In today’s digital age, hotels are seeing a lot of competition both online and offline. The rise of accommodation establishments has sprouted from urban cities to rural towns, from 5-star to 1-star-type of hotel accommodations and even based on accommodation type – from boutique hotels to bed and breakfasts. The competition is even tighter online. With the rise of the big Online Travel Agents, Group Buying Sites and aggressive presence of Airbnb, hotels are stepping up to stay as visible as ever to the growing number of consumers and travelers all over the world. But what exactly differentiates a hotel experience from that of an Airbnb experience?
Many millennials would argue that Airbnb is winning the argument for the best value for money. But why do many people still prefer to stay in hotels?
Location, Location, Location
There are three simple reasons why Airbnb may never be able to compete with hotels. The first being a hotel’s location. The best hotels are almost always located in the best spots in town. You’ll usually find the best hotels fronting the best beaches, or right at the heart of the city’s central business district. Travelers booking with Airbnb can’t expect the best accommodations in terms of location as usually residential areas are located a bit farther from the interesting areas. Airbnb guests can almost expect a 5-10 minute walk to the nearest train station or perhaps 2-3 blocks walk from the nearest historical site.
Amenities
The second reason why guests prefer to book in hotels instead of Airbnb is the availability of amenities. An Airbnb apartment with an available swimming pool, fitness center and spa is a rare find! Hotels pride themselves with the best amenities available to their guests starting from the buffet breakfast to the lunch service and even the in-room spa.
Service
This brings us to the last reason why hotels remain to be the main lodging accommodations of most travelers – the service. Hotels make sure that guests have the easiest time checking in and accessing all of their amenities and services. The opposite can be said for Airbnb accommodations since everything is just mostly self-service. When checked in to an Airbnb, it’s practically just you and the room and the available manuals for each in-room amenity.
All in all, there are still several reasons why many still prefer staying in hotels over Airbnbs. The price for Airbnb accommodations may usually come out to be cheaper, but what travelers need to always remember is if they’re going on vacation – do they want a hassle-free relaxing trip? Or would they prefer a slightly cheaper do-everything-yourself outing?
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For more travel tips and articles, check out the other blogs of one of the best beach resorts and hotels in San Fernando, La Union Aureo Hotels and Resorts!
