How to Choose the Best Airbnb or Booking.com Rental

How to Choose the Best Airbnb or Booking.com Rental: Essential Tips for Choosing the Best Vacation Rental: Avoid Scams and Find Your Perfect Stay

If you’re new to renting on platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com, this is the ideal guide to help you choose the perfect rental. We have all heard horror stories of scams and disappointing experiences, but I’ll share tips on how to avoid being scammed and find the best place to suit your needs.

My partner and I sitting as "King and Queen" in the Calregalway Castle in Ireland — How to choose the best Airbnb or Booking.com rental. Pictured above is us as the King and Queen in the beautifully restored Claregalway Castle in Ireland!

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1. Use filters

Rental sites offer filters that you can use to find housing that fits your needs. You can adjust the price range, how many bedrooms and bathrooms, and other amenities. One filter to make sure is checked is whether you want an entire rental to yourself or just a room. When my husband and I visited London before we had a baby, we rented a room in a guest house. The house had four private bedrooms, one shared bathroom, and a shared kitchen. It was a nice affordable option for us at the time and a fun way to meet other travelers. Now that we have a toddler, we prefer to rent an entire place to ourselves.

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2. Look for Superhost and Guest Favorites

Each platform may have its own terms and a slightly different meaning, so be mindful. On Airbnb, you can look for Superhosts and on Booking.com you can look for Guest Favorites. This status serves to ensure that the rental has been verified by the site. It is a great way to weed out scams because you know that other people have stayed at the rental before AND liked it!

The guest room we stayed in at the Calregalway Castle featuring a wardrobe, the queen sized bed, and the doorway to the bathroom. — The room we stayed in at the historic Claregalway Castle in Ireland that we booked through Airbnb.

3. Stick to a higher star rating

Different from hotel ratings, rental platforms base it on how other guests rated the rental. If it has a higher star rating, there is a better chance you’re getting your money’s worth.

4. Read Reviews!

You can’t go off of ratings alone. The place could have a 5-star rating but only have 1 person ever stay there. I start looking at a place more seriously when they have at least 20 reviews and I read 5 or more RECENT reviews. I look for a mix of feedback; if a few reviews are good but recent negative ones raise concerns about cleanliness, I’ll move on.

View of Naples skyline looking out to the sea. — View from outside our Booking.com rental in Naples, Italy

5. Check the pictures

More pictures are usually better, but ensure they aren’t stock photos or heavily edited. The same room from different angles is a good sign. I don’t let the pictures weigh too heavily on my decision when choosing a rental. I like to focus more on reviews and ratings.

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Conclusion: How to Choose the Best Airbnb or Booking.com Rental

Using these five tips, I have generally had very positive rental experiences! Need help finding accommodation for your next trip? Feel free to reach out at theresa.bauman@academytravel.com