The Top Things To Look For When Choosing an Airbnb For Family Vacations
As someone that travels with her family for a living, I’ve *almost* got it down to a science. On each trip we go on, I continue to learn new things, but over the years, I’ve really recognized what works and what doesn’t.
One thing that really works for our family is opting for Airbnb rentals over hotels and resorts. In this blog post, I share five of the top advantages that come with this decision, but I’ll admit that not every Airbnb is created equal.
What I mean by that is that not every Airbnb is going to be considered kid or family friendly, so with that in mind there are a few things you always want to check for when choosing your rental property.
These are a few of my top “must haves,” so you can apply these to your next Airbnb rental search, too!
5 Must Haves When Renting an Airbnb Property
1. Multiple Bedrooms
This one sort of goes without saying, but when traveling with kiddos, having multiple bedrooms is a non-negotiable for my family.
This is one of the main reasons that we choose Airbnb rentals over hotels or resorts because it makes the vacation feel like a TRUE vacation.
When you rent an Airbnb with multiple bedrooms, you’ll be able to put your kids in a separate area and cater that room to their needs, so that they can get a good night’s sleep and YOU can continue to enjoy your evening with your spouse or with yourself.
2. At least 2 bathrooms with at least one bathtub
We’ve all been on a trip where there’s one bathroom serving 4+ people, right? Yeah… not fun!
I always search for properties that have at least 2 bathrooms with at least one of those having a traditional bathtub instead of just a shower.
This allows bath time routines with kids to go as normal as possible, while also allowing you as the parent to be able to have your own space as well!
3. Outdoor Area
Kids naturally love to run around and play and nothing makes a house feel more stressful and hectic than when they do all of that inside the house.
When an Airbnb property has a designated outdoor area for us to play games as a family, let the kids run around and simply let us relax and enjoy time outside, that is considered a big win in my book!
It’s always a bonus if it has a grill because that's one of our favorite and easy ways to cook while on vacation.
As a family, it can be hard (and expensive) to eat out for three meals a day, so having a grill allows us to whip up some easy and cost effective meals that we all love.
Some of our favorites includes:
Classic burgers and hot dogs paired with a garden salad
Grilled chicken with seasoned veggies
Sausages with peppers and onions
Aloha sausages with grilled pineapple and watermelon
4. Full Kitchen
Staying on the topic of cooking in, a full kitchen is a MUST for us when traveling!
If I had to choose the top reason for choosing an Airbnb rental over a hotel room, this would probably be it, especially when traveling with kids.
Not having access to a refrigerator can be super frustrating and being able to cook meals at home (even if it’s just breakfast) is one of the top ways that we save money AND enjoy more of our travel time.
When searching for a rental property, you can decide what a “full kitchen” means to you, but for us that always includes:
Sink so we can wash dishes and have access to water
Fridge – a freezer isn’t always a non-negotiable for us, but a fridge definitely is!
Microwave
Oven or other appliances that can act as an oven, such as an air fryer, toaster, etc.
Coffee Maker – because mama needs her coffee of course! And a $7 latte from the local coffee shop isn’t always the move.
Dishes and Utensils – if a rental property has any sort of kitchen, providing dishes and utensils is typically standard, but you always want to double check!
Here’s the list of some of the kitchen essentials that we find are must haves when staying at an Airbnb.
5. Laundry Facilities
Lastly, having access to laundry facilities is a BIG “nice-to-have” for our family.
I wouldn’t necessarily consider this a non-negotiable, but if I’m trying to decide between two rental properties, one has laundry facilities and the other one doesn’t… I know which one I’m choosing.
Here’s why: if you have kids, you know one thing for sure – they are messy!
Having the ability to wash clothes as much as you need to is a HUGE plus.
Also, this is helpful for packing up and being able to wash all of your clothes before you travel home, so you can take one less thing off of your to-do list upon return.
Overall, I believe that Airbnb rentals trump hotels or resorts for family vacations when you research and choose your property carefully.
I’ve definitely made some mistakes when choosing our rentals, so I encourage you to consider these “must haves” and even create a list of your own and thoroughly read the listing before booking.
Choosing an Airbnb that checks all of your boxes can truly be the thing that makes your family vacation more enjoyable for all involved!
P.S. If you’re in search of family-friendly Airbnb essentials, I have a list just for you featuring many items that I’ve personally tested out! CLICK HERE to access.