Airbnbs Are Growing In Popularity With Los Cabos Tourists, But Is It Always The Best Option?

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Last Updated 12 months ago

For Dorothy in the classic movie The Wizard of Oz, there was no place like home.

That’s the way most of us are when we travel. It’s nice to enjoy the amenities of a resort hotel in an international destination. But to be the most comfortable, it’s nice to enjoy a place that feels like an actual home.

That explains the popularity of enjoying a home-style accommodation when traveling. Companies like Airbnb were early pioneers in this sector, with major resort chains like Marriott International jumping on much later.

Due to the popularity of this style of vacation getaway, there are now more than 8,000 properties listed on Airbnb in Baja California Sur, which includes the popular tourist destination of Los Cabos and La Paz.

However, is staying in another person’s home for a vacation getaway the best option for visitors to Los Cabos?

The Home Advantage

In sports, teams love having the home advantage. But does it work for vacations as well?

There are several advantages to staying in a private home for a vacation getaway to Los Cabos.

First of all, travelers have the entire home to themselves, and many tourists believe this feels more comfortable than a small room at a large hotel resort.

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It is also convenient to have a well-equipped kitchen with features like plates, pots, pans, and drinking glasses. However, more and more resort hotels are including some of those amenities.

The real advantage is the connection with the host of the property. Many property owners will actually welcome the guests to their homes and show them some of the great features of the property to enjoy.

Often, they will also provide tips on visiting the area, and some may even go as far as to invite you to their favorite local restaurant or bar to share more with you about their town. It’s almost like having a personal tour guide!

Tourists can, in a sense, feel more like a local when booking a private home vacation.

There’s No Place Like Home

However, not all experiences of using a private home for a vacation getaway have been so great.

There are isolated instances of people offering homes for vacations that they don’t even own. Tourists then show up at the location to find out the scammer did not own the home.

Thankfully, most websites like Airbnb not only complete due diligence for most properties but also pledge to make tourists whole that have issues like this.

One of the significant issues with reservations for a private home is the long lead time for cancellation. Many hotel rooms allow cancellation within 24 to 48 hours of the arrival time. However, several private home accommodations need a week or more notice of cancellation.

There have also been issues with dirty accommodations to issues like lack of paper towels and toilet paper left for guests in private homes. Getting a local host to solve some of these issues on a short turnaround can be challenging and frustrating for tourists.

Tourists should also remember that resort-style accommodations provide resort-style amenities such as a gym, spa, restaurants, pool, and lounge areas. To many travelers, that’s an important part of a vacation experience that is not available with private homes.

Which is Best?

Ultimately, the choice of which is best is dependent upon the needs and wants of the traveler.

Does a traveler prefer a number of amenities and a cookie-cutter hotel room experience or a place comfortable like home with no close by amenities?

Other important factors include the vacation budget, booking flexibility, party size, and the length of the stay.

The best news is tourists to Los Cabos have plenty of different options to choose from for their vacation getaway accommodations, whether that be at a luxury all-inclusive or a local Airbnb.