Airbnbs are convenient for a great stay on your holiday or weekend getaway as long as you land the house you booked on the app and a reliable host. Now, super hosts may charge a little premium but they are always the best choice. You should also make sure you have ticked all the amenities you need and not assume that every house will have them. You can choose your must-have amenities in the additional filters and save yourself the disappointment when you arrive. It would help if you also remembered that your dream house doesn’t have to come on the first page. Just look carefully and make sure that anything you like ticks off your no-compromise list.
Do A Proper Background Research On The Neighborhood
Airbnb allows you to view maps in the app and look at other properties in a neighbourhood before you pay for a house. You should not ignore the map because it will tell you the type of neighbourhood and house you are booking into. You should check other amenities available to you including restaurants, parks and entertainment centres. You will also understand how far from the main road the house is and how easily you can access emergency services if you need any.
Read The Reviews
It is true that some listings may be good and not have any reviews. However, you don’t want to be the test subject of a property that hasn’t satisfied anyone before. Any hosts rated between 4.8 and 5 stars by at least five different clients should be your priority. You should go through the reviews carefully because they will give you a perfect idea of what you are paying for.
Don’t Prepay If You Are Not Sure
Unless it is an emergency, prepaying for an Airbnb is not a good idea. You will never be really sure if the house will be worth it until you get there. Many hosts give offers for prepaying where you get to spend less money but that is a commitment you can’t run away from if the house is not what you expected. It would be better to pay on arrival and after evaluating the property.
Check And Share The Location With Someone
While you don’t need anyone’s help booking a room on Airbnb, you still need someone on speed dial that knows where you are in case something goes wrong. You should therefore get familiar with the location of emergency services in the area and share the location with someone you trust. Having someone that knows where you are gives you an extra layer of security in case something goes wrong.
Contact The Host
The host will give you as much privacy as you want especially if they are not staying at or near the property. It is important for you to actually get in touch with the host and talk to them. Contacting the host will give you more information about the neighbours and the house that you won’t find on the website. Talking to the host also helps you create a relationship that can come in handy once you are staying at their property.
Read And Follow The House Rules
No smoking, no pets, no noise past 10, no eating in the bedroom and many more may be the list of rules you find in the Airbnb. Remember that Airbnb allows you to live in someone’s house. While you are paying, you have to respect their views and interests for a peaceful stay. Some of those rules could mean the difference between having a comfortable stay and going to jail if not something worse.
Read Your Host’s Profile
When you are gonna live in someone’s house, the least you can do is try and know them. You should go through their profile and see who they are and what they like. Some profiles will actually tell you whether someone is fake or trustworthy. You will also get to understand the place you are paying for better.
Keep Time
The time you gave in the booking is actually legally binding and when you fail to show up or check out on time, then you may be subject to violation of contract. You should check-in and check out at the time you agreed to. If you will be late or need more time to stay, you should get in touch with the host and make a convenient rearrangement.
Ask Those Hard Questions
While looking at photos, some things may look broken, outdated or out of place. Now, some may seem small but you may end up paying for them after leaving the house. You may also find some things in the amenities that are not stated clearly or not mentioned at all. While it may look like you are too entitled sometimes, it is better to know where you stand than be trapped while staying at the house. You shouldn’t be ignorant about any details, amenities and condition of the house and appliances while going into your room.
Take Photos
Sometimes, you may be the one to pay for that broken pitcher in the sink that you never broke. You may also find yourself in the hands of bad people that just try to take advantage of you. Anything that happens to and in the property is under your care as long as you are biked to stay there. You must therefore take photos of everything on arrival so that you have some evidence in case the host makes false claims.
Do you have any other tips regarding booking onto an Airbnb? Do you have a story to share with everyone? Why not tell us in the comments below.