Beginners' Guide to Airbnb

The grass is always greener... until now.

A missed opportunity never feels good, especially when you could have avoided getting the shorter end of the deal. If you're looking for respite from the easily avoidable travel routine of regretting your hotel accommodations immediately upon checking in, it sounds like you need a beginner’s guide to Airbnb.

In your first foray into Airbnb apartment hunting, it's easy to get distracted by all of the castles, tree-houses, boats, apartments and houses displayed to appeal to your whimsical travel dream board. But ultimately, accommodations come down to where you lay your head down that night. Castles are cool, but practicality and convenience are key.

As you wander around your travel destination of choice and pass through various neighborhoods with inviting homes and apartments, don't you fantasize about walking through their front doors as if it was your own? Imagine driving to a beautiful home in the hills or in the (latest) hipster neighborhood and actually having a key to the front door. Airbnb has the monopoly on making those pipe dreams a reality–a temporary reality, that is.

Whether you are visiting during a music festival or bachelor party, whether you're staying with a large group or on an intimate getaway, Airbnb can accommodate you. Here are a few pointers on how to optimize a wonderful domesticated experience. With a beginner's guide to Airbnb, traveling is as simple as pressing 'Book Now'.

Detail Orientation

Come up with a list of what your perfect trip entails. Then–get practical. Recognize that you'll likely have to sacrifice certain preferences in order to accommodate other ones. Whittle the list down to the factors that you'll absolutely require to be satisfied on your sojourn. Have a clear understanding of the big picture, such as how many guests will be staying, how many people are willing to share a room, and how much you'd like to spend on accommodations.

Airbnb's search functions makes these mini-decisions really easy to play around with as you browse through all the possible scenarios. You can filter your inquires to check if there is an oven to cook on, if pets are allowed, if they provide housekeeping services or if smoking is allowed inside or near the premises.

And–if you're looking for just a private room to stay in while the hosts are there (as opposed to renting the entire apartment), you'll want to know the host's living habits to gauge if you'll be comfortable there: Are they the sociable and helpful type, or completely hands off? Will you be sharing a common area with them, or does your privacy extend beyond just your bedroom?

Most importantly for most travelers, though, is location, and this is the crux of Airbnb's popularity. If you go the traditional hotel route, you're limited to the neighborhoods in your city of choice that actually have hotels (or affordable hotels).This is to say that hotels will most likely be in or close by to the more popular landmarks and hotspots.

The beauty of Airbnb is the possibility to stay in a unique neighborhood off the beaten track and get a really special travel experience. Whether you'd prefer to stay in the city center or explore its outskirts, Airbnb has incredibly useful mapping displays so that you can see exactly where you'll be staying.

First Contact

Checking out reviews before you book will help you to feel good and secure about a potential host with favorable reviews. More experienced Airbnb travelers know how to sift through reviews–even ones with a few blemishs–-and contemplate whether or not the host is yet a good fit for them. Search through their photos and check to see if they are Airbnb verified.

• Did your host verify and connect their social media profiles to their listing?
• How quickly do they respond to your inquiries?

If these details are ignored, you will find yourself with the short end of the stick. Go through as many profiles as you can and identify the ones that fall within your parameters; Airbnb's website has a wish-list feature to which you can add potential options, share them with your travel buddies and come to a collective decision.

Our beginner’s guide to Airbnb is intended to prevent you from passing up great experiences, but you'll have to do some of the work yourself!

After you've completed your preliminary research, you may want to contact the hosts to present your questions and concerns, if any. Don’t be intimidated or reluctant to reach out–the hosts are likely expecting you to, so ask away.

To have your questions answered will be helpful, but to establish a rapport with your host while you're at it is ideal. Conversations and questions make great building blocks. The hosts have seen and experienced a lot, and surely know a lot about the city they live in, so use that to your advantage.

Smooth Stay

Long term travel is very different from a weekend stay. Some things that might not bother you on a quick trip would be a hassle if you are staying longer than a few days. One thing that comes to mind in that area, is a shaky Internet connection. Fast Wi-Fi, comfortable beds and control over your room's temperature are essential.

One should like to know if the sleeping arrangements include a bed, futon and a couch. Investigate about having your own key. Ask the host if you can prepare coffee using their milk and sugar. You need to consider these factors. You want comfort don’t you? Well, the host wants comfort also.

Please don’t eat their food, drink their alcohol, and use their toiletries (unless they offer). Ask before you have guests over, and if you are with a partner, keep your late night rendezvous sounds to a minimum. It is customary to be polite and considerate.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Airbnb is considered an extremely safe process, but like anything in life, nothing can be guaranteed. Please don’t ask hosts if it is safe to stay there, as it will likely offend them. Instead, inquire if the host recommends taking a taxi at night or "would it be safe for me to walk home from the grocery store?"

Airbnb also operates a 24-hour help-line for both hosts and guests, should you ever feel alarmed. Remember to apply your rational instinct and your survival logic. You won’t get stiffed by the host, as all payments are handled by Airbnb. The beginner’s guide to Airbnb will greatly increase your possibilities of you getting a good review from the host as well.

The Fine Print

The cancellation policies need your attention. There are two types of cancellations: flexible and super strict. The flexible policy will give you a refund up to 24 hours in advance. If you need to cut your trip short and cancel your Airbnb reservations mid-stay, you will get refunded for nights starting only 24 hours after your departure. Under the 'super strict' policy, you can only get 50% refunded up to seven nights in advance. Mid-stay visits will get refunded 50% for nights seven days after you cancel. Airbnb charges a 6-12% fee on top of the room cost. Be aware of these fine print minutiae.

In the same vein, leave fair feedback about your stay.

If you've experienced any hiccups relating to Airbnb itself, understand that your hosts are customers just like you are–if Airbnb messes up, it's not your hosts' fault. Likewise, don't complain or write reviews about anything out of your hosts' control such as city-wide transportation strikes, loud construction happening nearby or anything along those lines. Remember, an unjust and unfair review can affect your host’s future visitors and income.

With this beginner's guide to Air BnB, you can establish a symbiotic relationship with Airbnb and their hosts and experience an entirely new way to travel around the world. Happy Travels!