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10 tips for a happy and successful Airbnb stay

Updated: September 20, 2017 3 Comments

10 tips for a happy and successful Airbnb stay
I have been using Airbnb for almost 3 years now. Over these 3 years, I have learned the tips and tricks on how to select a perfect Airbnb listing that works best for my needs. I have had trouble at the beginning due to lack of reviews. I have also had a few last minute host cancelations. I have had both good and bad experiences with Airbnb. But, over the time I have learned how to make my stay happy and satisfying. From my personal experience, here are my 10 tips for a happy and successful Airbnb stay.

1. Always book a place that has positive reviews
happy and successful airbnb stay - book earlyMake sure the property has plenty of reviews. Read all the reviews or at least the most recent 10. Positive reviews mean the listing is good. You can find additional information between the lines in the reviews, such as location accuracy, noise issues and wifi issues if any.

If you see a review that says “The host canceled this reservation x days before arrival. This is an automated posting”, that’s a red flag. The host has canceled a reservation in the past for whatever reason. If a listing has more than one such cancelation in the past, it is best to avoid it. There can be several reasons for such cancellations. One of them could be that the listing is up simultaneously on many websites and the host doesn’t manage the calendar well.

Do not book a place if there are no reviews. Even if the place looks nice in the pictures. Reviews tell a lot about the place. How good the place is, how clean the bathroom is, how comfortable the bed is, etc.

Sometimes hosts rent their own bedrooms in high demand destinations like Paris. They sleep in the living room while their bedrooms are occupied. Nothing wrong with that, but that kind of arrangement may not be comfortable for some guests. Things like these will not be mentioned within the listing. But reviews will point these out.

2. Always send a message first to check the availability
happy and successful airbnb stay - message firstBefore you book, always send a message to the host enquiring the availability of the place. It’s better to ask all the questions upfront then repenting later. For example, things like access to the kitchen, laundry, etc. will not always be mentioned in the listing.

Make sure the place has all the amenities you need and then make a reservation. For me as a digital nomad, internet is very import and I always send a message asking about the availability of high speed internet connection.

Some hosts advertise their places on many websites and do not manage their calendars well. If the listing is marked as “Instant Book” and the place is not actually available, it would be a hassle to deal with the host and Airbnb after the booking. It’s better to send a message first enquiring the availability even for “Instant Book” enabled listings.

3. Book in advance as the booking takes 24 hours
happy and successful airbnb stay - book earlyStart your research and make your reservations as early as possible. Sometimes hosts can be busy and might take about a day (24 hours) to approve/deny a request. If they deny, you almost lost a day in your search and have to start over.

4. Check the calendar if it had been updated recently
happy and successful airbnb stay - check calendarIf the calendar has not been updated in a few months then it might be an inactive listing. If you send a booking request to such a listing, it sits there for a day and expires after 24 hours. You will again lose a day in your search.

It’s best to avoid such listings. But, if the listing has good reviews, then send a message first to see if the host responds.

5. Communicate your check-in/check-out times
happy and successful airbnb stay - communicate checkin checkout timesCommunicate your check-in/check-out times with your host a few days before your arrival. Your host will know when to keep the room ready for you when you arrive. If there is a guest already, your host will let you know that. So, you can leave your bags or wait it out at the airport.

I have had times where I arrived off hours, late in the nights or early mornings. Also, had times where I checkout late in the night. So, communicating ahead with your host makes this process much easier.

6. If your host offers you breakfast or dinner or drinks, do not say no
happy and successful airbnb stay - experience local customsIf your host offers to cook breakfast or a dinner, do not say no. This is the best way to experience home cooked local cuisine. Dinners are great for conversations to practice language or know more about the cuisine and culture. Same thing goes if your host invites you to join their friends for drinks or dinner.

7. Make sure the host also lives in the same place
Since many are using Airbnb, it has become more of a business now. Agents are listing individual rooms in furnished apartments on Airbnb. Even hotels and hostels are up on Airbnb these days. If you book such a place, you would probably miss on the local feel, local food and language. There may be a chance that you would be sharing the flat with other travelers. Safety can be another issue as you will be sharing the flat with other strangers who may or may not have reviews. These strangers may not respect your privacy or may not leave the bathroom or kitchen clean.

8. Make sure the host is local
If your host is not a local to that country, they probably can’t provide you with the local experience that you are looking for. Nothing wrong with that, but you might loose on the local experience. Ask your host upfront enquiring if they are local and have the local knowledge to help you explore the city.

9. Leave a small gift for your host
Take a small gift for your host from your home country. Be it a chocolate or a post card or a thank you note. Some hosts have never traveled in their lives or simply cannot afford to travel. They will definitely cherish your gift. If you have become friends with your host during your stay, add them on your Facebook or WhatsApp. This way you can keep in touch with them.

10. Leave a honest review
happy and successful airbnb stay- leave a honest reviewMake sure to leave a review with in 14 days of your stay. This way you can make sure your host leaves a review as well. Reviews are important for both hosts and guests. When you leave a review, instead of just saying that the place was nice, mention a few things about the host, the location, the building, the room, safety and the internet situation. Your review might help another guest later. Leave any private feedback for the host for improvements. Reviews add value to the host and the listing, and also helps guests pick the best place for them.

Overall

airbnb credit for first time users
With a little bit of research, you can find a perfect Airbnb that works best for your needs. Just follow these 10 tips, you can get a best place, great local experience and a wonderful host. Happy travels!

WRITTEN BY THIRUMAL MOTATI

Thirumal Motati

Thirumal Motati is a world traveler and digital nomad from India. He is on a mission to travel to every country in the world on his Indian passport. He believes that his weak passport cannot stop him from traveling the world. Through this blog, he inspires many to take up the life of travel despite their weak passports. His guidance has helped many secure their visas and fulfill their travel dreams.

PLAN YOUR TRAVEL WITH VISA TRAVELER

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01. Apply for your visa
You can get a verifiable flight itinerary for your visa application from DummyTicket. Flight itineraries from DummyTicket are valid for 2 weeks and works for all visa applications.

02. Book your fight
You can find the cheapest flight tickets using Skyscanner. Skyscanner includes all budget airlines and you are guaranteed to find the cheapest flight to your destination.

03. Book your hotel
You can book your hotel from Booking.com. Booking.com has pretty much every hotel, hostel and guesthouse from every destination.

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If traveling on one-way ticket, you can get your proof of onward flight from Expedia. Expedia offers free cancellation on tickets booked within 24 hours. Or use OnwardTicket to get a proof of onward ticket in just 2 minutes.

05. Purchase your insurance
You can purchase travel medical insurance for your trip from HeyMondo (for all international trips + 15% discount for visa traveler readers) or VisitorsCoverage (for US trips).

LEGAL DISCLAIMER
We are not affiliated with immigration, embassies or governments of any country. The content in this article is for educational and general informational purposes only, and shall not be understood or construed as, visa, immigration or legal advice. Your use of information provided in this article is solely at your own risk and you expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this article as a substitute for professional visa or immigration advice. Under no circumstance shall be held liable or responsible for any errors or omissions in this article or for any damage you may suffer in respect to any actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the information in this article. Please refer to our full disclaimer for further information.

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please refer to our full disclosure for further information.

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About Me

About Thirumal Motati, founder and travel writer at visa traveler
Hi! I’m Thirumal Motati. I’m on a mission to travel to every country in the world on my “weak” passport. As a digital nomad, I have been traveling full-time for over 6 years. My knowledge and experience have helped many secure their visas and fulfill their travel dreams. Want to learn how to travel the world on a weak passport? Start here

Get your travel medical insurance from HeyMondo
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