and guide you better about the perfect choice between an Airbnb or a hotel, we have listed some essential points in the below guide.
Let’s not waste more time and evaluate which option wins because after you read this you will know how Airbnb is different from hotels.
What Is An Airbnb Property
Airbnbs are considered the marketplaces where different real estate owners or hosts sell and rent their places for short-term stays. Based on the peer-to-peer business model, Airbnb includes small places travelers can book for multiple people.
Most likely, you are renting someone’s home or an interesting venue. In addition, it comes with an extensive range of lodging options on the booking sites. You can also refer to an Airbnb as a private rental or property that is a shared apartment having all facilities to live like your own home.
It is also considered a potential method for the local people to make some extra profit by renting their property to the travelers coming to their place. The concept of Airbnb has revolutionized the hospitability industry in an undefined manner. With the reassurance of handling payments, Airbnb offers a wide range of amenities to comfort visitors.
What Makes A Hotel
Hotels refer to standardized commercial buildings providing paid accommodations to visitors or travelers coming to any state. The primary purpose behind this business model is to provide a luxurious stay to the people by offering extensive facilities under one roof. A traveler can access the bar, spa, and other recreational facilities.
Furthermore, short or long-duration stays are always entertained in hotels with additional guest services. Ranging from swimming pools to many other business facilities, hotels provide versatile accommodation facilities to the people visiting.
Depending on your budget, hotels can be 5-star to 7-star. In a hotel, you’ll get a single room, a bed depending on the number or group of people, a cupboard, and other basic amenities. However, there is a proper time to check in and out of a hotel. You will have to go through detailed check-in formalities.
Review The Differences Between Airbnb Hotel – Airbnb Vs Hotel
Both Airbnb and hotels are good options in their ways. But, when looking forward to evaluating some fundamental differences between them, there is a whole list to explore.
Ranging from the cost to the availability of facilities, some significant variances between Airbnb and hotels bring a contrasting debate.
To better understand both options, let’s explore some primary contrasting pinpoints between Airbnb and hotels.
View The Atmosphere of Airbnb Hotels
The first and foremost factor that sets Airbnb from hotels is the type of atmosphere they provide. If you’re looking for a residential feel in a new city, you should book an Airbnb. But, if you want professional accommodation, hotels are the best option.
In an Airbnb, travelers will have the ultimate chance to enjoy their own lodging choice. Available in versatile apartments or private houses, Airbnb will give you access to live like a local. You will have the chance to interact with the neighbors.
With this residential feel of Airbnb, you can access all amenities you enjoy in your own house. You can act like a local living in an apartment for a particular time. This will allow you to explore markets, shop for yourself, cook your favorite dishes, and explore the local restaurants.
In comparison, hotels are present in the heart of the city. They provide a professional living environment to travelers. Besides the formal living, easy access to transport, nightlife, and other cultural attractions is entertained at hotels.
Here’s more!
Hotels are always an excellent option to choose from if you’re fond of enjoying all fun activities under one roof. An in-house café, a bar, and a swimming pool are present in hotels. Also, you will have access to meet other travelers staying in the same hotel. In this way, you will be living a well-organized life.
Depending on the type of atmosphere, you can quickly evaluate the choice between an Airbnb and a hotel.
Price
Budget is one of the travelers’ most important factors before choosing an Airbnb and a hotel. Airbnbs are comparatively less expensive than 5-star or 7-star hotels. However, amenities can be compromised when you’re paying low charges for your accommodation. Airbnb rentals often cost less than hotel rooms of similar value.
Based on the recent experience of travelers around the globe, booking short and long-term stays at Airbnb costs less than booking your stay at any hotel! Many hosts looking to rent their property offer an affordable deal to travelers by setting a particular margin of profit.
Airbnbs are also cost-friendly because you don’t have any fixed staff always to serve you. You will have to do the basic tasks yourself. This availability of some basics under a single roof makes Airbnb more affordable than hotels.
With the continuous increase in inflation, hotel amenities are getting high on the price chart with time. You have access to many luxurious facilities in the hotel where you’re staying. Coming to hotels, you have to pay per night of your stay. This factor is responsible for increased charges for accommodation.
A professional and well-trained staff can help you with different tasks while living in a hotel. Also, any hotel you choose has bars, café, gyms, and personalized meeting rooms. All these amenities increase the prices of hotels more than Airbnb.
Unique Accommodation
Traveling is not always about exploring places when visiting a city. Places where you choose to stay or live for the time being significantly impact your tour to that state. However, if you’re looking for unique accommodation, Airbnb always wins any other option. Each property is different. Airbnb provides a more personalized stay. In fact, price is a large reason how Airbnb is different from hotels. You seem to get more with Airbnb than you do with hotels.
Airbnbs always make travelers live in a place like their own house. Many people are fond of personalizing their stay when visiting a new country or a city. Organizing your closets, arranging essentials in the kitchen, and making necessary changes in the bathroom can make your accommodation a worthy experience to remember.
Several Airbnb websites provide the best options for travelers choosing any Airbnb. Treehouses, yurts, and houseboats are always available when you book an Airbnb. You can customize your living standards when choosing your accommodation.
In contrast, hotels provide a fixed atmosphere to live in. different hotels are built with variable themes, artwork, and building practices. Moreover, there are no alterations in the room settings when you book a hotel.
So, if we call hotels the place for fixed accommodation, it would not be wrong. Also, the restaurants in hotels provide fixed cuisines. In such a scenario, you will have to enjoy the dishes mentioned on the menu. There is no personalized living facility when you choose hotels over Airbnb.
