Experiencing VRBO-style lodging was an adventure within our adventure and I'd like to offer up a review of our experiences to help other VRBO explorers with their choices.
We were on a budget and were trying to stay as close to $130/night or less if possible (actually we first tried for $100 or less, but the pickings were pretty slim), so we were looking for studio or one-bedroom sized places. We had amazingly good success in two out three of our choices (check the links for each place to see the listing, including photos):
Stay one: Strathcozy, Vancouver
Good friends recommended this spot and I can see why. This fabulous unit is half of a duplex owned by two wonderful gay men who lovingly updated the rental unit. Every single detail was considered and executed in their remodel. Highest quality appliances, and it included laundry and a jacuzzi style tub/shower! Cozy and comfy through out. Spotless. Nice touches like coffee and a basket of snack food in the kitchen. Sweet little balcony off the dining room. A full bedroom with a very comfortable bed and quality linens. And they were totally great guys.
When our hosts realized Susan was significantly mobility impaired from a knee and ankle sprain, they bent over backwards to make sure we had what we needed and even helped haul our luggage upstairs. They were generous and gracious. We enjoyed brief chats when we encountered them in our comings and goings and they offered great tips on where to go, what to do. Had we stayed longer, I think a happy hour with them would have happened.
The place is located in the Strathcona neighborhood, an easy shot to all the Vancouver spots we wanted to visit.
Lesson one: Recommendations are the bomb and we loved renting from fellow queers! (They gladly also rent to straight travelers.) Rent this place if you are ever staying in Vancouver.
This was our biggest disappointment. The rental is a backyard studio (perhaps a converted garage?) in Langely, on the southern part of the island. No view of the water, but a short walk into town and the views. Places were relatively more expensive to rent on any of the Puget Sound Islands since we were looking during high tourist season, so we did our costing cutting here, choosing this spot over one that would have cost $20 more a night but would have had a view of Useless Bay.
What were we thinking?! (We were probably still shooting for under $100 when we booked this one.) People, when you are on a budget, also remember you are on a vacation and you may never pass through where you are again in your life! It was cool and rainy while we were there and for the cost of a nice meal out we could have been reading and looking out of a window onto gorgeous Puget Sound. But instead we had a view of a backyard.
The unit itself was worn and clearly pulled together on a budget with aging furniture and 80s era appliances. And no special touches at all - there weren't even ice cube trays in the freezer! It was akin to visiting your aunt, who hasn't updated her place for 40 years and worse, has lost interest in cleaning. I wouldn't have minded the worn so much if it had been clean. There was dog hair all over the bedspreads and even on the window curtain in the sleeping area! The bar of soap in the bathroom was very used (sliver-sized). The lock to the sliding door was worthless. Luckily crime is low on Whidbey Island because a crafty seven-year-old could have broken in. There is more, but I'll quit - you get the idea. And we never saw the owners, not even a hello (they left it unlocked for us and we had paid in full already). We were on our own in someone's dingy backyard digs, in the rain. Luckily, we were only there for two nights and one full day.
Lesson two: Don't be so cheap! Get the room with a view! And beware of fixed up units in people's basements and backyards. Make sure they are what you want because there are some hot messes out there! The photos for a listing can be deceiving so look closely and think about what you are seeing. A place like this would be better for a family with kids and pets because no worries about wrecking a fancy or fussy place.
The only photo I took. Susan in the cramped bed, window looking out to the rain and side yard view.
I wish I had taken a closeup of the dog hair decorating the curtain.
Stay three: St. John's Apartments, Seattle
For the last leg of our trip we stayed in an awesome storefront apartment building that had recently converted some of their units to short-term rentals. We were in the oh-so-hip Capitol Hill neighborhood (which is also the gayborhood) and loved being in an area full of interesting people (of the young, inked, pierced, hipster variety with a Seattle grunge twist) and easy walks to many cool, affordable restaurants, bars, and coffee shops. There was a great Thai restaurant just below us and we were right next to a grocery store. We even walked across the street one evening to a funky bar to watch the Seahawks game.
The unit was clean, nicely updated and cozy. Amenities included coffee and basic stuff like sugar and spices. The manager was a nice, friendly young woman who was very accessible and helped me lug our suitcases up to the unit and offered suggestions of where to eat that were close by (Susan was still limping her way through our vacation). We loved walking down the stairs and right onto a busy, happening street (well onto the sidewalk). And parking came with the rental, which was great as parking was expensive and a challenge to find. The location is an easy shot to anywhere you want to go in Seattle, by car or public transportation.
Lesson three: Professionally managed short-term-stay apartments are a great option for city stays. If we had gone with the basement unit in someone's home that was choice number two for us, we would have missed all the fun and maybe encountered more dog hair. We paid $20 more a night to stay here and it was more than well worth it (I'm still scratching my head about our cheap-ass choice on Whidbey Island).
Conclusion: We loved the variety and interesting options we found using VRBO. While it was expensive, it was comparable to if not cheaper than hotels, and included kitchens! And best of all, they were mini homes, which was so nice for times we just wanted to stay in and chill (except for you know which one). We are leaving hotels behind on future trips and will continue the VRBO way! I'm glad each spot was different, giving us a good sample of what's out there. Next trip we'll be more savvy. But for our first try, two out of three ain't bad!
If you aren't lucky enough to have friends who you can stay with in the places you are visiting, VRBO is a spendy but great alternative. If you are traveling with another couple or a few friends, you could rent two bedroom places that would cost less for each person overall and not be stuck doubled up in a hotel room - now that's a deal to consider!
Happy travels!
