I did some research on airbnb and a similar service whose name escapes me for several trips that we took in 2015. I was very disappointed in the results. In some cases, I simply could not find available lodging near to where we needed to stay. When we could find lodging, the prices were often comparable to hotels in the area that offered other amenities such as parking, free breakfast, maid service, etc. In one case, I found reasonable lodging close to a place I wanted to visit but the owner/landlord never replied to my inquiries. Needless to say, I was underwhelmed. This is not to say that nobody ever gets a good deal on airbnb and similar services. However, I think they are bit overhyped to say the least.