We Love Airbnb

My husband and I have always been B&B people. We love the intimacy, the charm, the uniqueness, and the individual care and attention that you get when you stay at a Bed and Breakfast. We stayed at one in Napa Valley on our honeymoon and it was absolutely a dream. Not only did we get a big, fluffy king-sized bed right next to a fireplace, and a delicious homemade breakfast of soufflés and biscuits each morning--we got our breakfast in bed. It was their quiet season and while a few mornings we did wander down to the wine cellar for breakfast (which was also lovely), most days the innkeepers delivered it right to our doorstep. It was a heavenly, unexpected, honeymoon surprise.

But I'm here to share that we've recently discovered something even better than B&Bs (in our opinion)--Airbnb. We've had the opportunity to use Airbnb 4 different times now, every single time being a lovely experience, and I can absolutely, wholeheartedly recommend it to you. Have you heard of it? The way it works is that individual people list their apartment/home/studio/spare bedroom, and you deal directly with the owner in setting up your visit. They leave you a key and instructions, you let yourself in, and voilá--you have your very own place to stay in while you're on vacation.

Charlottesville Airbnb--we stayed here about a month ago when we traveled up that way

One of the best parts is the amount of space you get. Some of the listings are for private rooms in a home, but we've always searched for the listings for full apartments, just because we like the additional room and privacy. We stayed at an Airbnb this past weekend in Charlottesville for the amazing wedding of our friends, and it was wonderful. Our apartment was located in an old 19th-century home within walking distance to downtown. There was a huge living room filled with Arts and Crafts, Stickley-style furniture, and we had friends come over each night to hang out and chat. You can't do that so easily and comfortably in a hotel room! There was an adorable claw foot tub, a big, clean bathroom, and the owner even left us bagels and cream cheese from a local bakery along with coffee and a french press. Total luxury!

Charlottesville Airbnb, where we stayed last weekend

It's also really fun when you have the chance to meet with the owners. We stayed in a place near Boston back in September, and when I met the owner I discovered she is a conductor! So we chatted music for a little while in the backyard of her old Victorian mansion. So neat!

Newport Airbnb that we stayed in

Airbnb outside of Boston that we really enjoyed!

Anyway, after 4 completely positive experiences, I decided I had to share. If you haven't heard of Airbnb, do check it out. We totally love it and it has made our vacations a little more comfortable, convenient, and unique. It really does feel like you're staying in a friend's place when they're out of town. We may never stay in a hotel again!


Airbnb doesn't know who I am, and they have no idea I'm writing this post. I'm sharing my thoughts purely because I love the company and we've had great luck with it!