Remember when vacation rentals seemed destined to replace hotels? Travelers loved the promise of extra space, affordable accommodations, and living like locals. But cleaning fees, complicated checkout instructions, and unpredictable experiences have encouraged some Americans to reconsider. Hotels are enjoying renewed attention, and the reasons reveal how travelers' priorities are changing.
The Vacation Rental Revolution
Airbnb and Vrbo transformed travel by offering alternatives to traditional hotel rooms. Families could rent entire houses, couples could discover unusual properties, and groups could share accommodations rather than book multiple rooms. Vacation rentals remain enormously popular, but their early reputation as the obvious bargain has become harder to maintain as the industry has matured.
Hotels Never Really Disappeared
Despite the vacation rental boom, hotels never surrendered their position as America's preferred accommodation. Phocuswright reported that 70% of the 172 million Americans who traveled in 2024 stayed in hotels, compared with 24% who used short-term rentals. Those figures aren't mutually exclusive, since travelers can use both. Nevertheless, they demonstrate hotels' enduring appeal.
The Cleaning Fee Problem
One major source of frustration is the cleaning fee. According to AirDNA figures reported by Skift, approximately 89% of American vacation rental listings charged cleaning fees in April 2025. Such charges can substantially increase the cost of shorter stays, particularly when they're spread over just one or two nights. Suddenly, that attractive nightly rental rate doesn't look quite so attractive.
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Nobody Wants More Chores
Paying a cleaning fee is one thing. Being expected to perform household chores before leaving is another. Some vacation rentals require guests to strip beds, handle garbage, or complete other checkout tasks. Requirements vary considerably between properties, but the uncertainty has become a genuine concern. Phocuswright found that negative publicity surrounding cleaning fees, chores, and inconsistent experiences makes more than half of travelers reconsider vacation rentals.
The Price Advantage Disappears
Vacation rentals can still offer excellent value, especially when several people share a property. However, travelers increasingly recognize that the advertised nightly price doesn't necessarily tell the whole story. Cleaning charges, service fees, and other expenses can change the comparison. Hotels have additional charges of their own, including resort and parking fees, so comparing the complete price of both options is essential.
Predictability Has Become Valuable
When travelers book a familiar hotel chain, they generally have a reasonable idea of what awaits them. Vacation rentals can deliver wonderful surprises, but experiences differ substantially between individual properties. Recognizing this problem, Airbnb introduced its Guest Favorites designation in 2023 to highlight highly rated properties with reliable records. The initiative acknowledged how important consistency had become to travelers.
Sometimes Convenience Wins
Hotels offer another advantage that's easy to underestimate: convenience. Front desks, luggage storage, housekeeping, and readily available assistance can make traveling considerably simpler. A hotel may also offer restaurants, room service, fitness facilities, and swimming pools. For travelers who spend most of their vacations sightseeing, these services can be more appealing than having an entire apartment to themselves.
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Vacation Rentals Fight Back
The industry hasn't ignored these complaints. In 2025, Airbnb began displaying total prices, including fees, more prominently in search results. It also introduced bookable services, including private chefs and spa treatments, in an effort to combine the advantages of vacation rentals with hotel-style amenities. Meanwhile, Vrbo's 2026 research found that unclear total prices and high cleaning fees remained major booking deterrents.
The Right Stay Matters
This doesn't mean Americans are abandoning vacation rentals. In fact, a 2026 NerdWallet survey found that 51% of Americans would prefer a vacation rental to a hotel when traveling. Rentals retain important advantages for families, larger groups, and anyone wanting kitchens, laundry facilities, or additional privacy. The accommodation debate is far from settled.
What has changed is the assumption that vacation rentals automatically provide a better experience or a cheaper vacation. For a weekend city break, a hotel might offer the simpler solution. For a weeklong family reunion, a spacious rental could still make considerably more sense. Increasingly, travelers have good reasons to compare both rather than automatically choosing one.
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