Entire Place vs. Private Room: How to choose your Airbnb

There are numerous reasons why we choose to stay in Airbnbs when we travel, and I think that after reading this list, you’ll understand why!

We have stayed in Airbnbs where we have rented the entire space, and others where we have a private room in someone else’s home. Many people do not like the idea of staying somewhere that the hosts are living, but there are certainly many pros to this type of listing. Let’s dive into what might be the best fit for you.

The Difference in Price

Typically shared spaces or private rooms within a larger home are much cheaper than renting an entire home to yourself. If we are traveling to a city where we are not going to spend a lot of time around the place and most of our time out in the city, then we will opt for a cheaper options.

For example, we stayed in an Airbnb in Florida that was cheap and centrally located around food, shopping, and a short drive to the beach. It was insanely cheaper than any of the hotels around, and since we were barely around the room, so it didn’t make sense for us to spend a lot of money on a hotel room or even our own entire place on Airbnb.

Another time we stayed in a private room rather than our own place was when we were visiting Denver on our way to Utah. There was a beautiful home in the mountains with incredible views, and it was really inexpensive. They even gave us wine and treats, and we watched the sunrise over the mountains before continuing on our road trip. Check out this great “mountain retreat” near Denver here.

Of course we do pay close attention to reviews that listings get, because some places are too cheap to be worth the hassle. We have had friends share horror stories about bad Airbnb or VRBO experiences just because they were trying to save some money.

Privacy Concerns in Airbnbs and VRBOs

Most people think that by not renting an entire place, you have much less privacy. While this is partially true, this is something we have never had an issue with. No, you cannot sleep naked in the living room, but I am not someone that is generally into that anyways.

There are certainly times that you do not want to be sharing a space with your hosts. I have found that this depends entirely on the type of trip you are going for. Honeymoon? Maybe opt for your own place. Cabin weekend? Secluded, private places are a must. Checking out a new city where you likely will be out exploring most of the time? A private room is perfect.

I have seen and stayed in a few different Airbnbs for bachelorette parties. These have been ideal. There are numerous Airbnbs that are large houses with plenty of beds that are perfect for this. It’s cheaper than getting a block of hotel rooms and everyone can be in one space. Here are a few of these types of homes that I have stayed in, and obviously do not have a host living on-site: Minneapolis and Des Moines.

Last year we were road tripping around Montana, mostly camping as we went, and decided that we’d find a nice, unique Airbnb somewhere to stay. I felt like we hit the jackpot by finding this Tiny Wagon Home.

We have stayed in several cabins that were perfect for a secluded, quiet, weekend away with friends or on our own. Here were some of our favorites: Double J Ranch Cabin, Rhinelander Homestead Cabin, the Northwoods Cabin and Second Lake Cabin.

How Much Airbnb Host Interaction Is Too Much?

We have had some of the most amazing hosts while traveling, including all different levels of host interaction.

When I visited San Francisco on a girl’s trip (see the post about that trip here), we stayed in an Airbnb that was situated in a perfect little neighborhood that was safe, with plenty of walk-able things to do. Here’s a link to that Airbnb. This Airbnb had zero host interaction. We had a code that got us in and out of the space, and we never met the host. Even our messages over the app were fairly limited. Perhaps this is your preference.

On the flip side, one of the Airbnbs that we stayed at while visiting Switzerland had some hard-core host interaction. When we first checked in, the host and her partner greeted us, showed us around, and then invited us into their kitchen for tea and to chat about the city/plan our few days in Bern. I’m not joking. They were super friendly, but we were very thrown off by this level of hospitality and friendliness. These were the kindest, most generous hosts I have ever met, but in the beginning it felt a bit too intense for my liking. We spent time with them every night, and they were always messaging us with ideas and recommendations. It felt like we were visiting friends, and in the end it was really lovely. Of course, you can check out their space and their reviews to see that other people felt this way too (all 5-star reviews).

Finding a Compromise with Price and Quality

The first time we ever stayed in an Airbnb was when we were visiting Iceland with some friends. We stayed in an apartment that was situated above a family’s (the host’s) home. This was marketed as an entire place, because it was separate and private from the rest of the family’s home. I have found this set up ideal and also pretty common on Airbnb.

There have been times we have stayed in Denver and Los Angeles since then where we have stayed in similar mother-in-law-type suites. Often these are not full duplexes because they do not have a full kitchen or other rooms. The ones we have stayed in have been our a room, kitchenette, bathroom and private entrance.

This set-up for Airbnb is typically cheaper than renting an entire place, but you still get a bit more privacy and less host interaction than you would with a private room.

Which Airbnb Style is Right for You?

• “Entire places” are typically more expensive than “private rooms”
• It all depends on the type of trip you are going on
  • Cabin weekend where your goal is to get away and be secluded? Rent an entire place
  • Romantic getaway? Rent an entire place
  • Visit to a city or beach where you’ll be out exploring all day and just need a place to land at night? Save some $$ and get a private room
  • Are you a crazy extrovert that loves to meet people and make friends (like my husband)? You’ll thrive on more host interaction and will love a private room set up, or maybe you should check out couchsurf.com
  • Like your privacy but want to save money? Find a mother-in-law suite or a guest room with a private entrance