WACO, Texas — The holiday season is here and with it comes many options on where to stay.
From short-term rentals like Verbo and Airbnb to hotels, it's good to know which type of stay you want.
The Better Business Bureau for the Heart serving the heart of Texas can Verify that a hotel is better to stay at when on a short trip with less people, while a short-term rental might be a better option if you have a larger group and a longer stay.
"The short term rentals will offer you more space you will have more privacy," Katie Gallan with the BBB said.
It's also important to do your research before booking any short-term rental.
Gallan said doing a reverse image search on the photos presented through a website is the best way to find out if the booking is legit or not.
How to do a reverse image search:
1. Go to Google
2. Copy and Paste the link of the photo you've chosen into the search by image icon that's located between the microphone and spyglass on the search bar.
3. Search the image. If there's no other results that pop-up, you're good to go.
When it comes to booking a short-term rental also make sure you read the fine print. That includes looking at cancelation policies, reviews and more.
You can contact the BBB if you have other questions or concerns regarding the place you'd like to stay.
What about hotels?
"If you're able to book your hotel directly through the source...that can be your best option," Gallan said.
That means you'd want to book your hotel through the site itself and not a third party. This saves you time, a chance of being scammed, and possibly money.
You can also go to the BBB website to see any negative reviews for a hotel you're looking at.
NerdWallet can also verify that an Airbnb will give you more options and a unique place to stay while a hotel might be a safer choice when it comes to quality and the ability to save money in the long fun.
No matter what, Gallan suggests doing your homework, planning things out, not clicking on random ads and looking at all your options before you choose where to travel.