Courtesy Kristin Schell

A view from the Schell family's vacation rental in Dana Point, Calif., which they found on vrbo.com.

It was on a trip abroad to Israel with their 18-month-old son that Yen Ha and her husband realized they might need a new approach to travel.

After arriving at the hotel in Jerusalem and putting her baby to sleep for the night, the New York City architect and her spouse were wide awake but without options in their small, unlit room. “At eight o’clock, we sat there in the dark with our iPhones,” she said.

That’s why on a trip to Berlin last year, Ha booked a one-bedroom apartment with a kitchen and a common area through the website Airbnb. Ha is hardly alone in making the switch from traditional hotels to private residences, as budget-minded travelers are increasingly seeking to improve convenience on the road and cultivate more authentic travel experiences.

Airbnb reported 10,000 family bookings in January of this year, up from 2,000 in January 2011. Emily Joffrion, an Airbnb spokesperson, attributes the growth to the fact that vacation rentals offer amenities not available in hotels, such as barbecue areas and places where kids can play.

HomeAway, which owns VRBO and other vacation rental sites, said it has seen a 30 percent increase in traffic from 2010 to 2011, with approximately two-thirds of its travelers reporting that they travel as a family or group. HomeAway offers listing services for homeowners; bookings are not transacted directly on the site. 

Travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt of Atmosphere Research Group said he expects this trend to continue, with the estimated 12 percent of U.S. leisure travelers who rented a vacation home, condo or villa in 2011 growing to a still-modest 14 percent in 2013. “A portion of that will come at the expense of hotels, motels, and B&Bs,” Harteveldt told msnbc.com.

Kristin Schell of Austin, Texas, said cramped hotel accommodations essentially forced her to find alternative lodging since the average hotel room maxes out at four guests, a number her family of six surpassed two children ago. “It just became cost-prohibitive to rent two hotel rooms,” Schell said. She said she has used HomeAway to rent vacation homes five times in the past five years.

HomeAway North America vice president Jon Gray said the average vacation rental in the company’s portfolio of 640,000 properties worldwide has 2-3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and costs $1,750 per week. Three hotel rooms at the average price of $98.07 in 2010, the most recent year for which the American Hotel & Lodging Association has data, would cost $2,059 for seven nights, and that does not include fees for WiFi, laundry facilities and other amenities typical of many vacation rentals.

In addition to being larger and more budget-friendly than hotels as well as offering common areas that can be used when little ones head to bed, the ability to cook is an enormous draw for family travelers. Schell said she only had to order an expensive hotel breakfast once to realize it would be better to save on food by having access to her own kitchen while on vacation.

“We have had those breakfasts where we look at each other and go, 'I can't believe I paid that much for an egg,' ” she said, adding that she prefers to splurge instead on attractions and experiences.

For some, staying in a cozy home with books, quirky furniture and other familiar trappings can make a vacation rental a destination in itself. Ha said she likes that vacation rentals are often in offbeat neighborhoods instead of in “tourist commercial areas.”

One thing sites such as Airbnb can’t yet offer travelers is the promise of consistency that can come with staying in a more established global chain. Anonymous property owners can falsely advertise, doctor photos, or post fraudulent reviews of their own places, despite the best efforts of rental sites to quell these practices.

Airbnb has been criticized by travelers who discovered the photos posted by property owners on the site did not match up with reality. The service now offers free third-party photography services for property owners, verifying that the image accurately reflects the rental.

Gray suggested the best evaluation of a HomeAway property is generally found in third-party reviews, which can only be posted by people who have actually stayed in the property they're reviewing.

Still, vacationers like Ha and Schell remain undeterred. Ha said asking a lot of questions helped her weed out some questionable rentals — how fast and with how much detail owners respond can be enlightening. 

As vacation rental sites roll out more security measures and start offering reassuring guarantees on trips to consumers, more deal-seeking travelers are likely to take advantage of these services. That is, if they’re even aware they exist.

“Staying in a rented apartment or even just a guest room is very new, not many people think of it,” Harteveldt said. “These companies need to raise consumer awareness that this may even be an option.”

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Inspiration strikes when you least expect it, and last summer it hit Julie Melnick on a flight from Los Angeles to Florida.

NannyintheClouds.com

She struggled onto the plane with a car seat, her 2-year-old son and assorted carry-on bags, and then had a tough time enroute. “My child didn’t want to sit still and he needed to be walked up and down the aisle 5,000 times,” Melnick, who was traveling solo with her son, told TODAY.com. “It was just such a draining experience.”

Melnick knew other moms deal with the same thing, and she thought there had to be a better way. Her solution: Nanny in the Clouds, a website that will match parents seeking in-flight babysitters with a fellow passenger on their flight who has experience caring for children.

Signing up is free, but once a match is made, parents pay $10 for an introduction to a potential babysitter. Then it’s up to the sitter and the parents to work out a fee — and to call the airline and ask to be seated together or request adjoining seats during check in.

