5 tips to make life easier and save you money when using Air BNB
Whether it’s a cottage in the cotswolds, a condominium in Malaysia, a beach house in Mexico or simply a rented room in New York, Air BNB has something suitable for you on its global platform. We love Air BNB and we use it loads.
Before we start, we just want to clarify that the following tips are simply our own personal views which we have formed over the last few years from regularly booking places to stay through Air BNB. We have had good and bad bookings and we hope that by sharing our experiences with you, that you can make hassle and stress free bookings yourself.
Should I make sure I understand how Air BNB works?
What I mean by this is to get yourself familiar with the Air BNB system. Read through the terms. You only have to do this once as things don’t really change that much after that. Air BNB also offers peace of mind protection for your money and can mediate when there is a dispute over things between you and the host. Make sure you understand things like payment terms and cancellation policies.
Pricing for example … you see an advertised price but it’s not the final price as there are fees to be added on for cleaning and the booking fee itself before you check out. Prices are always cheaper for long stays. Anything over 28 days is classed as long stay and the price per day is lower and quite significantly lower in some cases.
When you have a list of properties that meet your location, dates and number of people, make sure you use the search filters. They are really helpful and can whittle down your list to be much more suited to what you are looking for.
Is it worth reading the listing thoroughly to avoid surprises?
Location, price, amenities, photos, bed/bedroom configuration, previous customer reviews, house rules. This is a must to make you satisfied that this is the property you want. It will save you any disappointment further down the line.
We have been guilty of not checking properly and assumed the kitchen would have all the mod cons we needed. We turn up and there is no kettle or toaster!!! Or the beds are not configured properly to suit our sleeping preferences. Or there were a few hidden fees based on the number of people staying.
If you don’t see what you need or you want to ask a question, you can message the owner before you book.. They are normally super responsive and you will be surprised how many of them normally say yes they can accommodate you. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
Sometimes you can actually visit the property before you book if that’s convenient. No better way to view a property than to actually see it in the flesh beforehand. We have done that. We always read the reviews! If the review score is not at least 4 out of 5, we are likely to not even consider it. The reviews are impartial and really help to give you a sense of how good it is and if anything is missing or not working and conflicts with the advertisement.
Does it pay to book with a Superhost where possible?
Another great way to give yourself peace of mind on things like the accuracy of the listing, cleanliness of property etc. A Superhost has achieved this status from Air BNB because they have consistently achieved a customer review rating of 4.8 or more out of 5. They are responsive, helpful and really experienced. You can also use the search filter to only list properties with a Superhost. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of good properties and hosts out there who are not Superhost. Everyone has to be new and start somewhere right? See below for a potential way to save money where you book a property with no reviews.
How can I get the Air BNB property for a cheaper price?
The price advertised on Air BNB doesn’t necessarily have to be the final price. The property owners are normal everyday people like you and me. You might not know that they really need your business even if that means lowering their price. They could be new hosts on Air BNB looking to get bookings and reviews to start them off. It could be a quiet time of year for them. You might be booking last minute or want to stay long term and they would be willing to reduce the daily rate to get your business.
You might find the property is cheaper to book directly with the owner or via another platform they are listed on. We have done this before and it worked and saved us money.
After all, an Air BNB host has the choice of making some money by having their property filled or NO money if it’s unoccupied. You can contact them through Air BNB before booking and offer a reasonable price to suit your budget. You never know, if you don’t ask, you don’t get.
Checking into and out of the property - How do I make it stress free?
Before check in date: We recommend you use whatsapp to communicate with your host. It’s easier to use for messaging, exchanging photos/videos and you can call each other if need be.
Before you arrive: Your host will contact you with check in instructions. Make sure you have these instructions and you understand them as you could be stranded outside a property on check in day. Hosts rarely meet you at a property to check you in.
After you get in: Immediately check the property all over. I know this doesn’t sound like fun and its probably the last thing you want to do after a long day travelling but trust me, it could be something well worth doing. You are checking that everything in the listing is as it should be. That could be amenities or bed configuration.
Quality of beds, electrical equipment all working (and safe!) such as kitchen stuff, AC and fans. Check the walls, furniture etc and if you see anything damaged or looking like it’s about to break, take photos/videos and make the host aware ASAP and they acknowledge it. This could save you a whole lot of hassle and money in the long run. It has done for us.
And likewise when checking out, you are most likely to have a smooth check out process if you leave the property reasonably tidy and clean. Remember, the host also writes a review on you as a tenant which other hosts can see in the future before they decide if they want to let their property out to you!
We hope this blog was helpful for you. We have learned so much from Air BNB and are happy to pass on our experience and tips to you. If you have any questions, please feel free to email us on meetthearshads7@gmail.com
