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I would consider Mike and I as frequent travelers. Travel is one of our top priorities, and it makes sense that a good portion of our lives is dedicated to being away. But being away does not mean that I like to feel displaced. I still want to be a part of the whole. For me, the best part about traveling is seeing different cultures, learning how other people live, noting how they speak and how they act. Sometimes, I pick up their accents, although Mike would say I make up my own. Truth be told, a part of me pretends to be one of them, in an effort to immerse myself even further. Part of that immersion depends on where we choose to stay. That’s why we choose to stay at Airbnb‘s (this is an affiliate link that will give first-time Airbnb bookers $40 OFF their next booking!) for a majority of our trips.

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Why Airbnb is Better Than Hotels

The Feeling of Being Home:

Staying in a hotel can make a trip feel a bit touristy. Having someone greet you as you walk into a lobby isn’t as satisfying as turning a key in the lock of an actual home. Plus, relaxing in a room is difficult when the next-door neighbors decide it’s time to get the party started! Airbnbs give you the option of choosing an entire space, which is usually what Mike and I opt for.

Airbnb gives you more options

We have found that there are more AirBNBs than hotels in most places. Hotels are usually grouped together in very touristy areas. If we want to be a bit away from the hustle and bustle, or if we want to experience a typical day in a particular residential street, Airbnb gives us more options for our stay.

They tend to be cheaper as well, especially for big groups!

On our first trip as a married couple to New Zealand, I am embarrassed to say that we stayed at hotels for three weeks straight. Not knowing much about travel at the time, I can tell you that our cheapest night was over $200. Our most expensive night was over $400. Now that we are doing New Zealand again, the AirBNBs that we have booked are cheaper than $100 per night. You live and you learn. What a huge difference, mostly attributable to the island’s attraction of tourists! (Fun fact: Queenstown is 20% locals and 80% tourists).

You might have a kitchen in your Airbnb … and a washer and a dryer!

Airbnbs are clutch if you want to save a little money by making your own food at home. Also, even more awesome is when they have a washer and dryer available. My plan for our upcoming 2.5 weeks in Australia and New Zealand is to bring with me only one carry-on! Every Airbnb we booked has a washer and dryer available, which makes my packing decisions very easy.

Your host may be super hospitable and provide free stuff:

Hotels will have fridges with snacks and select drinks, but they’re hardly ever free. We have stayed at Airbnbs where the host provides cereals, fruit, milk, coffee, and other breakfast items. One particular farm that we are planning to stay at in January, I hear, provides all their guests farm fresh eggs from their chicken coop, every day!

Wonderful for pets.

Our family dog is a Yellow Labrador. It is hard to find a hotel that allows big dogs to stay in the rooms. Usually, if we bring her on a trip, we will need to opt for a motel instead. There are plenty of Airbnbs that are dog friendly.

But the biggest reason why I favor AirBNBs is the variability.

Usually, the homes that we pick on Airbnb are representative of what we think an average home would be. Middle-of-nowhere New Zealand? A room at someone’s farm! Moody-weather Melbourne? A minimalist and equally gray apartment! Airbnb’s provide a way for me to romanticize the vacation that much further. This is why I absolutely adore browsing through Airbnb’s. It isn’t to say that we choose very pricey ones either! Esthetically pleasing spaces are much cheaper when your interest lies in tiny living. In essence, I live the dream homes I wish I had (Airstream fantasy and all) in countries I wish I could move to.

For our upcoming Australia & New Zealand trip, a couple snapshots of our most drool-worthy, booked Airbnb spaces.

Sydney, Australia

A bright, cheery garden room, perfect for summer sun in January.

$132.29/night for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in SYDNEY. For comparison, a search on booking.com shows the cheapest hotel to be $189 on these dates. To stay at Hilton hotel is $1,124, to stay at Four Points by Sheraton is $913, and to stay at Best Western is $643. Airbnb for the win! And it’s way cuter, more quaint, more isolated, and in the middle of residential Waverly.

AirBNB Sydney

Melbourne, Australia

Straight out of a Kinfolk magazine, this tiny apartment boasts minimalist gray, reflective of the city’s moody weather. The bed is in the closet, what isn’t there to love??

$80.34 per night.

airbnb melbourne

Wanaka, New Zealand

Timbered lodging by the waters of Lake Wanaka, for those wilderness, cozy vibes.

$89 per night.

airbnb wanaka

Christchurch, New Zealand

Garage turned into a bright, modern retreat for South Island’s largest city.

$75.60 per night.

airbnb christchurch

If you haven’t tried Airbnb before and have an interest in doing so, sign up using this link to receive $40 OFF your first booking! If you are already a fan, I would love to hear some of your favorite Airbnb destinations!