We’re all familiar with the experience of ‘choice fatigue’. With hundreds, if not thousands, of vacation homes to choose from online, the experience of choosing the best home vacation rental can be exhausting.
Parents are increasingly looking for ways to make vacation planning quicker and easier. So why waste time browsing endless properties, when there are some great AirBnB alternatives to offer you a curated collection that’s more targeted towards the vacation you want.
Another idea for AirBnB alternatives is to opt for a family-friendly hotel – something you won’t find on most vacation booking sites. That’s why we’ve hand-picked the best hotels and family vacation rentals on Kid & Coe, so you don’t have to spend time discounting all the places that aren’t kid-friendly.
Our picks for the top AirBnb alternatives:
- Kid & Coe: Best for Families
- Plum Guides: Best for Home-From-Home
- OneFineStay: Best for Luxurious Houses
- Expedia: Best for Family-Friendly Hotels
- Olivers Travels: Best for European Gems
- Tablet: Best for Design-Led Hotels
- Wander: Best for Large Family Homes
- VRBO: Best for Last-Minute Options
1. Kid & Coe
Best for Families
Obviously our favorite family friendly AirBnB alternative! Our team has spent years working with hosts and parents around the world to curate the very best selection of family-friendly homes, whether you’re traveling with toddlers or teens.
We work with partners and hotels around the world so you can choose from our highly edited selection, within a selection of family-friendly destinations. Plus, our Local Guides and Travel Tips on The Playlist are there to help you book your next family friendly adventure.
2. Plum Guides
Best for a Home from Home
Spanish villas, city apartments or rural mansions – choose from their pick of expert-vetted homes around the world. With an emphasis on European properties, their selection of spacious homes work well for families looking for comfort on an overseas vacation.
3. OneFineStay
Best for Luxurious Houses
Luxury homes, specialising in London and Paris with additional properties in Italy, Spain, USA, Central America, Caribbean, Thailand and Indonesia. They also manage the properties and guest bookings in the location, so you’ll have a concierge on-hand to help during your stay should you need additional equipment, transfers or local knowledge.
If you’re looking for a property with more support on arrival, or need more confidence in your host, this is one of the best AirBnB alternatives.
4. Expedia
Best for Family Friendly Hotels
One of our favorite websites for finding family-friendly hotels around the world. Unlike many hotel sites, you can book for families of 5, 6, or more – and easily see the room types and capacities available.
5. Olivers Travels
Best for European Gems
A supersize version of your local holiday cottage company. Choose from huge villas, multi-generational homes, small seaside apartments or luxury houses – they have it all. They also offer concierge support for your trip, if you need it.
6. Tablet
Best for Design Led Hotels
While not specifically set up for families, we love the design-led focus of Tablet Hotels. We’ve picked our favorite kid-friendly hotels on Tablet for The Playlist, and we know you can rely on their curation for aesthetically pleasing properties.
7. Wander
Best for Large Family Homes
Hotel-style luxuries in vacation homes: this is the perfect choice for multi-generational trips or group getaways. Hone in your USA-based selection using filters such as golf, forest, desert or mountain for a specific trip to match your group.
8. VRBO
Best for Last-Minute Options
If you’ve left it a little late to book your family vacation, you’ll need somewhere with lots of options to choose from. VRBO is one of the ideal AirBnB alternatives for this, where you’re most likely to find countless properties in your chosen location, even if you leave it to the last minute.
Why Travelers are looking for AirBnB Alternatives
- The press has been quick to blame AirBnb for problems relating to over-tourism in highly popular areas, as reported by the BBC. Certain cities, such as Barcelona, have even planned to ban short term rentals by 2028 in a bid to solve the housing crisis in the city. This has raised ethical concerns from some travelers.
- The popularity of the booking platform means that there’s been a huge increase in renting as a business. The hosts may actually be a property agency, with little-to-zero local knowledge, which reduces the authenticity of the trip for some guests.
- Concerns have been publicised around bogus listings, scams, and a lack of security checks regarding the hosting community.
Frequently Asked Questions
Look for positive ratings and reviews on property listings, or ask the team directly for their T&C’s to check their policies.
It depends what ethical issues are raised for you personally. If you’re concerned about over tourism, look for a smaller company that offers an edited, curated collection in some of the less popular tourist destinations.
If you’re worried about contributing to over tourism, you could consider a home exchange to make sure you’re only renting from a private owner.
Kid & Coe is the only global travel site in the world with stylish, modern homes, hotels, and home swaps, handpicked for families, as well as a family-focused blog.
