We at travel4seniors.com always enjoy the convenience of staying at a hotel. In our corporate career, we experienced great ones in New York, Hawaii, Florida, California, the Caribbean, Canada and many other world destinations. During career years, we were responsible for booking hotel facilities for groups of several hundred people at company conferences.

In early retirement years, we followed the same practice for private travel. Of course, we’re also very aware that in the past several decades, hotel prices have doubled and tripled in cost. With limited retirement income, what can we do about it? In recent years, we’ve heard all kinds of info and rumors about the upstart company called Airbnb. It’s where people, including family and business groups, can book private homes for short-term vacation stays, often at bargain prices compared to hotel expenses.

Recently we were invited to attend a relative’s 65th birthday and retirement celebration at a coastal South Florida beach city. The three-day gathering involved 20 senior couples from all over the country. Local resort hotels would’ve cost at least $200 per couple, totalling $4,000 for each night, with a total of $12,000.

Instead, we were booked in a contemporary two-story, six-bedroom house, with private pool and rocky ocean views for $1,200 a night, totalling $3,600. The relaxed stay was much quieter and less formal than we’d have experienced at a busy hotel.

If considering a similar situation for your next group gathering, go to www.airbnb.com