Out of all my Airbnb stays, my hosts have ranged from above average to spectacular. It always surprises me when I meet people who haven’t caught the Airbnb bug. I often hear a hint of doubt in their voices, especially when it comes to picking a place to stay. And I can’t blame them! 

Nobody wants a bad experience.

Because I’ve had such a great time at Airbnb’s, I thought I’d share some things to look for when choosing an Airbnb. Here are my Airbnb tips.

My Airbnb tips

Step One: The profile

Setting up a good profile on Airbnb might not be as crucial as, say, if you use Couchsurfing. But let’s think this through really quickly. First, put yourself in the host position. Would you rather read about how excellent your next potential guest is, or do you prefer not to know anything about them? 

Then, invest some time into setting up a good profile! There are a couple of ways you can verify yourself as a real person too, so I’d try to do as many as you’re comfortable with.

This is a great time to start cultivating an excellent guest-host match. Sure, you could have a generic travelling profile, but if you ooze your personality all over that page? The likelihood of getting a great game goes up.

Step Two: Neighbourhood Research

For some people, it’s enough to say, “I want an Airbnb in XYZ city.” However, I firmly believe that a bit of neighbourhood research can take an excellent trip to a great trip. Airbnb has started developing their neighbourhood guides, but I also take my search to Google and Pinterest. Yup, I obsess about travel over on Pinterest too. I’ve found that I get quite a few good results. These can sometimes be geared towards people moving to the city, but it’s just as helpful for Airbnb hopefuls too!

Step Three: Examine the Listings

The search process on Airbnb is pretty straightforward. Of course, they’ve got an advanced option, so you can choose filters galore. Make sure you put in your travel dates to the best of your ability. 

The site only shows places available for then, so it weeds out some places. You don’t want to fall in love only to find that the place is booked. Price is the other important filter for me! 

Be realistic, and remember that some places charge cleaning fees. My boyfriend likes to complain about this, but I might need some cleaning help if I were a host. So don’t think they’re necessarily trying to nickel and dime you.

This is the fun part. Check out some listings in a few neighbourhoods that caught your eye in your price range (or not, I won’t judge), and ogle all the beautiful apartment pictures. A spot in reviews tells you how accurate the photos are. That’s always nice to check. Other than that, there are some key things to look at:

• Animals: For me, any listing with a cat is an immediate no-go unless I want to spend my trip having allergic reactions. On the contrary, any dog listings shoot right to the top. So pick your preference and take note!
• Wi-fi: Travel bloggers, you feel me on this one. If wi-fi is at all important to you, definitely make sure you check out their list of amenities!
• Parking: This is especially important if you’re driving into a city. You need to make sure there’s a place to put your car! Usually, I’m a public transit gal, but my recent trip to Toronto was the first time I had to check for parking. Make sure it’s convenient for you.
• Toiletries: I know this might sound like a weird thing to check for, but it will make your packing much more straightforward. Some listings provide all of your shampoo, body wash, etc. etc. This is especially helpful if you AREN’T checking a bag and are not a massive fan of those tiny little travel toiletries. Towels are also usually provided; check for that, and don’t waste space in your bag.
• How Many It Sleeps: This can get a little tricky. Some listings say they sleep 6, for example, but on further inspection, four of your guests will be sleeping on or near the floor. While that might be okay for your group, it is worth considering! It works the other way too. Usually, Paul and I won’t book a room that sleeps two but in two twin beds. It’s all about what you prefer.

Step Four: Examine the Reviews

Yes, I know the reviews are part of the listing. But it’s so important that I gave it its step. Reviews make or break a listing for me. Airbnb is doing something right because it makes every host review their guest and vice versa. I will read most reviews for a place before putting it on the “maybe” list.

Airbnb has six rating criteria: accuracy, communication, cleanliness, location, check-in, and value. When you check out, you have to give a star rating for those six categories. In addition, guests leave comments as well. Please read them carefully, for both fun and safety reasons.

Step Five: Reach Out to Hosts

Airbnb hosts have the option to allow Instant Booking for their places. Even when listings I love having this option, I always always always shoot them a message first. 

I introduce myself and any travel partners I may have with me and give them a general idea of my check-in time, especially if it’s different from what the listing suggests. Most hosts have been flexible where this is concerned, but it’s always better to err on the polite side. Try to put some personality into this because it’s the perfect time for a spark to start. This is also a great time to ask any public transportation questions if you’re a public transit traveller. For example, when I went to Austin, this was the time that I asked about the ease of biking in the city. My host supported that idea. I felt an instant connection!

No lie, I judge my potential hosts by their responses. If they mention fun things to do already, they’re on the way to being my superstar host. One central question is whether or not your host will be there during your stay. I love when my hosts are there, but there have been trips where a quiet getaway is preferred. Check it out and choose accordingly.

Notice that I said hosts plural. Even if you find a listing you love, send messages to a couple of hosts. You don’t want to be caught without a great place because you only tried one! Worst case, you can always ask unavailable hosts for the neighbourhood, food, or fun recommendations.

Bonus Step: Have a Great Time!

Bada-bing bada-boom. You’ve done your homework, and now, chances are you will have an incredible time. So, when your trip is made, leave an honest review and spread the news. I just told you how critical reviews are, so now is not the time to give them solid five stars to be excellent.

This was the path we took to our Airbnb in New Orleans. So pretty!

Now, contact Airbnb immediately if you show up and things aren’t all fine and dandy. Luckily I’ve never had a problem with any of my listings, and your homework certainly decreases the chances of a bad match. BUT. I’ve heard that Airbnb is great for getting you set up with a new place to stay if needed. Maybe don’t complain if the bedding is blue, but the listing said they were green if you know what I mean.