Rnb rental housing worldwide. Using Airbnb: Rentals and Rentals Worldwide! What to do if you still get a negative review

One of the defining aspects of any trip longer than a day is choosing where to sleep. The ZagraNitsa portal decided to acquaint its readers with the best rental services in Europe. Tiny rooms and inedible breakfasts at the first hotels available are canceled!

Pre-booking accommodation (subject to a scrupulous choice) makes travel, whether it is a vacation or a business trip, more comfortable and safe. In search of suitable options will help the so-called "mashups" (aggregator sites), through which you can rent rooms in hotels, apartments or villas around the world. International services allow you to compare offers from several booking systems and rent a room, room or other accommodation for a specific date. Vivid examples of such sites are Booking and Hotels.com: there is an impressive database of objects of various price categories and locations.


Photo: preferredhotels.com

"Booking" and "Hotels" are convenient for instant booking confirmation. But as practice shows, you should not flatter yourself and it is better to play it safe. Reservations through online services - due to technical failures or for some other unknown reason - are sometimes not confirmed at the hotel. It is good if there are vacant rooms, otherwise you will be left without a place to sleep.

The cost of a room in the same hotel on different aggregators may differ and be higher than the price on the official website of the hotel. In an effort to save money, it's always a good idea to surf different platforms looking for the best deal.


Photo: hotel-madison.com

Healthy Alternative to Hotels - Rentals from Locals

An excellent option for lovers of diversity and authenticity would be to rent housing from local residents. You can chat with a foreign host and plunge into the atmosphere of the country. Living in a standard hotel is not such a pleasure.

On many sites, you can leave comments and participate in the formation of the rating of hotels, homeowners and the apartments themselves. Feedback from ex-clients will help you make a choice. These comments are especially valuable when the service is not responsible for the accuracy of the information.

The most popular property rental services in Europe are Airbnb, Homeaway and Wimdu. They offer a large selection of both simply cozy apartments and more exotic options. You can find a chalet in the mountains, a villa on the picturesque seaside or a small family castle.

Home Exchange - Exchange Vacation

You can stay for a couple of days in a foreign city or country without money. Participation in the Home Exchange program will help you find a room, apartment and even a house for free living with the owners or during their absence. So the trip will cost at least half the price.


Photo: solotravelerblog.com

Vacation home swaps originate in Europe and the United States over 50 years ago and are gaining popularity every year. It is not surprising, because this is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to integrate into the everyday life of a foreign country, make new acquaintances and exchange cultural values ​​with them, see the most interesting sights. To join the club, you need to pay an annual membership fee. The number of trips is not limited.

Hospitality sites are a kind of social networks where participants are ready to provide strangers with a roof over their heads or just keep them company on a walk around the city. To become a host, you need to have your own housing (confirmation will be required), put up for exchange.

Most Europeans are friendly, but not ready for a journey into the unknown. They want to clearly understand who they are visiting, and are not averse to conducting reconnaissance. To do this, they communicate for a long time (six months or a year) online: they correspond or conduct "live" conversations on Skype.

It is better to find out all the details with a preliminary acquaintance. Share photos (personal and housing) and detailed descriptions of apartments / houses. Ask any questions that will help you get comfortable in a foreign city. By the way, residents of the USA and Europe often plan their vacations in advance, so you rarely find “last minute” options for exchange vacations.

We have selected for you the most useful and life hacks for finding and booking cheap accommodation. So let's get started.

Rent a room instead of an apartment

If the budget is limited, instead of separate apartments, you can rent a room in an apartment with the owner. So you will make new pleasant acquaintances and you can learn much more interesting details about the city, closely communicating with the locals. It is especially good to use this method of booking in cities that you are visiting for the second or third time.

  • Firstly, the room will cost you less.
  • Secondly, communication with the owners of the apartment will solve many everyday issues: there will be someone to ask about the nearest pharmacy / ATM, or maybe they will have a drink together in a nearby bar. Carefully read the apartment descriptions and user profiles - usually they indicate whether the owner wants to spend time with the guests or not. To maintain your privacy, check if the room is locked with a key.

