Recently Airbnb has started to gain popularity, and even Beyoncé used the service to stay in a huge mansion in San Francisco over the super bowl weekend. Although she allegedly paid $10,000 a night many of the options provided come at a more reasonable cost. This makes it a great alternative to hotels and hostels for travelling college students.
I actually used this service this weekend in New York City. For a group of five it cost us $85 per person for both nights. The apartment was centrally located on Broadway and 53rd Streets. It was also relatively spacious — with two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom. The apartment owners provided a television, free Wi-Fi and even cleaning supplies and towels.
My experience staying there with my friends was great, and I would definitely look into using the service again next time I travel.
The company itself was founded in 2008 and is based in San Francisco. However, apartments and houses are available in 190 countries and over 34,000 cities. They also have a huge price range so that even international travel can be reasonably affordable. There are tons of options for places to stay in D.C. if you are looking to escape but stay nearby. The options certainly don’t stop there. You can even stay in a tree house or on a private island if you’re willing to pay for it.
Signing up for the service is relatively easy. You connect your profile through Facebook, and you and your friends are able to make reservations together. Also, if you have a place you want to rent out as a hostel this is an easy way to do so!
However, it is important to remember that unlike when you stay at a reputable hotel, some of these hosts may not be friendly, and you may have negative interactions with them. Hosts can even decide you are not the type of person they want staying on their property and reject your request to stay there. They might also charge large fees if you leave the place a mess or break some of the rules they state in the agreement.
Occasionally large firms provide many different listings on the site in the same town, and your experience can be much less charming and personal than you might have hoped for.
Regardless of where you travel it is always good to look at all the options and do a good job researching because sometimes hotels can actually be cheaper and nicer than Airbnb listings in that area. Also Airbnb does charge rather high service fees for connecting hosts and patrons. Still, do make sure to check it out next time you try traveling somewhere for an overnight stay.
