My Process for Choosing an Airbnb Listing

Have you ever stayed at an Airbnb property?

We just got back from a super fun spring break getaway which included a lovely stay at THIS Airbnb property in Decatur. We chose to stay at this particular Airbnb cottage because not only was it a super cute little cottage, it also came with the chance to hang out with some friendly chickens and alpacas during our stay. The boys will definitely tell you that it was one of the highlights of our spring break road trip.

Whenever I post about our  Airbnb stays, I always get questions. Today I thought I would break down some of the reasons we love it and my process for finding some really great listings so far.

The photos below are all phone shots from some of the different homes from the past few years. So please excuse the quality I had to dig through three years worth of iPhone shots to find them 🙂

Ben getting to know one of the friendly faces at the Airbnb Decatur Alpaca Cottage.

Eggs from the chickens at the Decatur Alpaca Cottage.

What is so special about using Airbnb?

If you are unfamiliar with Airbnb, it is similar to a vacation rental. You are staying in a home that is privately owned, but available for rent. If you are considering a vacation rental, I think Airbnb is the way to go. Their website interface is extremely user friendly. The hosts take extreme pride in their properties and in getting excellent reviews. The travelers are on their best behavior too, because they get reviewed as well.

Whenever I have travel plans, I always compare to see if it would be a better option to stay at a hotel versus an Airbnb property. Sometimes, a hotel makes more sense. Especially if you plan on only being somewhere for just one or two nights. Other times you cannot beat having a kitchen and living space to spread out in. Or maybe some fresh-hatched eggs from the chickens on the property 🙂

Charleston Airbnb for our 2017 neighbor getaway

So far, I’ve stayed in Airbnb properties in New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Savannah, Charleston, Nashville and Atlanta. Knock on wood here, but they have all been highly positive experiences. That may not always be the case, but for now, I have a process that seems to work in reducing the risk of staying in an unknown someone’s rental property.

Cute little Airbnb cottage in Nashville for spring break last year

My Process for Choosing an Airbnb Rental

1. Do an initial search of properties in the city. When you have scheduled your next vacation or getaway, take a look through the Airbnb listings in the city without adding the filters. This will give you an idea of what kind of properties are there and just how many good ones are out there. For example, in my neighborhood in our small town, the pickings are slim.
2. Create a “Saved” folder with your City. The next thing I do is create a folder for that particular trip in my “Saved” listings. This kind of like using Pinterest. Except it is on Airbnb. Every time you come across a listing you like, you add it to your list for that trip. Later on, when it is time to decide, you can go back you your list and pick from all the ones you liked instead of wading through all the options.
3. Keep an eye out for well-photographed listings. Now, one of the things I think makes a BIG difference when knowing which listing to click on is the photography. Although this might seem like a shallow way to pick where to stay, here’s why I do it: if someone’s photos of their listing are dark and fuzzy, I cannot get a clear image of the place. Red flag. Also, if they don’t understand how important good photography is, they are probably not the most detail-oriented hosts.
   

   Atlanta Airbnb for our 2018 neighbor getaway

4. Read the reviews carefully. Reviews are critical to the Airbnb process. Properties benefit from getting reviews, and you get reviewed as user too! Once I have narrowed down my listing options to a half dozen or so, I then get in and start reading the reviews. You’ll notice that many listings have 4.5-5 stars for every category. For that reason, I don’t rely on the stars too much. I read the reviews and look for specific details. If 20 people are raving about the great selection of restaurants and shops around, then I can feel good about the location. If words like “immaculate” and “pristine” are used to describe the property, then I can feel good I won’t be surprised with dingy dish towels.
5. Know someone in that city? Ask them to vouch for the location. At this point, if I know someone who lives in the city where I am looking, I will send them a link to the Airbnb listings and ask for their feedback on location. I just did this with our upcoming vacation to Seattle. My friend steered me away from two listings that were not as convenient to the exploring the sights as some of the others we were considering.
6. Send a message to the host to ask them anything still left unanswered. Once I have decided on the property we want to book, I will usually send a message to the host before booking. I will let them know who is coming and what type of vacation we will be on. For example, when we take our annual neighbor getaway in the winter, we are specifically looking for places that are bike-friendly and close to lots of good restaurants. This is the host’s opportunity to confirm or give us a heads up about anything that may not meet our expectations. Although you may be wondering why they would be upfront about something negative, it all comes down to the reviews later. They get reviewed on the accuracy of the description and they know the guests can expose anything that was “oversold”.

