The world of the sharing economy has certainly changed the way we travel. From being able to book reservations in local apartments or houses, to getting around in shared cars, bikes, and more, it’s easier than ever to see the world.
But we wanted to run a fair comparison between one of the biggest names in rentals versus traditional hotel reservations. We compared the benefits of each, between VRBO versus hotels, and offered an unbiased report, find what we discovered below:
Best experience:
Hotels are safe, no doubt about that, but sometimes the locations are less than ideal, and the experience can feel very manufactured. With VRBO, it’s much more like living locally, to rent out a house or apartment in a small town or big city alike allows you to experience the local culture more easily.
Advantage: VRBO
Ease-of-booking:
While VRBO has an amazing app and a fantastic website experience for booking beautiful reservations, there’s no denying that hotels are easier. It’s almost a guarantee that you can find a hotel to rent no matter where you travel, and they will have rooms available. For VRBO, sometimes it can be a bit harder to find something to rent, and it requires a bit more coordination.
Advantage: Hotels
Price:
Hotels are probably a little bit cheaper overall, especially if you can find a budget reservation. But when it comes to renting a larger house for more than a few people, or getting a great deal on a prime location, VRBO is best. Hotel pricing also seems to fluctuate far more with seasonality, which can be tough for travelers to predict costs.
Advantage: Tie
Service:
Hotels can certainly offer plenty of great service options, and daily cleaning services are great, but VRBO’s individual care provided by the home’s owner takes the cake here. VRBO also offers plenty of protection through their website, so you know you’re getting great service with every reservation.
Advantage: VRBO
Overall:
Several years ago, hotels would have definitely won here, but as VRBO has grown, their listings have only gotten better. It’s easier than ever to find the perfect rental for your vacation, no matter how long the stay. Discounts for longer term stays, and the individualized treatment through VRBO is tough to beat these days. While this could change in the future as hotels might upgrade their technology, it’s hard to argue that VRBO isn’t atop the game when it comes to fantastic apps, and the best website we’ve seen in this industry.
Advantage: VRBO
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