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Although Airbnb has been around for a few years, many people are still hesitant to try it due to concerns with safety, cleanliness, and the overall experience of living in someone else’s home. However, most of these concerns are unfounded. For example, a portion of your rental fee goes directly to cleaning, so cleanliness is typically not an issue with these properties. Also, Airbnb provides ratings for each of its postings, so you will be able to see what others who stayed at the property had to say about it and have the opportunity to make an educated opinion based on your evaluation of the other ratings. Here is a list of 5 reasons why you should try Airbnb and a $55 Airbnb coupon code to use on your first stay.
1. Cost
We’ll start with one of the more practical reasons why you should try Airbnb: it tends to be less expensive than hotels. For solo budget travelers, I typically recommend staying in hostels if you are traveling alone; however, for two or more people traveling together, I always recommend booking an Airbnb. The reason I recommend Airbnb to couples or groups of travelers over solo travelers is because Airbnb properties are typically listed by room or by apartment rather than by bed. Most rooms have either a queen/king bed or two twin/full beds, so your costs will be greatly reduced when you’re able to split the cost of the room or apartment with another person or group of people.
For example, when Hope and I traveled to Norway last summer, we found an Airbnb in Odda, near Trolltunga, that cost $70 USD per night for a room with two beds. Had I been traveling alone, I still would’ve had to book both beds in the room, but since there were two of us, the cost came down to $35 USD per person per night. At that price point, there was really no advantage for us to book a dorm room in a hostel, which would cost around the same amount and may not have had the same amenities that our Airbnb had.
2. Authenticity
Our favorite reason out of our list of 5 reasons why you should try Airbnb is authenticity. If you are looking for an authentic travel experience and prefer to live like a local rather than like a tourist in a new city, then you will appreciate the authenticity that Airbnbs offer. Airbnb properties are typically apartment units occupied by locals, surrounded by locals, and located in residential areas where a lot of locals live. This is a stark contrast to hotels that are filled with tourists and loaded with luxury amenities like spas, fitness centers, and a 24 hour front desk staff that exist to bring you maximum comfort and not maximum authenticity. If you exclusively seek out luxury travel and like to be pampered on your travels, then you will probably have a better experience staying at a 5-star hotel. But if you are looking for an authentic travel experience, you are much more likely to find it in an Airbnb.
3. Location
As mentioned above, Airbnbs are typically located in an apartment complex or house surrounded by other residences away from popular tourist areas. This means you are more likely to find local bars, restaurants, cafes, and other hidden neighborhood gems near your accommodation that you are not likely to find if you were staying at a hotel in a touristy area. If you are more interested in finding off-the-beaten-path gems in a new city rather than focusing solely on TripAdvisor’s Top 10 Things to Do or Michelin rated restaurants (not that there is anything wrong with either), then you will enjoy staying at an Airbnb property surrounded by less popular, local gems.
4. Flexibility
In terms of traveling with larger groups, there is nothing more practical than booking an Airbnb. Most hotel rooms only fit up to four people, so if you have five or more people and all want to stay in the same accommodation, your best bet will be to rent out an apartment or house on Airbnb. For example, when I was in Cartagena, Colombia for my bachelorette party with nine of my friends, we booked an entire house with five bedrooms and four bathrooms for less than $50 USD per night per person. We would not have been able to find a hotel room that accommodated all 10 of us comfortably and certainly not at that price point.
For solo or couple travelers, you have the option of renting out an entire room and socializing with the other guests in the apartment or renting out the entire apartment for yourself if you’re not in the mood to socialize. While hotels offer the luxury and quiet I crave after extended periods of travel, and hostels offer the social aspects of travel that I love so much, Airbnbs offer a mix of the two: quiet, private rooms with the option to socialize if there are other guests staying in the apartment at the same time as you. While this is similar to a private room in a hostel, I have found that rooms through Airbnb tend to be cheaper than private rooms at hostels.
5. Personalization
Many Airbnb hosts serve as personal tour guides for their guests by providing tips for things to do, see, eat, and drink. While not all hosts are available personally during your stay, those who are available are extremely gracious with their time and will go above and beyond making your stay comfortable. Airbnb hosts will typically state in their description of the property whether they will be available to meet you in person. Another way to find out this information is by reading reviews on the property’s and the owner’s Airbnb page.
Perhaps the most gracious Airbnb host we’ve had was Kristian from the Faroe Islands. He went above and beyond promising a place to stay by driving out to the restaurant we were having dinner at to pick us up and show us the way to his apartment. We then mentioned a hike we were interested in doing the next morning that was a bit off the beaten path (and Google Maps), and Kristian offered to take us there the next morning. We also learned a lot from him about the history and customs of the Faroe Islands and the Faroese people, which we knew nothing about before our visit. If that’s not reason enough to try Airbnb, then I don’t know what is. While hosts are not usually quite as generous as Kristian, most are more than willing to help you with directions, restaurant advice, etc. and are readily available at your request.
Overall, I would recommend Airbnb to couples and larger groups or those looking for a more authentic experience in a new city. Five star luxury travelers or those looking solely to be pampered on their vacation and are not interested in discovering local gems or living like a local may not have the most positive experience with Airbnb. My best advice before booking an Airbnb is to read the reviews. A property with 100 positive reviews and 10 negative reviews is a much safer bet than a property with two positive reviews and no negative reviews. I would recommend against staying in a property with zero reviews, unless you’re a real daredevil, because you have no idea what to expect, and the host is likely a new host who is not as familiar with dealing with guests.
