Looking for safe and flexible places to stay this summer? In this episode, we explore alternatives to Airbnb that offer comfort, privacy, and peace of mind. Tune in to discover lodging options that let you enjoy your getaway while keeping health and safety a top priority.  

Airbnb Alternates
Golightly, Koala, MyPlace, Zeevou Direct

There are a number of small, ambitious new companies emerging that are specifically targeting savvy travelers. And apparently, their main goal is to improve the home-sharing experience.

One of the new players in the home-sharing field is a women-only platform. With the majority of their listings being in the US and Europe. Along with some of the other newer platforms, they aim to improve on the Airbnb or Vrbo models by more strictly controlling who has access to the homes, the kind of units for rent, and the fees that hosts pay to list with the different platforms. Golightly was launched in January 2020, and just as they were getting some traction, the pandemic hit. But despite the coronavirus and restrictions on travel and such, they have grown 30 percent, to 590 properties. As we mentioned earlier, most are in the United States and Europe, but there are also homes in Argentina, Israel, and South Africa. A qualified woman renting at one of the properties can pay anywhere $80 for a studio apartment to over $1,000 for a country estate in Ireland.

Golightly Members must refer any new members to preserve the “friend of a friend” network they have built. But they do have a path to membership for unaffiliated women. They simply apply for membership and can be vetted by a Golightly staffer, who becomes their referring friend. Spanning property hosts, managers, and travelers, all members identify as women, though they may travel with companions of any gender. They require a one-time membership fee of $100, which has been suspended during the coronavirus pandemic.

All of the listings are vetted by an actual OR virtual walk-through by Golightly staffers to verify the homes are as described or photographed.

Rent a timeshare

With more than 1,500 time shares in the United States and over 5,300 worldwide, it is little surprise that there would be a new service which aims to help time-share owners rent out their vacation weeks. Enter, Koala, scheduled to launch in August 2020.

According to co-founder Mike Kennedy, the average price of a two-bedroom rental is about $2,500 a week. Time share Owners choose their cancellation terms. And because time-share owners set their own terms and rates, and often are only looking to break even on expenses, the Koala listed resale rates for time-share units may be lower than the comparable rates offered by the Resorts.

Home sharing with friends

Another new kid on the block is

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