This is Part 2 of a sharing series. I’m a big fan of the sharing economy, because it’s clever, cost-effective, and follows the life mantra of “what makes a better story.” It’s not for everyone, but if you’re intrigued, read on!
Sharing experiment #2: booking with Airbnb
For those with a chronic case of wanderlust, I highly recommend checking out Airbnb for your next trip, if you haven't already. Airbnb is a website where people can list, find, and rent lodging. They currently have over 1.5 million listings in 190 countries, so you'll have plenty to choose from.
Six good reasons to use Airbnb
You’re on a budget.
Renting a private room on Airbnb is roughly half the price of a hotel. If you rent an entire place, it's 20% cheaper than a hotel.* Your savings get even better if you're going to an expensive city like NYC, San Fran, or Seattle.
You’re traveling with a group.
Wham, bam, thank you ma'am (or kind sir)
Book the entire place! Take the already wallet-friendly price and split it up with your traveling companions. Not only does Airbnb give you community space to hang out, everyone could have their own room. Now that's fun.
You’re staying a few nights.
When you book a whole place, this usually means you have a kitchen and the option to cook when you’re tired of fast food for the fourth day in a row.
You want to feel like a local.
With Airbnb, you can stay in neighborhoods with character and really get a feel for the vibe of a place. True story: I stayed in an Airstream trailer in Portland and the hippies at the commune next door were making plum wine in the yard. Now that's local flavor.
You’re traveling with pets.
Airbnb has more pet friendly options than hotels. If you fall in love with a place but it’s not pet-friendly, just ask. You might have to pay extra for cleaning, but it’ll still be cheaper than dog boarding!
You love an adventure.
Want to stay in an igloo? A caboose? A boat? A tree house? A yurt? A mansion? Lucky you: they're all on Airbnb! Even if you don’t stay in a place from a children’s book, it’s still a more interesting experience than a hotel.
I’ve also found the well-rated hosts (4+ stars) go above and beyond. During a stay in San Diego, the hosts left beach cruiser bikes and beach chairs for us to use. While visiting Crater Lake, we were greeted with warm chocolate chip cookies and used the hosts' kayaks.
How to book a place using Airbnb
The Sage & Mint recipe for a good first experience on Airbnb:
- 4+ stars (at least 10 reviews)
- Book entire place
- Stay at least two nights
- Stay in walkable areas
- Travel with friends
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Well first, you have to sign up. It’s totally free.
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Once you have an account, you can start looking at destinations. I use the “wish list” feature quite a bit to save my favorites; it's like a Pinterest board.
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Use the filters to limit your search to what is available during your travel.
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You can choose to share a room, rent a private room, or rent an entire place. I am partial to booking an entire place, but renting a private room is great for a clutch last-minute cheap stay. Solo travelers - you know what’s up - use your best judgement and err on the side of caution if you end up renting a private room.
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To book, you'll either see a lightning bolt next to the price or a "request to book" button. The lightning bolt means you can instantly book just like a hotel. The "request to book" means you'll send a request to the host and they'll confirm the booking.
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When you request to book, you’ll write a little note to the owner with your reason for booking. You can keep it short and sane: "Hi, I'm traveling to the area for vacation/visiting family/a Netflix binge and your place looks great!"
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The host will pre-approve your request and then you'll actually have the ability to book. You will get an email from Airbnb that says you can now confirm your stay. It will have the price breakdown (number of nights, price per night, cleaning fee, security deposit). You'll actually have to click a button to officially confirm. You pay when the host confirms your stay, and then Airbnb gives the payment to the host when you check in.
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6. Time to travel! You’ll get more details about how to get into the place you’re staying before you leave. I’ve used key codes, keys hidden in Yale coffee mugs, and keys under the rug. No big deal.
7. Stay, enjoy, and follow instructions for how to leave the house. You don’t have to do any laundry, but some hosts ask dishes to be in the dishwasher, beds to be stripped, or heat turned down.
8. After your stay is done, you get to review the space and they owner gets to review you as a guest.
9. Start dreaming of your next vacation.
Airbnb etiquette
Breakfast: sometimes provided, sometimes not (don't count on it if you’re renting an entire place). It should say on the listing page.
Cleaning: some hosts ask for beds to be stripped, dishes in dishwasher, or heat turned down. You do pay a cleaning fee, so no heavy-duty stuff is required, but I also do tend to take better care of Airbnb places than hotels.
Food in kitchen: When in doubt, probably just don’t eat it. However, cooking supplies/spices and coffee are usually fair game.
Additional notes
Two thumbs up for traveling on Airbnb. The whole experience, from browsing to booking, lets you dream and get excited about your vacation. It’s so much more captivating and connecting that just renting a hotel room. Sure, sometimes a predictable Hyatt is just right for a vacation. For the other times, give Airbnb a shot.
*Thanks to the folks at Priceonomics - they did way more number crunching than I wanted to and have a fun interactive map.