Q: What's Best For Senior Travelers: Hotel Or Airbnb? Print


Each time we book a favorite resort hotel over the past few years, the price jumps five, ten or more percent from the previous charge. Friends now tell us it’s much cheaper to stay in a private Airbnb home in the resort city. Expert opinion? NLR, Houston TX

A: The Airbnb explosion on the travel scene has been both good and bad. A positive scenario is when you’re traveling with a group of four more. An upscale private home or apartment with several bedrooms and kitchen can be considerably cheaper than hotel rates charged for several single rooms.

A negative is that in some popular world tourist cities, Airbnbs are being reduced or totally forbidden by local governments. The list includes Venice, Barcelona, Prague, Amsterdam and others. The reason is that travel agencies often book Airbnb homes and apartments to large groups of tourists, many young celebrants.

The results are loud drink and drug parties that spill out noise onto nearby Airbnb residences at night. If you want to explore the bargain appeal of Airbnbs, try to book one that won’t be a 24-7 adult playground for a mob of loud and loaded young people.