Airbnb apartments. Using the Airbnb service: renting and renting out housing around the world! New impressions and interesting experiences

Traveling around different countries, most travelers stay in hotels, boarding houses or guesthouses. Since 2008 there has been great service AirBNB, where you can book a variety of inexpensive accommodation from private owners instead of hotels. Moreover, the choice of housing on the site was more colorful, educational and all over the world. Unfortunately, AirBNB has changed for the worse and negative reviews about Airbnb are becoming increasingly common. I was registered in this service almost from the very beginning and I have something to compare with.

For a long time I liked renting apartments from private owners through AirBNB, so I was always happy to recommend this service to my friends. But the further you go, the worse and more expensive the service becomes.

Now AirBNB is not always profitable and convenient for travelers, and I no longer want to recommend it. I myself am almost completely, because... many apartment options with Airbnb are now available on Booking and they are cheaper. But I don’t know what I will use tomorrow. I tried HomeAway and others - everything is not the same, and most importantly, the choice is too small. I really like the idea of AirBNB, so I hope something similar will appear soon, but better, cheaper and without hidden fees - and I will definitely tell you about it (stay tuned for updates on FB and VK).

Airbnb has taught us that the only way to book cheap apartments is through them. Alas, this is no longer the case. Before you book something on Airbnb out of habit, Google it and look for the same option in other services - it only takes a minute, but you can save almost twice as much (see example below).

Here I’ll tell you what has changed in Airbnb, and below you can read my old article about how it was once a really great service.

Important changes to Airbnb since 2018

What happened to Airbnb and why renting housing through them became unprofitable and even risky:

Bookings in Europe are being cancelled. at the last moment - there is a risk of being left without a reservation at the height of the season.
Since 2018, renting housing through AirBnb has become risky - there are more and more reviews that reservations began to be canceled at the last minute. This is due to the entry into force of new laws that homeowners are subject to - this is mainly true for Europe and the USA. The most reviews about booking cancellations I have seen come from the following cities: Barcelona, Valencia, Lisbon, Amsterdam, NY, Singapore. However, Airbnb, instead of helping to solve this situation, shifted all responsibility onto the clients - get out of it however you want.
It is better not to apply for a visa when booking through AirBnb
In connection with the previous point, they may refuse to receive it or give it for a shorter period - this has begun to happen more and more often.
AirBnb customer service is unhelpful.
This used to be the best customer service I've ever encountered. Nowadays it’s impossible to even find where to contact support on the Airbnb website, the e-mail and phone number of the support are carefully hidden, and when they manage to reach not the automatic replies, but a real person, they answer like robots and cannot help in any way.
Especially when your question concerns tricks with payment on Airbnb - the support service begins to “turn on the fool” and pretend that they do not understand what they are talking about. And they say we don’t understand where you got the screenshots from...
Removed prices from the calendar.
Previously, you could look at the prices for each day in the calendar and select those days when they were cheaper, but now this option has been removed.
They hide the final price.
The price you see on the main page may differ from the final price by 1.5 times! Guess in whose favor?
Moreover, this doesn’t seem to be an Airbnb scam, because... It's all there somewhere in the rules and there's no way to dig into it. They just learned to hide the final price so cleverly.
For example, we want to rent an apartment in Milan for 3 days (see picture below) - on the Airbnb main page the price is 53 euros per day:
Now watch your steps carefully: on the next page they already write that 50 euros is super! But commissions are added, a total of 205. I wonder where the price of 53 on the main page came from?
At Step 3, for some reason the price turns into 206.36 and they write that this is a conversion fee. What kind of conversion? From euro to euro?
And finally, in the end, they convert us into rubles and the total price becomes 213 euros for 3 days (for this day the Central Bank rate is 1 EUR = 73.90 RUB). How much did you end up with per day? (The answer is below the picture.)

Airbnb Price Trick - Follow the Steps
We count: magically 53 euros turns into 71 euros per day! By the way, it’s not clear where 53 came from? In general, if you look at the screenshot, many more questions arise for Airbnb...

Therefore, do not rush to book, first go to the payment page and compare this price with the price on other services - always compare the final price, not the intermediate price! You will be very surprised.
It became more expensive and appeared hidden fees Airbnb.
The commission has increased: Airbnb now takes 3% from the owner and 15% from the guest - as stated on their website. In addition, many do not notice, but Airbnb does a forced currency conversion not in favor of the client, and this adds up to 3% at the final payment step. Total 21% – this is too much! Therefore, I switched to Booking, where the commission is lower, and the price for the traveler is final and there are no hidden fees - to the client immediately on the first page.
Why Booking? Yes, because that’s where the same apartments with Airbnb are now presented, but at a higher price favorable price. It looks like Airbnb has become unprofitable for apartment owners, too. even the starting price for apartments has become higher than, for example, on Booking.com.
For example, here is the same apartment in Lisbon, which is listed on Airbnb and Booking (using the links it is easy to compare from the photo that these are the same apartment). Let's compare prices for the same dates:
Total: 372 euros on Airbnb (without conversion fee, the exact price will be in the last step) versus 233 euros on Booking (final price).
If you pay with a ruble card, your Airbnb bill will end up being 28,449.04 rubles. at the Central Bank exchange rate 1 EUR = 73.90 RUB. That is, the final price is 385 euros!!!

