Airbnb 101: Host and Guest
by Felicia
Want to travel but accommodations cost a ton? Accommodations like hotels are fully booked? Want to have a different feel? Want to experience the city you’re in like a local?
Here’s a solution for all that. A cheaper alternative of your desired accommodation, or even better.
Airbnb is an online service that connects people looking to rent their homes with people looking for accommodations. Bnb implies a “bed and breakfast” experience, but that’s as far as it goes — no one is making you breakfast.
It is based on a community including hosts and travellers: hosts provides a listings of their homes or unused spaces, and travellers in search for a different experience than a typical hotel or inexpensive accommodations anywhere in the world.
Now there are plenty online services that provides this — a host offering their space to guests who want s a different feel of travelling. Such as CouchSurfing.
Airbnb differs from CouchSurfing in a way that, you are on your own when it comes to airbnb — hosts will pass you the key to your room or your temporary space and leave you to your expanse. As opposed to CouchSurfing, where you are staying in someone’s house for free, and the host accommodating you as much as they can, like a friend would when you come to town.
There are host listings sharing their space in 190 countries and more than 34,000 cities. Travellers can enter their destination and travel dates into the search bar to discover distinctive places to stay, anywhere in the world.
How to Travel?
Airbnb encourages hosts to display photos of their space and listings, updated profiles, and reviews from previous guests, to help you make informed decisions when considering a host’s space. To make life easier, the search bar provides a filter to narrow down your results by type of accommodation, price, and location.
In order to help host’s get a good idea of the kind of guest you are, it is encouraged to complete your profile before requesting to book a space. Through the ‘Contact Host’ button, while making reservation, it lets you start a conversation with the host through Airbnb’s messaging system. This is great to both parties, as it builds a rapport.
Once booking is reserved, go and get going. But before you get there, it is best to send a message to your host to arrange a meet up for them to pass you the key, or if the host isn’t available — where you can find the key. But also to send a message just to let them know you are on your way.
Safety tips for guest?
To ensure safety, guests should always look at the reviews left by previous guests, or look for hosts who already have a strong reputation on Airbnb.
Pay and communicate on Airbnb using the provided messaging system, through every step — before booking to confirm details about specific amenities, discuss house rules, talk about the neighbourhood. Then after booking, to discuss the check-in details.
“I like to introduce myself to the host before I make the booking, just to be polite and ensure that I can get the booking on the specific dates that I want. Other than that, I use the provided messaging system for any inquiries.”, says Irene Cheen, 22, a local avid Airbnb user.
How to Host?
Hosts of Airbnb can list their space of any sort and any size. There are descriptions and amenities to be filled out, so hosts should describe their listings accurately. This is so, guests can search for spaces that meet their specific needs, and to help attract the kinds of guest best for you.
Nothing speaks louder than visuals, so upload as many photos of your space at different angles as possible. But only space that your guest have access to. Besides that, the pricing and availability of your space can be stated as you update it.
As for responding to requests, hosts can either have the option that requires guest to send a reservation request or allow certain guests to book your space instantly through Instant Book. Instant book is to make the reservation method simple without having to wait for the host’s approval.
Safety tips for host?
Likewise to reviews of the host, guests has their own section of reviews by hosts — this is a great way to find out more about your potential guest.
Pay and communicate on Airbnb using the provided messaging system.
Other than that, it’s the normal need to be clear with the house rules and house manual, security deposit to your listing, insurance plan outside of Airbnb.
