We enjoy travel, but every time we book a hotel room, the price goes up, plus new sneaky extra charges. Why pay $300 to spend just eight hours in bed in a little room? We’ve heard that Airbnb and other private home rental services charge much less, and you often get an apartment or entire house. What’s your opinion? RBF, Sherman Oaks CA

A: To start, consider definite advantages of a hotel room. There’s security, daily cleaning, in-house restaurants and convenient city location. True, you’ll find them pricey and getting more so. Airbnb types get more attractive. Do some homework with websites that offer private homes and apartments at reasonable prices. Also, with such sites as TrustedHousesitters, you may get lower rates or free stays because it includes caring for owners’ pets