Home Hotel What is Airbnb? Pros and cons of Airbnb

What is Airbnb? Pros and cons of Airbnb

by Syed Saifulla Ahsan

There has been an increasing trend in recent years of using home stay or short term rental accommodation over hotel rooms. This type of rental has a lot of positives to it, such as more space, but it also has some negative aspects, such as a lack of privacy. The best way to decide here is the pros and cons of Airbnb . So what is Airbnb?
A‌i‌r‌b‌n‌b‌ is an American hospitality service brokerage company. They provides you somebody’s house as a place to live instead of a hotel. There are no properties owned by Airbnb. It works as an intermediary between those who want to rent room/entire house and those who are searching for a room or entire house to rent.

What is Airbnb? Airbnb pros and cons

Pros of short term rentals

  • You get more space for your money, which is particularly useful for families.
  • You can live like a local outside of tourist neighborhoods.
  • It generally costs a lot less than a hotel.
  • Access to a kitchen means you can save money on eating out.
  • Hosts can offer a more personalized service.
  • You’ll get to stay in unusual places.
  • You can see reviews of both the hosts and the rooms.
  • AirBnB can help find alternative accommodation in place of cancellations.

Cons of short term rentals

  • The property may not match the description.
  • Privacy can be sacrificed
  • Limited location choices, generally outside of the city center.
  • The host is unresponsive to your needs.
  • Local laws mean that your rental is actually illegal.
  • Reservations aren’t made instantly.
  • Date restrictions.
  • Reviews could be false or misleading.
  • Hidden fees such as cleaning charges.
  • Not as much security as there would be in a hotel.
  • Hotel services and amenities may not be present.
  • No maid or concierge services.

If you live in a city which witnesses a lot of tourism, you may want to rent out your home. If you have a spare room, you can rent this out or an entire house/apartment if you are going to be out of town. AirBnB makes it easy for you to do this. If you have concerns (naturally) about your home getting damaged, they provide a Host Guarantee with an insurance policy of $1 million.

However, this excludes items such as amounts of cash, artwork and pets, so bear this in mind. Renting out your home can be a great way to top up your income, but you should always be aware of rental income taxes. Lastly, in some cities short term rentals are illegal, so you should check your rental agreement before listing your home on AirBnB.

Top tips for using Airbnb as a host

  • Take plenty of photos in bright light before listing your home.
  • Be descriptive– queen sized bed? Let them know.
  • Provide a welcome guide with house rules, restaurant tips and a map.
  • Set boundaries and stick to them.
  • Adjust your prices in accordance with the season, events and conferences.

Top tips for using Airbnb as a guest

  • Ask the host if the property is available for your dates before paying.
  • Stay with a host who has a few reviews.
  • Fill out your profile fully to let hosts know more about you.
  • Ask about bathroom schedules to avoid congestion.
  • If you enjoyed your stay, leave a small handwritten note.
What is Airbnb? Airbnb pros and cons

Airbnb has changed the way that we travel. It’s ideal for budget conscious travelers and business people in town for a few days. As long as you exercise caution as both a guest and a host, it can be a great way to save money or top up your income. I hope you get the complete idea about Airbnb and its pros and cons.

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Also read Hostel vs Hotel – Which one is better option for me?

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