airbnb

We had an incredible experience using Airbnb to arrange our vacation accommodations.

The apartment we rented in Copenhagen was convenient to the metro, baby proofed, and completely stocked in baby gear (the host had a two-year-old). So, Luke had his own room, a crib, a high chair, and age appropriate toys (which he loved because they were "new"). Mom and Dad loved it because we could use the kitchen to make our own meals, and enjoyed the use of a TV, wifi, and a lovely patio and backyard park area. Our Berlin apartment was also good. In Bruges, we rented an entire townhouse in an old, picturesque part of the medieval town, which was superb!

We will always look to reserve a vacation rental in the future when traveling with kids. I love being able to have a sleeping baby in one room while Brooks and I are in another room able to do other things without waking him up. Not to mention, the use of a kitchen largely reduces our eating out expenses.

While we had wonderful experiences renting accommodations, horror stories do exist. A few things I kept in mind while researching and booking lodging:

• Use the filters to manage your desired amenities. If you are bringing a child, make sure you check "Family/Kid Friendly". 
• Pay attention to the type of property you are searching for. I prefer "Entire Place". 
• Read the reviews. It is harder to have a poor experience if the property has a lot of good reviews. 
• Email the host. Tell them about yourself and your trip. Ask any questions you may have about the property. This was the gist of my initial email to the host for our trip this summer: 

Hello,

My name is Becca and I am from Virginia, USA. I am traveling to your city in June for 3 nights with my husband and our son, who will be 15 months old on our trip. My husband and I have a passion for traveling and we really enjoy experiencing places around the world from a local's perspective! This is our first international adventure with our son, so we are a little anxious about how different a trip with a baby will be compared to life before kids.

I'm interested in renting your property - the fact that your place is set up for a baby is very appealing! I have a couple of questions first. How accessible is it to the sights of Copenhagen? My husband is quite tall - how long is the bed we would use? Finally, will the kitchen be equipped for use?

Thank you for your response. I look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,
Becca

Want to try it? Here's a link. Good luck and enjoy!