That is, the euro exchange rate in Airbnb turns out to be 76.47 rubles, which means the markup is the same +3% for conversion.
It would seem that for payment it is better to leave the account in the host’s currency, but no - Airbnb forcibly converts it into the currency of your country, which you specified during registration, even if you pay with a card in euros, and you will only find out after payment (I wrote about this in their support with all screenshots at every step of the booking process, because at every step the price changed, it seemed strange and I decided to take screenshots, but they replied that I was a fool and had chosen the wrong currency, and it was unclear where I got the screenshots from...). I wonder if the host’s currency is “tugriks” (for example, in Thailand), will there be a double conversion? I didn't check. Well, Airbnb has found a great way to make money!
Airbnb absolutely don't care about loyal users.
If they offer promotions and discounts to newcomers, then to those who have been using the service for a long time, they only increase commissions every year. I think many people remember the 12% commission.

Why did Airbnb stop caring about its clients? Maybe Airbnb will come to their senses and turn back to us, the clients? After all, there was a great service and you can still occasionally find interesting options on Airbnb, but, alas, less and less...

How AirBnb used to work

(Everything below was written in 2010 and is no longer relevant - I’ll leave it for history)
My acquaintance with AirBNB happened by chance. In March, when planning a trip to, I was still unable to book an inexpensive hotel there. Prices started at $100 and went into space. As a result, on the advice of a friend, I found myself an apartment on the 28th floor in the Bukit Batok metro area through AirBNB. For only $80, and with great view from the window and an excellent swimming pool. Although the owner was nominally present in the apartment, I practically did not interact with him. For my first experience, I was more than pleased - I managed and had a good idea of “how I would live here” :)

Don't confuse AirBNB rentals with couchsurfing. “Registrations” through couchsurfing are free, but do not provide either privacy or comfort. Hotels, on the contrary, offer comfort, but at a high price. By the way, in some cities there are not as many hotels as you would like. That's why renting a home via AirBNB this is something in between - more comfortable than “fitting in”, but cheaper than hotels.

Why do I like booking accommodation through AirBNB?

In the photo: a fully furnished apartment in Prague, for example, can be rented on AirBNB for 29 euros / day

1. Savings

AirBNB offers nice, well-equipped accommodation for less than hotels. This is especially true for fashionable, expensive and tourist cities like Nice, Barcelona or . It’s up to date to book your accommodation via AirBNB on holidays, when the cost of all hotels skyrockets.

2. Hotels are not available everywhere

In the photo: when traveling you can choose completely different and unusual types of accommodation

You can live in a variety of areas of cities where there is simply no. Booking via AirBNB, a traveler can test a variety of housing formats: apartments in skyscrapers, standard apartments, separate villas, romantic attics and even yachts :) Moreover, there are options to get a room in an apartment or rent the entire property.

3. New impressions and interesting experiences

Living “like a local” for a couple of days, something like a “demo version”, is a valuable experience and broadening your horizons. A great way to appreciate the features of housing and the quality of local life, to feel like a “Barcelonian” or “Singaporean”. Especially useful if you are thinking about visiting this country :)

4. Communication with new people

If you rent a room in an apartment, it is quite possible to improve your knowledge of a foreign language by communicating with the owners of the property. For example, learn something about the locals, about the real prices and rules of life of this country and its inhabitants.

How to book accommodation through AirBNB

Register for AirBNB, fill out your contact details in your profile. To book good accommodations through AirBNB, you need to be liked by potential hosts. Post your most welcoming photo, write what kind of “white and fluffy” traveler you are, and landlords will be drawn to you :) By the way, on AirBNB, landlords and tenants have their own personal ratings. The more often you rent through AirBNB, the more recommendations you will have. This will simplify subsequent settlements.

What to look for when looking for accommodation on AirBNB

In the photo: first of all, we check the calendar and prices for the required days

First of all, check the calendar for available dates and prices for these days. Prices may vary on different days of the week.

Having selected an interesting housing option, we study the final price, living conditions and reviews of other guests.

Pictured: Please note that cleaning fees and AirBNB fees have been added.

When renting housing through AirBNB, you pay the actual price for housing + site commission + cleaning fee + guarantee amount (blocked/refunded)

In the photo: it is important to read all the living conditions

We study all the conditions for renting housing on AirBNB

Typically the landlord specifies the following:

1. Type of accommodation: apartment (house) or room only
2. Number of guests (in this example 4). If there are more guests, an additional fee will apply for each additional guest.
3. The amount of the security deposit (this does not always happen). This amount is blocked by AirBNB from your card in case of damage (in this example 150 euros)
4. Housing cleaning fee. Sometimes the landlord charges more money for cleaning, thereby reducing the site commission for you (a percentage of the daily price of the apartment)
5. Penalties for canceling a booking (flexible, moderate, strict) - be sure to read these conditions when booking.
6. We study in the description what is in the apartment: parking, internet, washing machine, TV, etc.

