With the rise of platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo, short-term vacation rentals have become an increasingly popular alternative to hotels. In the age of COVID-19, many travelers prefer the option to avoid the person-to-person contact of staying at a busy hotel by booking a single-family home instead.

But there are safety concerns that arise with the vacation rental experience.

While many hotels have security guards and someone at a front desk keeping an eye on the property 24/7, Airbnbs do not, Cheryl Nelson , a travel preparedness expert and founder of Prepare with Cher, told HuffPost. If you have a concern at an Airbnb, there usually isnt a manager or employee on-site or another room you may move to. If youre traveling solo and need help, a hotel will typically have people on staff 24/7 to assist, while Airbnbs may not.

Over the years, companies like Airbnb and Vrbo have taken steps to improve safety from banning parties to providing safety checklists to establishing a Trust & Safety Advisory Coalition .

Staying at a short-term rental property is generally safe, said Jeremy Prout, director of security solutions at International SOS . Like booking any accommodation, the traveler needs to ensure they understand the risk of the neighborhood and take general precautions that they would for staying anywhere. Many of the concerns about safety and privacy issues are driven by viral videos or posts that are not consistent with the overall experience.

Rare or not, dangerous can things happen during travel, including at vacation rentals. That said, there are ways to diminish the risks.

Below, experts share the safety steps travelers should take when they arrive at a vacation rental. They also offered some advice for keeping safety in mind when booking these accommodations.

1. Check for cameras.

Ask the host if there are security cameras so there is full disclosure, Nelson advised. Hidden cameras are prohibited, but for your own privacy, you may want to do a scan inside the house to make sure you dont unwillingly end up on camera.

Airbnb specifically prohibits hidden cameras or other recording devices and requires hosts to disclose the presence of any such implements. Recording devices are also not permitted in private spaces like bedrooms and bathrooms, though they are allowed in common areas.

Vrbo doesnt allow any sort of surveillance devices inside its properties, though hosts are allowed to place cameras outside the home, so long as their locations are shared with guests. Still, over the years, there have been several news stories about travelers discovering hidden cameras in their vacation rentals .

Theyre typically in areas where you would expect privacy, said travel safety consultant Kevin Coffey . Think smoke detectors in bedrooms, light fixtures in bathrooms, even alarm clocks next to beds.

He emphasized these concealed recording device instances are rare and that many hosts simply install visible cameras in permitted areas due to the countless incidents of guests trashing rental properties during their stays. Still, if youre concerned about hidden cameras, there are ways to check for them when you arrive.

You can use a Wi-Fi checker, Coffey said, noting that network-scanning apps like Fing can inform guests of any unknown devices that are connected to the Wi-Fi.

Keep an eye out for objects that appear to be altered or out of place, and if you have suspicions, consider draping a piece of clothing over them.

Use a flashlight with the lights off to look for reflections off camera lenses, Nelson suggested. Peer into vents covers and other openings in the wall where a small camera could be hidden. Unscrew and inspect smoke alarms and other wall- or ceiling-mounted appliances.