“We're recommending the going rate, which is $10 to $20 an hour,” said Melnick. “But a lot of people are willing to pay a premium when they’re traveling.”

Nannies must provide two references upon signing up, but Nanny in the Clouds does not do background checks. “If they’re a teacher, a college student or a grandma, they are qualified in our eye,” said Melnick. Instead, the site encourages parents to do their homework and have phone conversations and/or an in-person meeting to ensure that the match is right.

TODAY.com asked some family travel experts to give Nanny in the Clouds the once over.

“My first reaction was: How lazy are parents that they can’t even watch their own children during a measly flight?” said Colleen Lanin, editor and founder of TravelMamas.com. But after thinking it over, she decided a sitter in the air could be a lifesaver for a mom or dad who is traveling solo with two or more young children. “It would also be a great service for parents who are prone to air sickness or who are nervous/phobic flyers,” said Lanin.

“I would predict more crying, not less,” said Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, editor-in-chief at We Just Got Back. “Most small kids would want to sit with their parents, not a stranger, on a flight.”

Airplane travel “takes the whole family out of their routine” by adding anxiety, excitement, and, usually, sleep deprivation, said travel comfort specialist Anya Clowers of JetwithKids.com. “If the timing and the match were correct, and parents remain in control by using the nanny mostly as an assistant to help, this may be a blessing.”  

For those who do hire an in-flight sitter, though, Clowers advises scheduling a get-to-know-you session before boarding. “A photo or Skype session prior to travel is a good idea so the nanny is not a stranger on the day of travel,” she said.

Nanny in the Clouds launched in November 2011, although Melnick said that, so far, no matches for in-flight sitters have been made.

“There are 30,000 flights a day, and right now it’s a long shot that there will be a registered sitter on the flight you’re on,” said Melnick. So within a few weeks the site will add a feature that allows travelers to search by city pairs instead of specific flight numbers. That will expand the options and allow a mom going from Los Angeles to Miami to choose a flight that already has a registered nanny.

While Melnick has high hopes for her service, she’s not the first to create a program that provides in-flight babysitters. One airline, Gulf Air, already offers specially trained Sky Nannies as a complimentary service on its wide-bodied aircraft flying long-haul flights and in its airport lounges.

Still, whether there’s a sitter on board or not, Clowers said, “Parents still need to take responsibility for their children and be prepared to meet their needs at 37,000 feet.”

Would you use the Nanny in the Clouds service? Tell us on Facebook.

Find more by Harriet Baskas on Stuck at The Airport.com and follow her on Twitter. 

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Many airplane passengers can’t stand flying within the same fuselage as children. In a survey of nearly 2,500 individuals by Travelzoo Australia, screaming children were named as the worst aspect of air travel by nearly 68 percent of respondents. Last year, Europe’s budget airline Ryanair introduced child-free flights and Malaysia Airlines banned babies from its first-class cabin on some flights.

Apparently travelers think airplanes should be Zen zones free from the noise, exuberance, and annoyance of children. But what’s a traveling parent to do? Rather than staying grounded until the kids go off to college, try these tips from family travel bloggers for handling kid-hating curmudgeons on airplanes:

Related: Readers react to 'kid-hating curmudgeons on planes'

Make friends
Jessica Bowers, author of SuitcasesandSippycups.com, suggests asking those seated nearby to tell you if your children are bothering them. She says, “I think just giving (other passengers) the freedom to complain makes them less cranky.”

Debbie Dubrow of DeliciousBaby.com says, “Once someone actually said ‘Just my luck’ as he sat down next to me, and I answered with a polite and friendly, ‘I'm sorry, I didn't hear you?’ which sent him back-peddling. He was actually quite polite for the rest of the trip.”

Some parents even recommend purchasing a round of drinks for neighboring passengers or passing out ear plugs to drown out any child-induced noisiness.

Keep kicking to a minimum

Avoid jostling your neighbors by removing children’s shoes; there will be less kicking if tootsies get sore from this unwanted behavior. Keep the tray table steady by choosing mellow activities and explaining to children how their behavior could disturb those seated in front of them.

Fly prepared
To avoid mid-flight meltdowns, pack toy sets, arts-and-crafts projects, and travel-sized games and puzzles. Bring along soft-covered books or download children’s stories to your smartphone or tablet. Even if you don’t allow television or video games at home, you may want to consider bending the rules to allow a bit of screen time, especially on a very long flight.

Pack snacks
Pack a wide variety of healthy snacks, all in their own small containers. Dole out goodies one at a time to keep mouths happily munching (and silent). You might want to bring a few special treats to hand out for good behavior toward the end of your journey. Sandra Foyt of AlbanyKid.com always keeps a few lollipops handy on flights, “for emergency purposes.”

