How to Pick the Perfect Cabin Rental

We are going to assume for this post that you know generally where you want the cabin to be. For example, in the city you will be visiting or within a certain amount of hours from your home. We will additionally assume that you know how many persons you will have in your group. From this starting point you can find the perfect cabin to fit your needs for an incredible vacation.

Utilize the Internet

What did we do before the internet? I’ll be honest, we are millenials so we  don’t actually know what people did. Searching for a cabin rental is made so easy by the various search engines out there made for this very purpose. Airbnb is the site that we have used the most through their phone app. It has excellent search filters and a vast array of  vacation rentals. If you have never tried it I am sure you are a little anxious about renting the  vacation home of a stranger but we have had nothing but good experiences so far. I have just begun seeing Homeaway and VRBO advertised lately. We have utilized Someway once and though the booking systems are not as straight forward we still had a good rental experience. We have yet to try VRBO. It seems to have most of the same options as Airbnb has but with some additional options as well. For example, you can search for your cabin to be a mountain or waterfront property which I am excited about as we tend to be looking for a cabin on the water and have never been able to search for that directly in Airbnb. Although, I am betting they won’t leave that gap open for long. I also recently went on Tripping.com while searching for a potential rental for this spring.  I definitely prefer the other options over this website so far. I had issues with the way it loads and it has far less filters that you can select to narrow down your search criteria. I did like that it provides you the comparative price for the VRBO listing of rentals.

Don’t forget to read the reviews. We never book anything until we have read the reviews, a bit obsessively on my part to be honest. We compare and contrast options and prices. I cannot stress enough how important this step is. You likely aren’t going to be able to see it ahead of time and may be building the majority of your trip around your rental. If the place does not yet have many reviews it’s probably not worth the risk.

 Use the Filters

Another great feature of the search sites is the ability to select for particular features you are looking for. This can be extra amenities such as a fireplace or hot tub or the amount of bedrooms and  bathrooms. We have found the bedroom feature particularly helpful. There will be a lot of options out there that may have enough beds but not set out in the right way. For example, when we book with other couples we all want our own bedroom if possible and a room with a bunk bed or two twin beds set-up occurs frequently and is a not what we are looking for. When we filter for the amount of beds and bedrooms we need these are filtered out.  Those bed set ups are more suited for a family and airbnb even has the option to filter for kid/family friendly rentals. Although, I have a hard time thinking of what cabin rental wouldn’t be family friendly.  We also filter in rentals that allow us to bring our pets as bringing our dog Memphis is a top priority for us in our cabin rentals.

Luxe or Rustic

We are pretty big fans of glamping if we are going to rent a cabin but there is also something to be said about getting back to basics to really focus on being outdoors and enjoying each other’s company. You will find cabins with all the top of the line appliances and modern decor for a completely luxurious stay. Or you can strip it all down to just the necessities for a true camping experience. The latter is generally a much cheaper option. Decide which amenities will be a priority for your stay. This may include, heat and air conditioning, laundry facilities, wifi access, garage access, cable,  and dishwasher.

Remote Oasis or Access to Attractions

As with all real estate it’s all about location, location, location. If you want to get away from it all and shut off from the world there are a ton of backwoods, country farm,  and riverfront options to choose from. However, you may then have to compromise on accessibility to wifi, stores and other attractions. If you are looking to do more exploring and activities you may want to bring it further into town but you likely then have less access to private natural spaces and will be in closer proximity to neighbors. Our first cabin rental in Michigan, pictured above, had proximity to local wineries and beaches as well as activities put on by the site.  As you can see in the photo above , it also had very little privacy due to how close the cabins were to each other. When we were looking to book a cabin the following summer we prioritized having more space from the neighbors.

Cozy Indoor Spaces or Outdoor Activities

Are you interested in swimming and fishing and other outdoor activities? How about snuggling up with a good book next to the fireplace? What kind of activities you are looking to participate in during your holiday are another factor to consider when booking your rental. It will determine whether you want to prioritize things like  great outdoor spaces or waterfront access. Indoor amenities you may prefer are cozy communal spaces, indoor fireplaces or whirlpool tubs.  The time of year is going to factor greatly into this as well. Obviously, the winter and fall are going to need more focus on the indoor spaces in comparison to spring and summer where you will enjoy outdoor spaces more. Always, keep in mind the possibility of unexpectedly poor or unexpectedly warm weather. You don’t want to put all your eggs in one basket and not have conditions you can enjoy if the weather is not as expected.

Renting a cabin with friends has become our annual 4th of July tradition. The perfect getaway to relax and enjoy each other’s company. We hope that with our tips for picking out the perfect cabin to rent that it can become a wonderful new tradition for you as well.