If everything suits you, write a request to the host or simply click the red “Book” button. Then wait for a response. Most landlords will respond and confirm your request fairly quickly. Sometimes, however, they refuse.

If you see a lightning bolt icon, it means the apartment can be rented automatically, without waiting for the owner’s confirmation. So convenient.

AirBnb is the best home rental service that makes it easy and safe to rent apartments and houses in many countries around the world. On the website, homeowners post advertisements for housing for rent, and rent it to those people who need it. It's simple. All advertisements are posted with a description, photographs, and a list of what is and is not in the apartment. Moreover, Airbnb is not limited to apartment rentals; on the service you can find excellent houses on the ocean, rooms, yachts and even medieval castles.

Renting a home on Airbnb takes place in several stages:

Direct search for housing
Correspondence with the owner, in which you can find out everything down to the smallest details
Payment
Arrival and check-in
After your stay, you can leave a review about the accommodation (this is optional)

Renting apartments on Airbnb is no different from renting a house, a separate room or a yacht. The process is the same. The service itself has proven itself on the positive side, it has been operating all over the world for many years and its popularity is growing every year, which is worth the numerous ones, in addition, it is completely translated into Russian, so knowledge of a foreign language is not necessary. Compared to hotels, booking airbnb apartments costs on average 2-3 times cheaper than a room in three star hotel. And if you are traveling with family or friends, then Airbnb is what you need, because hotel rooms are usually designed for 2 people, and you have to book several rooms at once to fit everyone in (especially for groups of friends of 4-8 people ), and by renting an apartment on Airbnb, you can all stay together.

Why you should rent a home on AirBnb:

You will see the real condition of the property from numerous photographs.
You are guaranteed rental security, i.e. You won’t be scammed; all homeowners are verified by the service.
You can find out reliable information about housing from reviews written by people who have already lived there.
Each ad contains a list of available devices (Wi-Fi, washing machine, TV, air conditioning, etc.).
You can set your filters by price, type of housing, amenities, etc., which will allow you to find exactly the housing you want.
The site is very easy to use, it is translated into Russian.
The site has received thousands of positive reviews from travelers all over the world.

How to choose the right accommodation on Airbnb

Knowing some of the features of the service, you can find airbnb apartments at the lowest prices and with a high level of comfort. Often newcomers do not know these “rules of a good search” and find not the most comfortable accommodation. Especially for such beginners, here are tips for booking airbnb apartments.

Read reviews about accommodation carefully. The reviews were written by those who have already lived in this apartment/house/room, so they reflect the real situation. Choose accommodation that has more than 5 positive reviews.
Give preference to properties with verified photos. Photos of some apartments are marked with a "Photo Verified" label. This means that the owner of the property provided comprehensive information, professional Airbnb photographers came to him and personally photographed the rooms.
Find out all the details from the landlord. Don’t be shy, if you want to know what the Wi-Fi speed is, how long it takes to walk to the city center, whether the windows face the sunny side, what pattern the rug in front of the entrance is - feel free to write to the owner, he will be happy to answer all your questions.
It is better to book accommodation with a host with a verified profile. Each host has their own profile on Airbnb, review it before booking, if the profile is not verified, it is better to find another accommodation option.

Comparison of Airbnb and hotels

Is Airbnb safe?

Don't worry, renting an apartment abroad on airbnb is absolutely safe. The service is a rental guarantor. When you have found a suitable housing option, then transfer money to the airbnb service, and not the owner, as payment, which eliminates the possibility of the owner “disappearing” after transferring money (and this happens on some foreign services). Only after check-in does Airbnb transfer money to the host, and you can relax and enjoy life.

But there was also a fly in the ointment. The service is safe and in case of problems it guarantees that you will not be left in trouble without help, but some owners can be cunning and provide false information about their housing. But you can easily identify such hosts and not book anything with them. Be sure to read the article about that, and then you will be protected to the maximum.

Airbnb and visa confirmation

An Airbnb reservation is suitable for proof of accommodation, which is required for a visa. You will just need to print the payment receipt from the website. There is no difference between confirmation from and Airbnb, all embassies accept both.

If you are not traveling alone, then when booking accommodation on Airbnb.ru, write down the names of all the people who are going to live with you in these apartments and they will also be indicated on the receipt. If suddenly you did not do this at the time of booking, then contact the support service, write down the names and surnames (as in foreign passports) of all guests, and then the service staff will correct the receipt and send the corrected version to your email.

