Looking for a simple Airbnb guide? You've come to the right place! I first used Airbnb for a weekend break to Bath in 2017. It's now one of the first places I look for accommodation when I'm planning a trip in the UK or abroad. I've used it to book places to stay in Dublin, Copenhagen and New York.
If you're thinking about using Airbnb for the first time but aren't sure where to start, I've put together this mini guide which should hopefully answer any questions you might have. If I've missed anything, feel free to drop me a tweet!
What is airbnb?
Airbnb is a platform which connects people who have holiday rental properties (or spare rooms) with people who want to rent them. You can also use it to book experiences and browse restaurants in the location you're visiting.
Why use airbnb?
There are several reasons why I've used Airbnb in the past. In my experience it often works out cheaper than a hotel, and if you book an apartment it gives you more space. Some airbnbs also have a kitchen or self-catering facilities, so you can save additional £££s by not having to eat out for every meal.
How does it work?
Head online or download the airbnb app and enter the destination you're looking for into the search bar. Don't forget to enter the dates you're planning to visit and the number of guests! Airbnb will then show you available homes (and experiences) in that location.
You can also add additional filters to narrow your search. For example, I always enter my price budget and make sure I'm only viewing accommodation marked as "Entire Place," because I usually want to stay somewhere private, as apposed to a spare room in someone's house.
There are different types of properties you can book, ranging from tree houses to mini mansions. You'll also come across different types of hosts. For example when I stayed at an Airbnb in Dublin I received instructions (including access codes) on how to get into the building and apartment via email, so I never met the hosts in person. However when I went to Copenhagen our host met us at the apartment to hand over the keys. We had a great chat and he recommended us places to eat in the local area. My best advice is to read the listing careful and check out the reviews to make sure you're happy.
When you're ready to book, you'll be asked to sign up for an account, create a profile and submit a form of ID. This is just so Airbnb can verify that you are who you say you are.
Would I recommend airbnb?
I've only ever had positive experiences with Airbnb, so will always recommend it. I've heard stories of people who have had issues where the host has cancelled at the last minute or they've arrived and found the place wasn't what they were expecting. However extreme horror stories are rare, and Airbnb is generally considered safe as long as you follow their safety tips and use common sense.
As a final note, it's worth mentioning that Airbnb isn't available in every country or city. It also doesn't always work out cheaper, so always compare against local hotels if price is important to you.
Have you ever used Airbnb? If you've not used it before, you can use my referral link to get ££s off your fist booking (click here!)
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I'm always looking at airbnb when we book a trip but I've not stayed in one yet - maybe 2019 will be the year! <3
G is for Gingers xx
Thank you so much for this post, I've always been curious about Airbnb but never used them because of the so-called horror stories. My fear would be arriving in a foreign country with my family and then finding our accommodation had been cancelled. But I hadn't thought about using them in the UK first, which is a great option. I'm bookmarking this for future help, thank you. And I hope you enjoyed your trips to Bath, my home town! Lisa x
Thank you, I loved Bath, it's such a beautiful city!
Yes if you're nervous I'd recommend trying it in the UK first. My mum and stepdad spent 2 weeks travelling around Scotland and the north of England last year and used Airbnbs for the whole trip. Saved them a fortune!
This is a brilliant post Sam!
I personally have never used Airbnb but have often wondered about it and never really known much about how it works.
I think now, after reading your post, I'll be considering a stay in one much more!
Liv x
http://www.seabreezecorner.com
Thank you so much Liv, I'm glad to hear you found it useful! x
Airbnb can be a strange one, I've had a very weird experience with the last place we stayed and it put me off.
That said I've also found somewhere we go back to over and over.
Oh no, I'm sorry to hear you had a bad experience with them! Although it's good you've found somewhere you can return to again and again.
I love using Airbnb when I am travelling, it just gives you so much more freedom and flexibility than a hotel.
I've loads of bad things about Airbnb so that has put me off in the past, but I was thinking about all of the bad reviews hotels get and we still visit. This year will be my year I actually visit an airbnb, as accommodation is usually so expensive!
That's a good way of thinking about it! I've stayed in hotels which have had a few negative reviews online, but when we arrived we found they were perfectly fine.
Airbnbs are always look so much more unique and interesting than hotels - I have never actually tried them myself though! Deffo need to rectify that soon
http://www.theemeralddove.co.uk
I've never used airbnb before - I've always been a bit worried and skeptical tbh! Although I'd love to visit Amsterdam soon so I think this would be a great option for that!
Jenny
http://www.jennyinneverland.com
It's definitely worth looking in to! When I went to Amsterdam a couple of years ago we actually found it cheaper to book a hotel, so I think it's good to explore several options.
If you're looking for inspiration on things to do in Amsterdam, I wrote a blog post about my trip here :)
I've never used Airbnb before, but always heard good things about them. Certainly sounds like a great idea :)
This is a great guide to airbnb - I haven't yet used it but I do plan to.
We've only just come back from Paris and after paying a fortune for a very average hotel we actually discussed getting an Air B&B next time we go on a city break. We've not done it for anywhere before though so this guide is super helpful, thank you!
Soph - https://sophhearts.com x
I’ve used Air BnB a couple of times and was really impressed with it. I just don’t like it when they add service charges at the end like £40 cleaning fee for a one night stay. That should be shown in the price at the beginning
I've always wondered about airbnb but never really knew how it worked. So thank you for such an informative post, I'll definitely give it a look for my next trip.