9 Reasons to Book with Airbnb While Traveling
For years, travelers would primarily book hotel accommodations while traveling, but since 2008, Airbnb changed everything and has since taken over the travel industry. More people are using Airbnb to find accommodations when traveling because it has the affordability and flexibility hotels can’t always offer. I have had great experiences around the world staying with Airbnb, so I can tell you 9 Airbnb advantages and reasons why you should book with Airbnb on future trips!
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#1 Airbnb Advantages: Affordability
Airbnb is my go-to place to find accommodations when traveling because I find the cheapest and best options on it. Airbnb has options for every price range! If you are on a budget, you can find options to stay on a coach, shared room, or shared apartment with a private room that will have a small price tag. You can even find an entire apartment or house for under $100 in some areas! Alex and I stayed in the cutest apartment in Quebec City that had everything we needed for $50 per night.
Airbnb also offers discounts for long-term stays. Some hosts will offer a discount for a week-long stay and others for a month-long stay. If you plan on staying at an Airbnb long-term, you can potentially get a greater discount by reaching out to the host. Most hosts are happy to provide a discount to those who are staying longer than one week because it is means their Airbnb is being used every single day rather than having single days open that are unlikely to be filled.
One of the Airbnb advantages is it has options for you no matter what your budget is.
#2 Airbnb Advantages: Ease of booking
Another Airbnb advantage is that it has an accessible and easy booking process. It’s as simple as creating a profile, finding an Airbnb you like, and booking it for the dates you will be traveling. If you are looking for a last-minute accommodation or want an even quicker check-out process, you can look for Airbnbs that have the instant booking sticker.
Airbnb also doesn’t allow third-party sites to book their accommodations like hotels do, so you will always know what is available for your dates. There have been plenty of times when I booked a hotel room (even on their own website) that wasn’t available, and I did not find out until I arrived. You will never encounter this issue with Airbnb because of their easy booking process!
#3 Airbnb Advantages: Location flexibility
Cliff house Airbnb - reasons to book with airbnb
One of the main Airbnb advantages that makes me want to choose Airbnb over hotels is the flexibility it provides to stay pretty much anywhere you want. Airbnb has options to stay downtown or in the middle of nowhere. Having flexibility is helpful when you are looking to visit places outside of major cities. Hotels have minimal options outside of cities, but Airbnb has options everywhere!
When Alex and I visited Iceland, we wanted to stay outside of Reykjavik in the countryside and immerse ourselves in the culture. The only hotels we found outside of the city were SO expensive, and it did not come with many amenities. With Airbnb, we found cabins with kitchens, swimming pools, and hot tubs on the side of mountains for under $100. It was incredible!
#4 Airbnb Advantages: Local experience
old quebec city - reasons to book with airbnb
Because Airbnb has accommodations everywhere, you have the opportunity to stay in small towns, so you can dive into the culture and live like a local. I love being able to connect with where I am traveling, and from my experience, the locals are always so kind! They love to share their knowledge of the area and tell you all of the best (and hidden) spots to see and restaurants to eat at. I even was invited to join a family dinner once! I traveled to Italy for work, and my coworkers and I started a conversation with a lovely family who insisted we come over for homemade pasta and wine. I mean… who would say no to that?!
#5 Airbnb Advantages: Hosts are amazing
I do not think I can talk about Airbnb hosts enough because they are incredible! Airbnb hosts have a wealth of knowledge about the area you are staying in and are great resources to use on your trip. Whenever I travel somewhere new, I always make sure to ask the Airbnb host for local places to eat and things to see that are not well-known. I think one of the best Airbnb advantages is having incredible hosts who are happy to help and share their knowledge.
If you have the pleasure of meeting your host, make sure to create a relationship with them! We formed a great relationship with one of our hosts in Iceland, and she ended up driving us around to many locations looking for a place to view the Northern Lights. Of course, not every host will offer to do that, but it never hurts to create a relationship with them since they are opening up their home to you!
#6 Airbnb Advantages: Amenities
Airbnb offers a variety of amenities no hotel can rival. If you want everything from free breakfast to a private chef, Airbnb has your back. If you want a cabin in the middle of the woods with a sauna, you can find it on Airbnb. If you want to go completely off-grid with nothing but a roof over your head, Airbnb has options for you. You can find anything your heart desires on Airbnb!
Pro Tip: If you want specific amenities in your accommodation, make sure to use the filters Airbnb offers to narrow down the search results to find what you want!
#7 Airbnb Advantages: Variety of accommodations
yacht airbnb - reasons to book with airbnb
Hotels mainly offer one size fits all rooms. Yes, hotel rooms can be different to an extent, but Airbnb offers so much more! Airbnb accommodations can be anything from a penthouse to a boathouse. Want to stay on a yacht for the night? Want to rent a yurt in the middle of a forest? Want to spend the night in a grounded airplane? You can find all that and more on Airbnb! Airbnb also has a new feature called “Airbnb Plus” that allows you to choose from a selection of Airbnbs that have been verified for high quality and design.
When Alex and I traveled to Iceland, we stayed in five Airbnbs, and they were all so unique in their own way. We first stayed in a small house on a hill overlooking a small fishing town. Next, we stayed in a small cabin on the side of a mountain overlooking farms. Our next Airbnb was a tiny pod in the middle of nowhere that only had a bed. Our second to last Airbnb was a small log home on a beautiful cliff by the ocean. And last, we stayed in a cute apartment with our host next door.
Airbnb is great because it offers more than just rooms to rent. It has unique stays that fit into anything you are looking for and make for epic adventures!
#8 Airbnb Advantages: Great for large groups
cabins - reasons to book with airbnb
I always struggled to find an affordable hotel room when I was traveling with a group of more than 5, which was stressful. Then Airbnb came along and saved us! You can find houses that fit over 15 people!! Say what?! Yes, it is amazing. Being able to easily find an accommodation that fits your whole group, has the amenities you want and provides privacy to be with only your group is great! One of the best Airbnb advantages is you can split the cost between the entire group rather than paying for separate hotel rooms.
#9 Airbnb Advantages: Supporting local
One of the things I love most about staying in an Airbnb is it allows you to support people just like us! Most Airbnb hosts use the money they make from Airbnb as a portion of their income, so it is nice to know you are supporting local people when booking with Airbnb. I am not against staying at hotels, but for me, it’s important to support local rather than big chains.
Airbnb is a great (and better, in my opinion) alternative to hotels. There are many Airbnb advantages, including affordability, flexibility, and unique experiences that can make a trip more enjoyable! And don’t forget to use our code to get $35 off your first stay!
Hey, I’m Nichole!
I am the creator behind Nichole the Nomad, the home of my explorations around the world, mountain hikes, and beautiful pictures taken along the way. I have a deep passion for capturing the world in a beautiful light and sharing my experiences.
I created this blog to share my travels, show how beautiful the world is, provide tips and tricks for traveling, and encourage you to explore. Whether you want to travel across the world or explore what’s in your backyard, I hope this blog inspires you to get outside and find your adventure!
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