When Jordan and I were planning our Europe trip last summer, we knew we wanted to spend as little as possible on our lodgings (and instead spend lots on delicious German beer and Parisian chocolate croissants).  I stumbled across Airbnb through some travel websites, researched how to use Airbnb as safely as possible, and made some bookings in various cities throughout our route.  We hopped on a plane, praying with all our might that this Airbnb thing we’d signed up for wasn’t about to get us killed.

And y’all…our Airbnb experiences were AWESOME!

We stayed with so many wonderful people in the heart of some of Europe’s biggest cities, and really got a feel for what it’s like to live in those places and still save money while we did it.  We now use Airbnb for trips in the states as well,  and have actually opened up our own home to be Airbnb hosts.  We can’t speak highly enough about this company, and love when we can convince people to shift their travel perspectives and give it a try.

Our stay in Edinburgh had one extra host whom we loved named Marley (and his mama Barbara was pretty wonderful too!)

How to use Airbnb

We’ve had lots of people ask us how to use Airbnb (and mostly how to use Airbnb without getting murdered), so this post is entirely dedicated to explaining exactly how to get started with Airbnb and make sure you have a great experience from your very first stay.

First things first…

What the heck is airbnb?!

Airbnb comes from the idea of a sharing economy. People can rent out their rooms, apartments, and homes to travelers, all using an official system (Airbnb) that verifies identities, helps with the exchange of money, and protects both the people and the property involved.  It gives local residents a way to make extra income and meet new people, and provides travelers with a way to save money while still staying in some of the most famous or most expensive parts of town.

You can rent three kinds of “rooms” with Airbnb:

• Shared Room:  This kind of space is shared with someone else, whether it be the host or other guests.
• Private Room: As the name suggests, this is a private bedroom.  In this situation, bathrooms and living spaces are likely shared unless otherwise specified.
• Entire Home/Apartment:  Some people rent out entire homes or apartments, so you have the entire space (kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, living spaces) to yourself.

How do I get started?

Head to the Airbnb website and create an account.  Then, take at least 15-20 minutes to do perhaps the most important thing you will do with Airbnb: fill out your entire profile and verify your ID in as many ways as you can.  This is what makes you attractive to potential hosts, especially if you are new and don’t have any reviews.  Describe yourself, your job, a few hobbies, and anything else about you that makes you seem like a normal human is not going to destroy the host’s home.  The most common reason Jordan and I reject reservations for our Airbnb listing  is that the people had little to no information in their profile.  I’m not kidding, people.  Go fill out your profile.  I’ll wait. 🙂

Here’s what my Airbnb profile looks like:

How do I start booking trips?

Great question! You’ll start off by doing a general search for the city you’re wanting to stay in.  Type in the city name, potential dates (this is flexible), how many guests, and then click enter and let the magic begin!

Lots of listings should automatically pop up, and it can be fun to just explore without setting any filters to limit the response.  I actually do this as an assignment for my Spanish students and it’s a great way to see what a city is like! But since this is real life, you probably have some specific needs and price limits.  Here’s how to change those.

1. Choose your room type: Select shared room, private room, and/or entire home/apt at the top.
2. Select a price range: Slide the price scale to find a price range that works for you.  I usually choose something a little bit higher than I’d ideally pay so I can see what I’m missing if I go cheap!
3. Narrow the search with filters: Look through the various amenities and choose a few that are important to you.  Do you not want pets in the home? Can you not stand smoking? Do you need wireless internet or a washer/dryer? Make sure to check as many things as you might want.  You can always uncheck them if you don’t find any listings that match your criteria.  You can also choose which neighborhoods you want to be in and what language you’d like the host to speak (although I can tell you that you’ll survive even if you don’t share a language!)

How do I select a safe listing that fits my needs?

Our Airbnb in Bordeaux, France

This is the fun part.  Once you’ve set your filters, start exploring the results.  Here are a few things to look for to ensure you choose a host and listing that are safe and will fit well with your traveling style.

