Something in the air but not the usual B&B

For those looking for a getaway and the chance to stay somewhere different, Airbnb is becoming an increasingly popular way to find the perfect holiday accommodation.

As well as providing alternatives to traditional hotels and bed and breakfasts, it has given homeowners to chance to make money from renting out everything from single rooms to entire houses or flats.

Hosts can list their room or property on the website and name their price. Travellers can then look through the available listings and choose where they want to stay.

Guests say the benefits include having a much wider selection, whatever their budget, when looking for somewhere to stay and being able to contact the owners directly through the website.

Airbnb launched in 2008 and now boasts three million listings throughout the globe in more than 65,000 cities and 191 countries across the world.

Many are modest homes but there are also many unusual properties such as a luxury treehouse in Georgia, Atlanta, a house boat in Amsterdam and a whole private island near Ottawa, Canada.

It recent years, Airbnb has taken off here too and last summer alone 1.6 million guests were welcomed for stays the UK.

And it has certainly been embraced by hundreds of homeowners across the Black Country, Staffordshire and Shropshire, who have listed everything from their spare rooms and family homes to gardens, shepherd's huts and luxury pads in stately houses.

For £18 a night you can set up camp in a 'secret garden' near Lightmoor, Telford or stay in a wooden chalet near Shrewsbury for £35 per night.

While a double room in a house near Milking Bank Park in Dudley will cost £25 per night and a studio flat in Cannock town centre will cost £45.

And, for a limited time only, those wanting a taste of grandeur can rent two floors at Grade I-listed Davenport House in Worfield for £7,000 per night.

Among those who have turned to Airbnb to make an income is Laura Lightbody, who has created a 'secret garden' for campers at her home near Lightmoor, Telford.

The rural idyll costs £18 per night and allows up to around seven guests to pitch up their own tents or hire those belonging to the owners for a refundable deposit.

The 35-year-old teacher said: "We have been doing it for almost three years now and it's getting huge in the UK. It was almost purely German, Dutch and American guests for the first year or so.

"We live in the main house but allow our guests freedom and privacy to enjoy their camp as they wish. We are currently building a log chalet on the Secret Garden for larger group bookings."

Mother of three Laura says it has enabled her to work from home and spend more time with her children.

"I've got a five-year old, three-year-old, a 22-month old and another one will be here in two months' time so it fits in really well while my children are little. The kids can 'help' me with Airbnb and I don't miss a minute of them," she added.

Guests wanting a taste of luxury at the recently refurbished Davenport House in Worfield currently have several options including booking two floors in the main house for £7,000 a night.

They can also opt for one of the cottages in the grounds for £90 a night for a seven-night stay or the group of properties at a cost of £2,000 for a weekend stay. All options include catering opportunities from the house.

But they need to be quick because owner Lizzie Adams said it was a 'one-off' opportunity and only available between the end of July and September.

"We are launching as a luxury wedding venue in September but as a one-off opportunity we are letting people book the house and the cottages so they can be lord of the manor at Davenport and have their own country estate for the weekend. There is a concierge team on site so we can pamper to their every whim," she added.

"I love Airbnb because it's very cool and trendy. It tends to attract a younger demographic and the market we are trying to attract for weddings.

"It also casts a wider net all over the country for people looking for somewhere to stay and there are some unique places available," said Lizzie.

Airbnb is not just popular with hosts, guests say they particularly enjoy the variety of accommodation it offers and also that it means they are not just limited to staying where there are available hotels or bed and breakfasts.

Office worker Leigh Sanders, aged 29, from Walsall, used Airbnb to a four double bedroom apartment to share with friends in Edinburgh in April. "We were able to find somewhere much more affordable than a hotel and it was in a good location, close to everything we needed.

"The only issue we had was that we arrived four hours earlier than we expected and we couldn't contact the owner because they were in a meeting.

"We took a punt, went to our accommodation anyway and thankfully the key was in the key box so we could get in.

"Otherwise we could have been left with all of our luggage and nowhere to go. If it had been a hotel then turning up earlier wouldn't have been a problem. But this was the only real issue along with the bathrooms being a let down because there was just one full bathroom, a separate toilet and an extra shower in a cupboard, which isn't a lot for the number of people in the apartment.

"I do like that you can contact the owner ahead of your stay to check details about the accommodation such as has it got this or has it got that?

"It's also good because a lot of hotels will be in the same area so it gives you the option of staying somewhere else that's better located for what you want to do."