Prepayment

The company works on a 100% prepayment, but the landlord will receive your money only the next day after the date of your arrival. During this time, you will be able to look around, understand whether you like the housing, whether everything matches the description.

Airbnb charges you full payment! You don't have to pay anyone extra! To avoid misunderstandings, before paying, talk to the owner of the apartment in the correspondence on the website, discuss the total amount and say again how many people there will be. Discuss all the terms with him and make sure you understand each other.

If you run into problems, Airbnb will find you an apartment to replace this one as soon as possible.

Service takes commission in the amount from six to 12% of the booking amount. The higher the booking amount, the lower the Airbnb service fee. Calling this a minus does not turn your tongue, because it is clear that the company's employees should receive a salary and have the means to develop this wonderful resource.

At the end of the booking, you will immediately see the full amount, which includes all fees and commission of the portal itself.

Pay for your reservation only through the site's payment system. Do not agree to transfer money to the owner's personal account, because in this case, Airbnb cannot help you if you run into problems.

Save on registration

It is better to register your account on Airbnb using the mail that you actively use. You will not receive unnecessary mailings, but you will not miss an important letter from the service. For example, if you contact the support service, all answers will be sent to the mail, you will not see them in your personal account on the site.

Another nice functionality of the site is SMS mailing. Your phone will receive replies from hosts, even if you do not have access to the Internet. This is very convenient, so we recommend that you also indicate your real phone number.

Also at the first registration you can save at least $ 21 on your first booking !, using either the banner below


For those traveling together, the hostel is not suitable. Because renting the two cheapest beds in a multi-bed room is more expensive than renting one separate room in an apartment.

Search for an apartment / room for one person, and then add a second guest in the selected option. Please note that rooms for two or three guests may be more profitable even than those in the singles category.

Search filters make the choice of housing much easier: the Internet, parking, the possibility of holding events, smoking - this is not a complete list of criteria by which you can choose suitable options. In addition, the ability to search by keywords has been implemented, which allows you to find apartments with an office / workplace / next to key locations. Convenient when you need housing exclusively for work or business negotiations; the choice of housing on the map of the area will allow you to stay exactly next to the office of the desired company.

The issue of accommodation in the search depends on many factors, including the profile data and the specifics of the trip.

Look for options with verified / verified photos

In general, all ads on Airbnb should contain photographs of real apartments. But if in doubt, look for apartments with the “ Verified photo" on the picture. This apartment has definitely been visited by professional Airbnb photographers. An Airbnb sign in the upper right corner of a photo means the photos were uploaded to the site by the host. A sign Verified Photo says that an Airbnb photographer was in this place and took a photo shoot. That is, the photo is exactly true.


Instant booking

If you have a critical situation and need to book an apartment one day in advance, look for ads with a lightning bolt in the price. Such apartments do not need confirmation from the owner, they can be booked instantly.

Try to find common ground and make friends. In this case, you can ask for a discount in personal correspondence. Apartment owners often agree to this, especially if you come to rest in a large company, or choose their apartment for the second time.

Response rate

If you want quick and productive communication with apartment owners, pay attention to how often the owner responds to requests. Pay attention to the number under the owner's photo in the ad. " Response rate"Is an indicator that indicates how often the landlord responds to inquiries. Hosts who have this figure above 90% respond as quickly as possible.

Airbnb Reviews

Travelers who lived in this place honestly write about how they spent their time there. However, the lack of any feedback is not a cause for concern. Just ask all the most important questions for you to the owner so that you understand exactly where you will live. In addition, an apartment that has few reviews so far may be cheaper, or the owner has just put it up for rent and there have not been any guests yet. Travelers publish reviews about the owners of accommodation - you can find out in advance their nature and manner of communication with guests.


Free local guide

Many Airbnb hosts prepare a travel guide to help you navigate the city and learn about attractions. And also, you can just ask them personally where to go, where to eat, they will advise you on places that will definitely be much more interesting than tourist ones.

