Nowadays, booking is as easy as 1-2-3 across the many vacation rental services.
It can also be a great way to shave cost off your upcoming trip.
But how can you select a great Airbnb rental and avoid a nightmare vacation?
Here are some things to look out for when you’re booking to avoid having a nightmarish experience with your rental:
Cleanliness and Safety
Cleanliness and safety are the most prevalent topic of 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. In line with this, Airbnb has published protocols and safety requirements for Airbnb stays. Some host clearly define what steps they are taking to ensure the safety of their guest. When you do your search, look for the Airbnb’s 5-step enhanced cleaning process—a set of standards developed in partnership with experts, for the times of COVID-19 and beyond. This will give you a better perspective about your host commitment to your safety.
Read the reviews
One of the reasons why you should read reviews of your potential host is to know and understand their credibility. By reading reviews, you are able to judge the trustworthiness of the host as well as whether or not you should book their property. When you want to spend money for something, deciding whether or not something is reliable can be difficult. Reading reviews can help you with that. Looking through the pictures is also another way of taking the feel if you would like to stay in that property or not. Photos taken by professional may or may not improve the looks of the property or it might show it differently. Checking on guest feedback will help you identify if the picture shown is close to reality or not.
Advance booking
Booking in advance is generally pretty common advice for most situations. Unlike hotels, which might have tens or hundreds of similar rooms, Airbnb listings are usually one of a kind which means the best ones book up far in advance. Two to three months reservation is the most ideal time as the host may have made plans, assess their situation and financials which usually contributes to changes on pricing and availability.
Pricing and fees
Homeowners typically list their properties on multiple sites, therefore it’s wiser to start searching on websites that offers price match. Also, it’s noteworthy to check what is included in the fees before you make the booking to avoid surprises or shady transaction. Typically, it includes the following: cleaning fee, owner fee, administrative fee and lodging tax. Make sure you check everything before confirming the booking. You may also contact the host to verify the information and the cost you are getting from the platform. Most of the time, prices change depending on the season, events, and the host themselves. Doing this will save you time and money.
Search as many properties as you can
This may sound basic but knowing your options is paramount. When looking for properties to rent, you can search on these three main umbrella companies that provide information for home rentals: Airbnb, VRBO, and HomeAway. This will help you widen your options and choices and select the best one that will suit your taste and needs.
Google Street View
This is one of my favorite pro tips. Utilizing Google Maps or Google Street View helps you get a better picture of your rental looks alike and what the nearby areas are like. You can virtually drive down streets to check proximity and get a sense of the local offerings. Again, this will help you save time and money and let you easily get into nearby attractions or even just get a sense of the neighborhood.
Make sure to read cancellation policies
Most vacation rentals provide cancellation policies. Hosts can choose which cancellation policies to offer to a guest and the guest can review them before booking. It is important that you contact your host first if you are uncertain about your travel or thinking ahead of the possibilities to avoid inconvenience or charges on both parties.
Looking for some travel inspiration? Check out these 15 Wonderful Airbnb Homes That Will Inspire you to Live a Little Differently
Helping maintain so many beautiful Airbnb vacation rentals in Scottsdale is a huge perk to our day to day. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about the local rental market as a traveler or a local home owner.
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