Some embassies also require a copy of the apartment owner's passport: a page with his photo and a page with his signature. You can find out exactly whether these additional documents are required for your visa or not only at your embassy (call them or write to them by email). If you still need copies, then simply send a letter to the owner with a request (if you don’t own English language, then you can translate the letter using an online translator) send copies of the pages and within a few hours or days (depending on how) you will receive them. It is almost never necessary to obtain copies of the apartment owner’s passport.

Instructions

Figuring out how to use the AirBnb website is quite simple, but... Knowing a few tricks, you can find very good and cheap housing.

AirBnb is the best travel rental site. Travel and enjoy life! All the best!

Updated 01/10/2020

The history of my relationship with Airbnb: 10 countries and 15 cities, 23 apartments and rooms for several days and 2 houses for a month. What have I learned for myself in 4 years and will I continue?

To be honest, I have never had any serious problems with airbnb.ru, and I am 99.9% happy with it. Wait, where did one hundredth go?

What kind of accommodation can you find on Airbnb?

Almost anything - rooms, apartments, bungalows, villas and even tree houses! Searching for an accommodation option in one city usually takes from 30 minutes to an hour - I look at photos of apartments, read reviews of those who have been there (I also translate foreign ones). I also compare prices with RoomGuru - it happens that the good old 3-star room wins.

My review of the Airbnb website

Our apartment for 4 people in Jerusalem - $100/night

Note: if not the first time, then here’s a life hack - register your mom/dad/friend (remember that the bonus is not entered, but is automatically counted when you click on the link), and the discount coupon will work again. 🙂

Step 2. Let's move on - searching for accommodation for the trip. Apartment booking is available in almost any city in the world. To do this, set the parameters you need on Airbnb:

city
dates (from 2019 the numbers appear along with the cost - convenient)
and the number of people by clicking “apply” and then “accommodation”

and here they are - all the rental options for your dates, from a luxury townhouse in the center to a homeless-style tent by the lake (did I say, for any budget? :)).

What filters are there?

Housing type(entire apartment, separate or shared room) - I usually don’t choose anything here, I’m guided directly by the advertisements. You can click, for example, the first option, and the house/apartment will be completely in your – temporary – possession
Price– you can choose a limit amount that you are willing to pay per day (from 0 to 50,000+ rubles)
Book instantly– see step below
Trip type(for families/business trips) – in my opinion, not a completely relevant filter, because a more interesting and cheaper option can be found simply in the feed
Other– if necessary, indicate the number of bedrooms, amenities, area, or check the box for “unique housing” (hut in the forest, yacht or houseboat? :)

Step 3. We study housing - a short algorithm is as follows:

look at prices
determine the location on the map on the right (when you hover over an ad, its price tag is highlighted on the map)
We are opening several apartments that you like
read reviews

When you click on an accommodation, you can find detailed information about the rules/conditions of accommodation, photographs of rooms, reviews from travelers and the owner. I advise you to CAREFULLY go through literally every letter. The site works in Russian, so there is a magic “translate” button. Pay attention to the "Amenities" section. It happens that the owners also include breakfast - they are quite simple, but still nice :) Plus, it saves both time and money.

Our apartment in New York (Brooklyn) for $67/night for two - it has a robot, a fireplace and even a cinema (we wrote more in the telegram @howtrip)

My tips on how not to fly by and not overpay:

1️⃣ I never choose apartments that no reviews or a small number of them (2-4). Although I admit that everyone starts somewhere, and that cool loft with zero responses will become a super-selling offer in a month or two. But I’ll probably give him a wide berth.

UPD: I changed my mind and now I’m looking at the “new items”. And all because they sometimes offer a 20% discount to the first 3 guests. I’ve booked this way twice already, and successfully!

2️⃣ Of all the heaps of enthusiastic reviews, I note those that are automatically generated by the service itself "The host canceled this reservation...". This means that the owner canceled the reservation so many days before the traveler’s arrival - if there are 3 or more, I pass by.

3️⃣ Important factor – frequency and response time owner (can be found below reviews). They demonstrate a person’s attitude towards Airbnb – whether he’s scoring or really being responsible.

4️⃣ Above the red “Request booking” button there are several lines that make up the final cost, but these specific ones are not always found:

Cleaning fee– I don’t see the need if I’m traveling for 3-5 days or even a week. In principle, it is small - up to 2000 rubles for the entire stay
Weekly/monthly discount– this is my favorite 🙂 If you book an apartment for 7 days or more, some hosts discount 10-15% of the price, and if for 3-4 weeks, the discount can reach 30-40%! That’s why Bali cost me 400 rubles per night.

5️⃣ And someone enters and security deposit. You can find out about this in the “House Rules” section, expanding them completely. I wonder what he not written off and is not frozen on the card when booking (and certainly not given to the owner in cash). If, after eviction, the owner complains about damage, Airbnb reviews the claim (with your participation, of course) and makes a verdict - pay the amount or forgive. I haven't had any experience with collateral yet.

