For tourist apartment rentals, Airbnb is the most flexible choice due to its extensive inventory covering most stay lengths. For travelers seeking a reliable or serviced-apartment experience for stays of a month or more, professional networks like Blueground, Landing, and Sonder provide curated, furnished housing designed to be more consistent than general marketplace options.
3AirbnbBest for travelers needing the widest variety of options and flexibility for shorter stays. It provides the largest global marketplace for apartments, homes, and unique living spaces.62%
A wide variety of companies and online platforms specialize in short-term apartment rentals for tourists, ranging from peer-to-peer marketplaces to professionally managed apartment-hotels.
1. Peer-to-Peer and Vacation Rental Marketplaces
These platforms list individual apartments, condos, and homes owned by private hosts or property management groups:
Airbnb — The largest and most prominent platform for short-term stays, offering everything from a single private room to entire city apartments and unique properties worldwide.
Vrbo — Owned by Expedia Group, Vrbo focuses almost exclusively on entire-home and apartment rentals, making it a favorite for families and groups.
Booking.com — While traditionally known for hotels, Booking.com features a massive global inventory of privately owned apartments, aparthotels, and short-term holiday lets.
If you prefer the consistency and reliability of a hotel combined with the space and amenities of an apartment (like a kitchen and in-unit laundry):
Sonder — Operates its own design-forward, apartment-style hotel units in major cities, giving you hotel-like digital check-ins and cleaning standards without individual private hosts.
Onefinestay — A luxury brand (part of Accor) that curates high-end, upscale urban apartments and private villas, complete with professional vetting, 24/7 guest support, and optional concierge services.
Plum Guide — Functions similarly to a high-end Michelin guide for vacation rentals, rigorously testing and reviewing apartments and homes in select global cities for design, functionality, and location quality.
3. Regional and Specialized Options
Agoda — Particularly strong for finding short-term apartment rentals, budget stays, and serviced apartments across Asia-Pacific as well as major Western cities.
Whimstay — A marketplace focused heavily on discounted, professionally managed short-term and last-minute vacation rentals.
If you have a specific destination city or budget range in mind, let me know and I can recommend which platform typically has the best inventory there!
Several companies and booking platforms offer short-term apartment or vacation-rental stays for tourists:
airbnb.com — Apartments, condos, houses, and private rooms, from one night to several weeks or longer.
vrbo.com — Particularly strong for entire apartments, condos, and vacation homes.
booking.com — Hotels plus a large selection of apartments and vacation rentals.
expedia.com — Offers vacation rentals alongside hotels and other accommodations.
sonder.com — Curates apartment-style stays and boutique hotels in cities; its current bookings are fulfilled through partners such as Booking.com, Expedia, and Vrbo.
trip.com — Includes apartments and other vacation accommodations in many international destinations.
If you're looking for a professionally managed apartment rather than someone's private home, I'd focus on aparthotel/serviced-apartment companies and platforms such as Sonder, rather than just Airbnb-style listings.
Booking.com — In addition to hotels, it offers apartments, aparthotels, and vacation homes.
Expedia — Offers vacation rentals alongside hotels and other accommodations.
Trip.com — Offers apartments and other vacation accommodations in many destinations.
Sonder — Now operates as a curated guide to apartment-style stays and boutique hotels, with bookings fulfilled through partners such as Booking.com, Expedia, and Vrbo.
If you tell me the city/country and your approximate dates, I can also find the main short-term rental companies operating there and compare them by price, minimum stay, fees, and cancellation policy.
Tourists looking for short-term apartment rentals have several options, ranging from peer-to-peer marketplaces to professionally managed apartment-hotels and luxury concierge services.
Major Marketplace Platforms
These websites connect individual property owners or managers directly with travelers.
Airbnb – The global giant for short-term rentals, offering everything from single private rooms to entire city apartments and unique properties.
Vrbo – Specializes strictly in entire-home and entire-apartment rentals, making it popular for families and groups who want private spaces without a live-in host.
Booking.com – Traditionally a hotel site, it features a massive inventory of urban apartments and holiday homes alongside traditional lodging.
Agoda – Great for short-term apartment and home options, with exceptionally strong coverage across Asian and Southeast Asian destinations.
HomeToGo – A meta-search engine and marketplace that aggregates short-term apartment and vacation rental listings from hundreds of different providers.