It is best to only chat with your host on Airbnb. Because in case of any claims from one of the parties, it can be used as evidence.

Discuss in advance a standard set of questions: how the keys will be handed over, is there Wi-Fi in the apartment, adapters for sockets, a hair dryer, pets, is it possible to use the kitchen, where is the nearest store / pharmacy, how quickly and by what transport can you get there to the city center and so on.

Outskirts are usually cheaper

It is not necessary to rent an apartment in the city center, or in tourist areas. You can try to settle on the outskirts. Firstly, housing in non-tourist areas is much cheaper, and secondly, this way you can get to know the real city and see it through the eyes of local residents. The main thing is to clarify in advance which areas are considered dangerous (it is definitely not worth settling in them).

The cost of the same apartment may vary depending on the lease term. It is often cheaper to shoot for a month than to shoot for two weeks and then another two weeks. Because hosts are offering discounts on long bookings. Therefore, if you want to spend 25 days in some city, think, it might be worth staying for 30 days and thus save quite an impressive amount.

Follow your friends' travels

You can check the Social Connections checkbox in your search to keep track of where your friends have stayed and what they like.


Every property that is hosted on the Airbnb platform is awarded a Trust Point. A property with a low score is automatically flagged for more detailed scrutiny, which helps track money laundering and other forms of fraud. Do not forget to study the profile, this will avoid cases of communication with "random" people.

When you move into an apartment, together with the owner, look at everything carefully and point out the broken things, if any. Perhaps one of the previous tenants messed up something, and the landlord did not notice and will blame you in the future.

Some owners are worried about their property and usually ask for a small security deposit. After you leave the place of residence, the deposit is returned to the card (provided that you left the apartment safe and sound). The term for returning to the card is determined by your bank. To avoid controversial issues (if the owner tries to accuse you of damage to property), it will not hurt to invite the owner to make a detour or take a photo of the room when you leave the apartment.

As a rule, a deposit is set for those apartments that are quite expensive and have expensive furniture. If you are renting cheap housing, most likely there will be no such collateral.

Cancellation initiated by you or the host

Please note that some hosts set minimum booking period for example three days. Also, keep in mind that Airbnb has a opt-out option, but each renter is flexible, moderate, or strict. cancellation conditions.

The owner can also cancel booking... The site provides for penalties for the hosts, but force majeure happens not only to guests, so it is worth treating such situations with understanding. As a rule, in the host's profile there will be a note stating that he once canceled a paid reservation for someone. It happened to us a couple of times when the owner wanted to cancel the booking, but asked to do it with our own hands, in the end he would not pay fines, and we would have to rent the apartment again at double the cost, since the cancellation was a month before the start of the high season. As a result, when contacting the support service, the service independently called the owner back and insisted on changing the apartment at the owner's expense.


So if something goes wrong during the booking process, don't worry! The support service will definitely solve your problem. Read more about the support service in our separate article on

In this article, we will tell you on which sites you can book your own accommodation, and give step-by-step instructions on how to do it.

Have you had to search for housing all over the world on your own or do you entrust this business to travel agencies? The latter will draw up all the documents for you - this is a plus. However, you will pay them more money, the only exception is last minute deals. In addition, you will be accommodated in one of the typical hotels where all the package tourists are taken. And if you want to go on the journey of your dreams, then no one can organize it better than you.

Today we will show you how to book accommodation yourself. To get started, we recommend reading this article. It helps you navigate rental sites around the world. And if you like it, sign up for ours.

Where to book your own apartment: the best English-language travel accommodation sites

Earlier, in order to rent an apartment in our city, we read advertisements on poles and in newspapers in the "Rent" section. They asked acquaintances if they had friends who were looking for tenants. And renting a house abroad, before arriving in another country, seemed to be a daunting task. Thanks to the Internet, everything has changed - rental sites around the world will help you.

1. Airbnb

Airbnb's These Airbnbs Will Blow Your Mind (Not Your Budget) rentals feature 79 options for the most unusual travel accommodations, from luxurious treehouses and small trailers to fabulous mansions.

