So, I was planning a family getaway recently. Needed more space than just a regular hotel room, you know? Kitchenette, maybe a separate room for the kids. My first thought was, okay, gotta check those specific vacation home websites.
But then I thought, hang on. I use those big hotel search engines all the time. They list everything under the sun, right? Maybe they list vacation homes too? Seemed easier than jumping between different sites. I figured, let’s give it a shot.
My Little Experiment
I fired up one of the hotel booking sites I normally use. Put in my destination and dates like always. Now, here’s the important part: I started digging around in the filters. Usually, I just ignore most of them, maybe filter by price or review score.
This time, I looked closer. And there it was! A filter usually called something like ‘Property Type’. Inside that, I found options like:
- Apartments
- Vacation Homes
- Villas
- Even things like ‘Aparthotels’
So, I unchecked ‘Hotels’ and ticked ‘Apartments’ and ‘Vacation Homes’. The search results page refreshed. And bam! Instead of the usual hotel chains, I saw listings for actual apartments, condos, and small houses right there on the same site.
Sorting Through It
It was pretty cool seeing them mixed in. Some were clearly independent rentals, others were part of larger managed properties but still offered apartment-style living. I used the map view a lot, just like I do for hotels, to check locations.
I compared prices. Sometimes they looked competitive with the dedicated rental sites, sometimes maybe a bit higher, sometimes lower. It varied. The nice thing was seeing reviews right there, integrated into the platform I already trusted (or, well, was familiar with).
I clicked into a few promising listings. Checked the photos carefully, read the descriptions for things like kitchen facilities, number of beds, check-in process. It felt very similar to booking a hotel, just the ‘room’ was an entire apartment.
Did it Work?
Yeah, it actually did. I found a nice two-bedroom apartment with a kitchen, booked it right through the hotel search engine. The process was smooth, just like reserving a hotel room. Got the confirmation email, everything looked standard.
What I learned from trying this:
- Hotel search engines can be used for vacation homes, but you must use the ‘Property Type’ filter actively. Don’t just assume they’ll pop up.
- It’s handy for comparing different types of stays (hotel vs. apartment) in one place, especially using the map.
- Read the details and reviews extra carefully. An apartment isn’t a hotel – check-in might be different, no daily housekeeping sometimes, etc. The listing details are key.
- It’s another tool. Doesn’t replace dedicated rental sites entirely, they often have more unique or specific inventory. But it’s a great option to check, especially if you like sticking to one platform.
So yeah, that was my little experiment. Didn’t know if it would work out, but turns out those big hotel sites are trying to be a one-stop-shop more than I realized. Worth fiddling with those filters next time you’re looking for something more than just a room.
