Waking Up In Rio With Roomorama

It never ceases to amaze me, as to how expensive hostels and hotels are in some cities-especially at certain holidays or events. For example, in 2010 we spent Christmas and New Years Eve in New York City. An amazing city to be in at that time of year, but the prices of places to stay…not so amazing.

While we were in Nepal, madly looking for accommodation that was in our price range, I was getting so overwhelmed with everything. The cheapest we could find was a 12 person dorm room at a hostel in Brooklyn, for $250 per person, per night. We definitely did not have that kind of money, and I soon had images of Anthony and I sleeping in train stations or at the airport, waking up to flight calls on Christmas Day.

Short Term Rentals

Eventually, after lots of research we ended up renting an apartment in Brooklyn for only $80 a night, which inlcuded Cable TV, Wireless Internet, Kitchen, Laundry, Full Bathroom and One Bedroom. I was sold straight away. 

Our Apartment In Brooklyn

We had such a good experience renting short term, we continued to do so throughout Mexico, Central and South America. Whenever we moved to our next town and wanted to stay for a couple of weeks or more, I scoured short term rental websites for places to stay.

Short term rentals are a great option if you are travelling as a couple or with friends. You have your own space and privacy and splitting the cost means you get more for your money. Often for the same prices as a budget hotel, you can find fully furnished apartments with all the extras, making your stay a whole lot more comfortable.

Another One Of Our Holiday Rentals

Using Roomorama

I was soon becoming an old hand at finding, booking and using short term rentals. We were then contacted by Roomorama asking us if we would like to use their services. I had yet to book through them so I was eager to see their range of short term rentals and how easy the whole process would be.

One of the cities we decided to stay using Roomorama was Rio De Janeiro in Brazil. I first checked prices for hotels and private rooms in hostels and found they were expensive, with private rooms in a hostel about $35-$50 per person. Again, because there are two of us, it makes sense to use short term rental places as we can find better deals for the price we are willing to pay. 

The Living Room In Our Apartment

Using Roomorama and scrolling through their all their listings in Rio, I was able to find some great places to stay for the same price or less with a better location.

We ended up in a one bedroom apartment, only one block from the famous Copacabana beach! We had wireless internet, cable TV, full kitchen, 24 hour security, hot water, air conditioning and a comfortable bed…what more could you ask for?

Copacobana Beach

The apartment was in great condition, even though it wasn’t decorated to our tastes, but how picky can you be when you are getting so much for a great price? It was great to be able to come “home” after each day of sightseeing, to our own kitchen where we cooked our meals and then could just hang out in front of the telly.

Finding and booking online through Roomorama was so easy, with many filtering options so you can search exactly what you are looking for, from a bedroom to a full apartment. Roomarama also sends you confirmation emails along with advice on what to do throughout the booking process and when to give your contact details to the apartment owner.

The Lounge Room

I always find that dealing with short term rentals is so less stressful than booking through hotels or hostels. More often than not, you are talking to the owners, which means you can receive advice on what to do, where to eat and learn about other areas of interest in the city you are in.

Why Use Short Term Rentals?

Short term rentals are great if you are the type of traveller that likes to have your own space and privacy. Short term rentals are great for couples, families and spending time away with friends. Even if you are only away  for a few days or a weekend, you can have more space and options than at a hotel room.

The Full Kitchen

More money can be saved renting short term, because it means you can also cook your own food in the kitchen. Even buying your own food to make breakfast everyday can add up to be a huge saving.

If you are a solo traveller, hotels and hostels are great places to meet people. Short term rentals are more private and doesn’t really lend itself to meeting new people, but can be a good choice if you want a few days to relax by yourself.

I know Anthony and I will continue to use short term rentals for many more of our travels in the future.

Have you rented any places for the short term while travelling? What was your experience?

While we did receive complimentary accommodation from Roomorama for our short term rental apartment in Brazil, all thoughts and opinions are our own.