how i travel: apartment rentals

i’ll be the first to admit that i love a good hotel stay. nothing makes me feel more pampered then cozying up in a fluffy white robe and ordering some room service. but being young, generally underemployed, and and on a budget, this isn’t economical  nor does it make much sense. for the past eight years i’ve mostly stayed in hostels, sometimes pensions or bed and breakfasts… but in the past couple of years, coinciding with my switch to becoming a slow traveler, renting an apartment (or a private bedroom in a shared apartment) has become absolutely the top option. although a hostel or hotel makes more sense for a one or two night stay, if i’m staying three nights or more (especially in a city), i’ll always opt to stay in a rented flat or apartment. 

(enjoying summer sun on the balcony, berlin 2013)

why?

nothing gives you a better sense of living like a local than staying in a local’s flat. often, it’s not right in the city center which means you have another interesting area of a city or place to explore than you would’ve otherwise. taking out the trash, going to the local bakery next door, finding your own niche in a big crazy city– all things you will do.

staying in a local’s flat means that you will probably meet a local who cares about your enjoyment of their city. and usually they are very nice lovely people, willing to at least give you some great insider tips or if you’re really lucky, show you around!

you will very likely have access to a kitchen: essential for budget traveling. it’s really saved my hide more expensive cities like stockholm, paris, and vienna to use the kitchen a couple times during a longer length stay. it’s also wonderful for breakfast: juice, coffee, croissants, and muesli for the lowest price (ie. grocery store) and enjoyed from your own kitchen.

you can often have access to more amenities, more privacy, and better prices staying in an apartment than in a hostel! i couldn’t believe it either until i did a few cost comparisons in big cities i’ve traveled to this year. hostel prices are rising whereas more and more flats are available to rent.

supporting a local! hosting guests in their flat brings these local people a great source of income. (even my mom’s got in on the action in my northern island hometown in washington state)

(spacious eighties style digs in leipzig, 2014)

any downsides?

unlike a hostel, a host may cancel on you in the last minute, which happened to me in stockholm. totally aggravating! (happy ending: he was able to fix me up to stay at a friend’s flat which was in the same neighborhood) however, on airbnb, cancelling on someone short notice like this shows up in their profile and sometimes they have to pay a fee. there is plenty of incentive for them not to do this to you.

you’re still a guest in their home. in a hotel, the room is yours. in a flat, you have to be mindful and courteous, and not hang out in shared living spaces (like the living room or kitchen) for hours on end.

you still have to bring toiletries, and sometimes towels, although some hosts provide them– check with your host if you’re not sure.

(staying in an artist’s guest flat, berlin 2012)

tips?

book ahead, especially if you are coming for a festival or special event. i booked a flat in karlovy vary so far before the festival that the host didn’t even have a chance or think about updating her calendar for 2014 and raising the prices to reflect the date of the festival. i locked in the excellent price before she could change it. bam, savings.

for airbnb, always inquire to the host first with a short message explaining who you are and what you will be doing while you’re visiting. the host will be much more likely to accept you if you send them a message instead of try to pre-book without talking to them first.

have you signed up with airbnb yet? it’s honestly the best travel decision i’ve made in the past two years. if you’re not a member yet and you sign up through this referral link, you can even receive a $25 credit towards your first stay. not a shabby way to try it out.

disclaimer: i’ve been following the backlash in certain cities, like new york and berlin against holiday flat rentals driving up the price of rent for long-term residents. to be clear, i don’t support the practice of buying property for this purpose, but i do heartily support locals who are able to make ends meet by renting out their unoccupied bedrooms.

where do you like to stay when you travel?

happy travel tuesday!