The modus operandi for booking vacation rentals has changed so drastically during the global pandemic we’re all experiencing that even most vacation rental pros like myself are feeling a little less confident about what the rules and restrictions are, what kind of properties are best to book, and the kinds of additional health and safety precautions we should be taking.
According to short-term rental data tracker AirDNA, new reservations made for vacation rentals in the United States between May 17 and June 10, 2020, were up 20 percent over the same period in 2019. AirDNA reported that the U.S. destinations seeing the biggest year-over-year increases in vacation rental bookings are beaches, mountain towns, lakeside getaways, and remote locales that are within driving distance of major cities.
In this times of uncertainty, it’s hard to find a “safe” vacay spot but everyone seems already tired being locked indoors and now need to find a way of vacationing albeit safely; with Airbnb it’s quite possible to pull it off!
The key to vacationing safely is limiting exposure and Airbnb has asked their hosts to commit to high cleanliness standards over and above the usual and if you go with the same people you’re quarantined with you have less exposure than going to a hotel; due to less personal contact and interaction, with most Airbnb’s having self check in or keyless entry.
When booking a vacation rental, you should consider whether there is a high level of coronavirus transmission in the destination you are booking or coming from—the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises against traveling to or from areas where transmission levels are high. And we have already seen how transmission levels can recede and climb in a relatively short time, so keep a close watch on this.
In a pre-COVID world, a lot of us had gotten used to instantly booking vacation rentals without touching base with the host first. But these days, getting in touch with someone before you book is crucial so that you can ask all the necessary questions you may have regarding regulations as well as health and sanitation measures that are (hopefully) being implemented in the property.
For this particular trip we booked an Airbnb in the middle of nowhere in the desert an hour outside of Las Vegas, after obviously doing our due diligence. It had a pool where we spent most of our time, a bbq pit and a full kitchen; the perfect getaway under current circumstances.
For first time Airbnb users, use my link http://www.airbnb.com/r/fancynancytravels (or just click the airbnb link on this blog) and get a discount off your first stay!!! If you have extra space and would like to share with other guests, I can assist you as an official Airbnb ambassador. Let’s get you earning that extra cash as you enjoy your vacation!
Please remember; because of the popularity in vacation homes during the pandemic, it’s all the more important that vacation home renters travel responsibly and help to control the spread of coronavirus in the communities they visit.