1. Look at all the photos: Do they have lots of well-lit photos that show the space well? Are all the amenities mentioned shown (private bathroom, queen-sized bed, etc? If the photos have a small Airbnb “A” in the upper corner, this means the pictures were taken by an official Airbnb photographer and are verified.  However…not all great listings have Airbnb verified photos for a variety of reasons, so that one isn’t absolutely necessary.
2. Read the host’s profile and description of the listing: Does the host seem considerate and kind? Do they describe the listing and their expectations of guests well? Do they want the same level of interaction you do? Host profiles are just as important as guest profiles, so take the time to read them.
3. Check the location: Look at the Airbnb maps to make sure the location works well for your plans.  If you want to spend all your time going out downtown, make sure to find a place close to the city center or easy public transportation.  If you want a quiet place to stay before leaving for an early flight, make sure you’re close to the airport.
4. Read EVERY, SINGLE review: This is maybe the most important tip because it verifies that what the host has said is true.  If you’re new to Airbnb, I recommend only choosing listings with at least 2-3 good reviews, if not more.  If a listing has several bad reviews (not just one disgruntled person who thought the towels weren’t fluffy enough or something silly like that), then just skip it and move on.  Not worth your time.
5. Look for hidden fees: In addition to their nightly rate, hosts can charge additional fees for extra guests above a certain number or a cleaning fee for the time, effort, or money they pay to have someone clean the space.  Look out for this, because like you can see it the screenshot below, it could significantly increase your overall cost! (Note: Airbnb service fees are included in every reservation, so these are outside the host’s control.)

If you have questions that the listing description or host profile didn’t answer, you can always send a message to the host to ask for more information (just be polite and follow my tips in the next section!)

Okay, I found a great listing I like.  Now what?

Our Airbnb in Munich, Germany

When you find a great listing that fits your travel needs, has some good reviews, and seems to have a nice host, the next step is to reach out the host.  You can also save it to a “wish list” and go back to look at it later, but for now, let’s assume you’ve found something awesome and are ready to get going.

Send the host a message

You can do this before sending a booking or with a booking request for certain dates.  Y’all, this is SO important.  Aside from a boring or empty profile, poorly written or incomplete messages are the #1 reason we reject people requesting to stay at our Airbnb.  Remember, whether they just own the space or are inviting you into their actual home, most Airbnb hosts have an investment in their space and want to know you will be kind and respectful.  The best messages (and the ones that make us say “HECK YES come stay at our house!”) are the ones that include the following:

• A cheerful greeting and a brief explanation of why you’re coming to our city (Hi Lauren! My husband and I are road tripping through Kansas City on our way from Denver to Nashville.)
• A compliment or reason why you liked the listing (Your home looks beautiful, and I love that it’s so close to the freeway.)
• A question about the listing or just asking if it’s available (Is your home available for these dates? Does your puppy offer free, unlimited snuggles to any and all guests?)
• A general ETA.  Remember, this is not a hotel so your hosts have lives to rearrange based on your arrival time.  Try to give a one-two hour window for your arrival if it’s a last minute listing or a general morning/afternoon/evening window if it’s pretty far out.  (We’re still working out our travel plans but are hoping to arrive late afternoon.)
• An actual goodbye (Thanks so much! We look forward to hearing from you!)

The host accepted! WOOOO! Is there anything I need to do to prepare for my trip?

Once you book, you’ll receive the actual address of the Airbnb, along with the host’s contact information and general directions to their home from most main freeways, train stations, airports, etc.  Let the host know as specific an arrival time as you can to avoid awkward situations and just generally be polite. On our trips to foreign countries,  I usually print out or take screenshots of the directions to our Airbnb hosts so I won’t be stuck without wifi/cell data to contact the host or look up directions while we wander the streets of a random city with our giant backpacks (nothing sets you up for an epic argument better than that scenario, let me tell ya).  But beyond that…just start getting excited!

Our Airbnb in Paris, France

It sounds great.  But one last time…how do I know this is safe?

Obviously there are no guarantees, but Airbnb is a huge, well-reputed company that works hard to protect both guests and hosts.  They require many levels of verification to host or travel, so lots of identifying information is available for both parties.  Jordan and I like to joke that if we wanted to rob or hurt someone, we probably wouldn’t do it through a system that required our drivers’ license/ID, links to our social media accounts and email, credit card information, and a paper train of messages confirming exactly the time and place we were going to rob them.  Be smart, read reviews and profiles, and you will likely have a great experience with Airbnb!

Are you convinced?

We LOVE Airbnb and are so grateful for the people we’ve met through it and the incredible places we’ve gotten to see.  Please get in touch with me if you have any questions at all.  I’m happy to help and would love to make some more Airbnb converts like us!

Happy Adventuring!