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Living like a local has never been easier. There are all kinds of sites like Airbnb out there offering you the chance to stay in local homes, quirky places and other unconventional sleeping quarters – all much more exciting than a hotel.
Here are just a few places where you can find your dream accommodation, be it a hilltop villa in Italy, a chic New York City apartment, a traditional ryokan in Japan or a cosy chalet in Whistler.
Alternate sites like Airbnb
- HotelsCombined
- TripAdvisor
- HotelsCombined
- One Fine Stay
- Plum Guide
- FlipKey
- Tripping.com
- Home Exchange
- Wimdu
- AURA
- HolidayLettings
- Vacasa
- Kid and Coe
- Couchsurfing
1. Stayz
Choose from more than 40,000 properties in 2,000 locations across Australia with the country's largest holiday rental site.
- Filter searches by attractions or themes, ranging from cheap to executive and honeymoons to family holidays
- Receive free property features protection insurance
- No additional booking fees
2. Homestay
Experience what it's like to live in another location with Homestay. The Ireland-based site ensures your hosts aren't just leaving you the keys to their place and instead provide an authentic homestay experience.
- Find accommodation in more than 150 countries
- Hosts are always present during your stay
- Meet your host and book your stay with video calls
3. Wotif
Offering more than hotels, you can book everything from apartments and private holiday rentals to cabins and holiday parks. There are millions to choose from across the world.
- 24/7 support
- Wotif's price promise states that if you find it cheaper before you stay, it will refund the difference
- Credits and coupons can be used toward your stay
4. Camplify
Don't like sitting still on a holiday? Hire someone's RV, campervan or trailer when they're not using it with Camplify.
- Caravan, campervan, motorhome and trailer hires start at just $40 per night
- Stay in unique destinations across the country like remote outback campsites and near quiet beaches
- Select campervans/RVs can be relocated to suit your travel needs, which is ideal for events and festivals
- Damage cover
- National roadside assistance
- 24/7 customer support
- All members are verified
5. VRBO
Part of the HomeAway family, VRBO, or Vacation Rentals by Owner, boasts more than a million vacation rental options worldwide.
- See transport and attraction maps on your search to help you better choose your stay
- Read reviews from past guests
- More than 25,000 dog-friendly properties available
6. lastminute.com.au
Part of the Expedia Group, lastminute.com.au is a powerhouse that lets you book everything from hotels to alternate forms of accommodation. Want to be inspired? Explore the B&Bs, castles, farmstays, ryokans, chalets and tree houses available through the site.
- Book last minute – even as early as tonight
- Lastminute.com.au's Price Pledge means if you find the same deal for less it will refund the difference
- Book accommodation, car hire, flights, packages and activities in one place
7. Booking.com
More than hotels, Booking.com is a base for all manner of rentals, including apartment homestays.
Booking.com's extensive offering of stays, apartments and home rentals provides you with an alternative to the hotel stay while providing you with all of the benefits of the site, including user reviews and price matching.
- Uncover apartment and holiday rentals all across the world
- Features reviews and recommendations from previous visitors
- Most reservations are partially refundable
8. TripAdvisor
While it's best known for user reviews and advice forums for hotels and resorts, TripAdvisor also offers a huge selection of holiday rentals that can be booked right on the site. In fact, there are 630,000 of them.
- Compare holiday homes to hotels in one place
- Feel secure with the "Peace of Mind" payment protection for online payments
- Choose from a range of accommodation options including homes, condos, cottages and rural retreats
9. HotelsCombined
In traditional HotelsCombined fashion, the accommodation aggregator compares different homestay and alternate accommodation sites for the best rate.
- Easily compare the prices of hotel rooms and homestays in one list
- Awarded the "World's Leading Hotel Comparison Website" at the 2015 World Travel Awards
- Guaranteed to offer you the lowest accommodation rate
10. Agoda Homes
Agoda is a comparison site for hotels and alternative accommodations like apartments and holiday homes. It allows users to compare and reserve a range of options worldwide.
- Option to pay later
- Search for more than 750,000 hotels worldwide
- Features reviews from previous visitors
- Free cancellation on most hotel reservations, unless otherwise specified
11. Hamilton Island Holiday Homes
Dedicated to holiday homes on the paradise-like island of Hamilton Island, you can book everything from self-contained studios to 4-bedroom homes.