6️⃣ Don't click on "Request Booking" At once. First, write to the owner (in the “Owner’s name” section there is a “Contact” button): ask something about the apartment or simply mention how you liked the option. But be sure to check whether the desired dates are free - the calendar may be acting up. Plus, it will save your money from the insidious instant booking.

7️⃣ What is "Instant Book"? The host set up an automatic confirmation of the reservation, not a manual one. Accordingly, the money on the card is frozen immediately, without waiting for the final word from the owner. In fact, this is a convenient option, and cancellations (cancellations) are extremely rare :) The red “Request Booking” button is normal, and “Booking” is instant.

8️⃣ View cancellation policy. Flexible, moderate, strict - the amount that will be returned to the card if you decide to cancel the apartment depends on them.

Step 4. After your request, the host has 24 hours to accept or decline the reservation. If the outcome is positive, payment is made, and airbnb.ru opens access to all information about housing - the exact address, phone number for contact.

Things to consider regarding finances (how payments are made):

Airbnb takes a commission from 10 to 15%, the amount of which depends on the cost of the reservation
Payment is always made in rubles, not in dollars or euros, even if the cost is indicated in such currencies. And it’s better to use a ruble card to avoid crazy conversion

If you select “Split payment with friends,” your friend will not be able to pay with bonuses. They can only be used by the person who books the accommodation.

Step 5. Wait for the trip and contact the host the day before to clarify the details.

For the first time we decided to try expensive housing on Airbnb - an apartment with a view of Manhattan cost 20,000 rubles/night for two (we rented for 2 nights)

How to contact Airbnb?

Before booking For any questions, write to support www.airbnb.ru/help. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to call, they simply don’t have that option.

If you made a reservation, and there is a need to contact, find the letter in the mail “Your reservation has been confirmed.” At the very bottom there is a red button, go to the Help Center and specify the problem. You will be asked to write or call their Russian-language support service (toll-free number). Note: this same Russian-language support is often busy, there are few operators, so they switch to English-language support.

I recently discovered their VKontakte page - vk.com/airbnbhelp, there is also a good connection there.

What happens if a booking is cancelled?

Canceled by the host: full refund or credit towards another booking. You canceled: full/partial refund (depending on conditions).

If you choose accommodation with flexible cancellation, there will be no problems. Always pay attention to this. In January 2018, we canceled a reservation in Thailand - the money was returned to the card within 2 days! 🙂 Important: The refund is made to the card that was specified when booking.

By the way, if you are traveling to only one country for a week or 10 days, then I advise you to look at the cost of tours, it often happens that they turn out to be more profitable independent trip(applies to countries such as Thailand, Spain, Greece, Tunisia and other popular destinations):

What are the advantages of the Airbnb.ru website? Positive reviews from tourists

Apartment where we lived in Paris (August 2018) - 65 euros/day

The most low prices for apartments all over the world. And it is true! This is especially noticeable in large and expensive cities. As mentioned above, many offers are discounted if you book for a week or a month. It is also profitable to rent an apartment with a group; when calculated per person, it is cheaper. You can find cool offers for quite reasonable money. So, in Phuket I rented an apartment for 600 rubles a day with a swimming pool and a gym. Not bad, right? And in Barcelona - a room for 600 euros for a whole month.
Simple and clear site. This, of course, is not a completely tangible advantage, but many services have big problems with this.
All sorts of options - you can find luxurious apartments with a view of the entire city, a small and cozy apartment in a residential area with locals. In general, there is a choice and prices for every taste.
By renting accommodation on Airbnb, you get to know the locals and get a feel for the culture of the country. Which is quite difficult to grasp if you check into a hotel and communicate with a receptionist programmed to smile.
The service has solved one of the main problems for many - full payment - and now it is not necessary to pay the entire amount when booking. You can split it into two parts, and spend the second ≈2 weeks before the trip. Condition: total amount – from $250, travel date – no earlier than 4 weeks.

What are the disadvantages of the site? Negative reviews

Our accommodation for a day in Moscow on Bolshaya Sadovaya - 4200 rubles/day for three

First I’ll say a few words. I read the messages, and I think if everything was as bad as some people describe, Airbnb would have gone under a long time ago. Well, and through one, of course, everything is to blame - the inattention of the user himself.

