A Plum Guide Review: What to Know About Plum Guide

This Plum Guide review will break down why I think this is one of the best places to book your luxury accommodations for your next trip.

I only recently discovered Plum Guide and have already had an incredible experience at one of their properties in Milan.

When I travel I almost always prefer staying in apartments or private condos to staying in hotels. And while I used to not care much about where I stayed when I traveled in my 20s (it being the cheapest was the only prerequisite!), the older I get, the more important a good night’s sleep has become.

I have also discovered the value of a well-stocked kitchen, a clean bathroom, a place located in a bustling and safe neighborhood, strong WiFi, and a balcony that faces the sun.

Here’s why I think Plum Guide should be your new go-to booking website for your vacation accommodation.

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What is Plum Guide?

Plum Guide is a website where you can book apartments, condos, houses, and villas around the world that have been carefully selected by the Plum Guide Team.

Unlike other booking sites like Airbnb or Booking.com where you simply list your property and then leave it up to the reviewers to tell people how good (or bad) a place is, Plum Guide sift through all applications and choose only the top 3% of properties in a given location.

They send someone to personally inspect the property and give very accurate and honest descriptions about the property, the good and the bad. They have photos that were not taken on someone’s old cell phone and they offer advice for making the most of the property.

The best thing about Plum Guide that you won’t get from any other booking website, is that you can actually speak to a person on their team when you have a question at any point in the booking process.

Even if you are simply planning your trip and want to talk to someone who can help you narrow down your options or help you choose the best for your needs, they’re there on the chat and even ON THE PHONE to help you. That, for me, is above and beyond what I expect and it is what will keep me coming back to Plum Guide going forward.

There are so many stylish properties on Plum Guide to check out around the world.

How to Use Plum Guide

Plum Guide is very easy to use.

When you get to the homepage, you will immediately be able to enter the location of the city where you want to go on vacation. You then select the dates and how many people will be staying at the property.

You then click the big yellow “Search” button and it will bring you to a page with both a map and a list of all of the available properties.

This is the Plum Guide homepage.

From here you can zoom into the exact neighborhood you want to stay in and in the top right corner you can also add filters such as how many bedrooms or bathrooms you need, whether you are looking for an apartment or a house, and what features are a must such as WiFi or air conditioning.

You can create a list of favorites for each location so that you can make comparisons or save your favorite homes to book for a future date (I have a very long list of those right now).

Once you select a property, you will be able to read a short description, view all of the photos of the property, see the amenities that are included, who your host is, and whether or not the host is a business or an individual, as well as tons more details about what to see nearby, how far it is to walk to the nearest metro or bus stop, and some “home truths” where they share some of the downsides of each apartment as well.

This split screen is such a great way to see the properties that are in the neighborhood in the city that you want to actually stay in.

Plum Guide Matchmakers

One of my favorite services that Plum Guide offers is what they call the Plum Guide Matchmaker.

For example, let’s say you are planning a trip to Cabo with five friends who all want their own rooms and are willing to pay between $100 and $150 USD per person, and you know you want to know which of the apartments is going to be best, you can actually send Plum Guide a Whatsapp Message or call them on their US or UK phone number and speak to someone directly.

They will help you create a shortlist of the best properties that fit your budget, location, dates, and any other needs you may have.

This service is completely free of charge. You will still book the property yourself in the same way that I explained above, but you have had someone helping you figure out the best fit for you and your squad all for free.

You can of course, also contact the hosts or owners of the properties that you are looking at staying in, just like on other similar booking sites. This would also help you quickly get answers to any questions you have about a specific property that you are looking at.

Instead of reviews, this is the thorough home tests that each home goes through in order to be on Plum Guide.

But There are No Customer Reviews?

If you are used to using websites like Airbnb or Booking.com, then you may be surprised to scroll through the properties and not see any customer reviews on the apartment or house.

How do you know if it’s legit? Are the photos are really what the apartment looks like or is the bed actually comfortable?

Because if those things were true, then Plum Guide wouldn’t have chosen it as one of their properties.

They are so selective with the properties that they display on the website and SO honest about what you can expect from each place, that you don’t need to worry about what Joe or Mary think of the property.

There are so many criteria that each property goes through in order to be chosen for Plum Guide.

In fact, when I stayed at this property in Milan, I reached out to Plum Guide afterward just to let them know that the internet sometimes cut in and out and although the owner of the property was helpful, it did require me to reset it once.

After I told them this, they added that information to the property information. You can see it now says under Home Truths that “The Wi-Fi can be temperamental.”

They adjusted the information to make sure that the next person to check out this property knows that the internet can be a bit hit or miss. That’s incredible service and honesty and makes me trust them so much more.

the plum guide system for reviewing a home

Properties are constantly being re-assessed to make sure that they always meet the criteria, not just in the initial phases.

