Airbnb

Airbnb is a platform for booking homestays and short-term rentals, ranging from a room in someone's flat to whole houses.

Its advantage over hotels shows in longer stays and group travel, where a kitchen and separate rooms change the economics — and in places where hotel supply is thin.

Total cost is where it needs care: cleaning fees and service charges can raise a nightly rate substantially, and cancellation terms are set by the host rather than the platform, so both are worth reading before booking.