Loving AirBNB and VRBO: Finding and Booking the Best of

Have kids? Have more than 2? Airbnb and VRBO are your best way to find a place to stay that is actually enjoyable.

A few tips [see more AirBNB and VRBO friendly destinations in separate post].

1. Start early, as in over a year ahead. Good properties go fast, and there are not hundred of identical ones such as rooms in a hotel.

2. Want the feeling of a hotel but the extra space? Look for properties NEXT TO large resorts. You'll still be able to walk to restaurants and other facilities, some resorts even offer day passes for pools, gyms, and beaches.

3. Ask for details on the items you need to be comfortable. For example:

   1. Is there a highchair, travel crib?

   2. Espresso / coffee machine?

   3. Tea kettle?

   4. Crock pot?

   5. Roku/ streaming setup on televisions?

   
   

   Now, make a list of everything the unit does not have that you need to be happy and enjoy your vacation and either pack it or buy and ship it!!! YES, spend money or bring items. So, for example, I don't do drip coffee, only a latte makes me happy. When I found our dream rental on Amelia Island (details in another post), and there was no espresso machine I took matters into my own hands and ordered one to be delivered the day we arrived. Does that make me a princess? Maybe, but I was a happy princess with a happy husband waking up to freshly made lattes to sip while we looked out on our balcony at the beautiful view. And the cost? $165 versus spending $18 per day for 7 days and precious time walking/driving to get a proper latte. You can order a great Nespresso setup here on Amazon, which I find most reliable when I need to ship to arrive on an exact date (PRIME!!). And when you leave, email you host and tell them you left the unit improved with a new Nespresso machine and voila, you'll also be a valued guest and be sure to get a great review.

   
   

   Roku stick so you can watch all your usual shows (also easy to pack in a suitcase and keep as a permanent "travel TV")

   
   

   Portable bluetooth speaker, also can be brought to the pool/beach.

   
   

   Same for baby equipment, a few greatest hits here:

   Sheepskin to use on top of crib mattresses (makes any travel crib comfortable!)