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13 Reasons Every Traveler Should Try Airbnb [At Least Once]
13 Reasons To Try Airbnb
Airbnb is one of the most popular booking sites.
But many travelers are still hesitant to try it, especially if they’ve become accustomed to the “standard hotel experience” and are unfamiliar with how the Airbnb marketplace works and the many options it provides.
In this guide, we’ll cover why every traveler should try Airbnb at least once.
We’ll explore thirteen reasons to try Airbnb, including cheaper rates, unique stays, local immersion, weekly and monthly discounts on bookings, shared space options, simple self check-in, and extra features like “Adventures” and “Experiences”.
*Agoda.com provides a wide selection of steeply-discounted hotel rooms. To see today’s deals on hotels in any destination, click here.
Table of Contents
13 Reasons To Try Airbnb
While Airbnb provides a range of property types and styles, when people say they’re “renting an Airbnb” they’re usually referring to a house or apartment rental, listed by an individual (not by a business). If you’re brand new to Airbnb and just want to learn how it works, read this guide first. Now, here are the 13 reasons every traveler should try Airbnb:
*For the 5 things you should bring to an Airbnb stay, click here.
1) You’ll Save Money
If you’re accustomed to staying in hotels, the money you can save by booking an Airbnb may surprise you. In a way, Airbnb’s prices are often a middle ground between the nightly hotel rates in your destination and the nightly rate that a local resident would pay for their monthly lease on an apartment rental.
Airbnbs typically cost less than hotel rooms because hotels usually offer more amenities and service. As an Airbnb guest, your experience will typically be more like living in your own apartment or house, without service amenities like a concierge or room service.
Another reason hotels often cost more than Airbnbs is because hotels typically have a larger overhead (more expenses). Hotels are registered businesses with a full-time staff, while Airbnb rentals are typically listed and operated by local individuals seeking an extra income (some hotels also list their rooms on Airbnb).
Airbnb apartments usually provide more space than a hotel room at the same price. And since Airbnb has so many listings, competition incentivizes hosts to lower their prices to remain competitive on the marketplace. To learn more about how Airbnb’s prices compare to hotel prices, click here.
*To see today’s deals on hotels in any destination, click here.
2) Alternative + Unique Stays
One feature that separates Airbnb from the “standard booking sites” (like Agoda.com) are its unique stays. Airbnb, along with social media apps like Instagram, have played a key role in the shift towards alternative types of accommodation.
Booking a unique stay allows guests to have a more interesting, less “typical” overall experience in lodging distinct to their destination, such as Cappadocia’s cave houses, yurts of Central Asia and casas particulares of Cuba. For a full guide to Airbnb’s unique stays (with examples of each), click here.
3) Local Immersion
Many travelers prefer Airbnb for its variety of location options. Typically, hotels are located within a hotel district/zone, but an Airbnb can be located anywhere. This will allow you to immerse yourself within a local neighborhood, offering a more “residential” feel. After checking in, you can set up your room how you like, and discover local markets or cafes nearby.
In my experience, renting an Airbnb apartment in a trendy neighborhood usually costs less than renting a hotel in that same area. For more on the atmosphere of an Airbnb rental compared to a hotel, click here.
4) Weekly And Monthly Discounts
If you’re able to travel for a week or longer, look for discounted rentals on Airbnb. Hosts can offer weekly or monthly discounts, and they decide the percentage.
I’ve booked weekly and monthly stays discounted from 5% to 50% off. To learn how short-term and long-term rentals work on Airbnb, click here.
*To see today’s deals on hotels in any destination, click here.
5) Host Identities Are Verified
Airbnb hosts must verify their identity before creating a listing (guests must also verify their identity before booking). Airbnb has one of the most thorough user verification processes of all the major booking sites.
This process is critical in creating an atmosphere that allows strangers to trust one another. To read Airbnb’s user verification process, click here. For Airbnb’s host verification requirements, click here.
6) Easily Searchable Features
Airbnb makes it easy to find the specific features you want, from basics (like WiFi and a washer) to luxury features, like a hot tub or swimming pool. For help finding 15 amenities Airbnb users often seek out in a rental (such as a gym, workspace or view), click here.
For the complete guide to finding an Airbnb that has a pool, hot tub or jacuzzi, click here. For a full guide to finding a pet-friendly Airbnb listing, click here.
