The hotels are full this summer. Vacation rentals are too expensive. So where are you staying?
It’s a question I had to answer quickly when I arrived in Athens for a month-long visit. My vacation rental failed at the last minute. And the usual suspects – Airbnb and Vrbo – had a limited and expensive selection.
Then a friend suggested I check it out blue background, a network of furnished apartments in 25 cities. The monthly rate of around $1,300 was much less than a comparable vacation rental. My unit had new furniture and appliances and was in a safe neighborhood.
According to American Hotel and Lodging Association. And holiday demand has jumped 27% from a year ago, according to a forecast by AirDNA. This has left many travelers scrambling to find alternative accommodations.
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“If you try to visit a place where everyone wants to travel, at a time when everyone wants to travel, you are going to run into price and supply issues,” warns Andrew McConnellCEO of vacation rental revenue management company Rented.com. “You have to be flexible – and be creative.”
Alternative accommodation options range from long-term accommodation to monasteries. Many are cheaper than traditional hotels, although there are a couple of restrictions you should be aware of before you go.
Furnished apartments
A network of corporate accommodations and flexible living spaces might be offered to you as an Airbnb alternative. Yorgos Kleivokiotis, Marketing Director of Blueground, explains that most of the company’s customers are relocating to an area or doing temporary work. “But we also have customers who are digital nomads or are on extended vacations,” he says.
Another concept of extended life, mint house, combines the conveniences you will find in your home with the benefits of a hotel. The accommodations have a fully equipped kitchen and are pre-stocked with groceries for a longer stay. Think of it like Airbnb meets a hotel – but with more technology.
“We offer both short and long-term stays and can cater for all travel needs, from summer family getaways to corporate retreats to digital nomads traveling alone,” says Will LucasCEO of Mint House.
There is also sentralbilled as a flexible, connected community, offering homes in walkable neighborhoods in Atlanta, Austin, Miami, Denver, Chicago, and Los Angeles, among others.
Sentral CEO Jon Slavet says that with this summer shaping up to be one of the busiest travel seasons on record, it’s the perfect time to visit a city you might not have considered before like Nashville or Denver. “Explore — and get creative with your hosting,” he says.
These non-traditional lodging options are often cheaper than a traditional vacation rental and almost always cheaper than a hotel. But there are restrictions. Some extended or flexible life businesses have minimum stay requirements.
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Home exchange
Home swapping with another person – or home swapping – has also become more popular during the pandemic. Several platforms allow you to do this. The platforms charge membership fees but note that their members save “thousands” of dollars on hosting. They understand Vacation Swap, Home exchangeand love house swap.
“Home exchanging allows travelers to experience their destination like locals, connect with other members along the way, and use the money saved on accommodations for travel experiences,” said HomeExchange spokeswoman Jessica Poillucci.
Glamour
Americans have rediscovered camping during the pandemic. But campsites today offer more than just a place to pitch your tent or plug in your motorhome. They are becoming “glampgrounds” with high-end amenities to compete with hotels and vacation rentals.
“We see a lot of glampgrounds offering quirky accommodations,” says Sarah Smith, founder of the camping app. The Dyrt. For instance, Boone Cocoon in North Carolina has a canvas treehouse high above the forest with access from two suspension bridges. Other unusual accommodation options include There Escalante in Utah, where visitors can stay in refurbished vintage Airstreams.
Glamping options appear everywhere. If you’re visiting Colorado and can’t find accommodation, you can check out Royal Gorge Glamping Tents. The site, located about an hour west of Colorado Springs, offers tents with luxury linens and amenities, private patios, fire pits, and stunning views of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. (Alas, they also have a luxury price. Tents start at $219 per night.)
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Guarding
What happens when someone goes on vacation? They are looking for a house-sitter (and often have to pay them a lot of money). What if you could stay in the house instead? This is the idea behind homesitting.
Jessy Hamela travel organizer, recommends sites like Trusted house keepers and Luxury house sitting to its customers lately.
“Their accommodation during their trip is free, but it usually comes with a job like keeping a pet or tending to someone’s garden,” she says.
With hotels and vacation rentals once again filled to capacity, it’s good to know that there are still plenty of places to stay. If you step out of the traditional accommodation setting, you will find other accommodations – and perhaps experience an adventure as well.
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Try these quirky hotel alternatives
A monastery. Convents and monasteries can be cost-effective alternative accommodations. Many of these institutions charge much less than a hotel and often include meals. Alec Pow recently stayed at a monastery in Putna, Romania. The monks refused his money and fed him. “But you really need to be quiet and avoid listening to music or making loud noises, especially all night long,” says Pow, who edits a consumer website. Check Monasteries.com for more information on staying in one.
A bed and breakfast. No, not an Airbnb, a real BnB. You may not find a small hostel on your favorite travel site as they only take reservations by phone or through their website. Travelers often overlook these small houses. But they may be worth checking during a higher occupancy period. “You might be able to find something a short drive away,” says Tiffany Bertram, owner of Tiffany’s Bed and Breakfast in Bismark, Arkansas. “And you might find that area isn’t as crowded.” (Note: a bed and breakfast can be a bit more expensive than a hotel, but true to its name, breakfast is included.) Bnbfinder.com to find a bed and breakfast near your destination.
A covered wagon. In Downey, Idaho, you can stay in one of six covered wagons that will make you feel like a settler traveling along the Oregon Trail. The Conestoga Cars have canvas domes and real wagon wheels (including the table base), a king-size bed and a bunk bed (though mattresses are extra), air conditioning, and charging outlets.
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