If you were advised of a specific accommodation - for example, Michael’s cozy apartment in NusaDua - you will not be able to find it by name. This has become a very uncomfortable moment for me on more than one occasion.
Payment upon booking. Now it is possible to divide the amount into two stages, but back in 2017 this was not the case, which did not suit me at all. The money, in fact, is in a “suspended” state for several months, and maybe even quite a large amount. Airbnb has finally met its customers. I know you will say that you can book a hotel without paying at all. But here, when canceling a booking, significant losses are incurred by ordinary people, for whom this is not exactly profitable. And this is compensated by cheaper prices than hotels. On the other hand, you can always cancel your reservation (for certain time before arrival) and the service will return the full amount based on the conditions that were specified in the apartment’s profile.
If any problems arise, the support service takes a very long time to respond to emails. And it’s okay that problems arise rarely, but they still happen. The last time I had a question about a refund. Surprisingly, the money was returned faster than the employee responded - 2 days vs. 5 days :)
Negative reviews about Airbnb abound with the following: you fell for a fraudulent host who tricked you into getting a bad apartment or canceled your reservation a week before check-in. But just for such a case, reviews of accommodation, ratings of hosts and the ability to contact before booking have been introduced. Always carefully study each comment, look at the profile registration date and photos of the property. If you have any questions, be sure to write to the landlord - this is the difference between Airbnb and a hotel search engine, that it - about communication and waiting. In addition, the service is truly customer-oriented - any cancellation is accompanied by a discount coupon, and for non-compliance with the conditions, money is returned (after proceedings). But this does not eliminate the need to look for new housing and unpleasant emotions. This is where the one missing hundredth is hidden.
Speed – people are not always online and after booking you need to wait for the owner’s confirmation. Therefore, if you book accommodation in the morning and plan to check in in the afternoon, it is better to search for hotels through Roomguru or.

Is Airbnb booking eligible for visa?

Embassies accept airbnb reservations for visa. For example, we did the Spanish Schengen and attached several confirmations from this site. Without any problems, you can apply for a visa to the Czech Republic, France and other countries.

Click "View Trip Plan" and print your detailed receipt. Names and dates are displayed there.

What other options does Airbnb offer?

With a discount, accommodation for 7 days will cost less than for 6 or 5. And renting for a month will be more profitable than for 3-3.5 weeks. It happens that the monthly discount starts from 27-28 days.

2️⃣ Why not take a risk and look for new offers (special icon next to it)? Some hosts give a discount on the first 3 bookings, and it can go up to 30-40% of the initial cost.

3️⃣ Some apartment owners add a fixed cleaning fee. It amounts to a significant amount (who knows), especially if the booking is for 3-5 days. So try to find accommodation without cleaning. You can write to the host and ask - what if I clean up myself? :) Sometimes they agree to a meeting, and the price is reduced. But if you are against it, there is no point in insisting.

4️⃣ Naturally, a life hack that many people know about - coupon 2100 rubles Select dates and compare prices

All over the world from Russian-speaking residents

We are looking for a discounted tour.

For those who have never used the popular accommodation booking service from local residents around the world, we’ll tell you in detail: what Airbnb (Airbian) is and how to use it.

What is Airbnb

Airbnb is a service that brings together travelers and ordinary residents who rent out their apartments.

Why do travelers prefer to stay with unknown people in apartments rather than in hotels? For different reasons. Sometimes renting an apartment is cheaper than staying in a hotel. Especially if you are traveling with three or four people. Renting a two-room apartment is much cheaper than two hotel rooms.

And sometimes it is difficult to find a hotel that will meet the requirements, for example, the availability of a kitchen. When renting an apartment, you get a unique experience - as a rule, the owners are very welcoming and try to give you as much information and useful tips how to spend time. You have a real opportunity to live for a couple of days like an ordinary city resident - early in the morning, ride a bicycle to a nearby pastry shop, buy fresh pastries, cook breakfast, sit with a cup of coffee on the balcony, etc.

The service allows you to rent without intermediaries both a separate apartment and a room in an apartment or house. Then you will spend part of your time with the owners. There are also unusual accommodation options - a farmhouse, bungalows by the ocean, chalets in the mountains, and even castles.

How to register with Airbnb

Airbnb's website is also available in Russian - airbnb.ru. In order to start using the service, you must register and pass verification. You can register using your Facebook profile or using your email address.

For those who have never used Airbnb, our gift is a 10% discount on your first booking. To receive, follow the link and register with Airbnb.

After you have registered, you need to add information about yourself so that your Airbnb profile is not empty. If you registered using an email address, add your account from Facebook, you also need to send a scan of your document - a passport or driver's license, and add a profile photo. Be sure to write about yourself, your hobbies, where you work, what you do. This is done in order to eliminate as much as possible potential crazy people and possible “maniacs” at the registration stage. After all, ordinary people welcome you in their apartments and houses.

Once Airbnb has verified you, which usually happens very quickly, you are able to book your stay.

How to use Airbnb

Row important points that you should consider.

1. Reservations are made on the basis of 100% prepayment. However, funds are not transferred to the hosts; they are credited to their account only 24 hours after your check-in. If you arrive and the actual condition of the property does not match the description, or there is something else you are not happy with about the apartment or the host, this is the time you are given to contact Airbnb so that they can eliminate the reasons for your dissatisfaction.

Therefore, pay close attention to the cancellation policy. The type of reservation cancellation is always specified in advance. Try to choose a flexible type that allows you to cancel your reservation one day in advance without major losses. Airbnb service fees are never refunded. Cleaning fees are also usually non-refundable upon cancellation.

2. Sometimes there is a deposit (for example, for keys, or simply for the safety of things). The deposit is also reserved by Airbnb and will be returned upon your departure.

