There was a time when airbnb was mostly unique, quirky, and in places like NYC, vastly below market rate. Now, the only benefit that I see is the "rental cottage" style for vacations where you're willing to pay a premium for staying in a detached home with a reasonably equipped kitchen.
I never pulled the trigger but last fall I was thinking of going up to New Hampshire for a week but was only going to do so if I could avoid dealing with restaurants so I looked at AirBnBs.
It's not that I always stay in a chain hotel either. Outside of metros, I'll definitely give B&Bs and Inns a look.
I've always found them great for weddings/reunions with groups of 4-6 renting a small house, which usually ends up being much better value for the price than hotel rooms and suites, and much more convenient than traditional house rentals.