- Search by feature homes or property style
- Filter by location, type of home, property features and type of traveller
- Exclusive inclusions when you book through the site, including the use of non-motorised watersports equipment and golf buggies
12. One Fine Stay
Designed to provide the ultimate homestay experience, One Fine Stay provides "unhotels" – homes in London, Paris, Los Angeles and New York.
- Get a £20 discount on your first stay
- Committed to choosing the finest homes to rent out
- Enjoy boutique toiletries, quality linens and 24/7 customer support by phone or text
13. HomeAway
Acquired in 2015 by travel-giant Expedia, HomeAway offers secure bookings on holiday rentals all around the world.
- Travellers don't pay any booking fees
- Make bookings using the mobile app
- Choose from more than one million listings in 190 countries
14. Plum Guide
There's no running out of options when booking your dream holiday with Plum Guide.
The site offers more than 5,000,000 rental homes across Europe, the UK and the USA. Each destination boasts a collection of luxury residences, villas and fully-furnished accommodations with access to an indoor pool, overlooking views and more.
- Easy search filters
- Full refund available when you cancel up until 30 days before check-in
- Reviews available
14. FlipKey
Part of TripAdvisor Rentals, FlipKey boasts a massive 830,000 properties in 190 countries.
- Filter searches by property type and useful extras like whether it's wheelchair accessible, pet-friendly and allows smoking
- Features certificates of excellence on top properties, just like TripAdvisor does with hotels
15. Tripping.com
Save time and money comparing over 10 million properties around the world.
- Use the filter to customise the search
- Save on the price of hotels and accommodation
- Choose from more than 150,000 destinations
16. Home Exchange
Working a bit differently to Airbnb, but still offering you the chance to stay in a local's home, Home Exchange opens you up to an entire world of house swaps. Just pay a joining fee and then start exchanging your home – there's no limit to your swaps!
- Gain access to more than 65,000 homes in 150 countries around the world
- Save on the price of hotels and accommodation
- Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
17. Wimdu
Explore Europe and beyond with over 350,000 apartments at your fingertips.
- One of Europe's biggest portals for holiday apartments and homes
- Trustpilot score of 8.9 out of 10
- Hosts can list their apartments for free
18. AURA
One of the largest Australian-owned holiday rental websites, AURA offers a range of holiday homes, apartments and short-term rentals.
- Easily search for properties that offer facilities for pets, wheelchairs and parking
- Guarantees the best price on its accommodations online
- Properties available right across Australia, from Melbourne CBD apartments to cosy cottages in rural Tasmania to remote beaches on WA's Coral Coast
20. HolidayLettings
Get all the comforts at home with HolidayLettings' carefully vetted properties in 20,000 destinations around the world.
- Read reviews from actual guests before making your booking
- Join the HouseTrip+ rewards program
- Choose from more than 300,000 properties
21. Vacasa
Discover over 7,000 vacation rentals across the US, South America and Central America.
Vacasa's point of difference is that it not only manages your whole homestay experience but is responsible for marketing, maintenance and housekeeping, making the process easier for both hosts and guests. It's available in numerous countries around the world, though not in Australia yet.
- All bookings managed through Vacasa direct
- Homes can be booked for up to 29 days
- Changes are permitted up to 30 days prior to the reservation
22. Kid and Coe
The ultimate platform to discover kid-friendly accommodation throughout the world.
Whether you're a family of 3 or a brood of many, Kid and Coe is a supportive network for families who love to travel offering suitable accommodation and services while on holiday.
- Provides with concierge services, baby equipment rentals and itineraries suitable for families
- All properties are personally reviewed to ensure their suitability for families
- Stay, host or exchange your home for the holidays
23. Couchsurfing
A homestay that will very likely change you for the better.
Before Airbnb was even conceived, there was couch surfing. It's a homestay of a very different kind that works on a cultural exchange rather than a monetary one and allows you to stay in someone's extra space, whether it be a couch, a spare room or an attic. More often than not, your host will be present throughout your stay and generally it's expected you save time to get to know them. From this, you'll receive insight into how they live and their personal recommendations of their city. And, sometimes, you may even come out of it with a long-lasting friendship.
