We’ve all heard of Airbnb—but are there other private rental sites you should know about?
Videos by TravelAwaits
VRBO, for example, is a top competitor to Airbnb in the United States. You can use the platform to find additional bookings that you might not see on Airbnb, and vice versa. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the best private rental sites.
Even if you know how to comb through reviews to find solid rentals, know which features to look for, and know how to manage a subpar or misleading booking, there’s still plenty left to learn about booking the best rentals in the world.
Here’s the lowdown on the best private rental sites that you should consider when making bookings in 2026.
How do you know if private rentals are legal?
Private rentals took a bit of a hit in 2025. Countries in Europe started delisting illegal Airbnbs that were running without a license, while states like Hawaii are looking to cut back on private rentals in certain areas, like Maui.
In short, you can still rely on private rentals—but you might want to double-check legalities in your destination. Many cities have their own set of rules when it comes to hosting and booking private rentals.
Here’s how you can double-check—it won’t take long. Google your destination + private rental legalities. Airbnb is the main focus for many Western cities, but private rental restrictions apply to all other private rental platforms, too. Second, look for a license or registration number on your private rental listing.
Superhosts, to borrow a term from Airbnb, list their registration numbers and any important rules for guests, like noise ordinances.
Best private rental sites for your 2026 vacations
Airbnb: Most dynamic choice internationally
I’m suspicious of the average Airbnb listing… but I still use Airbnb. This year, I stayed at an Airbnb in Mile End, Montreal, and had a great time. The property was exactly as advertised and was priced fairly. The profile also had the necessary registration number, which made me confident that I wasn’t booking with a careless host.
That being said, I also stayed at a hotel when visiting Lisbon, Portugal, because the offer was better than any other Airbnb around—and I had an amazing time there, as well. Here’s my advice on booking Airbnbs: if you don’t see a registration number, don’t see rave reviews from recent guests, and don’t feel a personal, professional touch from the host in the profile, skip it.
There’s a reason that Airbnbs have come under fire from city councils, locals, and travelers alike. Their fees are still quite high, especially cleaning fees, and some hosts simply ruin the experience with cleaning demands or misleading profiles.
VRBO: Best for full-home rentals in the US
VRBO is the largest private rental platform in the US right now. They specialize in full-home bookings that make it easy to travel with a large group or simply drift a bit further off the map. Personally, I’ve stayed away from VRBO because the website isn’t very intuitive, and some of the properties are subpar.
In other words, VRBO can be a little hit-and-miss. However, you’ll find more ‘normal’ homeowners listing their properties on VRBO. They aren’t gobbling up properties to flip them into stylish new listings, in other words. Instead, you get a more personal exchange with the host, who likely owns the home and might live there for part of the year.
That being said, VRBO was bought out by Expedia back in 2015. Since then, some users have noted that they have to dig a bit deeper to find the same high-quality rentals as before. (Most Expedia private rentals are also listed on VRBO—no need to look for rentals on both.)
Vacasa: Great for last-minute bookings in the US
Vacasa has just under 40,000 listings that you can book in the US, Canada, and other parts of the Americas. I haven’t personally used Vacasa, but I’ve heard great things from my friends who do. They’ve used the platform for a while, and actually revisit their favorite rentals—which I think speaks for itself.
You can easily shop around for different rentals on the website and read through reviews. Reviews are very thorough compared to other sites because Vacasa renters have usually been around for a while. In other words, you can explore renter and host profiles easily to get a read on whether a property is right for you.
Booking.com: Perfect for hotel-style private rentals
To be blunt, Booking.com doesn’t always have the best reputation when it comes to booking flights, car rentals, and private rentals. Making changes is usually impossible, which can cost you dearly if you need to alter a reservation. However, I’ve only had great experiences using Booking.com for private rentals.
I’ve had great luck finding hotel-style private rentals, meaning the property includes more than one private rental. In summer, I stayed at a historic villa in Sicily that had a gorgeous pool overlooking the ocean and around ten rooms for rent. They were perfectly spaced out, giving the property an effortlessly cool beach club vibe.
I recommend looking for these types of hybrid bookings on Booking.com. You can also find them on Airbnb. The rental in Mile End that I mentioned earlier (in Montreal) was another hybrid rental—the whole building was converted for private rentals.
Houfy: An international and feeless private rental site—try it out in 2026
One reason that Airbnb and Booking.com have come under fire is that their cleaning fees, processing fees, and similar charges add up. In other words, private rentals aren’t actually cheaper than hotels anymore. In fact, they can go from reasonable to exorbitant quickly.
Houfy has one promise: You don’t pay fees when you book with them. You can explore over 60,000 private bookings on Houfy that don’t add on inane fees that cost an arm and a leg. Plus, the platform lets you speak directly with hosts before booking to make sure you’re making the right selection.
The platform is easy to use, lets you save on fees, and makes the booking process easy. If you’re a little burnt out on subpar Airbnb experiences, try it out, especially for international trips.