Savannah Airbnb for our 2016 neighbor getaway

I mentioned above how important the photos are in the Airbnb process. I can quickly scan a page and knock out 90% of the listings just by their cover photos.

What I look for in the Airbnb Listing photos:

1. Light and bright. Lots of light lets me know I will be able to see everything is nice and clean.
2. Solid surface flooring. I prefer to find places with hardwood or tile flooring so I don’t have to wonder if the carpet is clean.
3. White sheets and towels. I like bedding and towels to be mostly white. A simple coverlet in a color is okay, but nothing with stuffing in it. Remember all those Dateline episodes about the hotel comforters?! I need to know stuff is getting washed.
4. Only the essentials – and no more. I like there to be enough furniture, but not more than that. Doesn’t have to be fancy, but it has to be just right for the space. Same goes for the display surfaces and drawers, etc.  Too many things start feeling cluttered and not well-thought out.
5. Stylish. I know this sounds shallow again, but this is important. Similar to the photography, if the host has a good eye, they probably pay attention to detail in other areas. The particular style itself, is not important. Just that there is one.

Boston Airbnb for a quick visit to family

Tips on using the Airbnb website:

Where Airbnb stands head and shoulders above other vacation rental sites is their website. The user experience is excellent. And they have covered every base when it comes to making you and the host feel safe about the whole rental transaction. You communicate with your host directly through Airbnb’s messaging platform. And the payment is all taken care of through the site, so you never have to worry about that during your stay. Below are a few  of the tips I have to maximize all their site has to offer.

1. Start your search as early as possible. More time = more options. I like to start browsing as early as possible. The trip to Seattle I mentioned earlier is more than 4 months away and I already have a shortlist of 5 Airbnb properties I am eyeing. I know that the longer I wait to book, the higher my chances of losing my options.
2. Take advantage of the filters. Using the Airbnb filters is a HUGE help when narrowing down on your ideal listing. Selecting your travel dates will filter out any properties that are not available on the dates you are looking at.  Selecting the number beds, bedrooms or bathrooms also helps narrow it down. I would always recommend casting the net wide by looking at all the listings first. Then, go ahead and start adding the filters.
3. Use the map feature. Airbnb has a great tool where you can search available listings in a city by scrolling on a map of that city. You can check out the listings in the downtown area, then compare with listings in a different part of town. This is especially handy if you know which sites you will be hitting up during your stay.
4. Review the cancellation policy for the listing before booking. Each Airbnb host has a different cancellation policy that is clearly stated. Some are pretty strict, others super lenient. I remember once we booked an Airbnb in Nashville, and then changed our travel plans. Since we were within the generous cancellation window, it was no sweat. I just let the host know and they cancelled the reservation, no questions asked or fees deducted.
   

   Quiet street outside our San Francisco Airbnb

When we choose NOT to use Airbnb

While staying at an Airbnb property is something I always look into, that doesn’t mean we always end up staying in an Airbnb property. About half the time we travel we end up in hotels. Here’s the rundown of when we choose not to use Airbnb for our travel accommodations:

1. If I don’t find any listings that look nice. I’d rather risk a generic Hilton Garden Inn than stay in a questionable Airbnb.
2. If we are only staying 1-2 nights. Sometimes hotels are more economical if you are not staying long. This is because Airbnb properties have a flat cleaning and service fee added to the total. For example, if a hotel room is $200/night and an Airbnb is $100/night, you will probably be better off with the hotel room because the cleaning fee might be $50 and the service fee is $50. But since it is a one-time fee, once you go past two nights, you start saving more with the Airbnb listing. Make sense?
3. If we found a great deal in a fun hotel. If I can get a great rate at a boutique hotel property with excellent reviews, then I might jump on that over an Airbnb property. We love the Kimpton hotel line for their excellent customer service, design and quirky details. So if I find a good one in the city we are traveling to, that is where we will stay. There is something nice about having someone make your bed and clean your bathroom daily, right?

Decatur Airbnb from our family road trip this spring break.

I know I just went into a lot of detail up there, but the reality is I love the hunt for the perfect Airbnb for the specific trip or occasion. I enjoy the process and then finally coming up with “the one”. The reward is a feeling of experiencing a place from a resident’s perspective versus a tourist’s. A fun “home away from home” to add to the memories.

It may not be for everyone, but if you have been itching to try the Airbnb experience for your next vacation, CLICK HERE for my referral link. You will get a $40 travel credit on your first stay.

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Posted by Ale & filed under Travel. This post has 4 comments.