I used to use Airbnb all the time, when they were great. But they’ve changed a lot, so as of late, I only book their services for this one strategic purpose…
Find travel adventures and new places to go faraway or near to you, and access vacation home rentals, new experiences, and places to visit all around the world. –Airbnb
Once upon a time, you could search and book real and unique homes to stay at all around the world for cheaper than hotels. I mean really stay in a city like a local, rich or poor and in any style home.
Then I started to see regular hotels and substandard listings gradually take over, often costing more than booking directly or through online booking sites. On top of that, stupid high miscellaneous fees suddenly snuck in. So I stopped using them on a weekly basis and have since used Airbnb for one purpose…
When I intend to stay for 7 nights or longer, and if the listing offers a “weekly price discount”.
The example above is $23 a night plus a service fee of $22 and cleaning fee of $8 for a total of $191 for 7 nights. That’s nuts, as bad as airline fees – it’s essentially paying for another night plus tax.
But the example below is $4 more per night with about the same fees but the total cost is just $177 for the same amount of nights. Because this one has a 21 percent weekly price discount.
I’ve seen as high as 50 percent discounts!
Airbnb still has great places, you just have to weed out the loads of shitty ones. And when you do find one, their high fees are bearable – with the discount, that is. But not all listings offer that, while all do have fees.
If you don’t have an account, sign up here to get upto $47 to use on your first booking – I get a cut.
When I’m looking for an accommodation for less than 7 nights, my go-to booking site is Agoda.
[Photo taken at a bungalow on Gili Air Island in Indonesia, booked with Airbnb.]