Positives of Plum Guide

Customer Service is unbeatable: I am honestly so blown away by the customer service that I have received each and every time I use Plum Guide. I believe that alone is worth the price that you pay. You can actually speak to a real person each and every time you have a question. Responses are prompt and thorough and you always get a direct answer to your questions or concerns. It never feels like they are just trying to sell you something, they are trying to make your trip planning better and easier.
Trustworthy Information: The team at Plum Guide take their customers seriously and they want to make sure you know everything you want to know about a property before you book it. Like I mentioned above, they actually changed the information on the listing for the property where I stayed because I told them about the WiFi problem. There are no secrets and no hiding things from their customers and I respect that so much. You can trust this website and company with your vacation and know that you are going to have an amazing trip because of the place you stay, not despite it.
An Abundance of luxury properties around the world: There are tons of properties on this website including a huge selection in some of my favorite cities in the world like Mexico City, Paris, London, Rome, Madrid, and Edinburgh. However, there are also some seriously beautiful properties in rural England, upstate New York, the Tuscan countryside, and
Luxury properties that don’t break the bank: While they are indeed a higher-end booking website and all of the properties on here are of an amazing quality, you will find plenty of options that sit anywhere between $95 and $150 per night. That’s less than some motels off the highway in the US. I have a few apartments in my favorites list that are little studios in city centers around Europe that are about $100 a night and they are perfect for weekend city breaks. I’ll link to some of them below.
Dream Properties (that may break the bank): There are castles and stately homes on here, mansions with beach access, and mountaintop properties with snow-capped views. There are literally dream properties on here that you would struggle to be able to find elsewhere and while they may vary between $1500 all the way up to $10,000 per night, if you are looking to create the trip of a lifetime like a honeymoon or celebratory trip with friends (you could rent the castle for an intimate wedding!), then this is the place to find your dream stay.

There are so many properties on there that I would normally feel like I couldn’t afford, but they are actually incredibly well-priced.

Downsides of Plum Guide

The price point prices some people out (including me sometimes): If you are a budget or even mid-range traveler who tries to keep the budget to under $100 USD per night, you will struggle to find places on here. That being said, if you are traveling with friends and you want to rent a place with two or three bedrooms, you can definitely find places on here that between two or three people will keep your budget below $100 per person.
They’re not everywhere (yet): I am planning a trip to Athens this summer and was bummed to see that they didn’t have any cool apartments (or any properties) in the city. Ditto for my new favorite Italian city, Bergamo. There’s absolutely nothing in Poland or Lithuania at the moment. It seems like they are adding new properties all the time, so I’m hopeful that they will only continue to grow, but for now, you may not be able to use it for absolutely all of your travels.

The bedroom of the Plum Guide apartment I stayed at in Milan.

My Top Picks for Plum Guide

I mentioned above that I have a huge list of apartments and houses favorited as I look at different trips I plan to take in the next 12 months or so.

If you are wondering which places I have selected that I think are absolutely great value-for-money, check out these spots.

Top Plum Guide Apartments in Paris

Meslay VIII – $180 per night studio. Book here.
Mélodie – $163 per night. Beautifully finished one bedroom with a small kitchen. Book here.
El Nido – $189 per night. Bright and clean loft in a stunning old building. Book here.
Floating Heads – $159 per night. One bedroom super stylish apartment in the cutest cobbled lane you’ve ever seen. Book here.
Acapulco Beach – $173 per night. One bedroom STUNNING apartment with so much natural light and a beautiful little balcony just off of the Champs Elysee. Might have to book it right now for me actually. Book here.

Top Picks in Lake Como

Stone Curves – $171 per night. This one-bedroom apartment is what my Lake Como dreams are made of. It is in an old stone building but has modern glass and industrial touches that I absolutely love. Book here.
Como Cosmos – $474 per night. This two-bedroom home is perfect for two couples or a family trip to Lake Como with incredible views, over-the-top furniture, and a stunning rooftop balcony that you will want to spend all your time drinking prosecco on. Book here.
On the Banks – $303 per night. A one-bedroom luxury apartment inside an ancient Italian Villa. Book here.

Top UK Plum Guide Apartments

Counting Stars – $203 per night. This two-bedroom house in West Yorkshire is the perfect getaway for a group of friends or a family escape from the city. It has an incredible outdoor space with a fire pit and picnic table where you can stay out on those long British summer nights. Book here.
Royal Roads – $161 per night. This studio apartment in downtown Manchester is the perfect place for a city break in what I think is one of the coolest cities in the UK. Book here.
Tu-Whit Tu-Whoo – $139 per night. This one-bedroom cottage in Devon is what my Devonshire dreams are made of. It is quaint and well decorated and surrounded by nature. Book here.

Top Pick for Plum Guide in Mexico City

Emilia – $189 per night. This two-bedroom apartment in Roma Norte is the perfect apartment for a girl’s getaway. The balcony is a real selling point for me. Book here.
City Chic – $182 per night. This one-bedroom apartment has a sort of indoor/outdoor vibe with a huge balcony attached to the bedroom with sliding doors that make you feel like you’re sleeping under the stars. Book here.
La Boca – $202 per night. Luxurious 2-bedroom apartment in the city’s most luxurious neighborhood, Polanco. What’s not to love? Book here.

Final Thoughts on Plum Guide Review

This is definitely a luxury product and service, but I think you get what you pay for when it comes to holiday accommodation.

I have not found anything else like Plum Guide out there that offers such incredible customer service, such a wide array of properties, and such a huge range of price points.

I am so excited to stay in some of the properties that I’ve listed as well as others I discover as I plan future travels.

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