Traveling can be a challenge when choosing and arranging accommodation. You want to make the best of your trip, and accommodation is a big part of that. You do not want any surprises, a good place to sleep, and have good value for the price that you’re paying. There are a lot of differences between looking a stay at a hotel or at an Airbnb, both have pros and cons. Here are 9 reasons why you should book an Airbnb instead of a hotel.
1. Culture
When you’re traveling to another place, whether it’s for business or for holiday, it’s nice to get a feel for your surroundings. How big is the city? Are there places that I should avoid because of safety? What are fun things to do? What is a good local food? But also history and current issues can help you get a better grasp of where you are. This can help you, for instance, understand mural paintings, or understand the demonstrations that there might be there, or you have a better understanding when people talk about certain subjects. And also, very useful, you know which subjects you should not talk about to locals, or at least very cautiously.
The first advantage of using an Airbnb is that you are able to talk with the person who rents out his or her place. In some cases, you will not meet the person, because they might’ve organized something with automatic key handovers. But in most cases, you will be in touch with the person who was registered at the Airbnb account. That is a great start when you arrive somewhere. You can immediately ask the questions which you feel are the most important to you. You might take that opportunity to ask some questions about the way of life and reserve your practical questions for the people you meet outside, at restaurants or supermarkets for instance.
The second advantage is that you are in a real local apartment or house. If you are in a hotel, it will be specifically designed for guests, but an Airbnb is just a living space for a person. There can be small things which show the local culture. Like the way they make coffee, or if they are bothered a lot by insects (mosquito nets, or a lot of repellent). Or maybe they are very hospitable and have a lot of food and drinks waiting for you, or maybe there is absolutely nothing there, and it is more of an empty room. These things will give you a much better sense of the place that you are visiting.
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2. Adventure
If you are the adventurous type, then booking an Airbnb would be the better choice for you. You can see the pictures of the accommodation beforehand, but you’re never quite sure where you are going to end up. Maybe it’s on the top of an apartment building, or somewhere in the woods. You have to find your way there and encounter local life on the way. Maybe you will meet your neighbors in the apartment block, or you have to ask the way on the street. Some people really don’t like this, and they prefer the clarity of a hotel. However, this adventure really does add to the experience of visiting a town.
It can be a bit impersonal, but some Airbnb landlords have a system for the keys. This means you will receive detailed instructions on how to find the keys, like a treasure hunt. This can include multiple small safes specifically designed for holding keys. This means that you do not meet the person when renting the space. For some people this is a plus, because they see it as awkward interaction which they do not have to do anymore, but others find it a bit blunt. It could also be that you will receive instructions for finding keys, but that the person will meet you later, or just before checking out.
3. Reviews
Most of us are familiar with reviews, and if there are numerous dependable reviews accompanying a listing, it can be the most important reason to book or not book an accommodation. Most hotels also have reviews on their own site, or on hotel booking sites, which is a great thing. However, the Airbnb reviews are often more comprehensive. It’s more of a personal experience, staying at somebody’s own house, it’s more intimate. This way people are more inclined to leave a review, which results in many more reviews. It is often the case that when it’s more of a business-like relationship (which could be for instance the case with a hotel) the people who are satisfied do not leave a review and the people who have complaints do. And people who write reviews on Airbnb often do their best to fully describe their experience.
4. Amenities
On the point of amenities, Airbnb definitely wins. Everybody who has ever stayed at a hotel knows the hassle of eating a meal in your room. When you stay at somebody’s place who rented it through Airbnb, you will most likely get the basic needs to make a meal. A stove, an oven, a microwave, plates, and cutlery. This really makes a difference, especially when you are traveling on a budget. Because eating out is much more expensive than making it yourself. If you’re lucky, the accommodation has a garden and there might even be a barbecue.
While a kitchen is the most important amenity which an Airbnb accommodation has to offer and which a hotel doesn’t, there are other things to look out for. These can be practical and useful things, like a hairdryer or toothpaste and shampoo. But they can also be more personal things that give a nice feel to your stay. Such as a personal note from the owner, tips, and tricks on where to eat or where to buy your food, a local newspaper or some flowers to cheer things up.
