8 Tips to Help You Pick the Best Airbnb for Your Coming Holiday

When was the last time you've gone away for a vacation to enjoy your time and explore a new city or town without worrying about travel restrictions and curfew hours? It probably was some time before 2020.

The good news is that traveling is becoming more and more possible as more countries are opening their borders and air spaces for tourism but maintaining social distancing measures and wearing face masks.

In a previous poll created by Al Bawaba Business's social media platforms, more than 55% of voters said they prefer to book an Airbnb while traveling instead of a hotel or a resort. This option widely preferred by today's travelers suggest that booking accommodation out of many options using a website. 

Besides providing many affordable accommodation options, Airbnb is especially popular because of the wide variety of rentals it has. Based on your budget, you can either get a decent room and access to shared bathrooms and a kitchen or get a whole apartment for yourself. In some cases, you can also get a prestigious villa with its own pool and many other tempting amenities. 

Not all fans of Airbnb are after affordable options. Some people just enjoy having authentic experiences living in regular residential settings that were not specifically designed for tourists. 

1. Look for options using the map

Using the map available on the website, you can control the area you'll be staying at, depending on the purpose of your visit, the areas you want to explore, and the transportation means you will be using frequently, such as a metro station or a bus stop.

2. Super host

If you have the option to stay at a property owned by a super host, don't hesitate. Super hosts are verified users who, according to previous clients, provide the best services. They are the ones who show up in no time to help you check it, or provide you with full directions so you can enter the property.

Super hosts almost never cancel on their clients and respond immediately to your needs or emergency inquires. 

3.  Use the website's payment methods

While some hosts will try to convince you of a different payment method that helps you avoid paying Airbnb its fees and services, you can't just trust the person on the other side of the transaction without a guarantee. 

You could go ahead with the payment and make it all the way to their property before you find out that they have also rented it to someone else. In that case, you can't ask Airbnb for help or a refund. You've lost your money and you have to rent another place in a last-minute usually overpriced cost.

4. Look for an airport shuttle

If your flying to your vacation spot, try to get an Airbnb linked to an airport shuttle service. This will help you make it to the property easily on the very first day of arrival before you actually have the time to explore the town, especially if you still don't have access to the internet.

5. Check if you're using the right Airbnb website

The internet is filled with scam rings that will do whatever they can to exploit users and make the most money while sabotaging their experiences.

If you take a few minutes to look up nightmarish travel experiences you will see people have reported being scammed through websites that looked almost exactly the same as Airbnb and had almost the same name and URL link.

Just to be safe, make sure you're booking your stay using the right website: www.airbnb.com.

6. Check photos listed

While most Airbnb hosts will try their best to show their properties clean and tidy, some post completely different photos from what their places look like.

To avoid booking a place only to realize it looks nothing like the photo, use the Google Image Search option to see if the photos are posted anywhere else on the internet. 

7. Check for Wifi and Air conditioning

While you may not really care if your Airbnb has a bathtub or a microwave, some amities are extremely important, especially for a traveler. 

Make sure your host has provided the place with a Wifi connection and that the place has either air conditioning or heating service, so you don't get sick during your trip.

8. Finally, Sanitization

Airbnb customers have always valued a clean place as a top priority for them. Now with the pandemic going on and the lack of proof that people can't contract the virus by using space or objects used by others so far, it's very important to know whether or not the property has been properly sanitized and cleaned after the last customers left it.

More and more hosts are now posting photos of sanitization licenses issued by cleaning services lately, in an attempt to assure customers that their stay will be COVID-free.

Have you used Airbnb before? Do you prefer using it or would you go with the old hotel reservation option? What are other things you think travelers should take note of when booking an Airbnb?