Airbnb fosters direct communication between host and guest. You can 

ask questions, share needs, request guidance. If a host is unresponsive, you’re 
advised to not book and report them to Airbnb.  If problems arise, there are 
24/7 supports through their “Trust and Safety” team. If the property is not as 
advertised, Airbnb will find you alternate housing or refund your deposit. 

If you’re hesitant to book internationally, first experiment closer to 

home. Take the kids to a working ranch bunkhouse (3 BR, 2 BA, sleeps 
8) outside Topeka. Or try a darling limestone cabin by Ellsworth with a 
fireplace for romance and solitude. Look at the many Kansas City options. 
Put the in-laws up right here in Lawrence when they visit. 

My experience booking with Airbnb has been that the pictures are good, 

but still true. On that last trip at the home with the Caribbean garden, I spent a 
week writing and enjoying everything—and at the price—that the posting had 
promised. Sometimes a journey turns out to be as good as you had hoped.

SIMILAR TO 

AIRBNB

Airbnb is by far the leading home rental service in the United States. Locally, it 
lists more than 100 properties in Lawrence and the surrounding area. But there 
are several other services, some with overlapping listings and others with unique 
property lists.

1) VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner): VRBO was founded in 1995 and became a 
subsidiary of HomeAway in 2006.  It more closely resembles a regulated on-line 
classifieds to connect property owners and prospective guests. HomeAway operates 
in 190 countries, 22 languages, and has over a million listings, so VRBO is just a small 
part of their big picture.  And since Expedia just bought HomeAway for $3.9 billion, 
who knows what changes are coming.  Number of Lawrence properties listed: 12.

2) FlipKey and Housetrip: Both owned by Trip Advisor with extensive offering of 
international and U.S. locations. Number of Lawrence properties listed: 3

3) Roomorama: For vacations, but also seems to focus on a higher-end 
professional extended stay market. Number of Lawrence properties listed: 0

4) OneFineStay: Luxury accommodations in limited number of select 
international cities. Number of Lawrence properties listed: 0

to advertise contact 

Sunflower Publishing

sunpubads@sunflowerpub.com  |  888.497.8668

A GREAT MARKETING TOOL FOR YOUR BUSINESS