2. If, after booking, the owner of the apartment contacts you and asks you to cancel the reservation, under no circumstances do this yourself. You should write about his request to Airbnb. Otherwise you will be fined.

For example, we are going to Paris for 7 days.

We can set a number of parameters we require to limit the selection.

Select area, amenities, type of housing.

There is a wide range of amenities.

We are interested in a separate apartment, internet, a washing machine, and if we want, we check the Superhost box - stay with the most hospitable hosts, but such offers will be a little more expensive.

What should you pay attention to after applying filters?

Photo in the ad - if there is an Airbnb icon on the photo, then the photo was taken by an employee of the company. If not, then the photo was provided by the owner of the apartment.

Read the owner's profile and, of course, reviews from those who have previously stayed with him. How adequate is the owner in dialogues with previous tourists? Please note that the rating is not only for the hosts, but also for those who stay. If a person writes that he didn’t like everything, read what the apartment owners write about him.

If the owner of the apartment has not updated his calendar for a very long time, it means he is not particularly interested in renting, perhaps you should not write to him.

In their profile, the owners always indicate what language they can communicate in. If you have difficulty communicating in a foreign language, and especially not in English, use Google Translator. Advice - write in short sentences, so the translation will be as accurate as possible.

By contacting the owner you can clarify anything about the accommodation - wifi, public transport nearby, if you have a child - how noisy is it around, how safe is it, is it possible with animals, is there an elevator, if you have allergies - are there any animals in the same room, and so on. Response rate is an indicator of how quickly the landlord responds. 73% is a good indicator, but you will not get an answer instantly. If you need a very fast response, choose one with a rate above 90%.

If you liked the accommodation, but the owner is a new member, and no one has stayed with him, there are no reviews, don’t be afraid, ask more questions, chat. Based on the manner and friendliness of his answers, it will be clear whether to stop or not.

From the proposed list of available options, choose this one.

You can immediately request a reservation, or you can start a dialogue with the owners of the apartment. It is still recommended to write to them, especially if you have a new profile. Ask absolutely all the questions you are interested in to avoid misunderstandings in the future. Once you have figured out everything, click request booking. After confirmation from the owner, the apartment will be booked. The full cost of your booking will be debited from your card immediately and you will receive a confirmation email and personal account Airbnb. If you have any questions, you can also continue to communicate with the owner.

All communication with apartment owners is carried out only through Airbnb. Neither you nor the owner of the apartment will have an e-mail or telephone number. If you want to enter into personal correspondence with him, or he offers you this, the system will recognize such messages, and the interlocutor will see that the phone number (or e-mail) is hidden. Of course there are different ways A way around this is to send 8 messages, each with several numbers, try to find it through social networks, etc. But before you do this, think about it: in case of any problems, if you booked through Airbnb, the company will deal with the issue, otherwise, you yourself.

After booking you will receive the host's full contact information (including phone number). Immediately or before check-in, the owners send exact instructions on how to meet with them to get the keys and show what is in the apartment. When checking in, discuss how you will return the keys, especially if you are leaving late at night or early in the morning. Sometimes they suggest leaving the key in the mailbox or simply slamming the door.

During your stay, treat your property with care.

Try it, you will definitely like Airbnb.

22.03.2020 Maria Glazunova

Cons of Airbnb

Of course, we can’t say that everything is perfect in Airbnb; there are also disadvantages that appear due to the human factor. Since most owners do not apartment business, then their approach in some issues may not be professional.

Conditions. The concept of comfort and cleanliness is different for everyone, and your requirements may not always coincide with the capabilities of the apartment owners - some little things that are invisible to the owner can become an annoying misunderstanding for you.
Speed. Unlike hotel booking sites, where you can select the desired room and immediately go check-in, prepare for the trip with using Airbnb should be done in advance - online is not always 100% actual information about the availability of housing for the required dates. In any case, you will need to wait for confirmation from the owner.
Less privacy. Firstly, in order to book accommodation, you need to fill out your profile, provide your contact details and, preferably, write a little about yourself (or record a video introduction). You also need to provide your documents for identification (they will only be available to the Airbnb system, the host will not see them). Secondly, if you plan to rent not the entire apartment, but separate room, then perhaps other guests or the owners will live in the apartment with you.
You may be denied a reservation if the owner doesn’t like you or your profile in some way - after all, he rents out his home and has the right to choose who to put in his apartment.

In order to avoid misunderstandings, carefully study the owner’s profile, the description of the accommodation on airbnb, and study the reviews of previous guests especially carefully. In addition, you need to keep in mind that most of these disadvantages are mitigated by Airbnb's Guest Compensation Policy (see below).

What Airbnb is for us

For us, Airbnb is great option for accommodation, which is located between hotels and. It combines freedom and independence on the one hand and the opportunity to get more comfort and homeliness, as well as to join the culture of the country, on the other.