Professionally Managed & Aparthotels
Unlike peer-to-peer marketplaces, these companies lease, design, and manage entire buildings or select units themselves, offering a more standardized, hotel-like experience with apartment amenities.
Sonder – Operates design-forward "apartment-style hotels" featuring modern conveniences like fully stocked kitchens and contactless check-in.
Onefinestay – A luxury home rental platform (backed by Accor) that hand-picks high-end urban apartments and villas, providing professional housekeeping, 24/7 concierge, and personalized guest support.
Plum Guide – Curates and rigorously vets top-tier vacation and city apartments through independent "home critics" to ensure high standards of quality and design.
If you'd like, let me know:
Where you are planning to travel
Your preferred budget range or style (budget, mid-tier, luxury)
I can help you narrow down which platform or service works best for that specific destination.
When looking for short-term apartment rentals as a tourist, your options generally fall into three categories: peer-to-peer marketplaces, professionally managed apartment networks , and extended-stay aparthotels.
Because many cities have strict local laws regulating short-term rentals (often banning unhosted stays under 30 days unless licensed), choosing the right platform depends heavily on whether you want a traditional vacation rental or a legally compliant managed apartment.
The top companies offering short-term apartment rentals for travelers include:
Best for: Maximum variety, global reach, and unique local apartments.
What to know: It remains the largest peer-to-peer marketplace for entire apartments, condos, and homes. However, availability varies dramatically by city due to local legislation (e.g., strict registration laws in places like New York City or Miami). Always check local host rules and reviews to ensure the listing is legal and verified.
Best for: Families and groups looking for entire-place apartments or multi-room vacation condos.
What to know: Unlike Airbnb, Vrbo only lists entire properties (no shared rooms or private rooms inside an occupied home). It tends to skew slightly more toward traditional vacation destinations (beach condos, mountain cabins, resort areas) rather than dense urban center apartments, but it has a massive inventory.
Blueground
Best for: Sleek, high-end, flexible urban apartments with a standardized design.
What to know: Blueground operates on a managed model—they lease, fully furnish, and tech-equip their own apartments in major global cities (like New York, London, Paris, Dubai, and major US tech hubs). They typically cater to mid-to-long stays (often a 30-day minimum in many regions, though some markets or select units allow shorter flexible terms), giving you a hotel-like reliability inside a real residential apartment.
Best for: Discerning travelers who want guaranteed design quality and vetting.
What to know: Plum Guide acts as a curated alternative to Airbnb. They personally vet every single apartment they list using a rigorous "critique" process (testing water pressure, checking design aesthetics, reviewing neighborhood noise). If you hate rolling the dice on vacation rentals, this is a safer bet.
Sonder
Best for: Travelers who want the space of an apartment with the consistency and customer service of a boutique hotel.
What to know: Sonder designs and operates its own spaces—often taking over entire boutique buildings or multi-family floors. You get a kitchen, living area, and in-unit laundry, but with contactless digital check-in, professional housekeeping options, and zero risk of a host abruptly canceling on you. Because they operate legally under commercial/hospitality zoning in most of their cities, they bypass many residential short-term rental bans.
Best for: Guaranteed legality, reliable amenities (gyms, front desks), and hassle-free booking.
What to know: If your trip falls into a grey area where short-term apartment rentals are heavily restricted or you want total peace of mind, brands like AKA (luxury extended stay) or Marriott's extended-stay properties offer fully apartment-style layouts (full kitchens, separate living rooms) with standard hotel security and front-desk check-ins.
If you share where you are planning to travel and your approximate dates or length of stay , I can tell you which of these platforms works best legally and logistically for that specific city.
Several companies and platforms offer short-term apartment rentals tailored to tourists, ranging from peer-to-peer marketplaces to professionally managed apartment-style hotels.
Major Peer-to-Peer & Vacation Rental Marketplaces
These platforms feature a massive inventory of privately owned apartments, condos, and lofts listed by individual hosts.
Airbnb – The dominant global platform for short-term stays, offering everything from single private rooms to entire downtown apartments and luxury penthouses.
Vrbo – Short for Vacation Rentals by Owner, this platform focuses exclusively on entire-place rentals (including condos and apartments), making it popular for families and groups.
Booking.com – While traditionally known for hotels, Booking.com features a massive selection of standalone urban apartments and short-term lets alongside traditional lodging.