Make an obvious effort
Parental involvement is key in keeping your offspring content in the close confines of an airplane cabin. Many travelers complain that it is not the children on planes that upset them, but their inattentive parents. Make an obvious display of your efforts to show you’re doing your best to soothe the wails of your crying baby or to diffuse your child’s tantrum.

Lisa Goodmurphy of GoneWithTheFamily.com says, “I think the most important thing when flying with kids is that your attention needs to be 100 percent focused on them. (Children) can’t be expected to know how to behave on a plane unless you teach them how.”

Ignore the haters
Other passengers may inwardly (or less often, outwardly) groan when you board with your offspring. Despite all of the negative polls and articles, not everyone on the plane will hate you. Many will be sympathetic to the sometimes stressful task of flying with children.

If all else fails, silently repeat this mantra, “This too shall pass.” Soon enough, your family will land safely at your destination. And remember, you will likely never have to see your fellow passengers ever again!

Do you have some tried-and-true tips when traveling with children? Tell us on Facebook.

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Colleen Lanin is the founder/editor of TravelMamas.com, a site for anyone who wants to travel with children…and stay sane!

Less-than-desirable seatmates on a flight include the drooler, the chatterbox and the space hog. These days, you could get someone who’s all three: a kid, with nary a parent in sight.

With airlines charging extra for more and more seats in coach, some families who want to sit together in the cheap seats can find themselves scattered about.

“The airlines aren't charging families to sit together, per se,” said Chris Elliott of Consumer Traveler. “They are charging extra for certain economy class seats. So if families want to sit together, and one of the seats is a premium seat, they'll have to pay for it. It's all a matter of perspective, I guess.”

Airlines stress that they do what they can to have families nestled together in the air, but that’s no guarantee.

NPR Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon recently tweeted his frustration upon discovering that booking tickets offered no assurance that he’d be sharing armrests with his two young daughters.

“If there's a problem in air, shouldn't parents be near children? Do you really want strangers entrusted to help them?” Simon tweeted.

Although Simon did not name the airline, American Airlines responded to his tweet, noting that for prices starting at $4 a seat, customers can get “preferred seats” in coach. Tim Smith, a spokesman for the airline later elaborated to msnbc.com, “We always try to seat the younger children in the party with parents and guardians, even if it cannot be worked out for the entire party.”

Seating fees are now as much a part of flying as jet fuel. United–Continental, for example, charges for the first several rows of economy, where there’s more legroom. Discount airlines AirTran Airways and Spirit Airlines charge passengers to reserve a specific seat. But no worries on Southwest Airlines, which doesn’t bother with seat assignments.

Elliott suggests that parents with scattered seat assignments get to the airport early and ask a gate agent to seat them together.  If that doesn’t work, talk to a flight attendant once onboard. And as a last resort, ask fellow passengers to make your flight a wee bit less stressful — just don’t try to trade away a center seat a nose away from the bathroom.

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Traveling with little ones this holiday season? Dana Points, editor-in-chief of Parents magazine, suggests these items to keep kids safe and occupied while on the road.

Béaba Stackable Formula & Snack Containers 
These stackable food containers can be filled with snacks for older kids or formula for infants. The hook on top allows each stack to attach to your purse or carry-on bag. $12, potterybarn.com 

QuickSmart 3-in-1 Travel Bassinet
This portable bassinet also folds into a changing station and diaper bag — great if you get stuck at an airport during a long delay — and provides everything you need for baby once you arrive at your destination. $69.99, amazon.com.

Go Anywhere Booster Seat from Polar Gear Baby
This on-the-go booster gives your child a secure seat right at the table and has a five-point restraint harness and three sets of adjustable straps to secure to a chair. $39.99, amazon.com.

Sock Ons
This adorable mom-invented innovation keeps socks snug on baby's feet. No more lost socks at the airport! $8, sockons.com

Pit Stop Potty Protectors
Any parent knows that traveling with toddlers means lots of pit stops. These disposable toilet seat covers keep little hands from touching the seat. $9.99, summerinfant.com.

Kalencom 2-in-1 Potette Plus
If you are road tripping, this full-size, potty-on-the-go will save you from having to try and find a restroom at a moment's notice. It uses self-absorbing, disposable liners that discard like a diaper. Put this in the trunk of your car and take it out when you need it. $11.99, kalencon.com

Travel Tot Childproofing Kit
Now you can childproof a room wherever you go. This kit includes a finger-pinch guard, electrical outlet plug covers, foam corner guards, door knob cover, cord wind-up, sliding door lock, cabinet lock, multi-purpose straps, water thermometer, bandages, forehead thermometer, and a "Shhh, Travel-Tot sleeping" door hanger. $24.95, travel-tot.com.

Original Seaband for Children
Kids who suffer from motion sickness can place these acupressure bands around their wrists the next time they travel by plane, train, boat or car. $10, drugstore.com

Zoobies Plush Blanket Pet
These stuffed animals double as a pillow and blanket. $35, zoobies.com.

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