2.9flats

3. Wimdu

5. Tripping

6. Agoda

8. Hostelworld

10. Outdoorsy

12. Private Islands Inc.

2. WWOOF

Wherever you are going to go on vacation - be it Italy, Turkey or a dacha in the suburbs, the main thing is to take a good mood with you. And then unpleasant little things, even if they are, will not be able to ruin such a long-awaited vacation for you.

Today's tourists are breaking the stereotypes of an ideal vacation that have existed for decades. They prefer rented inexpensive apartments or even rooms to luxury hotels. What caused this shift in priorities?

  • The availability of communication between people, which appeared thanks to the Internet.
  • Understanding that it is better to travel around the world often and economically than luxurious, but rarely.
  • The fact that hotel prices are often difficult to relate to the concept.
  • And, finally, the emergence of a unique service that has made the dreams of many foreign travel lovers come true.

, or, as it is often called incorrectly due to its difficult to pronounce abbreviation, RNB is rental housing all over the world on one site. It all began with three friends in San Francisco who decided to rent out part of their apartment for the conference in 2008, when all the hotels were full. Of the furniture, only air mattresses were available, and they prepared breakfast for the guests themselves. Hence the name AirBed & Breakfast(air mattress and breakfast), abbreviated later to Airbnb.

It didn't take long for the friends to turn their temporary income into a business. Today the company is valued at $ 26 billion, it provides real estate booking services around the world (about 200 countries) and is a serious competitor to the hotel business. Tourists appreciated the opportunity to rent an apartment abroad, which is why hotel owners are forced to constantly reduce prices in order not to lose customers.

Benefits of renting a private home

Saving money... In most countries, self-catering is cheaper than a hotel. The difference in price is especially noticeable if you are traveling all over the world with a large company or family. Plus, being able to cook your own food will also save you a lot.

Huge selection... In addition to booking apartments, you can find many other options on the site, both budget and luxury. This can be a room in a house with the owners or a luxurious mansion on the seashore. There is a suitable accommodation for every wallet.

Comfort and coziness... Parents traveling with children know how difficult it can be to keep fidgets within the four walls of a hotel room. In the apartment, children (and adults as well) will feel at home even abroad. After all, you will be surrounded by such familiar and necessary things as furniture, a kitchen, a washing machine ... No hotel in the world will convey the local flavor the way private accommodation does. Having breakfast on the balcony, with a cup of coffee and a croissant, you will not feel like a tourist, but a true Parisian, for example.

Communication... Choosing the option of living with hosts, you do not just save on the cost of housing. You get free language practice and an excellent guide. After all, who can tell about the city better than its inhabitant? As a rule, people who rent rooms are quite sociable and hospitable, so they will be happy to tell you a lot of interesting things.

How do I rent an apartment overseas with Airbnb?

By going to the company's website, you can view rental housing options around the world, however, registration is required to fully use all the opportunities. Those who have mastered so many letters are now waiting for a small bonus from and Airbnb- discount for the first booking. By registering using the following link, you will receive $ 14, which you can spend on renting an apartment.

Get a $ 25 rental bonus

The company takes the safety of all parties very seriously, and tries to weed out random and inadequate people already at this stage. Therefore, the first thing to do after registration is to fill out your profile on the site. Add a photo, links to your social media profiles, upload a scanned document. Tell us a little about yourself: where do you work, what are your hobbies. Landlords are just as simple people, but they have the right to refuse you if something seems suspicious or unreliable to them.

Search for accommodation

Renting a house or a room in almost any country in the world is no more difficult than finding a hotel in the booking system. The search form is simple and straightforward: enter the desired city, dates, number of guests and click on the red button. As an example, we will have a week for two in Rome.

Further, it is still easier. We put a tick in front of the required type of accommodation (whole house / apartment, separate or shared room) and see what we are offered. You can choose options on the map or use a variety of filters by clicking on the appropriate button.

It is possible to choose the area, the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, the availability of the Internet, washing machine, parking and other amenities. You can choose whatever you want, but remember: the more checkboxes you check, the fewer the options for renting. Therefore, mark only the really necessary things, and see the rest according to specific options.