5. Bicycles
If you’re traveling by bike, or if you are visiting a place and you rent a bicycle for a few days, it might be a hassle to use a hotel. In case you’re traveling by bike, and your bike is expensive, you will definitely want to keep it inside and locked. You would want that for safety reasons, but it is also nice to keep your bike out of the weather. It’s not that all hotels ban your bike from the room, but they won’t be too happy about it. If they see that you are making a journey with your bicycle, and you ask it in a friendly way they will probably let you take your bike. But it is not ideal, and you’re probably worrying about making things dirty, like keeping your bike chain away from the bed.
If you book an Airbnb, most of the time you stay at somebody’s place. They often already have a place where they store their own things, or they simply have a hallway. It’s much easier to store your bike somewhere with peace of mind. If you have to repair your bike or do some maintenance, it is also much nicer if they have a garage or some other place for that. And if you have an electric bike, with a charger that makes noise, it is much easier to find a safe space away from your bedroom where you can charge your battery. In a hotel, your options are your room or asking reception.
6. Cancellation rules
If you book a hotel and you want to cancel it can be quite the adventure. It depends of course on the type of hotel and the country that you are in. If you stay in a five-star hotel in Western Europe, everything will probably go smoothly and all the terms and conditions will be clear beforehand. But if you book a cheap hotel room in a country where living wages are lower, you could find yourself emailing and calling a lot to try and get a refund. Each hotel has different rules, and each hotel decides whether they consider it worth it to abide by its own rules.
If you book through Airbnb, the cancellation rules are obvious. They differ per accommodation because the person who rents their place can choose from a set of cancellation methods. Once they decided the rules are visible on the website and will be emailed to you in a clear fashion once you made the reservation. Because Airbnb works with an online system it automatically applies the rule. So if it says that you get a full refund if you cancel within three days before your stay, you can do that without any problem. You just cancel your reservation online, and you will get a refund. It is clear and reliable.
7. Building your own reputation
Leaving reviews after you stayed at a place can give a heads up to the next person who wants to go there. They make for a great way to get a feel of the place and the person you are visiting. This also works the other way around, because your host can also leave a review about you after your stay. And when you make a future reservation, that host can view your past reviews. The reviews that other hosts wrote about you. If you are a good guest you will receive good reviews and build a reputation.
At a hotel, they have no idea what kind of person you are. But with Airbnb, the host does know you and this can be an advantage. It can make your personal interaction more relaxed, which is a nice thing. And your Airbnb landlord already trusts you a bit more, so they might give you more leeway while using the accommodation. This might sound like not such a big deal, but in practice, this can be very valuable. A relaxed way of communicating is an important part of your experience, and can also lead to practical advantages, like advice on the best places to visit locally.
8. Price
For most people this is the most important benefit of Airbnb, it’s cheap. Everywhere you go, hotels are more expensive. And using Airbnb can give you access to whole houses and studios which normally would be way too expensive, especially for just one night. The hotel owners argue that this is unfair competition, because Airbnb owners do not need to comply with all the regulations, and they don’t need to pay for a permit. On the other hand, the Airbnb owners argue that they are just trying to make an extra buck and do not have that much money. Whereas the hotel chains are owned by wealthy people, who do not need the extra money. So it’s an ethical decision you would need to make for yourself, and there are different points of view.
9. Expectations
You can find out almost everything about your Airbnb accommodation beforehand. For instance, when you insert your travel dates you can see the calendar. In this calendar, you can see when the accommodation is already booked, and when it is still available. This gives you a sense of its popularity. The profile also shows if it is a relatively new listing, or has been up and running for a couple of years. Of course, there are numerous pictures to look at, and almost every listing does its best to give you a complete overview.
As mentioned before, the reviews are a critical part of your expectations, and they will definitely give you a sense of the place and the owner. The list of amenities gives you a sense of your possibilities. But also about safety because the amenities list also includes things like a smoke detector, a carbon monoxide alarm or a first-aid kit. And finally, there are no hidden prices. You just pay the amount that is stated on the website. All these things can help you improve your expectations and give you more security while traveling.
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