Just Your Best

I love unique travel accommodations, especially when I spend so many trips for work in chain hotels. We’ve booked many stays now around the country with both VRBO and AirBnB, and these have been some of our best trips! From dog-friendly local trips with the family to a special weekend in Hawaii with my mom, these rental accommodations have yet to let us down.

Here’s a few tips to get you started with your next stay, things I’ve learned along the way, and some perks we’ve come to love. We love using these apps for local getaways in our New Jersey-Pennsylvania area, as well as more long distance adventures like Florida and even Hawaii.

Inspect your Rental carefully when you are deciding which property is right for you. I personally love ones with an overload of photos in the bio. Read the descriptions too though. One time we were overwhelmed by the beautiful ocean views and beach access that I didn’t realize I had booked my fiancé and myself a place with only 2 twin size beds. Thankfully we made it work for the short trip, but it would have changed my mind had I known when booking.

I like to take photos when I first arrive so I have proof of how I found the place when I checked in. This is a good habit to get into; I have never had a bad experience at an AirBnB, but God-forbid they tried to blame damage on me from someone else, I’m not going to let that happen!

Check Additional Fees; they can sometimes add up. Some may charge for additional guests beyond a certain amount, some have high cleaning rates (which are sometimes excessively overcharged so that hosts can make more money listing the property at a lower cost to attract guests). Be mindful, but it is helpful that you can see these totals before putting a deposit down or booking. Just make sure you agree to those fees! If not, move on. There are plenty of options, but some are just too good to be true.

Dog Friendly accommodations are easier to find through renting vacation homes or properties than staying in hotels. We always choose private properties with backyards. If your dog is a runner, keep a look out for yards with fences, or consider getting a long lead you can use outside! Each place is unique in their own way. We loved one that had a plastic kiddie pool we were allowed to let the dogs in.

Read the Reviews before you settle on a place to rent. Reviews tell a lot, and these are experiences from previous visitors to the property, so if there is anything important to make note of or beware of, someone has shared it.

Funny story about reading reviews! I was so excited for a farm stay rental in Hawaii with my mom that promised free eggs and visits from the barn cat, but after we checked in, another family came to try and check in to the same place. Turns out they had rented the little house attached to the house we rented, but it wasn’t clear in the description that these rentals were attached. When we went back to the reviews after, we did see that this same scenario happened to 2 other visitors before. The hosts were hard to reach since it was nearly midnight when it happened, but we were able to straighten it out after comparing photos of our units in the app.

(Everyone was very kind, so it didn’t ruin the trip, but it does remind me every time now to check the reviews! It could have saved us 45 minutes of confusion and stress.)

Farm stay in Hilo, Hawaii

Research the Area you plan to visit. Make sure it looks comfortable and safe for you to visit and stay at. Just because it is listed as a vacation property doesn’t mean it’s the “vacation” home you’re dreaming of. All of the properties on these sites are privately owned. Some are people’s homes, some are parts of their home, some may live there in the property. Just be wary of where you are staying, especially when renting in cities you’re not familiar with.

Talk to the Host before you book and check-in. You want to make sure you are able to communicate with them if something goes wrong. It doesn’t hurt to know the people who own the place! At one rental, the owner lived outside in his camper so he was on-site for our whole stay. He was the sweetest guy and had great recommendations for us in the area. He was also super respectful of our own privacy during our stay, even when we were up super late around the campfire and throwing balls for our dogs all over the yard.

Late check-in’s are a popular resource some hosts use. If the key is stored in a lockbox or can be picked up at a later time, stays can be “self check-in”. I have had stays where we’ve pulled the key late checking in around midnight after a long drive and left without ever speaking with someone in-person. Check out rules and policies for each stay individually as they are never the same as another.

Be Respectful when you visit your rental. Again, these are privately owned. Treat it the way you would hope someone would treat your home, or maybe a little nicer if you are a bit of a “mess” like me. 😅 Remember, the hosts on both AirBnB and VRBO can rate you after your stay just as easily as you rate them, and future hosts will see that when they are deciding whether or not to accept your reservation request.

Affordable Family Option has always been a major perk in our family! We have been renting vacation homes long before the phones came out with apps. With a family of 5 (3 kids) and the occasional dog that made the cut for family vacation, these made trips to some of the more expensive places like Disney World more affordable for us. Plus, my parents always strategically got a house with a room for each of us so we had our privacy at the end of the night, which was so great with keeping everyone calm and relaxed by having our own private spaces. I never stayed in a hotel with my whole family growing up, and after having a big pool and backyard to play in, we never wanted to stay at a resort or hotel as kids.

Have fun; but be smart, and be safe exploring, traveling, adventuring, and all! There are so many places to go and things to see, you’ll have a great time as long as you bring your best smile and good vibes. Pack them everywhere you go!