How To Airbnb: Things You Should Know

Choosing a property to book

The search quest for the perfect place starts with viewing the available options. Here are some tips to guide you through the selection process:

• Check the house rules.

Examining an Airbnb listing’s house rules is a good way to determine if the place is a good fit.

As you scroll down the details listed for each Airbnb property, you will come across a list of house rules put forth by the owner. They typically include rules for smoking, bringing of pets, and/or holding of parties, as well as personal notes.

A good way to determine if you are comfortable with the house rules is to complete this simple exercise: Divide a paper into two columns. Name the first “things I cannot tolerate”, and the other “things I cannot live without”. Once it’s complete, you will have a general understanding of the criteria or the “rules” that you can or cannot adhere to in your accommodation. Once you are done, match your preferences with a property that has similar house rules and you are good to go!

• Make sure the property's amenities match your needs.

While viewing and shortlisting potential properties to choose from, keep an eye out for housing equipment you might need during your stay.

For example, if you are traveling on a budget like me, it would be a good idea to prepare your own meals in your accommodation to minimize your spending on food. That is why I would place more focus on the kitchen of an Airbnb listing and make sure there is a functioning stove as well as kitchen utensils. Other features that you might need to take note of include bed size, number of pillows available, and even the lighting, as they can play a big role in making the place comfortable and suitable.

Examine the pictures closely, and ask your host about the availability of these amenities to ensure a pleasant stay in your Airbnb.

How to book an Airbnb and avoid scams

During your search, there are some warning signs you should look out for. These warning signs might indicate if the property or host is a “scam” i.e. it isn’t real and the host will probably charge you money for an accommodation that doesn’t match the one described in their listing, or worse, for an accommodation that doesn’t even exist.

Some of these signs are: - No ratings or reviews. - Little or no description of the property. - No information about the host i.e. no picture or description. Always look for verified Airbnb hosts. These are hosts whose identities are approved by the Airbnb staff. - Only one or two pictures taken of the place. Scarce display of the accommodation could either indicate that the host is purposely hiding a part of the property, or that he/she has taken these pictures from another source.

Now that you’ve made sure that your desired property satisfies your requirements and does not ring any alarm bells, you can proceed to book it.

Bookings on Airbnb can be made through a number of ways: 1. Requesting to book: Click the button “request to book” on the listing of your choice. Many hosts like to review and approve reservations of their property. Once the host approves your request, you are all set! Hosts have 24 hours to approve your booking request. 2. Instant booking: No need for host’s approval. Instantly book the property at your preferred time and date. 3. Booking by pre-approval and special offers: After contacting the host to ask him/her some questions about the listing, he/she might send you an invitation for either a pre-approval or a special offer. 4. Pre-approval: The host will invite you to book the dates that you’re interested in. 5. Special offer: The host will grant you a special pricing of the property or open up days that are otherwise unavailable.

How to contact your Airbnb host

Contacting your Airbnb host to inquire about certain aspects of your stay can be done by selecting the “contact host” option under the listing description. Some hosts might also leave additional contact information on their profile page. To contact the Airbnb customer service, visit the Airbnb front page, then scroll down and click the “contact us” box in the lower right corner. This will lead you to a window where you can specify your problem. The website will offer you the option of writing an email to the customer service team.

How to file a complaint against a host

Unfortunately, being careful and attentive when booking your Airbnb can never guarantee a good accommodation experience. Unexpected accidents and inconveniences happen all the time to travelers.

Examples of situations that are not tolerated by the Airbnb policy include baits (i.e. requesting a higher fee after booking), unsatisfactory standards provided, and being offensive or rude to guests.

If such events were to occur, you must report or “flag” a host. You can do that by clicking on the flag icon. You can find this icon under the “wishlist” box on the listing, below the host description on their profile page, or by hovering over a certain message on the top right corner.

After filing your report, the Airbnb staff will review the listing and act accordingly. If any money was paid to the host, you may be able to get a refund.

How to write a good Airbnb review

At the end of your trip, after an enjoyable stay at the place of your choice, you’ll have 14 days to leave a review for your host on the Airbnb site. The review you wrote will not be posted until 14 days have passed or after your host writes a review for you.

Writing a review can be done privately through a message to the host, or publicly on their listing. You may also rate your host on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, where 1 means poor and 5 means excellent.

You can write a public review by clicking “reviews” at the front page of Airbnb site > “Write review” > “Submit” after writing your review. Editing your review can be done by clicking “Reviews” > “Your reviews” > selecting the reviews you want to edit.

It is important to keep a few points in mind when writing a review:

• The host can reply to your review. This enables them to clarify your review from their side.

• Write about your overall accommodation experience at the beginning of your review.

• Mention the things that did live up to your expectations. It is also a good idea to list the things you enjoyed and made you comfortable in the property.

• Mention the things that did not fulfill your requirements or demands, and give constructive criticism to your host on ways to improve them. Example: I enjoyed x, y, z. However, the shower riser rail was a bit too short for me which caused some inconvenience while I was taking my shower. This can be improved by implementing a longer riser rail, or by notifying guests in advance that it is of a certain height so that they can check if it is suitable for them.

• Provide a review not only on the accommodation but on the host as well. Make sure you balance both of these elements in your review.

• Be honest. By writing a detailed and honest review, you can help many other Airbnb users to look for a suitable accommodation. Think about the reviews that helped you pick your place, and how much you’ve appreciated them.

Ready to pack your bags yet?

The answer is yes! Now that you have all the tools to hunt down the perfect accommodation, it is time you embark on your next journey. Be it a luxury apartment in SoHo or a cabin in Southern Russia, staying in a befitting place can help make your travel experience a smooth one. Make sure that you keep this list close at hand so that you can choose a suitable accommodation and go on an unforgettable trip!