Before having kids, we didn’t have much experience using AirBnb type vacation rentals. We used AirBnb and VRBO a handful of times previously for large family trips and always had good experiences. It wasn’t until our very first trip to Europe when J was an infant that we thought to expand our AirBnb use for travel abroad.
Why AirBnb?
Traveling with young kids is a whole different animal than child-free travel. Your days are typically structured around naps and bedtimes, and you will likely spend a lot more time in your accommodations than you would have otherwise. With that in mind, we want to stay somewhere that we can relax and enjoy ourselves even when the little ones are asleep – this means more space than a typical hotel room. Preferably where the kids can sleep behind a closed door separate from the rest of the accommodations.
We also love to have kitchen facilities where we are staying. The ability to make quick breakfasts, warm up bottles, and chill post-bedtime adult beverages is infinitely easier with access to a kitchen. We’ve even warmed up take out and cooked our own meals with ingredients from local markets.
Most of the AirBnb’s that we have used have been in residential buildings or neighborhoods, and another nice perk of traveling this way is to get a small taste of the local lifestyle. Discovering local playgrounds or the best neighborhood bakery is such a thrill. Even struggling with the local challenges like lugging strollers up and down to a fifth floor apartment multiple times a day can add a bit of flavor to the stay. Certainly makes us appreciate our first floor garage at home!
How to Find Your AirBnb
1. LOCATION (!!!)
I cannot stress enough the importance of location! Anyone with young kids knows that time is everything. You are literally on a time clock whenever you leave your place, running up against the next bottle or nap. Your baby isn’t going to care that you missed out on that last museum exhibit – when it’s bedtime or mealtime, it’s over. Sure when it’s just you and your significant other, save some money and stay 12 blocks from the nearest tube station. You can always hustle a little faster to make up for extra time in transit. Try telling your toddler to hurry because you still have seven blocks to go and you really need to make it to your ticket time at the London Eye? Guaranteed to result in slower steps followed by meltdown mode when you try to switch to the stroller because, you know, “I DO IT MYSELF”. Definitely not speaking from personal experience or anything.
When you are searching on the website, narrow down your search by location on the map. Consider driving distances (and parking options if you will have a car) or walking distance to public transportation. Decide if walking to restaurants or shops is important. If you will mind being on a busy street or if you want a yard or outdoor space. One thing normally important to us is a nice view. If we are going to spend significant downtime in this place, we’d at least like something interesting to watch from the windows or balcony. This feature is not a requirement for us since it wouldn’t make or break a trip, but does help us narrow down options. However, a place that would mean a 30 minute drive to the nearest local attraction when closer options exist would certainly be a dealbreaker.
If you want to take this to the next level, do a Google map search in the area of the property shown on the AirBnB site. This gives you an idea of nearby businesses and public transportation stops. Looking at the street view in the area shows as close to a in-person experience as you can get before arriving yourself.
2. Pricing
When you do your online search, make sure to include the exact dates and number of people in your travel party. These factors can dramatically change the price of the rental. I have heard some stories of huge charges later because someone rented a place for two people but ended up bringing a whole crowd. And similarly, we are currently looking for a beach villa in an upcoming trip to Thailand. We were just about to book one place until we realized the search dates were wrong and because we are traveling during their high season, the rates almost doubled! Sadly, putting that house out of our range.
Also make sure to look at all the rental fees. The nightly rate advertised on the list of properties is not always the rate you would end up paying. Along that train of thought, make sure to look at each property’s refund policy from booking. Each place might have their own policy, some even being strict enough to provide no refund even if you cancel the reservation the next day.
3. Size and Layout
In your search, include how many bedrooms you will need, and remember that this is very different than the “number of beds” search option. For our travel, we normally search for two bedrooms: one for the kids and one for us. A three bedroom would be ideal, but that might restrict our search too much, potentially ruling out some great options. For reference, a place with one bedroom and a pullout couch would still show up as a 2 bed property because there are technically at least two beds. If you require actual bedrooms, you need to specify that in your search.
Even after you find a potential place, make sure to look over the provided photos for pictures of the rooms and bathrooms. Make note of the number and size of the beds. Look for bedroom doors (you’d be surprised at the number of loft spaces advertised as real bedrooms). Look at the bathroom photos for bathtubs and showers. Remember that a listing with four “bathrooms” in Europe is not the same thing as a bathroom in the US. There could be a separate shower and toilet situation that gets considered as two bathrooms. The terminology is different and some of the places are converted from very old building spaces, resulting in odd plumbing layouts. That combo can be misleading unless you know to look for it.
Apartment in Paris, large enough for 8 adults + 3 small children
4. Read! Every! Detail!
This step is possibly the most important part of searching for an ideal AirBnb; make sure to pour over the entire listing. My first three tips are the order that we use to narrow down options, but this is where we really get into the decision making. Likely you will have multiple properties to choose from at this point, so here is where you can narrow down your selection and discover some missed dealbreakers.
Look at every picture. Read every review (within reason – if there are hundreds of reviews, probably the first few most recent dozen paint an accurate picture). Read the entire verbiage in the listing. Pay attention to the issues that other renters had, and decide if that would be a deal breaker for you.
Use the pictures to get a feel for the property layout. We have ruled out properties with the bedrooms separated into different houses (we weren’t comfortable sleeping separate from the kids). We’ve quickly vetoed ones with open staircases, ones with unprotected drop-offs from a patio, and even one with a small decorative pool in the living room (why??). Even the designation “beach front” can be interpreted differently, which is important when planning a beach vacation. Look for photographic evidence of any required appliances (like a washer or microwave or TV). If anything seems odd or misleading or contradictory, ask the host! Which brings me to my next tip…
5. Contact the AirBnb Host with Any Questions
Reaching out to the host might seem like a no-brainer, but in case anyone is hesitant – just do it! We have asked questions about appliances, number of bathrooms, kid friendliness, etc. Every single time, responses have been prompt and friendly. We had one host agree to receive a package of baby gear we had shipped to their house prior to the vacation. Another host ended up leaving us not only a pack-n-play but a selection of toddler toys and books, a high chair, and a Paris-friendly foldable stroller. It has also helped us set up our expectations before arrival. One place we rented advertised three bedrooms, but the pictures looked like the rooms were only partitioned with curtains (not great for a sleeping infant and toddler). We confirmed with the host that there was, in fact, one room separated by a real door (that would muffle noise and light), so thankfully we were able to make that property work – not always many options during Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
If you have any major deal breakers, it can’t hurt to ask. In most cases, you have several options of properties so go ahead and ease your mind before making a final choice.
6. Don’t Restrict your Search Filters Too Much
Not every property is listed and categorized 100% accurately. Not talking about false advertising, just that many properties might not include a hair dryer in their listing when they actually provide one. Or mention an available pack-n-play (which why you should always ask!). Many places will list an available washer but no mention of their corresponding dryer. Situations like that. If you go through the filters and check every single time that you want, you might end up missing out on some really great options.
Now that we have grown accustomed to using AirBnb when we travel, this is one of our preferred ways to find accommodations. The space of an entire residence and the immersion into local culture cannot be beat. There is nothing as relaxing as tucking your kids into their own bedroom and then (perhaps with a bottle of wine) lounging on a couch or a balcony while soaking in the day and gearing up for another day of your vacation. When talking to other families planning vacations, AirBnb is one of the first things I always recommend.
