Keeping with the travel theme of the last few weeks, this week is about using the web to find a place to stay on holiday. We’ve covered translating foreign languages on the fly, finding the best eating places and exploring like locals.
But how can you possibly do all these things if you haven’t got somewhere to leave your stuff and recuperate occasionally?
Finding the right place to stay always used to be a huge hassle. I’d spend weeks online, researching hotels, pensions, bed and breakfasts and hostels. Agonising over location and budget, and obsessively reading reviews.
Then a few years ago I came across Airbnb. My initial reaction was one I’m sure a lot of people have: “Do I really want to stay in a stranger’s house?” I mean all the usual questions apply: Are they some sort of weirdos? Am I sleeping on their dirty sheets? Will I be murdered, or worse, in my sleep?
After many years of using Airbnb — a lot — I can thankfully say that none of those has happened to me, or others who use it. In fact, our experience has been completely the opposite.
No one I know has had a bad experience in an Airbnb location. Yes, there is the odd bad experience story that does the rounds, but given the sheer number of people staying in these places, those are extremely few and far between.
Like with anything else on the Internet, it’s best to approach these things with a modicum of common sense. Make sure you read the description carefully, clarify any questions you might have with your host before you book, and please read the reviews and see what other travellers have said about the place before.
I’ve found that the majority of Airbnb hosts are very helpful and communicative, and many are willing to go the extra mile to be accommodating.
But the best thing for me about Airbnb is being able to live like a local would, even if it’s just for a few days. I mean where else would you find a lovely, sunny apartment on the Boulevard Voltaire in Paris? One that’s a stone’s throw away from some great cafes and restaurants and walking distance from all that Le Marais has to offer.
Used correctly, Airbnb is a gold mine of enchanting holiday rentals. You can find entire houses, villas, or apartments. You can rent a room and stay with a local. You can even hire your own private island!
The website makes it simple for anyone to find just the right place to stay, almost anywhere in the world. And the mobile app proves very useful in locating where you’re staying, or simply keeping in touch with your host for anything you might need to communicate, like a delayed train or a wrong turn in the taxi for example.
After having tried it, I can honestly say there’s no going back for me.
So, are you going to Airbnb your next holiday?
