Hotel vs. VRBO - how to choose?

[Twoboos]

I found an amazing looking VRBO in Paris. It's about the same price as the hotel we've been looking at. Hotel is right by the Louvre. VRBO is in Marais. All 5 star reviews, but only 7 total and the most recent review is July 2018, and before that are from 2015. But it's booked for most of May and all of June.

I keep thinking - what does the hotel offer that a VRBO doesn't?? Although my fear is I get stuck cooking if we VRBO. So much more space though.

How do I choose? Gah!

[georgiegirl]

We almost always pick VRBO when traveling as a family. Unless it’s a hotel that is a suite and offers breakfast. We like space and having more than one bathroom and having laundry.

Last time I was in Paris, which was a million years ago, we found an apartment to stay in. This was before the days of VRBO but it was like vrbo. We did not regret it at all.


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[pharmjenn]

I have no comment about Paris, but with family, it will be so nice to spread out. We just spent a long weekend in Southern California with 9 of us. Our choices were an airbnb with 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, kitchen, pool table etc. Or 2 2bd suites at Embassy Suites. Everyone else voted for the house, and after the trip, I had to agree it was the better choice, even if it was not as "nice"

[SnuggleBuggles]

The only downside that I have found is the luggage issue if you have time to kill between check out and departure. Most hosts have been able to work with us to leave our luggage though.
I love having a kitchen. There are always those nights that you just want to stay in and heat up some leftovers/ do something super easy. Though maybe that's just us. We go hard all day then want to relax all evening.
Make sure you've added in all the stuff like cleaning fees...so you are accurately comparing prices.
More space ALWAYS wins for us though!!

[StantonHyde]

I wouldn't VRBO that place because it doesn't have enough reviews. How many reviews do other places nearby have? And I want to see recent reviews. If the place is that booked and people aren't leaving reviews???

That said--I VRBO now for every family vacation. Try one fine stay for Paris--it is a great property rental company. Yes, you pay a little more but have a good company backing you up. When we went to London, 2 weeks prior to our vacation, the flat we rented had a boiler issue and they put us up in a nicer place and ate the difference in cost. They are a very good company.

To be able to spread out and not all be in the same room. We would end up killing each other if we were in one room for a week. We also like to eat breakfast in the flat. And when we tour as hard as we did in London, we like to be able to eat dinner in if we are tired. We had snacks we needed, etc. The other big winner is having more than one bathroom. When I have compared prices for a 2 BR suite with 2 bathrooms, then hands down, it is cheaper and better in a VRBO.

[Twoboos]

We almost always pick VRBO when traveling as a family. Unless it’s a hotel that is a suite and offers breakfast. We like space and having more than one bathroom and having laundry.

Last time I was in Paris, which was a million years ago, we found an apartment to stay in. This was before the days of VRBO but it was like vrbo. We did not regret it at all.


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We'd have a "family room" at the hotel so basically two connecting rooms which means two bathrooms! And breakfast. No laundry though. Hmmmm...

[smiles33]

I don't stay in hotels unless I'm traveling alone for business--I don't feel as safe in a random apartment rental and I like having a front desk. For family vacations, I always get 2 bedroom rentals with a kitchen and laundry, plus a comfy large sofa or sectional. This gives us options (e.g., packing carry-on only because we know we can do laundry, eating breakfast at home every day right when we wake up, lounging on the sofa and reading books or watching movies if we're feeling tired/lazy). I also find it more cost-effective, since getting 2 hotel rooms is often the same price (or more) than getting a 2 bedroom apartment/condo rental that also has a kitchen and family room.

For what it's worth, just having a kitchen doesn't mean you have to cook any meals. The full-size fridge is nice for stocking beer and any restaurant leftovers. Plus, then we also have a microwave to heat up leftovers. I don't cook generally speaking and DH doesn't unless he feels like it.

Just keep in mind that cleaning fees and the platform fees (e.g., VRBO, AirBnB, etc.) do add up quickly so make sure you're comparing the total costs.

[essnce629]

We also book airbnb or vrbo wherever we go. I hate being all cramped in one room with DS2 who needs his sleep, while I'm a hardcore night owl. We all stay up later when traveling, but it's nice to have a separate room for the boys so DS2 can go to bed and DH and I can beat in our own room watching TV. We also like having a living room to hang out in, full kitchen, and laundry so we can pack less. We never cook dinner in when we're traveling but will hit up a grocery store on day 1 to buy snacks and breakfast foods and we make breakfast in every morning before heading out for the day.

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[marinkitty]

My general rule of thumb is VRBO or similar for anything more than two nights with the whole family. I like hotels for short family stays of 1 or 2 nights, or if I'm only traveling with one or two kids or just DH and we can all stay in one room.

In Paris you will never need to cook if you don't want to cook. But places like that with amazing markets/grocers/bakeries/charcuteries, we often end up dining in doing sort of an indoor picnic if we've been going hard all day and don't feel up for another long restaurant meal. Plus it can be nice to have coffee and breakfast at home before heading out for the day.

I am super picky about looking carefully at the reviews and I do like to have more than a handful.

[carolinamama]

I'm team VRBO for Paris. In fact we are staying in one this summer when we are there. I have no intention of cooking and I feel no guilt. If we eat in, it will be picnic style for sure. But the space will be nice for our family of 5 - if someone wants to stay up later it won't be disturbing and I can separate my kids when they have had a bit too much togetherness!