How to Use AirBnB

This post may contain affiliate links, and I may earn compensation when you click on the links, at no additional cost to you.

AirBnB provides seemingly limitless options for vacation accommodations to fit just about any budget. Renting a room in a house, an apartment in the city, or a home on the beach through AirBnB can help you feel like a local no matter where you travel.

Did you know that AirBnB is available in over 190 countries?!

While this mode of lodging can still be considered somewhat new compared to traditional hotels, AirBnB stays have skyrocketed among many savvy travelers. Yet I know plenty of travelers who are a bit intimidated by this nontraditional form of booking overnight accommodations. (Be sure to check out my recent article where I compare hotels and AirBnBs to help determine which one might be right for you.)

I’d like to take the fear out of using AirBnB by providing tips on how to use the website to ensure you find the right lodging for your next getaway.

First Steps

As with any travel planning, some of the first questions you need to ask yourself is who, when, and where.

Who will be going on this trip and what unique needs do they have? How many are in your travel party? Is mobility an issue for any of your travel companions? Who can bunk together, and what sleeping arrangements would be ideal?

When do you plan to travel? Have you identified the exact dates of your trip or are they a bit flexible? How many nights do you need lodging and will they all be in the same location or spread across multiple destinations?

Where would you like to spend your vacation? Again, do you have any flexibility or is your heart set on a very specific destination? Will there be stops along the route that require accommodations and if so, which cities make the most sense?

Armed with the answers to these questions, you are ready to log on to AirBnB.com!

And if you prefer searching on your mobile device…AirBnB also has a great app.

Location

Simply type your chosen destination into the search bar and then click on “Stays”. For many locations you will be presented with an overwhelming number of options. If for some reason you don’t find what you are looking for, you may want to consider expanding your geographic scope a bit.

As with any lodging, location is key. With AirBnB you generally will not have access to the exact address of each home (for safety reasons, I presume), but there is a map for each listing that shows the general area of the rental. Your host will provide the specific address once you have booked the property.

By carefully reading all the details in each listing you can gather further information on the location. Note if there is a mention of restaurants within walking distance or if it specifies beachfront or beach view. These key descriptions will help you determine if this is the kind of accommodation that meets your needs for this trip.

Filters

Save yourself a bit of time drooling over rentals that are way out of your travel budget or won’t comfortably house your travel clan by setting some key filters. You can do this with the tabs at the top of the screen.

At this point, you need to determine your deal breakers. You can adjust your filters at any time, making them more or less restrictive, if you find that you have too many or not enough properties to consider.

The most important criteria to input is your travel dates. No use getting your heart set on a property that isn’t available when you want to travel. And prices fluctuate based on seasons, dates, and even length of stay, so plug in your dates first. Next input how many adults and kids in your travel crew.

Then check the types of housing you are willing to consider: entire house, private room, hotel room, and/or a shared room.

We often limit our stays to places where we get the entire property to ourselves, but we have also had good experiences when we simply had a private space in someone’s home. As always, read the details for each listing and decide if the set up works for you or not.

Unless you have an unlimited budget, it is wise to set your minimum and maximum price range. I’ve spent countless hours scouring million-dollar beachfront homes on AirBnB, which can be fun, but usually doesn’t get me any closer to actually planning my next vacation!

Finally, click on the “More Filters” tab and check any must-haves to further limit your search. Consider the minimum number of bedrooms and bathrooms that will make for an enjoyable trip. If you plan to bring Fido along, you’ll want to indicate pet friendly properties only. You can also check off any amenities or property features on your wishlist: pool, air conditioning, wi-fi, beachfront, free parking, etc. I like to start with several filters set and then if I’m not finding any properties in my budget, I’ll decide which of these amenities I’m willing to forgo.

With your filters set, it’s time to peruse the options and start picturing yourself at each property!

Photos

Start scrolling through the thumbnails with brief details of the properties and select one to investigate further. I like to start by scrolling through the photos at the top of the page. If the photos don’t appeal to me or the rental doesn’t appear to have what I’m looking for I may not look into that listing any further.

If the photos get me excited about my upcoming trip and I can visualize a pleasant stay, I’ll look beyond the photos for more details.

Keep in mind that most people who rent out their homes through AirBnB are not professional photographers and don’t have huge marketing budgets as hotels may. Still, you want to see a decent number of photos that capture the key elements of the property. From this, you should be able to decide if the decor and general cleanliness seem in line with your own tastes.

