(Or this one is similar, but just a little less expensive.

An artsy attic in Paris, or an apartment that looks like it belongs in Versailles.

Or one overlooking the hills of Tuscany (in the photo below) that happens to be in the middle of a lavender farm and powered by renewable energy.

A gorgeous villa with a pool overlooking the Mediterranean in Sardinia.A fully solar-powered escape next to Joshua Tree National Park (that still has a hot tub, AC, Wi-Fi, and a charging station for your EV, all powered with zero carbon emissions).A boathouse or an 18 th-century lighthouse in England.They definitely don’t lean toward cheap vacation rentals, but some are surprisingly affordable, and they’re all uniquely beautiful. (And they have “Home Critics” who actually visit each property in person before it can be approved.) Plum Guide calls itself “the Michelin Guide for holiday homes.” They accept only about 3% of homes that apply to be on the platform, so exclusive and high-end are the name of the game. Plum Guide: High-End, Curated Airbnb Alternative

(If you want to hear the story of AirBnb, this episode of one of my favorite podcasts tells the whole thing.) But some travel platforms have stayed independent, and distinguished themselves by offering something unique, and that’s how I chose most of the AirBnb alternatives for this post.Ī few are basic, but most of these are the vacation rental sites that are doing something a little different – whether that’s a high level of curation, sustainability initiatives, or a focus on building a travel community or on helping travelers get outdoors.ġ. Many of those have since been bought up and consolidated by Expedia, TripAdvisor and other big travel brands.

the more alternative AirBnb alternatives for booking outdoor travel experiences – like treehouses, campsites on farms, or renting people’s unused RVs.Īfter AirBnb surged in popularity, new competitors launched around the world.

for booking literal homestays where you spend time with your host, to bring back that old-school, almost-Couchsurfing AirBnb vibe, and.

The ones for booking traditional vacation rental homes,.

Sites like airbnb