Being a Temporary Local with Airbnb

 

Airbnb has become our go-to for both local and international  in the last few years.  Part of the travel experience that we crave is being a temporary local and booking with Airbnb has helped us with that.   Staying at houses of wonderful hosts that have been vetted and reviewed by other travelers has been a great experience for us.  It gives us a sense of living in that community.  Pulling up into the driveway or walking up to the door of a home gives a sense of belonging or being a part of that place, even if it’s just temporary.

 

Here are some advantages of booking with Airbnb:

1.  Local hosts who are generally happy to give recommendations and tips on places to eat at or go.  It’s like having a friend who knows the place and is eager to let you know where their favorite spots are.

 

2.  Savings on accommodation cost can range from 20-50% less than staying at a hotel in the same area.

3.  Choice of wonderfully uniques homes.  A houseboat in Amsterdam, an exquisitely decorated apartment overlooking the Plaza Mayor in Madrid and a Soviet-era apartment in East Berlin are among our favorite Airbnb stays that truly made our time in these cities unforgettable.

 

4.  Curated lists that help you decide on the location within the city with their Neighborhood Guide to stay or push your travel imagination to the limit with truly unique accommodations with Airbnb Picks.

 

Be advised, though: some amount of diligence, flexibility and patience will serve you well to make the most out of an Airbnb experience.

Some of the things to watch out for to limit the risk of an unpleasant stay:

1.  Review the listing page carefully.  Check for the total amount that includes the service and cleaning fees.   Make sure that it has the amenities that are a must-have for you (parking, elevator, WiFi, private bathroom, etc.).  Read the host’s house rules and cancellation policies.

2.  Read the reviews and get a general sense of what past travelers think of the place.  Some people can be overly generous with their compliments while others are critical of even the smallest detail.  When possible, book a place with several reviews to get a sense of the predominant impression of the listing.

3.  Make sure you have offline contact information of your host or their representative in case of last minute changes in arrival time, a leak or some other issue with the house.  Inform them immediately so that they can make the necessary adjustments and to save you for having to be responsible for any fees.

4.  Give some leeway in your schedule to allow for delays in meeting up with the host to get or surrender the keys.  Most hosts are working folks themselves with their own busy schedules.   Stay in constant communication in order to minimize delays in your plans.

4.  With the ever-growing popularity of the website, there are agents or representatives who manage properties for friends or clients.  This takes away some of the original connection between the visitor and the owner.  It is not necessarily a bad thing, but don’t expect the same home-y feeling that a host would give you as he/she shows you around their home.
In this age of the sharing economy, Airbnb’s person to person transaction platform is a great way to satisfy the savvy traveller’s desire to seek out experiential travel.