Last week I mentioned that we rented a house in Jaco, Costa Rica. Well it was actually a side by side duplex. In Costa Rica you can find American chain hotels or big resorts, but there are many, many small local eco-hotels and bed and breakfasts. The first time we went to CR, we did a vacation package and stayed in a big resort. The second time we went to CR we split our time between a bed and breakfast, then a couple local eco-hotels, and our last night was in an American chain. This was the first time traveling there with kids and it is so much easier to travel with kids if we have more space to spread out and if we can cook some meals there and that is what makes Airbnb.com a great option for us, because we can find alternative lodging that is not just rooms without breaking the bank.
The above pictures were taken of my family at the house we rented. It was a 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath vacation home with a fully equipped kitchen and a living room, and a pool that was shared by the 8 homes in the gated complex with off street parking right next to the house inside the locked gates.
This was our second experience with Airbnb.com and we stayed an entire week. Our first experience was this past summer when we went to Vancouver, Canada and rented a condo for 3 nights. My next experience is coming up next month when I go on a Girls Weekend with some friend and we have rented a cottage for 2 nights.
So far, both of my experiences have been good. Both of the hosts have communicated very well with me. One thing I have learned though is to read very thoroughly on each of the descriptions, look at the maps, ask any questions of things that are important to you and don't let anything go unasked. Read reviews from other people left on the places, you learn a lot that the host might not have mentioned. You would not believe how many places I have looked at between those 3 reservations, plus 2 other reservations I am considering making this summer.
I have not stayed at any place that does not have reviews and frankly, I like reviews. It gives me peace of mind, so you won't catch me gravitating to those places. I tend to not even read about them. I will let others be the guinea pig.
Now, if you want to try out Airbnb.com and click on any of the links in this post, you can get $20 off your first stay and I will get a $20 credit as well for referring you. This is not some blogger deal, you will have this same opportunity after you stay your first time. One of my sisters did it when it was twenty-five dollars off and I had a credit in the same amount which was used on this trip to CR. It's not huge, but frankly every dollar helps and that was pizza out one night.
All of the pictures of the fruit, floral and fauna taken above were in the complex we stayed in Jaco, Costa Rica. There were bananas, mangoes, and papayas growing right there for us to see and touch. The kids were amazed and learned so much about the plants just by seeing there right in our front yard. Sometimes a place you stay might have an unexpected perk like that.
In Vancouver, the place we stayed at had secure underground parking which was awesome because we had no idea how scarce parking is there.
Also, if you ask, your hosts often have great ideas of places to go while you are staying there and can give you tips that only the locals know.
When we rented a place in Vancouver, cost was a huge determining factor because hotel costs were quite high in Vancouver and we were able to rent an entire condo for the same price as a dbl queen hotel room. The same is true for the place we rented in Costa Rica. We had a whole house for the same (actually probably less) as we would have at a resort with a dbl queen room. And now the place we are renting for our girls weekend does cost a little less than what we have paid for a dbl room in the past, but now we each get our own bed, plus we have common areas we can hang out in and we don't have to worry about if someone is early to bed or early to rise.
I do hope my good experiences with Airbnb.com continue. I hope you will check them out to and get $20 off your stay!!!
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