HomeToGo – A metasearch engine that aggregates short-term apartment and vacation rental listings from thousands of different smaller sites and providers.
Managed & Boutique Apartment Providers
Unlike peer-to-peer marketplaces where you rent from an individual, these companies lease, design, and manage entire buildings or select units themselves, offering a more consistent, hotel-like experience with apartment amenities (like kitchens and in-unit laundry).
Sonder – Operates design-forward "apartment-hotels" in major cities across North America and Europe, giving you the space of an apartment with standardized guest support.
Onefinestay – Part of Accor, this luxury service handpicks and vets high-end, upscale urban apartments and villas, complete with professional hospitality and 24/7 concierge support.
Blueground – Specializes in fully furnished, tech-enabled apartments ready for month-to-month or flexible short-term stays in major global metropolitan areas.
If you have a specific destination city or a desired budget range in mind, I can recommend which of these platforms works best for that location!
Several companies/platforms offer short-term furnished apartments and vacation rentals for tourists:
Airbnb — huge selection of apartments, condos, and homes worldwide.
Vrbo — especially strong for entire apartments and vacation homes.
Booking.com — apartments and aparthotels alongside traditional hotels.
Expedia — vacation rentals integrated with its broader travel marketplace.
Plum Guide — more curated, upscale apartments and homes.
Marriott Homes & Villas — professionally managed, higher-end vacation homes.
Vacasa — professionally managed vacation rentals, particularly in North America.
Note:Sonder still exists as a travel brand, but its current site is primarily a curated discovery platform; bookings are fulfilled by partners such as Booking.com, Expedia, and Vrbo.
If you mean companies/platforms where tourists can rent an apartment for a few nights to a few weeks, some of the main options are:
Airbnb — Probably the best-known option for private apartments, condos, houses, and rooms. Good for both short and longer stays.
Vrbo — Strong selection of entire homes and apartments, particularly useful for families and groups.
Booking.com — Primarily known for hotels, but also has a large selection of apartments and vacation rentals.
Expedia — Offers vacation rentals alongside hotels and flights.
Marriott International — Through Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, it offers professionally managed premium and luxury homes, including apartments, villas, and townhouses.
Sonder — Focuses on curated apartment-style stays and serviced apartments in cities. Its current site directs guests to booking partners such as Booking.com, Expedia, and Vrbo rather than handling reservations directly.
Which one should you use?
If you want...
Consider
Biggest variety
Airbnb
Entire homes for families/groups
Vrbo
Apartments plus hotels
Booking.com
Premium/luxury homes
Marriott Homes & Villas
Curated, apartment-style city stays
If you tell me the city/country and your approximate dates, I can also compare the best apartment-rental companies for that destination.
Several companies and platforms specialize in short-term apartment rentals, catering to tourists, vacationers, and digital nomads looking for a home-like environment. Depending on your destination, budget, and desired length of stay, options range from peer-to-peer marketplaces to professionally managed serviced apartments.
Airbnb : The global leader in peer-to-peer and private property rentals. You can filter entire apartments, condos, or unique lofts for anything from a single night to several weeks. Explore listings directly on Airbnb.
Vrbo : Part of the Expedia Group, Vrbo focuses strictly on entire private properties (including apartments, condos, and vacation homes) rather than shared spaces, making it a favorite for families and vacationers. Browse options on Vrbo.
Booking.com : While traditionally known for hotels, Booking.com features a massive inventory of independently managed apartments and aparthotels worldwide that can be booked with flexible short-term cancellation policies. Check availability on Booking.com.
Plum Guide : This platform functions similarly to curated marketplaces but manually vets and handpicks every single apartment for design, quality, and location. Ideal if you want guaranteed high standards. View curated stays on Plum Guide.
Blueground : Specializes in turnkey, fully furnished, and tech-enabled apartments equipped with utilities and kitchen supplies. They operate primarily in major metropolitan cities worldwide and typically cater to stays ranging from a month to a year, though shorter mid-term options are available. Explore properties on Blueground.
Sonder : Combines the consistency and service of a hotel with the space and style of an apartment. Sonder designs and manages its own spaces, offering contactless check-in and fully equipped kitchens in major urban destinations. Book a stay via Sonder.
If you can share:
Your destination city
Your approximate dates or length of stay
Your budget range
I can help narrow down which platform or specific provider will give you the best options for your trip.