- Community of over 4 million surfers and 400,000 hosts to date
- It's free to stay, host and attend traveller events
- Message verification and reviews build trust and safety into the community
Want to be considered for this list?
What should I know about Airbnb and other homestay sites?
Are sites like Airbnb legal?
In Australia, renting out your home on platforms like Airbnb is generally legal. However, if you live in an apartment complex or are a tenant rather than an owner, the landlord or building management may not allow you to rent your unit out.
The laws are constantly being changed and it's important to double-check with your local council if you have any doubts.
If you're looking to book a stay in an Airbnb, it's also good to know what the laws are where you are, especially if you're booking a stay overseas. Laws differ from destination to destination, so it's important to check whether renting out someone's home for profit is legal for them to do without a licence. If you're contacted by the host and they tell you anything that raises a red flag (like for you to pretend to be their relative and not a paid guest), tell Airbnb and try to get your reservation cancelled and refunded.
Some cities where it's recommended to double-check local laws are Barcelona and New York City (Manhattan, specifically). Other destinations, like Santa Monica (Los Angeles) and Berlin restrict Airbnb-style listings to only offer a room in someone's home rather than an entire home.
Are sites like Airbnb safe?
Just like hotels, listings on homestay sites get reviewed by previous guests, which are usually clearly displayed on each listing. The rating (usually out of 5 or 10) and the number of reviews are clearly listed.
For example, on this listing on Homestay, the host has an average of 5 out of 5 based on 39 reviews. The green badge on the upper right corner means the host is verified by the company. When looking for a place to stay, find a host that has a higher number of reviews – it will also likely mean they're a more experienced host.
Similar to the green badge used by Homestay, Airbnb has "superhosts", who have received 5 stars from at least 80% of their guests.
It's also recommended to check the area that you're staying in. Check online to see how far the stay is from the attractions you'd like to visit and check out Google Maps' street-view function to get a feel for what the local area is like.
How do you pay for your stay?
Most sites act as a middleman between the guest and host and allow you to pay for your stay through their platform. This is also the safest way to pay, as it will offer a secure payment system and you'll get a confirmation screen or email stating you've paid.
Like hotels, some prefer you pay upfront when you make the booking, while others you'll pay for closer to your stay date.
When you pay upfront, it may take a couple of days to process your booking as the host needs to accept your request to stay before your card is charged.
What additional fees do these sites charge?
Provider | Additional fees | Where to book? | |
---|---|---|---|
VRBO | Varies, but averages at 5% | VRBO | |
Homestay | Booking fee of up to 15% | Homestay | |
Booking.com Apartments | External fees, services or housekeeping charges may apply | Booking.com | |
TripAdvisor | No additional fees | TripAdvisor | |
HotelsCombined | External fees may apply | HotelsCombined | |
Stayz | 2% service fee | Stayz | |
Airbnb | 6–14% guest service fee + variable cleaning fees and 3% per reservation | Airbnb | |
Wotif | No additional fees | Wotif | |
lastminute.com.au | No additional fees | lastminute.com.au | |
Hamilton Island Holiday Homes | No additional fees | Hamilton Island Holiday Homes | |
Home Exchange | Annual fee of $175 (Unlimited exchanges) | Home Exchange | |
FlipKey | Booking fee of 8–14% and a processing fee of 3% | FlipKey | |
Rentals Combined | No additional fees | Rentals Combined | |
Tripping.com | No additional fees | Tripping | |
AURA | No additional fees | AURA | |
Wimdu | 15% booking fee and service fee included | Wimdu | |
Camplify | 13–15% booking fee, some hires require a service fee | Camplify | |
HolidayLettings | Booking fee: 16–18% of the total cost Owner fee: Varies | HouseTrip | |
Vacasa | 10–16% booking fee, some hires require cleaning, pet and hot tub fees | Vacasa | |
Kid and Coe | 10–15% booking fee and 2.9% processing fee | Kid and Coe | |
Couchsurfing | Membership fee of $2.39 per month | Couchsurfing |
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What else do I need to know about Airbnb?
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