what happens when you hit request to book on airbnb

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It frequently happens that friends tell me virtually a trip they're planning, followed by a remark similar "But the hotels are and so expensive". When I then propose they book an Airbnb, a puzzled look appears on their face. "Is Airbnb safety?" Followed by the question if I have any tips on how to utilize Airbnb. And I exercise!

Considering I love staying at Airbnbs effectually the globe and call up information technology's a shame if someone doesn't apply the site because they doubtfulness it's trustworthy, I decided to put together this mini-guide on how to book an Airbnb successfully.

Contents

• How to use Airbnb: what is airbnb?
• Creating an account
• How to choose where you lot want to stay
  • ane. Dates and location
  • 2. Use all the filters
  • 3. Check for reviews
  • 4. Review the listing's information
  • 5. Photos!!!
  • 6. Optional: message the Airbnb hosts
• Navigating the Airbnb booking process
• During and afterwards your stay
  • While you're there
  • The review
• Recap: how to employ Airbnb footstep-past-step
• In regards to safety
• What if something goes incorrect
• Airbnbs I've loved
• Visual recap

How to use Airbnb: what is airbnb?

Let'southward become over the basics first, shall we?

Airbnb is a rental booking site on which property owners can put (a part of) their property up for (commonly) short term rent. Whether it concerns a spare room, an apartment or an entire villa, they can hire it out on Airbnb and thus make some money.

Guests, in turn, can benefit staying at a bigger place than a hotel room for a commonly (much) lower cost. Aside from the size and cost benefits, Airbnbs are great if yous want to stay in a more residential neighborhood where in that location aren't too many hotels and if you're trying to get a sense of taste of the local life at your destination.

Airbnb is i of the biggest and best-known examples of the sharing economy and while not everybody is happy with the growth of that economy, I recall information technology has tremendous potential and will but continue to grow

Recently, Airbnb has also started growing their community more by offering experiences with locals (dinners, tours, parties, art gatherings…) on their platform and they've even started building a flight booking tool, but nosotros'll just focus on how to book accommodation through Airbnb hither.

Creating an account

While you can look at the rentals without beingness logged in, you lot won't be able to request to volume a property without creating an account first.

Exercise you have an airbnb account? If not, go one now!

When you create your business relationship, brand sure to make full in all the fields as complete profiles take improve chances of being accepted by hosts. Y'all'll be asked to verify both your electronic mail accost and telephone number and I highly recommend doing this, as it shows hosts they or Airbnb volition exist able to contact you lot if necessary and you're someone who actually exists.

Tip: At the bottom of the start page of your contour data, you're able to enter a business email also. If you do this and later book a business organization stay of at least $75, you go a $50 coupon to utilise on a next trip.

How to choose where yous want to stay

ane. Dates and location

The start step is piece of cake: just fill in the dates of your trip, where yous're going, and how many people yous're traveling with. Fifty-fifty when you're dates are rather flexible, I even so recommend entering them as that way you won't see any Airbnbs that are definitely not available the month that you're traveling.

You wouldn't desire to become hot for something that isn't available, at present would you?

two. Utilise all the filters

Once yous've entered that information, you'll be able to run across the available airbnb properties on a map, and some further search options.

Two things to note here:

1. You lot can cull if you desire to have an entire identify for yourself, if you just want a room or if you don't mind sharing a room and y'all can also set a toll range, but below that, there'south a button that allows yous to filter even more than. It doesn't actually stand out, but it'due south important!
2. The search results are spread out over several pages and the map on the correct will only show yous the results of a particular page. And so don't despair if you don't see annihilation in the area y'all were thinking of staying in, just go to the next page commencement for even more Airbnb listings.

At present, filters are your all-time friend. They let yous to cull the number of guests, how many bedrooms and bathrooms you need, what kind of civilities you require (Wi-Fi!), what language you'd like to speak, and too – important – what neighborhood you want (or don't want) to stay in.

For some smaller places, like Bologna, for example, y'all'll want to stay in or nearly the historical middle and that's that, merely with a place like London, the number of neighborhoods to choose from can be overwhelming.

In those cases, I recommend you first do some research on what yous would like to do on your trip and where you need to exist shut to so that yous tin can limit your Airbnb search to those areas. And if you don't want to expect up the names of all the neighborhoods, yous can simply leave the "search as I movement the map" option checked on the map and zoom in and out to only see the search results for the areas you lot're interested in.

3. Check for reviews

Now that you accept a list of search results to work with, you might be tempted to open upwardly all those with pretty photos.

Don't.

