Airbnb or a Hotel which one is better? Is there a better one? And what to know when deciding?

When Airbnb first started getting popular, some people were a little hesitant because like eww staying in someone else’s house, that’s kinda creepy, don’t know about that. Even though thousands of people sleep in the same hotel room. But then it was like why the hell not because it was so much cheaper than staying at a hotel. But now that is not the case very often.

So we are going to look at each category or criteria with an example and then decide which one is better.

The Trip: 5 nights in Chicago in September

Group One: 2 Adults - 1 Bed

Group Two: 6 Adults - 3 Beds

Price

Hotel: Hilton Garden Inn Chicago Downtown Riverwalk

Couple: $184/per night — Total Cost $1078 — Per person $539

Group: $252/night — Total Cost $2958 — Per person $493

Airbnb: An Entire Apartment in the Loop

Couple: $218/night — Total Cost $1599 — Per person $799.5

Group: $362/night — Total Cost $2610 — Per person $435

Each place that I picked had a decent amount of reviews and where all relativity in the same area, which was downtown and the river. And also for the Airbnb, I did an entire apartment, so there were a few cheaper options for the couple, but there would be less privacy.

Based solely on price I would choose the Hotel for the couple and the Airbnb for the group.

Location

The Hotel and Airbnbs that I chose were all within walking distance of most of the major attractions and activities in Chicago. The location for these particular choices is a moot point.

In general though it is likely that Airbnb’s are farther from the city center. This means that you would likely need some type of transportation. That means either local transportation, a rides share service or a car rental would be needed. Local transportation gets less reliable the farther from the city you get and cars are expensive both renting and ubers.

If you are flying into the city it is possible that the hotel would have an airport

For a larger group based on location I would normally pick the hotel because the fees for transportation rack up really fast.

Even as a couple based on location I would choose a hotel that is closer to the center. Ubers used to be pretty cheap but are not any more, so I would choose the walkable hotel.

Atmosphere / Space

Are you just looking for a clean space to sleep and do not need much room for anything else? Then a hotel is probably a better option.

Both of the Airbnb’s had a decent kitchen and living room space. So if you plan on spending any significant amount of time in your room other than sleeping, I would suggest the Airbnb.

Do want a unique local space or are you okay with the traditional hotel room style? If you want to find a really unique place, like a treehouse or a boat then there is a good chance that Airbnb will deliver.

Amenities

There are many amenities to consider such as

• Parking

• WiFi

• Breakfast

• Pool / Spa

• Fitness Center

• Fridge/Microwave

• Business Center or a printer

• Security

This is another factor that could be determined based on how much time you are planning on spending at you accommodation.

Figure out what things are most important to you during your trip and then see if they are included with your stay.

Sometimes you will find that the hotel has more amenities but there are times when the Airbnb has more or equal amount of amenities. In the example above, the Hilton actually did not have a pool and both of the apartments did. The Airbnbs also both had a washer and dryer It really just depends on the place as for what they have to offer.

Final Verdict

So is Airbnb worth it? Is it better? Are hotels better?

In general for most trips I would say that a hotel is a better option price, location and amenity wise. However, If you are going on a large group trip and do not want everyone separated in different rooms or you are looking for a more local or unique type of stay then I would say that Airbnb is going to better fit those needs.

What are your thoughts? Do you like hotels or Airbnbs better? Or do have an even different accommodation preference? Let me know in the comments below!