Airbnb tips for guests

Have you ever considered staying at an Airbnb?

If you want more space than a standard hotel room, along with a full kitchen, deck or patio, and an entire place to yourself, maybe an Airbnb is right for you. But how do you find a good Airbnb? I’m going to give you some tips.

It can take some research to find the right Airbnb for you. The Airbnb in this photo was in Wilmington, NC. Even though I did my research and checked out the photos and reviews, the “Waterview” was not quite what we expected and the entrance was 3 stories up using these outdoor steps.

It turned out to be a great place, but sometimes you don’t get exactly what you think you are getting.

NOTE: This post is not sponsored by Airbnb, these tips and opinions are my own

History

After moving to San Francisco in 2007, roommates Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia came up with the idea of putting an air mattress in their living room and turning it into a bed and breakfast. In 2008, Nathan Blecharczyk joined them as the third co-founder of “AirBed & Breakfast”. They created a website to offer short-term living quarters and breakfast for those who were unable to book a hotel room during a time when they were hard to find. Their first website was; Airbedandbreakfast.com, which was shortened to Airbnb.com in 2009.

Reasons to choose Airbnb

We have almost exclusively changed from hotel visitors to Airbnb renters. Why? It’s because of the endless choices and possibilities! Here are some of our reasons;

• Unique and interesting spaces
• Great locations
• You can get all the amentities you are looking for
• It’s your own private space
• Many include a patio or balcony
• You can blend in and become a “local” for awhile
• The pricing will fit your budget
• Some SuperHosts treat you like Royalty

We only rent “entire places” and we have only rented with Airbnb in the US, so that’s what I will be talking about here. Airbnb also offers other options such as; Private rooms(sharing common spaces), Hotel rooms, Guest rooms, or Shared rooms.

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Unique and interesting spaces

Would you like to stay in a vintage Airstream camper? or maybe a houseboat? You can even stay in a treehouse!

These are just a few of the unique and interesting spaces that an Airbnb rental can offer.

In Alaska, you can stay in an igloo, in Arizona you can stay in a cave. You might also choose a repurposed Trolley car or an updated barn!

We enjoyed our condo on the Occoquan River in Occoquan VA.

Here are just a few of the options available with an Airbnb Rental;

• Vintage Camper
• Igloo
• Cave
• Trolley car
• Barn
• Tiny House
• Cabin
• Cottage
• Bungalow
• Guest House
• Basement apartment
• Condo

Airbnb Tips for guests

Downloading the app on your phone is the easiest way to find your Airbnb. You will be asked a few questions in order to find your choices of places to stay.

1. The first thing to do is choose where you are going, the app will ask you “Where are you going?”. You can choose an entire state or a specific location. You could also choose a landmark such as; Blue Ridge Mountains or Gulf of Mexico.
2. Next question is “What are you looking for?”. You have 3 choices; Find a place to stay, Find a monthly stay, Find an experience. We have only chosen Find a place to stay.
3. The third chose you must make is what dates? “When will you be there?” Do you have specific dates in mind or are you flexible?
4. The last question before you see your places is, “Who’s coming?” How many Adults, Children, and Infants?

After answering those 4 questions, you will see the map of the location you chose and a list of the places available for your stay. This is when I go back and add my filters. These are found at the top of your screen to the right of your dates(2 little lines). The app will give you a list of popular filters to choose from. Your choices are unique to you alone! It just depends on your needs and preferences. Here are a just few of the options available;

• Free parking on premises
• Wifi
• Entire place
• Kitchen
• Pets allowed
• TYPE OF PLACE – Entire place, Private room, Hotel room
• PRICE RANGE – choose lowest to highest price you are looking for on scale
• ROOMS AND BEDS – How many beds, bedrooms, bathrooms do you need
• AMENITIES – Kitchen, Heating, AIr Conditioning, Washer/Dryer, Indoor Fireplace, TV, Waterfront, and more
• FACILITIES – Gym, Hot tub, Pool, EV charger
• PROPERTY TYPE – House, Apartment, Bed and Breakfast, Cabin, Condo, and more
• UNIQUE STAYS – Campsite, Farm stay, Tent
• HOUSE RULES – Pets allowed, Smoking allowed
• Language choices

There are a few filters that we choose EVERY time. They are “Entire Place”, “Free Cancellation”, and “Superhost”. These filters are personal choices, but I do suggest that you look for SuperHosts and the Free cancellation option. A Host must meet certain requirements to be labeled a Superhost, one of which is maintaining a 4.8 overall guest rating. We choose the free cancellations option because sometimes plans can change and you could be out a lot of money very quickly!

I have seen many listings that only provide free cancellation for 48 hours after booking and it must be 14 days before check-in. After that, you may only get a 50% refund. It’s important to look at the listing to see what that Host’s Cancellation policy is. Usually, you pay 50% of the rent when you book your place and the remainder in 30 days. Make sure you find out what the payment options are so you don’t have any surprises later.

Photos & Description

It’s important to look at the photos carefully. Some people have very professional-looking photos, but the angles can make the size of the place look bigger than it really is. Others have not-so-good-looking photos, but the place might be amazing. It can be a little tricky to judge the place on the photos alone. Try to judge the size of the living room by how many chairs they have. In the bathroom, how big is the shower? does it have a tub? Look at the bedroom and see how much room there is around the bed. If they say it is waterfront, look for a photo of a deck, or patio that overlooks the water. Is there water or beach access close by?

Sometimes, the outside spaces are just as important as the inside. Does it have a patio or deck? Are there enough chairs and a table for eating outside? Is there a yard, grill, or firepit?

It’s very important to read the full description, there is tons of information about the place and surrounding area in the description. It can also give you a sense of what the Host is like and how much they care about your comfort. The description can also tell you what is expected of you, maybe they don’t allow anyone else in the place but you(no parties), it might describe where the parking is located, or if pets are allowed. The description can tell you about the location and what the nearby town has to offer, it can tell you what you will find in the space(snacks, coffee, breakfast items), it can tell you about how to gain access. You might want to know if the Host lives nearby in case you need something or have a problem.

Each of us has different needs when it comes to our vacations. Some of us are more social than others. You may want to meet the Hosts or you may be looking for complete privacy.

Guest Reviews

This may be one of the most important tips! You must read the guest reviews! I know that there are professional reviewers, so you will have to discern whether the review is real or not. I think if you read enough reviews, you will be able to figure out if this is a good place, an ok place, or a fantastic place! Make sure there are plenty of reviews!

In Conclusion…

Choosing to rent an Airbnb can be a great option over a conventional hotel. There are so many unique and interesting spaces! How often can you stay in an Igloo, Cave, repurposed Barn, or even a Treehouse! I’m confident that you will find a great Airbnb wherever you are going on your next vacation! They are located in almost every corner of the United States!

Have you already rented an Airbnb? I would love to hear about your experience, please leave a comment below.

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