Airbnb is more and more a phenomenon and there are very few people who haven’t heard of it by now. But there are still a lot of people who haven’t used it yet. For these people I have created an explanation on how to use Airbnb while traveling (spoiler: Airbnb can be much more than just a cheap place to sleep).
Especially if you are planning a gap year traveling around the world Airbnb can be an amazing alternative to hotels and hostels.
Gain access to the exclusive
Social Travel Experiment Library
And start planning your unforgettable gap year around the world
using the Gap Year Prep Check List
Post Contents
Company Overview
Founded in 2008 in San Francisco by two friend in money troubles, they decided to let someone else crash on a mattress in their apartment in exchange for payment.
From there Airbnb has transformed into an online marketplace and hospitality service with millions of users worldwide. Enabling people to find lodgings all over the world offered by private owners of houses, apartments, rooms or just a place to sleep. The owners called hosts decide how much they would like to charge for their accommodation and the guest can decide if he wants to take up a certain offer or not. The platform will receive a guest service fee as well as a host service fee.
The website can be used in 26 languages and is available in over 190 countries. I keep saying website, but there is of course also an iPhone and Android App.
How to use Airbnb while Traveling
Booking on Airbnb is really straight forward. Input the destination, number of people and dates and use the filters to your requirements and you will be shown available places to stay at. Read through the information on the listing and find what is being offered. Very important are the reviews on the bottom of the page.
After you finished your booking you will either wait for a reply from your host to accept you or get an automatic confirmation right away, depending on their settings. You will be charged to your credit card as soon as you book, but the host will only receive your money after your first day of your stay with them.
If you have any problems before or during your stay Airbnb is here to help and solve them. For this service and the security of payment you and the host have to pay a small service charge to Airbnb.
If you are thinking about signing up, feel free to use this referral link. You will get a 35 USD discount on your first stay. Here you can find more information about signing up and the discount.
A Hotel Alternative
Of course, you can look for empty apartments. That might be cheaper than a hotel room and also more convenient because of the kitchen. I have done this before, too. This especially makes a lot of sense when you travel in a bigger group of 5 or more people. Unfortunately, in recent years the apartment market in big cities have changed drastically due to businesses that rent out apartments mainly on Airbnb and that way they are no longer available for the local residents. This way the rental costs in places like Barcelona or New York have been going through the roof.
Stay with Locals using Airbnb
In my opinion, the whole point of this website, and the best way how to use Airbnb is to stay with locals and learn from them about the destination. Staying with a local using Airbnb is like a mini homestay. The cost is usually much lower than staying in a hotel and you have the personal interaction with someone who doesn’t work in the tourism industry and is interested in meeting people from other countries. Many Airbnb hosts who offer a spare room in their home do it mainly to meet people or work on their English skills. Getting a little bit of money is just an added bonus.
So, make sure to set your filter to “own room” or “shared room” and see what pops out. If you are looking for a more detailed explanation on how to find local hosts on Airbnb read on here.
Do you want to be prepared for your first stay using Airbnb? Then get access to my
FREE Packing List
with essential items that you will need when you stay with a local!!!
Because staying with someone is different from staying in a hotel!
Experiences on Airbnb
Airbnb is starting to evolve and now offers more than just a place to book accommodations. Another way how you can use Airbnb is booking an experience. Their new functionality is all about experiencing your destination in unique and authentic ways. You can book cooking classes or cycling tours with locals. But there are also surf lessons and unique activities whiskey drinking tours or history walks.
I have not yet tried booking experiences and can say how good or bad these are but I am looking forward to booking one soon and will of course, share my experience here.
In Conclusion
Airbnb is a great way to stay with locals and save some money at the same time. But it isn’t your only option, and not even the best one in my opinion. Because there are many hosts offering Airbnbs illegally, and the excessive use of apartments to use as Airbnb has resulted in a rise in rent prices in many big cities all over the world.
If you are looking for other ways to stay with locals you have many options. How about having a look at Couchsurfing. I have an explanation post about Couchsurfing here. Or if you want to get an overview what kind of websites there are that you can use to find local hosts have a look at this post.
Pin this post for later!
Lena
Gain access to the exclusive
Social Travel Experiment Library
And start planning your unforgettable gap year around the world
using the Gap Year Prep Check List
Authors Note:
None of the experiences in this post are in any way sponsored and have all been payed for by myself. The opinions stated are all my own and have not been influenced in any way.
This posts contains affiliate links. I receive a commission if a product is purchased through one of these links, at no extra cost to you. Please support me by purchasing products through my links!
Lena is the creator of the Social Travel Experiment. Planning her trip around the world took a lot of effort. To make it easier for future world travelers she has made it her mission to teach others how to have an unforgettable trip around the world, through short stays with locals, without wasting valuable time or money.
