I stayed in 52 Airbnbs while traveling the world with my kids. I learned a lot about how to choose the right one.

• My husband and our two children took a yearlong trip around the world.
• In 2024, we stayed in 52 Airbnbs, and I learned a lot about how to pick the perfect place to stay.
• The location of your booking can make or break your vacation.

It was an idyllic August day when my husband, two children, and I arrived at our Airbnb in southern France.

We were three months into a yearlong trip around the world, and this destination, in particular, was one we were all looking forward to. We had booked the Airbnb well in advance, lured by its proximity to the cobblestone town center and oceanfront boardwalk. From the pictures, our home for the next five days would be modern, spacious, and perhaps even trés chic by the look of the listing.

However, as we ascended three stories in a tiny elevator and opened the doors to our apartment, we were met with a most unpleasant surprise. The place was trashed. Broken light fixtures hung haphazardly from the walls, there were empty spaces where paintings and photographs had clearly once hung, and the bedrooms were missing pillows and proper bedding. We contacted Airbnb, and while they promptly assigned an agent to our case, this wasn't going to be the last time we were disappointed by a booking.

Over the course of the next year, we would stay in 52 accommodations across Europe and Southeast Asia, as well as Central and South America, and every single one of them had their "thing." That said, after 365 days of travel I consider us to be somewhat experts on the subject and am sharing our acquired tips and tricks to ensure you book the right accommodation for your next trip. Here are some of the things we learned along the way.

Location is very important

The location of your booking can often make or break your stay. While most listings will provide a commentary of the surrounding area and general coordinates, it's important to vet the description and the pictures.

One tried-and-true hack is using Google Maps Street View to scout the location and surrounding area. Really "stroll the streets" to get a sense of what it would be like to live there. You are looking for walkability, nearby resources, and neighbors.

Always read the fine print before booking

It's important to read the fine print and look for provided items that might be helpful for your stay.

If you're in a beach town, look for accommodations that provide beach chairs, towels, boogie boards, hammocks, and umbrellas. Bikes are also always a huge bonus. Having everything you need will make a big difference in your experience. In addition, if an accommodation advertises that "essentials" are provided, inquire what they deem essentials.

We had the unfortunate experience of arriving at an Airbnb only to find bath towels were not included in our stay.

I read all the reviews

Always check the reviews, not just the star rating but what people are actually saying. Be thorough, read every single review, and if they say anything, even politely negative, it could be a red flag. Often, people don't feel comfortable being completely honest for fear it will affect their own rating, so you really have to read between the lines. As a general rule for my family, when it comes to star ratings, anything below 4.8 isn't great.

If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. The price might seem great, but if bedrooms are listed without a picture, that's usually a red flag. In addition, if the house or apartment only has a couple of photos, that, too, could suggest the accommodation is not going to be as good as you are hoping.

We found a fantastically priced Airbnb in Naples, Italy, that only included one or two photographs. When we arrived, the apartment was so tiny that we could touch both ends if we reached our arms out.

In my experience, personally owned Airbnbs are better than company-owned ones

Vibes matter. You can have a huge house or living space, but if the energy isn't right, it can really ruin your stay. The main things that affect the vibe of an accommodation are lighting and decor. You can get a sense of this from both the pictures and the comments. Look for windows in the photographs, or keep an eye out for descriptions that include language about "natural light." Also, try to avoid very dark furniture and fixtures; they can make spaces feel gloomy rather than welcoming.

Overall, our biggest takeaway is that personally owned accommodations are almost always a much better experience than management company-owned homes and apartments. Most of the time, people who rent their own spaces put a lot of love and care into them and want you to have a wonderful stay.