At to the lowest degree not earlier checking if they have reviews. I've never booked an Airbnb before that hadn't been reviewed nevertheless and I also probably won't unless I really have no other choice.

I know that reviews are subjective and definitely don't say everything, only usually, yous'll take the option betwixt several places with only good reviews and so some places with a few meh reviews besides.

Go for a place with only good reviews.

So first, only look at the Airbnb results that have reviews (I tend non to open any that have less than four/v if possible), then thoroughly read what they take to say. Exercise they mention things that are important to you?

In my example, if all the reviews are super positive aside from the fact that they mention the Wi-Fi isn't working well, I won't book there because I need that Wi-Fi. Simply if the simply complaint is that the flat is five stories up and there'due south no elevator, then I don't really care because I'one thousand fit enough to accept the steps five stories up.

4. Review the listing'southward information

I know, you want to look at the phoooootooooooos! Just hang on for a fiddling longer. The idea is – over again – that you don't want to get excited almost a place that looks good simply has no heating and you're planning to get there in the centre of wintertime.

Imagine visiting the Water ice Hotel in Quebec, Canada and coming habitation to a cold flat. Yeah, not cool. Or maybe way too absurd.

So: bank check all the information.

• Does the host's welcome text sound welcoming?
• Do the cheque-in and check-out times fit your schedule?
• Do you have to pay a deposit?
• Is there a cleaning fee?
• Is the host verified? You lot can see this at the lesser of the page where they take a picayune photograph and all.

I matter I ever cheque when finding an Airbnb is if smoking is allowed. I don't smoke and can't stand the smell of it, and then I won't volume an flat where smoking is allowed as chances are it will smell. "Smoking immune" is a filter you can bank check, but not checking it doesn't guarantee that you'll go no-smoking places only.

I'm besides not a big fan of extra fees and deposits and prefer a moderate or flexible counterfoil policy because you simply never know.

5. Photos!!!

Yep, the time has come. You can now view all the photos. Try to pay attention to things that seem a fleck off.

• If a fisheye lens is used, the place is probably not as big every bit it looks.
• If there's no window in any of the photos, to make sure the apartment isn't in the basement – unless you don't mind staying in the basement, manifestly.

vi. Optional: message the Airbnb hosts

Information technology's pretty well subconscious but somewhere at the bottom of each of the Airbnb listing, above the reviews, there's a modest button you tin can click to message the host before you request to volume. I didn't always use this at start simply now I do.

So what exercise I ask them?

I usually ask them virtually the WiFi speed and something else minor. This allows me to not only brand sure the place has everything I need merely also to know how responsive the host is.

When you transport your message, you also need to bespeak which dates you desire to stay. When the Airbnb host replies, they can then also instantly send you an offer to book, which means yous don't demand to go back to the listings to complete the booking procedure.

Don't forget travel insurance
Plan for the best, set up for the worst. Travel insurance has you covered in case (office of) your trip gets canceled, you get sick or hurt abroad, and sometimes even when your electronics suspension or get stolen. I always make sure I'm covered every trip I go on.

Don't have travel insurance nevertheless? Cheque out SafetyWing. They offer super flexible plans that you can fifty-fifty sign up for while you're already on your trip. On top of that, they were the first travel insurance to cover COVID, and when I got COVID, they reimbursed all of my expenses without making a fuss. Their customer support team is great and I can personally recommend them.

Navigating the Airbnb booking procedure

Yaay, yous've chosen a identify to stay! Now, how does booking on Airbnb piece of work?

Before you click that bright "book" button, get over all the priced items. Yous'll detect that Airbnb always adds a service fee which is 6-12% of the total amount of the price gear up past the host (who's charged 3% by Airbnb).

Additionally, some hosts add cleaning fees and deposits.

If y'all oasis't sent the host the message beforehand and you hit "book" from the listing page, you'll be taken to a bulletin box for the host, explaining who you are and why you want to stay with them.

This is the signal where it becomes important to have a completed profile. Many hosts are renting out their properties to a stranger and the more (positive) information they have well-nigh you, the more than inclined they'll be to accept your asking.

One time you finish your bulletin, your asking is sent and the Airbnb host has 24 hours to accept or decline. If they refuse, don't be too bummed. If you've filled in your profile, it's likely simply that they haven't updated their availability agenda on the site and aren't able to host you at the time of your trip.

If your host agrees to your request, you've got yourself an Airbnb booking. Yaay! Your credit card will at present be charged with all costs – the cost of your stay, the service fee, and any additional fees such as a cleaning fee or eolith.