Amenities

Take a peek at the amenities for any given rental to see if anything stands out or if any additional needs are triggered. If you have selected your must-haves in the filters, you should be in pretty good shape already.

Later on, once you have narrowed down your list of acceptable properties, you may want to revisit the list of amenities to determine which property rises to the top of your list.

Sleeping Arrangements

Especially with a large group, multiple families, or mixed ages and genders, the sleeping arrangement is going to be a key factor in your decision on AirBnB. Even if a property includes an adequete number of beds and bathrooms, the layout may not work for your group.

Many large properties will have a bunk room, which could be perfect for children and teens. Not so much for adults or couples on a romantic getaway! Sleeper sofas and rollaways may also be part of the equation, so fully consider the sleeping needs of everyone in your party.

Sleep-deprived parents or children do NOT make for a relaxing vacation!

Pay close attention to the bed icons under “Sleeping Arrangements” to determine if the general layout is going to work or not. Many property owners will provide a floorplan if asked. I’ve inquired before making a final decision on numerous occasions. Having a floorplan makes it even easier to determine room assignments before you arrive, and can significantly limit arguments that could interrupt your vacation bliss!

Reviews

While each host provides a detailed description of their property, some of the best info can found in the reviews. Study them wisely!

Some brand new listings may not have any reviews yet, so I generally shy away from those. You can get an overall sense of other travelers’ experiences with a quick glance at the ratings. Zero in on those areas that are most important to you and keep an eye out for any red flags.

The juicy details can be found in the written reviews. Pay attention to the date of the reviews and zero in on the more recent ones as well as the reviews provided at the same time of year that you plan to travel. Old reviews may be less relevant as upgrades could have been made and winter travel concerns differ drastically from those in the hot summer months.

I like to read through numerous reviews…but take them with a grain of salt. Don’t let one disgruntled reviewer sour your taste on a property if all the other reviews are glowing. Pay attention to what the complaints are about, because sometimes they won’t even be relevant to you.

We got a good chuckle out of a poor review when the biggest complaint was the dull kitchen knives. We decided that wouldn’t hinder our stay and booked that beach house anyway!

The reviews can also give you insight as to the proximity to local attractions, cleanliness, extra amenities, communication with the property owners, and responsiveness to any issues.

After your stay, be sure to leave your own review and help out the next traveler!

Fees

With the pricing filter set to your acceptable daily rate, you should be looking at options reasonably in your price range. But the fees for each property can vary dramatically, so you will need to take that into consideration before booking.

In additional to the nightly (or weekly) fee, you may be expected to pay a cleaning fee, service fee, and various taxes. These fees can really add up! The host has a great deal of flexibility in determining which fees they will collect and the amount. A location with a very affordable nightly rate may not be so affordable once the fees are added in.

Some of the fees, typically the cleaning fee, is set for each stay regardless of the number of nights. That is why for me, sometimes AirBnb is not the best option for a super short stay.

If the fees are reasonable and the overall cost is within reach, you may be ready to book your lodging! However, if you are still considering several options, you can click the heart at the top right of the listing and save all your favorites until you are ready to commit. Keep in mind though that waiting too long to book may mean that another traveler beats you to that one-of-a-kind property.

Communication and Cancelations

A few things you may want to consider before committing are communication with the host and the cancelation policy. I will often send a few brief questions about the property, that I didn’t see in the listing, just so I can see how the host responds. A fairly detailed, prompt response helps assure me that the host will be responsive to needs that could arise during our stay.

Much like the fees, owners have a lot of leeway over the cancelation policy. I don’t fault owners who have a strict no cancelation policy. They are generally small business owners trying to make a reasonable living and last minute cancelations can really hurt their bottom line. However, if I have any indication that my trip could fall through I want to ensure I can get my money back.

Make sure you understand the cancelation policy and that it fits within your personal risk tolerance.

Now you are ready to book your AirBnB with confidence!

Experiences

I haven’t tried this yet, but a newer feature to AirBnB are their experiences. Whether you book a stay through AirBnB or not, you can schedule an experience with a local. Go on a tour, take a cooking class, or learn to surf…the options with AirBnB experiences are practically limitless.

I’ll definitely be trying my own experience through AirBnB soon. Stick around, and I’ll tell you all about it!

If you are ready to give AirBnB a try, use this link to save money on your first booking!

Wherever the road takes you, make it a joyous journey,
Traveling Tanya

P.S. Subscribe to my email list (at the top of the screen) and never miss out on any of Traveling Tanya’s exciting excursions or travel tips!

Pin It For Later!