Finally, as promised above, here is an Airbnb coupon code for $55 USD off your first Airbnb booking.
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Great post! Personally I choose Airbnb only when I am staying a little bit longer in a city so I can creat a “base” for myself. It’s also great for when I have to work while travelling, since I prefer more quiet place for work.
Those are great points, Urska. I don’t have the opportunity to do very many long stays while traveling, but I would definitely choose Airbnb if I did. Thanks for reading!
Definitely agree on all points! Love airbnb. I’ve also been lucky enough to find some great, decently priced places as a solo-traveler as well. Being near local bars/cafes/restaurants and generally out of the tourism epicenter of cities is definitely my favorite part about staying in airbnbs (also getting to hang out with people’s pets hahah)
I forgot to mention about the pets, but that’s a great point for those who like animals! Thanks for sharing that. 🙂
I agree. I usually choose hostel when travelling alone and took airbnb just once when I traveled with my guy. Its fun, living in a residential area and living among the locals!!! They were very helpful as well, with excellent local knowledge!!!
Completely agree, Bhushavali, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have very helpful Airbnb hosts as well. I think as long as you read the reviews carefully before booking, you should have a good idea of what you’re getting yourself into.
Couldn’t say it better myself. 🙂 I have been traveling and hosting via Airbnb for the past 3-4 years and I have almost always LOVED the experience. It’s a great (and affordable) way to connect with locals and travelers. 🙂
Happy traveling Diana and Hope!! xx
P:S Traveling is better with the full-time job, I’m in the same boat, I’ll be following you guys now 🙂
Hey it’s great to meet you! I would love to hear more from the perspective of an actual host, as we have never hosted on Airbnb before. Would love your thoughts on hosting, if any!
I have never stayed in an airbnb, but I will have to check these out. For longer stays, renting a house or villa makes much more sense. Good tips.
You can rent a house or villa on Airbnb for any length 😉
You can even rent a boat on Airbnb – we did that in St. Thomas 😉
Whaaat?? What kind of boat?
A small house boat 🙂 We wrote a post about it here: https://www.mvmtblog.com/2017/01/03/%ef%bb%bf50-things-you-should-know-before-living-on-a-house-boat/
I have never really considered trying AIRBNB because I wasn’t really sure what it was all about. This post has helped me with the basics as I usually travel with my wife and two children and it may seem that are AIRBNB deals out there that would suit us travelling as a family. Thanks for the info….
I’ve stayed in Airbnb’s before with my family (4 of us total), and it’s been a great experience and not to mention great money saver. Hope you give it a go one day and would love to hear how your experience is!
I love AirBnb when travelling with a group of friends. As you mentioned, it’s usually much better value than a hostel and gives us more space to spread out. I’m about to move to another country and will definitely use AirBnb for my first few weeks (that coupon code might come in handy!)
That’s awesome, Cliodhna! Where are you moving to?
One of my friends lived in Berlin for a few months for an internship last year and used Airbnb the entire time! It’s really great for longer stays.
AirBnB has certainly made a name for itself in the past few years. I totally get the positives of an authentic experience, ability to create a base for yourself on longer stays and – one of my favorite things – the weird and wacky accommodation that is available to book on the site. And now they have beefed up their policy on discrimination, they are really differentiating themselves in the market.
I didn’t even know that tidbit about discrimination, Vicki! Thanks for pointing that out. 🙂
What can I say! I love airbnb!
This is an excellent post for those wanting to try out an Airbnb (plus $40 coupon doesn’t hurt either!). We frequently rent Airbnbs when we travel and use them for pretty much the same reasons you listed. Love meeting the people that host us when we get the chance because not only are they gracious but they’ll give us all the local places and tips to check out, which is invaluable and not something you’ll always find on a major travel site. Awesome post!
When it comes to choosing our accommodation between hostel and Airbnb we would always go for Airbnb. We love the homely feel when we stay in Airbnb. And bonus we get to use the kitchen, washing machines etc which again helps in cutting down the travel budget..:)
Yes, it is definitely nice when the Airbnb host allows guests to use their washing machine too. Feels just like home!
These are all great reasons, and if anyone is hesitant, they should try doing it locally first to see how they like it. I think it’s an awesome way to get a more unique experience when I’m traveling. And thanks for the coupon too!
That’s a great tip, Brittany. I’ve never thought about trying it locally, since the first time I did it, my friends were doing all the planning and booked us an Airbnb in Barcelona, but trying it locally might be a great way for those who’ve never used Airbnb before to get a taste of it, without risking not liking it while on the road. Thanks for sharing that! 🙂
I love Airbnb. I use it all the time as it gives you that unique personalised experience that you rarely get now a days in hotels/hostels. I really agree that if there is more than just one of you then it normally works out either cheaper or as cheap as getting a single bed in a dormitory.
I have had some great Airbnb experiences both as a host and as a guest. It is a great way of making extra cash for your travels too.
Would love to hear your experiences as a host, Kathy! I’ve always wondered if hosts appreciate the experience as much as guests do.
I agree with the list mentioned especially the cost and the opportunity to discover local places. I haven’t tried Airbnb yet not because I am hesitant, but because I don’t have the opportunity to do so yet. I will definitely consider this. 🙂
Totally understand, and glad you’re open to trying it! Don’t forget to use the coupon code and get $55 off your first booking. 🙂
Totally feel the authenticity. I first time used the AirB&B in Winnipeg and I feel like I actually live in the city than being a traveler. Even I was traveling solo that time, it made me feel like home. The AirB&B is also in a residential neighborhood so i get to know a lot of local place.