When choosing a place to stay during a trip, many factors may play a role. If you’re visiting for a conference, you may want to be very close to the center hosting the event. You may prefer to stay within walking distance to most attractions in a big city to ease daily travel. On the other hand, if you’re driving or exploring more of that particular city or state, the exact location may not matter as long as it is in the relative area you plan to visit. No matter what you’re looking for, Airbnb most likely has an option that will suit your needs, from houses to cabins to campers and everything in between. Here are some tips for finding the best Airbnb for your next trip.
1. Plan Ahead
If you can book your stay a few weeks ahead of time, you will have a larger selection to choose from. You will still find options last minute, but you may have to settle for a different side of town or fewer amenities. Aside from better lodging picks, planning gives you more time to work out little details of your trip, like which historical sites, restaurants or stores you want to visit. Another benefit of planning is the financial aspect. Prices may become higher closer to the travel dates. Booking ahead also gives you the chance to make payments. You can add filters to only show listings that offer cancellation flexibility to provide you with peace of mind.
2. Group Considerations
If you’re going with a large group, you may need more options. For example, if you are renting a beach house for a week, you may want to be as close to the oceanfront as possible. However, you may also want a pool for those who do not want to spend every day at the beach. Hosts may be interested in researching financing inground pool. The number of available parking spaces is another thing to consider with large groups. Walkability and proximity to desired attractions should be discussed ahead of time. Some places allow pets, so if bringing your furry friend along is a must, then rest assured you can search for pet-friendly stays.
3. Type of Property
To find the perfect Airbnb for your trip, you have to think about precisely what you want to do on the trip and what type of property you desire. You can go hard or spend your days relaxing. Airbnb lists several different property type filters, including house, apartment, bungalow, cabin, chalet, condo, cottage, guest suite, villa, barn, campsite and tiny house. Listings contain the city, nearby attractions, property type, bedrooms, beds, bathrooms, amenities, price, pictures and reviews. The section that describes each bedroom will help you ensure sleeping accommodations will be up to par. It breaks down the listing by bedroom with a description of exactly how the places for sleeping are spread out.
4. Reviews
Spend some time reading through reviews to find the best Airbnb. Reviews cover cleanliness, communication, check-in, accuracy, location and value. The bottom portion of the page gives information about the host, languages spoken by the host and response time. A badge with a checkmark in it indicates that the host's identity has been verified. Look for the Superhost badge for indication of highly praised hosts who help ensure great stays for guests.
Perhaps the most significant benefit of Airbnb is the ability to pick whatever type of stay you desire. You can apply filters to fit your wants and needs. You can set calendar dates to be flexible to see the best prices. To find the best Airbnb, you first have to decide what you want to do on the trip and who else will be attending. From there, you will have plenty of options to choose from based on the requirements you come up with. Booking ahead may lessen the financial burden of a more expensive selection by allowing payments to be made before arrival. Most importantly, read reviews to ensure other guests have had excellent experiences, and remember to leave your review for future guests.