From then on, you tin can contact your host through Airbnb's messaging organisation to talk over check-in and ask any additional questions you lot may have.

Note: Some places offer an option to "Instant book" which means you can – indeed – book immediately without having to wait for the host to agree with or decline the booking.

Another annotation: Booking requests are automatically rejected if the host doesn't reply inside 24 hours. That means that if you demand a identify to stay in less than 24 hours, it'south probably amend to volume a hotel or hostel for the night.

During and afterwards your stay

While you're there

While you lot're staying with your host – whether that'due south alone in an apartment or together with him/her in a private room – make sure to remember you're a guest.

If you lot're not sure whether you tin use the coffee, inquire.
Don't throw late-night parties.
Don't be a pig.

While you tin can go along using Airbnb's messaging system (it too sends text letters to your/your host's), I always like having the host'south number, just in example. That too makes it easy to contact them in case something's wrong.

Which brings me to my next point: when something's incorrect with your Airbnb, tell them. If the Wi-Fi isn't working and they don't know about it, they can't fix it either. I'thousand sure stuff breaks at your own place also and as long equally a trouble is solved quickly, I'grand happy and I'll get out a good review.

The review

After your stay, you'll be able to go out the host and the place a review. It'southward super of import that you lot do this because positive reviews upwards a host's chances of getting new bookings. Additionally, you've likewise based your ain booking on the reviews of others, so why not pay it forward? Reviews are good for future guests and hosts!

The cool affair most Airbnb is that you can exit both public and private feedback. And then if you really enjoyed your stay but take perhaps 1 or two points for improvement, you can let your host know privately.

Don't leave negative feedback near things that aren't your host's fault, though. If the Wi-Fi stopped working on the second day but yous didn't alert them, don't complain that they didn't fix it. Likewise, if the place is 5 stories up and it says in the list that there'due south no elevator, don't complain that in that location's no elevator.

Lastly, remember that hosts tin as well review you lot and their reviews will appear on your contour.

Recap: how to employ Airbnb step-past-step

ane. Enter your travel dates, destination, and number of travelers.
two. Filter on blazon of accommodation, desired facilities, civilities, price range (this is usually on a per night basis), and neighborhoods.
3. Open all the interesting-looking Airbnbs with iii+, preferably 4+ ratings.
4. Read all the reviews. Check for things that matter to you.
v. Check everything listed for things that are important to you, such as check-in times and whether smoking is allowed.
6. Look at the photos.
7. Check for extra costs such as cleaning fees.
8. Striking "volume" to send a request to the host. Make sure you personalize your bulletin.
9. If the host declines, repeat; if they accept, yay!
x. Use Airbnb'southward messaging arrangement to hash out cheque-in.

In regards to safety

When you follow all the filtering steps I outlined above, the chances of catastrophe upwardly at a horrible Airbnb are slim. That being said, virtually of the filtering options apply to the accommodation and non the host.

If information technology'southward staying at a stranger's place you're worried about, advisedly cheque the reviews to meet if previous guests mention anything about his/her behavior toward them. Likewise, brand sure to always book with a verified host.

Airbnb requires both hosts and guests to provide proof of identity and Airbnb customer service is bachelor 24/7 for traveling guests. If you're a host, Airbnb will embrace upwards to $1,000,000 in damage, although in that location are some exceptions.

If you're feeling good about the host and the identify, but have doubts near the neighborhood, subtly ask the host whether information technology would be better to taxi a taxi dwelling house at night when y'all're messaging them. You don't want to offend anyone by request if they live in a safe neighborhood or non.

Only like when y'all're booking a hotel, you can never exist 100% sure that information technology's going to be nothing but perfect. You lot tin always have bad luck. So far, though, I oasis't had any negative experiences with Airbnb yet and I've already got time to come trips planned during which I'll exist staying at Airbnbs.

What if something goes wrong

In February 2020, I've had my first rental-go-incorrect with Airbnb in more than than v years. I had to go out the flat I'd booked and file a refund merits. To help yous if you e'er find yourself in a similar situation, I wrote a post most how to deal with Airbnb problems equally a guest and how to make apply of the Airbnb safety process.

If you found this post helpful, please consider booking your next Airbnb through this link. I'll earn a small committee while the price for yous stays exactly the same. Income like this helps me travel independently and create new content.

Airbnbs I've loved

This is a small selection of Airbnbs I've stayed at around the earth that I thought were corking:

How do you use Airbnb? Practise y'all employ it always or for particular trips only?

Pivot FOR Subsequently

Visual recap

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Source: https://wonderfulwanderings.com/how-to-use-airbnb/

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