Picture this: On one trip, you’re greeted by a smiling, welcoming concierge in a warm, well-lit lobby. On another, you’re deciphering a lockbox code on a mobile phone in the dark while trying to read parking instructions. Welcome to a delimma many traveler’s have, hotel or Airbnb?”
In the last two weeks, we have had to stay in Melbourne, Australia, twice. I knew this had been coming up as we had things to attend. My thoughts were should we stay in a hotel or an Airbnb. In all honesty, we have used Airbnb sparingly over the last ten years of constant travel.
My history tells me that my choice of hotel or Airbnb is clear!
Looking at my account, I can see we first used Airbnb in 2015 in Rome, Italy. With the soaring price of hotels in Melbourne and worldwide, Airbnb may be an underutilized platform for us when travelling.
Anyway, we stayed at the Pullman Melbourne City Centre for two nights one weekend and an Airbnb for three nights two weeks later. There are pros and cons for each type of accommodation, and when one suits, the other may not.
Pros for Airbnb
- The cost may be cheaper than a hotel.
- Most Airbnbs have cooking facilities (you can bring your own food).
- Most Airbnbs have laundry facilities.
- Maybe more flexible with check-in and check-outs.
- Bigger than hotel rooms.
- Easier to relax as you have a lounge area in most apartments.
- You may get a million-dollar view for cheap as we did in Melbourne.
Most Airbnbs compared to hotels have free parking (if you filter that in search)
Cons for Airbnb
- No one is on site to help you with any problems.
- Check instructions may be complicated
- Cleaning and departure instructions may be excessive
- If staying for more than a few days, you will need to clean the apartment
The AirBnb we stayed at in Melbourne required you to drop the key back to a small shop at the front of the building. Because the shop was not open when we left we had to use the key to get the car out of the secure parking and then one of us had to take the key back up to the apartment and leave it there. It is not an easy check-out situation for Airbnb.
Pros for a Hotel
- Most hotels have a 24 reception
- Easy check-in and check out
- Food and Drinks available onsite
- Instant feedback on queries and issues
- Usually in better positions than AirBnbs
- Rooms get made up daily
- May have extra facilities like a bar, gyms and pools.
- Loyalty programs and cashback services can make it cheaper.
Cons for Hotels
- More expensive
- Parking is never free (99% of the time)
- Some rooms are small
The Pullman Melbourne City Centre was located on Swanston Street, in the heart of Melbourne’s food and shopping district. It had its own rooftop bar serving cocktails and wood-fired pizzas. There was no parking on site, so we had to park a block away and walk without luggage, which was a little inconvenient.
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To be honest, I don’t really think there is a winner and loser here. I would think that location plays a big part in any choice. You do not want a location that’s not central just to save a few dollars, as you will waste money and time getting back to a central location where the best things to see and do are.
The longer we stay in a place, the more comfortable an Airbnb or apartment-style accommodation would be. With its homely feel and facilities, it could save you some money in the long run. Our Budget, like yours, will, in the end, be the real decider in this choice. What can we and can’t we afford?
AirBnb is definitely worth more of a look for us in the future instead of just going to Booking.com and Agoda for everything. No accommodation is perfect, and they all have pluses and negatives, no matter what type and where it is.
Why have we stayed in so few AirBnbs over the years? I think it’s a mixture of trust and convenience. I trust hotels more because I can look them up on multiple websites. The convenience of a hotel is that you will know what you will get, in the sense that there will be a front desk to check you in and welcome you with any instructions.
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