Since its inception in 2007, AirBnB has become increasingly popular for people looking for an alternative to hotels when travelling. However, this AirBnB trend is growing beyond vacationers, as more and more business travellers are using the site for their temporary housing needs. But when it comes down to it, what is the difference between AirBnB and other temporary housing options? That’s why, this week we’re taking a close look at the true differences when it comes to AirBnB vs. temporary housing.
Image Source: AirBnB
Selection, Selection, Selection
AirBnB:
One of the best features of AirBnB is the sheer selection of places to stay. From covered wagons to castles, there are some truly unique places to stay with AirBnB. Here are just a few of the strangest AirBnBs out there. As AirBnB grows, the selection only increases as well, meaning that in large cities like New York and San Francisco, there are thousands of listings for you to choose from.
Temporary Housing:
While temporary housing doesn’t have as many options as AirBnB, you won’t find any yurts or air mattresses here. Most temporary housing options concentrate on full sized apartments that come with everything to suit most business travellers needs. For the most part, these temporary housing options are found near the business centers of cities as well. So while they aren’t as diverse as AirBnB’s options, the selection of temporary housing is more focused on business travellers’ needs.
It’s all about the Hosts
AirBnB:
One of the great aspects of AirBnB is the personal touch you can get from hosts of each property. A good host can help turn an ordinary stay into truly memorable experience that helps you connect with a city and make you feel like a local. However, a bad or unreliable host can leave a bitter taste in the mouth of travellers and make you wish you just stayed in a hotel.
Temporary Housing:
Because most temporary housing options are professionally managed, they might lack the local touch that AirBnBs can have. But what they lack in personal touch, these professionally managed apartments make up in consistency. A dedicated, professional staff ensures that everything is neat, tidy, and up to your expectations, so you don’t have to worry about a thing.
Business Friendly?
AirBnB:
While AirBnB started by catering to vacationers and tourists looking for an alternative to hotels, more and more AirBnBs have been targeting and catering to business travellers. You can spot these business-friendly spots on AirBnB by reading through the listing and seeing if they mention business travellers in particular. In general, while most AirBnBs are fine for business travel, like of their listings, it varies from property to property and host to host.
Temporary Housing:
The prime advantage that temporary housing has over AirBnB is that it is specifically geared towards business travellers and people who require corporate housing. From flexible contracts to business friendly amenities (like guaranteed high speed wifi) to properties that are exactly where you need them to be (location-wise), temporary housing options are geared from floor to ceiling towards business travellers. Plus the consistency factor means that you won’t have to worry about unreliable Internet or an unresponsive host.
Hopefully this article has made it a bit easier to decide between AirBnB and temporary housing options for your next trip. While AirBnB can provide spectacular memories in unique properties, it is less consistent than business-oriented temporary housing options that always get the job done. If you decide that you do want to use temporary housing, why not try PC Housing. Contact our personal account executives today to find out more.