For those who are relatively new to using Airbnb, it may be kind of intimidating to try to pick the place that you’re going to stay for your next vacation. I mean, there are so many options, how are you supposed to pick the best fit? Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve had some Airbnbs that were a little different from what I expected. However, now I’ve figured out some of the tips and tricks. So here are six steps on how to find an amazing Airbnb.
Step 1: Location
My first priority is always location. After doing a bit of research on the city you’re going to (perhaps where the attractions you want to see are located), you can decide what part of the city you want to stay in. Then you can use the interactive map on the right side of the screen to zoom in and out of a specific area. Be sure that the little option “search as I move the map” is checked.
Step 2: Adjust Pricing
Now that you’ve figured out your ideal location, there is probably a huge range in the prices of the Airbnbs. Simply click on the “price” button at the top of your screen and slide the bar to account for your preferred price range.
Step 3: Type of Home
There are three “home types” when it comes to Airbnb: entire place, private room, or shared room. I pretty much always opt for the entire place, because I think it’s totally worth the money. I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely not the kind of person who wants to rent a cozy home and then share it with a couple of random strangers.
I also think this is quite an important filter to add to your search, because imagine if you showed up at your Airbnb thinking you had the place all to yourself, but you actually booked a shared room!! That would be quite the shocker.
Step 4: Photos
In all honesty, it’s not the most difficult thing in the world to take a good photo nowadays. Everyone’s rocking a smartphone with a high-quality camera and has mastered the art of finding the perfect lighting. So when the photos still don’t look that great, it makes me just a tad worried. I mean, they picked these photos to upload, so this is the best the place is going to look, right? So make sure the place looks good to you.
Step 5: Amenities
Amenities are quite an important step. Make sure you have the basics, like towels and sheets. If you’re out of the country, make sure you have Wi-Fi connection (especially if you don’t have a phone plan). If you’re in a place that’s quite cold, make sure there is heating. If you’re planning on doing laundry, make sure there is a washer and dryer.
*Note: these options are under the “more filters” section.
Step 6: Reviews
By now you’ve already pretty much picked your Airbnb, but you want to make sure that there isn’t anything super sketchy about it that you’ve missed from the rest of your research. If one reviewer makes a comment, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. However, if you see the same concern popping up over and over, I would be a bit wary.
Bonus!
Check to see if the host is a superhost!! Airbnb has pretty high standards to become a superhost (you basically have to get a five-star rating from every single one of your guests). I’ve stayed at two Airbnbs run by superhosts, and they were by far my favorite Airbnbs. Usually they are slightly more expensive, but if you have a little extra cash to splurge, I’d recommend.
If you want a bit more help with choosing your Airbnb, I picked out 20 of the coolest Airbnbs in Hawaii.
Can you think of any other tips on how to find an amazing Airbnb? Write them below in the comments!