Instructions for use

In order to register, you need to go to the Airbnb website. If you register using this link, you will receive a $32 bonus that you can use when booking accommodation

After a simple registration on airbnb, you will be taken to the main page of the site. Enter the name of the city where you plan to travel, as well as the dates of your stay

As a result of the search, you will see the found options, as well as a city map with marked points

The system has quite a few filters by which you can select the appropriate options

Having selected suitable housing, you can study the details, look at photographs, and read reviews of previous guests about a specific apartment on airbnb. On the right side of the page the cost of accommodation is indicated for one day and for the selected number of days, as well as the cost of Airbnb services

After this you can send a booking request

Once the host confirms the specified dates, you can pay for your reservation using bank card or via PayPal.

What you should pay attention to when choosing housing

Verified profile– in order to confirm his identity, the host can provide the Airbnb system with his documents, after which an icon will appear in his profile indicating that he has completed online and/or offline confirmation.

Verified photos– if in the upper right corner of the photo, in addition to the usual logo, there is an inscription verified photo, which means they were taken by a professional Airbnb photographer and are accurate.

Response rate– if the profile indicates a frequency of 10%, then you don’t have to waste time on such housing, most likely no one will answer you, but a frequency of 90-100%, on the contrary, indicates that you will definitely receive an answer.

Response time– this is an important indicator if there is not much time left before the expected booking date. In this case, choose those who respond as quickly as possible.

Calendar update– if the calendar is updated regularly, it will be easier to find accommodation for the required dates, otherwise you will have to correspond with the owner every time.

Cancellation conditions– if you have a chance that the trip may not take place, choose more flexible conditions (see below).

One of the most important parameters in airbnb is reviews of the accommodation and the owner.

airbnb reviews– this is probably one of the most important criteria. The description of an apartment in airbnb can say anything, but if the vast majority of guests praise this place, then most likely it is really good. Read carefully and treat reviews critically - not everyone can directly write about some disadvantages. Sometimes the statement is veiled, for example something like “living in such a small apartment was an interesting experiment.”

Cancel Reservation

Airbnb provides various conditions cancellation of reservations, allowing you to choose your own accommodation, depending on your confidence in the upcoming trip. Please note that the Airbnb fee is non-refundable, except in serious circumstances (if the cancellation was initiated by you, of course):

flexible,
moderate,
strict,
super strict
long-term

You can read more about cancellation types and conditions here.

Why Airbnb is safe

Airbnb has " Guest compensation rules”, which allow you to get a refund of paid Money, in case there is some misunderstanding, for example:

the owner canceled the reservation or did not provide access to the accommodation;
in reality, the housing differs significantly from the description on the website;
you find that your home is dirty or unsafe

And although this does not happen often, if suddenly something in the booked accommodation does not suit you, contact Airbnb within 24 hours of your arrival. You can read more here.

Booking confirmation for visa

We ourselves have never provided a service receipt to the consulate, but according to the support service, as well as judging by numerous reports from airbnb users, the feedback on this topic is quite positive - such reservations are accepted without problems at consulates and visa centers.

Rent out your apartment via airbnb

As you can guess, in addition to renting housing while traveling, using Airbnb service You can also rent out your apartment/room/house /inflatable mattress. If you have a spare room or are going to the country for a few months, or just want to earn a little extra money during the summer by living in the office, this is a great opportunity, simple and convenient.

For hosts, Airbnb provides no less guarantees than for guests, so it is also quite safe. Moreover, it’s free, since the Airbnb service adds its own additional fee(about 10%), i.e. you will receive exactly as much as you indicate in the ad. By the way, a professional photographer will also take photos of your apartment for Airbnb for free.

In order to rent out an apartment in airbnb, you need to go to the “Your Listings” section in the “Control Panel”.

Conclusion

As with everything new, at first glance, Airbnb may seem something unusual and complicated. But in reality, Sevris is very convenient, thoughtful and safe, so I recommend at least trying to use it in order to have another tool in stock for traveling. I hope that Airbnb can be a good alternative for you to hotels, hostels and guesthouses :)

To make using this service even more enjoyable, I remind you that you can receive a bonus for your first booking in the Airbnb system. To do this, simply register using this link. I wish you great travels and a pleasant holiday!

You can read about our experience of renting an apartment through Airbnb in Phuket.

Still have questions about using the service? Ask them in the comments.

If you liked the idea of finding housing through the airbnb service, share this article with your friends (repost on social networks).

Igor

Julia

yuliagulyaeva

Pitalenko Alexey

Denis

Pitalenko Alexey

AirBnB Host

Catherine

Oksana

Maria Glazunova

Oksana

Julia

Svetlana

Svetlana Heiro

Maria Glazunova

Svetlana Heiro

Maria Glazunova

Svetlana Heiro

Maria Glazunova

Olga

Maria Glazunova

Galina

Maria Glazunova

Zoya

Olga

Oksana

Yuri

Antonina

Anya

Nina

Yana

Marianne