7) Experiences And Adventures
Airbnb has added many features over the years. Two of its most popular are Experiences and Adventures. Experiences are daily activities, while Adventures are all-inclusive, multi-day activities. Both allow you to enjoy your destination in-depth and are led by local guides. All tour guide companies are locally-based.
To learn about the Experiences program, click here. To learn about the Adventures program, click here.
8) Shared Space Options
Airbnb (originally AirBedAndBreakfast.com) began as a place where the company’s founders listed their own air mattresses for rent. While Airbnb has since added many more options, it’s maintained the reputation as a place to go to find shared space rentals (such as one bed in a room or one room in a house).
Airbnb’s abundance of shared spaces differentiate it from the other major booking sites (like Agoda.com) and vacation rental sites (Vrbo.com - Airbnb’s largest competitor, only offers private space rentals). To learn about Airbnb’s four “types” of places (entire place, private room, hotel room, shared room), read this section of the Airbnb Booking Guide.
*To see today’s deals on hotels in any destination, click here.
9) Simple Self Check-In
Self check-in has become common on Airbnb. Many hosts allow guests to pick up keys without meeting. Common forms of key pick-up include - instructions on how to open the lockbox and how to obtain your key from the doorman. To learn all about how check-in and checkout work on Airbnb, click here.
You can easily find an Airbnb that offers self check-in by filtering your search. Just click the “More filters” tab on the search results page, then select “Self check-in” under the “Amenities” section (shown below).
10) Luxury Rental Options
In addition to “regular” listings, Airbnb offers Plus and Luxe listings. Plus listings are one tier above the regular listings, and they’re all physically inspected by an Airbnb representative (regular listings aren’t), offer certain standard amenities, and provide a high level of comfort and presentation. To learn more about Plus listings on Airbnb, click here.
Luxe listings meet the highest inspection standard (over 300 total criteria). These properties include penthouses, manors, mansions, islands and more. They range from a few hundred dollars per night to many thousands. Luxe bookings are customizable and come with your own personal “trip designer”. To read more about Luxe listings, click here.
11) Hotel Room Options
Airbnb allows hotels and other lodging businesses (like guesthouses) to list rooms on its marketplace. Instead of trying to take customers from these “old-fashioned” lodging businesses, Airbnb is encouraging them to use its platform to get in front of potential customers. To read about how Airbnb has affected the hotel industry, click here.
To find a hotel on Airbnb, simply select the “Hotel room” filter under the “Type of place” tab on the search results page.
*To see today’s deals on hotels in any destination, click here.
12) You Can (Often) Cook
Because many Airbnbs are private house or apartment rentals, it’s easy to find one that offers a kitchen - very often at a lower price than hotel rooms.
To find an Airbnb rental with a kitchen, click the “More filters” tab on your search results page, then select “Kitchen” under the “Amenities” section.
13) Listings All Over The World
Unlike most of its competitors in the vacation rental and alternative lodging space (like TurnKey), Airbnb offers listings around the world, making it a reliable website no matter where you’ll be traveling to.
It appears Airbnb is here to stay as a top booking site, so it’s worth your time to establish a booking history with solid reviews as soon as possible. This way, you’ll be able to qualify for those in-demand properties that receive dozens of booking requests per day. For how to earn and maintain a high guest rating, click here.
*For the 5 things you should bring to an Airbnb stay, click here.
Conclusion
Hopefully you found this guide helpful.
We covered 13 reasons all travelers should try Airbnb at least once. I was personally hesitant, but have since booked over 100 Airbnb stays in countries around the world. To learn more about Airbnb, explore our other guides below.
Enjoy your travels!
Learn More About Airbnb
Introduction To Airbnb
Understand Your Options
Airbnb vs. Hotels Comparison [Atmosphere, Price, Safety, Amenities]
Airbnb vs. VRBO, HomeAway, FlipKey, TurnKey, OVO [Comparison]
Get Started With Airbnb
Know Before You Go
Specific Types Of Bookings
How To Find An Airbnb With A Specific Feature [Or Unique Stay]
How To Find An Airbnb That Allows Pets [Airbnb’s Pet Policy]
How To Find An Airbnb With A Pool, Hot Tub Or Jacuzzi [Step-By-Step]
Can You Throw A Party In An Airbnb Rental? [Party Policy Explained]
Cancellations, Refunds And Changes
Airbnb’s Other Listing Categories
Airbnb’s Other Features
Help With Your Account
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