Top 5 Things to Look for When Booking An Airbnb
Airbnb has easily become one of the best hospitality platforms in the past few years. They have a wide range of accommodation types: tree houses, yurts, houseboats, hostels, apartments - you name it - all offering unique experiences in many locations across the world. With so many options, how do you know you’ve picked the right one? I’ve experienced some amazing Airbnbs and some…not so great ones as well. But over time, I’ve learned what to look for to ensure I’m getting exactly what I want. Here are five things to look for when booking an Airbnb.
Location
Location, location, location. The point of having an Airbnb is to enjoy the city you’re visiting as a local would and how would you do that if you’re not staying in the most central location? Or what if you want to stay on the outskirts for a more relaxing experience? I recommend doing a bit of research on what neighborhood you’re staying in before searching for Airbnbs. Once you’ve got that down, you can type the neighborhood and city name directly into the search bar (see pic above).
This will populate homes located in that specific neighborhood. You can also use the map feature to search within a specific area (i.e. near a popular landmark). Click the “search as I move the map” option for interactive results.
Try different home types
Not only are there different property types such as bungalows and lofts, but you can also choose the home type. Keep in mind these different types affect the overall cost. The flexibility allows you to switch it up depending on your budget and trip type. For example, I got a private room during a solo trip in Barcelona since I hadn’t done much research beforehand and wanted to communicate with my host often (who lived in the apartment). I saved money with this option. For a girls trip to Cuba, five of us got the entire place with 5 bedrooms so we had more privacy and space to ourselves. Although this was pricier, the total cost was split across five people. Here are the options Airbnb offers:
Entire place: You get the entire place to yourself, no host in the space with you. The costlier option.
Private room: You get a bedroom to yourself but you share common spaces with others such as the bathroom, kitchen, living area. Cheaper option than having the entire place.
Hotel room: Similar to the previous but within a hotel. This also means you will likely have a housekeeping option which standard Airbnbs don’t offer. Pricing can vary depending on the hotel or hostel.
Shared room: Share a bedroom and common spaces with others, similar to a hostel. My least favorite option, but if you don’t mind it - it’s the cheapest of all options.
Use the filters
Airbnb has a lot of filters and often add more to allow for more customization when searching. Filters can range from amenities (iron, TV, washer/dryer, etc) to property types (bungalows, loft, cottage, etc).
These are great if you’re specific on what you’re looking for and/or need. For example, if you’re travelling with a child - you can filter through the amenities and select homes with a crib. If you only want to see homes with a pool, you can filter that as well. If you’re driving there and want parking you can filter that as well. View the full, evolving list of filters here.
Tip: Keep in mind the more you filter, the less options you’ll see. Getting too specific removes a lot of great homes from your results.
Aesthetic
I judge an Airbnb by its appearance. Despite the fact that you will only be sleeping and showering there, the overall vibe is so key. You’ll encounter so many options, that something needs to set your choice apart. I look for modern furnishings, charming appeal, balcony (if possible), large windows, high ceilings-to name a few. This also obviously depends on where you’re going, since not all cities will offer such accommodations. Although, I try to be flexible when it comes to choosing by appearance, you can still have a great experience is an average looking space. Rule of thumb: match the Airbnb to the trip vibe for the most authentic experience.
Reviews
The most important of them all, of course. Reviews are provided by trusted members of the Airbnb community. They rate the homes for accuracy, communication with the host, location, check-in process, overall value, and cleanliness. You can also review detailed reviews as they recount their personal experience with the host and property. Lastly, you can search for key words within the reviews. For example, if you want to know what people are saying about the location only, type in “location.”
