Five Reasons to Stay in an Air BnB

Hello, everyone.  We have some great travel information for you today.  Have you ever stayed in an Air BnB?  I am somewhat an amateur when it comes to staying in them, but when my friend Missie and I were in Paris in November, we stayed in one for a whole week.  And what a treat it was?  Family members who have stayed in them have always been happy with their stays, too.  In fact, our son and his wife were Air BnB super hosts with rave reviews when they rented out the apartment in the basement of their home in DC.  (They have recently moved to Colorado and no longer have the right kind of space.)  Why stay in an Air BnB?  We have five reasons to stay in an Air BnB for you.

1.  They often cost less than a hotel room.

The same amount of square footage in a hotel versus an Air BnB is almost always less expensive.  For instance, when we were in Paris, the apartment we rented through Air BnB was half the price of a small hotel room in the same Marais neighborhood.  For a whole week, we lived as if we were apartment dwellers in Paris, rather than two women who were the

2.  They are usually larger.

Not only was our Paris rental half the price of a hotel room, it was much larger.  We had a full kitchen, a bathroom with a washer and dryer, a living area with two sleepers, a private bedroom, a dining area, and a desk area.  I am not interested in staying in a bedroom in someone’s home, but I certainly enjoyed staying in someone’s apartment.  Our host did not live in the building, but his niece did.  She was “on call” to give us any help if we needed it (we didn’t), and he emailed us a few times to make sure we were okay.

3. Prepare your meals.

Now I know that one of the fun parts about travel is eating the food in a new place.  However, another bonus is checking out the local food markets and grocery stores.  It’s always fun to cook the way the locals cook.  Staying in an apartment with a kitchen or kitchenette gives you the chance to eat some meals in, sample food from the farmers’ market, make a cup of tea or hot chocolate, drink a glass of wine in quiet and more.  When we stayed in an A-frame rental by the ocean in Figi years ago, we had fun shopping at the local market and cooking our own food.  Since I didn’t recognize most of the food they were selling, it was a real learning experience for us all.  Preparing your own meals is a great money saver if you plan to travel on a budget.

4.  Booking is easier.

Another nice thing about staying in an Air BnB is the booking process.  You can select your likes, wants, and needs based on their filtering system.  You can also download their app so that it is always easy and convenient. Booking works smoothly and quickly.  You also have the convenience of communicating with your host from the beginning of your booking until the end.

5.  Evaluation

When your stay is over, you have the chance to rate your stay.  You can also send a personal message to your host so that he can correct a flaw without others knowing.  For example, if you see that something needs to be repaired or replaced, you have the option to send your suggestion to your host.  You also can rate the host on a five star system.  Your host will rate you as a guest also.  If you party hard and destroy some of the property, your host can give you a low rating that will alert future hosts.  That gives them the right to decline your business, if they choose to.  It’s very fair.  And before you book, you can read what others have said about their experience.

At first I was reluctant to stay at an Air BnB.  However, based on the positive experiences we have had, I am now all for it.  Now remember, I am not going to book a bedroom in some stranger’s home, but I am all for booking apartments as a travel option.  Have you stayed in Air BnB’s before?

Take care.