Here is what you need to know about Airbnb
What is Airbnb? Airbnb is a vacation rental website that launched back in 2008. On Airbnb you will be able to book unique accommodations (like the giraffe manor, or this treehouse **need links**), entire homes, apartments, single rooms in a larger unit, and shared-room accommodation. Recently, Airbnb has begun to offer travellers “experiences” when they stay in major cities like San Francisco. These experiences are intended to give the traveler the local experience.
Many travelers use Airbnb because it makes them feel like they are getting the local’s experience, as opposed to staying in a hotel. Also, travelers who prefer hotels might looks to Airbnb when traveling to a city where they have been unable to book a hotel room due to lack of availabilty.
Like with Uber, before you get started, check if any of your friends or family members have an account on Airbnb.com. Existing users can give their unique promotion code to people new to Airbnb, and both parties will receive some credit toward their next booking on Airbnb.
Once you have set-up an account, fill in your profile. Next, search the city or town you wish to stay in, select a date range for your stay, and narrow down the options by selecting the necessities you are looking for (e.g. wifi, laundry in-unit, pets ok).
Scroll through each of the options that match your search qualifications and click on specific places that look like they would be a good fit for your trip. Also, look at the “host” rating to make sure that the owner of the place is trustworthy and that their place is as-advertised + hasn’t received any negative feedback.
Message the owner of the place you wish to book with any questions, and your booking request.
When the host accepts your booking request, you will be on your way to staying in a new city like a local!
The host will provide you with a set of instructions and house rules before you show-up at the door. These will include instructions about how to find the hidden key or what time they will meet you at the place to hand over a key in person. The house rules sheet will include information about things like how to use the BBQ and instructions to unplug all lights and lock-up before leaving. Ensure that you follow these instructions, since when you move out, the host will leave a review for you that will be visible on your account.
You will also have the opportunity to leave a review about the place and the host. This is a good time to address any things your particularly enjoyed about the place or the host. If there was a problem you were unable to mitigate with the host or accommodation while you were staying there, leaving a review to let other guests know about the issue can help others ahead of time.
Written by Luray Joy. Republished with permission of MyDiscoveries.