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Not long ago, no one would have imagined that vacationing in a stranger’s home would be a thing until Airbnb disrupted the hotel industry by offering travelers a cheaper, more comfortable, and cooler travel alternative. With millions of listings in over 220 countries and over 100,000 cities,, an Airbnb rental has something for everyone – including families.
You no longer have to cram your entire family into one tiny hotel room or pay exorbitant rates for a suite. An Airbnb rental gives your family all the comforts of home, often for a comparable or cheaper price than a hotel. Cooking meals in your Airbnb rental kitchen instead of eating at pricey restaurants helps save money, too.
Airbnb became invaluable during COVID, as it is a safe way to vacation with members of your immediate family without having to interact with other guests or staff, like you would have to at a hotel.
Even during non-pandemic times, it gives parents something even more important: space. “Unless you’re fancy enough to rent a suite each time you go out of town, sharing a hotel room sucks with a kid or a baby,” Claire Zulkey previously commented on Mom.com. “We got an adorable Airbnb and it was pretty much the best thing ever. We didn’t waste money on hotel or restaurant breakfasts … and the one we found was cute enough that it was really nice hanging out there.”
Of course, the travel industry as a whole has paid a price with the pandemic. We’ll take a look at rental tips, as well as COVID-19 tips, to make sure your Airbnb stay is as good as it can be.
Steps in using Airbnb and important COVID tips to know
If you’ve never stayed at an Airbnb rental, get ready to discover amazing options — everything from luxury urban lofts to quirky lodgings or even a real-life castle.
To access Airbnb and get started:
- Go online at Airbnb.com or use the phone app, available on Apple’s App Store or on Google Play.
- Use the search function, which is easy and intuitive. First-time users don’t need an account to start looking.
- Enter your destination and your travel dates to get a big list of potential properties.
- Now comes the fun part: Narrow down the options to find your ideal Airbnb rental.
How to filter for a family-friendly Airbnb
- The first step in filtering for a family-friendly Airbnb rental is to add your children to the “Guests” filter section, which will remove properties that don’t welcome families. (No kids allowed? Unfair, right?!)
- Next, go to the “More Filters” tab, which contains property types, number of rooms, facilities, amenities, etc. Choose the options that are important to you. If you’re traveling with a child under 2, this is where you’ll see which properties offer cribs or highchairs.
- Some hosts add “family friendly” to their description or headline, and Airbnb may note when families have praised the property. According to Airbnb help, “If a host adds ‘Family/Kid Friendly’ as an amenity, this implies that infants, children, and families are welcome in their listing.”
COVID tips when renting an Airbnb:
- Wear a mask or face covering as directed by local laws when you interact with anyone from the Airbnb.
- Keep social distancing protocols in place when around hosts and other guests.
- Confirm that the host is following Airbnb’s 5-step enhanced cleaning process between stays that includes preparing the location, cleaning it, sanitizing it, checking the work, and resetting things for new guests.
- Understand the cancellation policy based on extenuating circumstances, which may entitle you to a partial or full refund. Most new cancellations are subject to the host’s cancellation policy since Airbnb does not consider COVID cancellations as unforeseen.
8 Airbnb tips for picking the best rental
- Filter for neighborhood. If you already know which areas you’re interested in, great. Otherwise, research online or IRL to find locations that are best for families or closest to the places you want to visit.
- Look for properties with excellent reviews and a fairly large number of reviewers.
- Read the reviews closely. Even dream homes could have drawbacks.
- Make sure the property’s photos are to your liking and match the property’s description.
- Choose rentals maintained by Superhosts, which are “experienced hosts who provide a shining example for other hosts, and extraordinary experiences for their guests.”
- Contact the host before you commit to renting to ask questions about the property and get a feel for their style of communication.
- Watch out for scams! Here’s a useful guide from Airbnb help.
- Don’t pick a COVID hot spot to stay at. You’ll increase your risk of having a cancellation or having to quarantine while on vacation. Keep informed and up-to-date on the COVID status in the area you’re traveling to as restrictions seem to be changing rapidly, especially with the COVID delta variant spreading.
How can I find a cheaper price for my family vacation?
Whether you go glam or basic depends on your budget, although some locations are notoriously pricier than others. (I’m looking at you, New York City.) The price filter tab lets you choose Airbnb rentals in your range. People assume Airbnb rentals are less expensive than hotels, but that isn’t always the case, especially when you’re renting a whole home or apartment. Cleaning, tax, and service fees can add more than you expect to the total price.
Some ways of finding cheaper prices include renting off-season, staying midweek, renting for longer periods, or renting a room rather than a whole house. Sometimes hosts with new listings offer a lower price to attract vacationers. It’s also possible to get discounts by searching for Airbnb coupon codes.
There’s also the question of negotiating for a lower price. Some people think it doesn’t hurt to ask, but many Airbnb hosts disagree. On Airhosts Forum, one experienced host remarked, “I always decline discount seekers. Most turn out to be the worst guests … if they don’t respect your price, they won’t respect your place.”
Finally, we all know that traveling with your kids can be stressful. Finding the ideal Airbnb rental won’t stop your kids’ inevitable meltdowns, but it just may prevent yours.