Travel Safety
Another significant aspect brings a contrasting debate between Airbnb and hotels. Talking from a broader perspective, Airbnb’s aren’t as safer as hotels. Thus, to maintain the safety standards, you will have to look deeper into the listings of Airbnb.
You must have a complete background of the hosts providing their property as an Airbnb. So, in any case of a mishap, you can take a step to report them. Also, when you book an Airbnb, you will encounter the basic safety issues every local faces. It is due to the availability of these properties a bit far away from city life.
Checking into someone’s property can be good and bad at the same time. You can face many threats as a new visitor to the city. However, if you choose hotels over Airbnb, you don’t have to face security problems.
Hotels have well-trained emergency and security staff to cater to any problem during visitors’ stay. Also, you can access the hotel’s management to report any threat you get during your stay. So, find safe hotel rooms.
Furthermore, you can read both positive and negative ratings of the hotel you’re considering choosing for accommodation during your travel. There are also photos of hotels available on the browser. Also, different travel agents help in finding safe hotels for travelers where they don’t have to face any safety backlash.
Duration of Stay
Depending on the duration of your stay in a particular city, choosing an Airbnb and a hotel can confuse you. If you plan to spend a more extended period in a new city or roam around the place for an extended time, you should book Airbnb.
Long-term business trips and research jaunts always go well if you choose Airbnb over hotels. You can live like a local on the property when you have stayed for a month or more. In addition, you can begin your everyday life activities while exploring the city.
From cooking to laundry, you can cater to every task on your own. You will also have complete control over the whole property when living there. You do not need to bother about paying for per night stay or paying staff for the extra activities.
Compared to Airbnb, hotels are a good option if you are looking for short stays in any city. Hotels are located in the heart of the town, so you don’t have to research the place’s transport, methods, and famous attractions.
Simply, you can ask the hotel management to guide you with the short trip. But, if you’re looking for an extended stay, hotels are never an excellent option to choose from. Not only you’re restricted from living a fixed living, but a per-night visit can also demand a large amount of your money. So, try booking an Airbnb if you plan to live for a few weeks to a month.
Privacy
This factor keeps the comparison between Airbnb and hotels a bit more contrasting. Privacy in an Airbnb or a hotel depends on the type of place you choose. You get a large number of options when booking an Airbnb.
There are four visible types of Airbnb, including an entire apartment, a private room, a hotel room, or a shared room. If you book an entire apartment or Airbnb for your stay, there will be no compromise on privacy. Also, if you choose a private room in an Airbnb, you will get no distractions during your stay.
A private room on Airbnb feels like your own room. So, you can enjoy complete privacy when living in a private room. Many Airbnb also offer rooms in hotels. However, if you choose shared rooms, you may have to compromise a bit on privacy. In a shared room, you will have a bed for you. So, there are chances to face some problems regarding confidentiality.
In comparison, people face hotel privacy issues at a meager rate. As you will be living in a separate room in the hotel with no shared basis, you will have no privacy problems.
Many hotels also provide remote communication facilities, which decrease the disturbance level to a greater level. Still, privacy assurance depends on the type and standard of hotel you choose.
Luxuries
Here comes another exciting factor that keeps the debate between Airbnb and hotels going. Airbnbs aren’t that famous for providing luxury to the people staying. When you book an Airbnb, you will get basic amenities (toiletries and kitchen essentials) for one time only.
The hosts of Airbnb don’t refill these options during your stay. Other than this, there is no staff to entertain you 24/7. Chefs, butlers, and drivers are also unavailable when you pick an Airbnb for your stay at the destination. However, a traditional home luxury is present.
You will have access to live in an Airbnb, like your home. The type of amenities in any Airbnb depends on your chosen star level. That is why it is suggested to conduct in-depth research before booking any option. At online websites, you can easily explore the luxuries offered by Airbnb.
Coming to hotels, you will get a well-defined number of amenities. Both 5-star and 7-star hotels maintain their high standards by providing high-quality services to the people staying there. From changing toiletries daily to refilling snacks, hotels take care of your every need.
Also, you will have access to Michelin-star restaurants, chefs, and personal drivers at a hotel. Besides, you can visit your favorite bar area, enjoy gym activities, conduct meetings in separate meeting rooms, and have fun at the swimming pool. All this is possible only when you choose hotels over Airbnb.
Space
When traveling with a family or a group of tourists, Airbnb always wins compared to hotels. You will not have to book several rooms. Instead, you can book a whole apartment to get a spacious environment where you can enjoy several life activities.
Also, if you have kids with you, a spacious apartment or an Airbnb is good. Shared cooking and cleaning duties can lower the burden on you when you are staying in an Airbnb. Comfort is also entertained when you book an Airbnb for a large group.
Compared to Airbnb, hotels aren’t a good option if you are traveling with many people. It is because you will have to book a complete suite or a series of rooms in a hotel. It can cost you a lot more than booking an Airbnb.
However, some hotels offer standard packages for tourist groups. These packages come with exceptional childcare. So, choosing between an Airbnb and a hotel depends on the closeness of people in your group.
Airbnb or Hotels? The choice is yours!
Once you’re done reading the above comparison. Both Airbnb and hotels come with their advantages and disadvantages. However, depending on your needs, you can evaluate what the best option for you is.
Airbnbs seem like a good choice if you want to live like locals and planning for an extended vacation. Similarly, hotels are best if you want luxury, amenities, and planning for a short stay. Now you should have a detailed understanding of how Airbnb is different from hotels.