How to make a choice?

By clicking on any of the housing offers, you will see detailed information about it: photo, description, amenities, maximum number of guests, and more. What should you pay attention to?

Price... It may vary depending on the number of guests and the rental period. Please note that the cost at this stage is not final. A commission will be added to it later Airbnb(on average, 8-10%) and cleaning fees after your departure (if the owner indicated it as an additional service).

Cancellation policy... There are five types, from flexible to super-strict. Read each of them carefully, and make an informed decision what is best for you: save money at the risk of running out of money in the event of a trip cancellation, or overpay but get a money-back guarantee.

Pledge... Some owners require an additional deposit to book their apartments. The required amount is blocked on your card and unblocked 48 hours after your departure, if the owner does not provide evidence that you have caused material damage.

Calendar... It will help you navigate on which dates the housing is already occupied, and which dates are free. Be sure to compare prices, they may differ significantly on different days.

Reviews... By clicking on the avatar of the landlord, you will see reviews of guests from all over the world who have already used his services. For the first time, it is better to choose housing with the maximum number of positive recommendations, so as not to spoil the impression of the service with misunderstandings.

Apartment photo... If the image has an Airbnb watermark, it means the shooting was carried out by an employee of the company or verified. If there is no icon, then the landlord himself took pictures, which means that the original may differ slightly from the image.

Feedback... If you still have questions, you can ask the landlord through the website. Pay attention to the indicator “ Response rate". He talks about how quickly the person responds. If you are in a hurry, then it is better to choose those who have this indicator above 90%.

Booking and paying for an apartment through Airbnb

After making sure that the accommodation suits you, you should send a booking request to the owner by clicking on the appropriate button. Only after he agrees, it will be possible to proceed to payment. Avoiding waiting is possible by choosing some of the instant booking options, where confirmation is not required.

There are two payment options available: PayPal or by credit card MasterCard / Visa... Everything is as usual: fill in the data, put a tick “I agree with the terms”, press the “Book” button.

An important nuance. You transfer money not to the landlord, but to the service Airbnb, which acts as the guarantor of the transaction. Upon arrival, you will have 24 hours to make sure that the accommodation is in order and as described. Only after that the owner receives the amount due to him.

After making the payment, you will receive an email with all the necessary information: the owner's address and mobile phone, receipt, booking confirmation and travel plan.

In case of any misunderstanding, from any part of the world you can call the 24-hour Russian-language support service. Upon arrival, be sure to visit the website and leave a review about the accommodation you have rented. This will help other people planning to rent an apartment abroad. In addition, the owner may provide feedback about you as a tenant by adding a "plus" to your reputation.

How do I rent a place with Airbnb?

Why not? The service rules do not prohibit being both a landlord and a tenant at the same time. While you are traveling the world, your house does not stand idle, continuing to "eat up" utility costs, but, on the contrary, brings in money. If you are lucky enough to own real estate in a tourist or resort town, it is a sin not to take this chance. Earned money can be spent on new ones.

Airbnb is an online marketplace for private residences around the world. Renting a room, apartment or even a whole house can be more profitable and more comfortable than living in a hotel. To date, Airbnb has over 6 million offers in 191 countries. How to use the airbnb website and save money on your accommodation. Up-to-date information and personal experience of using the service since 2012.

Pros of airbnb

  • Big choice offers and types of accommodation. Airbnb offers a variety of accommodation options, from a room in an apartment with hosts to a spacious apartment or house. Even in a small village, there are airbnb ads.
  • Saving... Thanks to the low prices, you can afford to stay in a more expensive area and increase the number of days you stay. Usually apartments are equipped with a kitchen, which saves on food. It is especially beneficial to rent accommodation on airbnb for families with children, relatives traveling together - those who do not fit a standard hotel room. Having settled in a large apartment with your friends, you share the costs.
  • Accommodations... The size of a standard hotel room is 10 m 2, the apartments on airbnb have a large area. You can choose an apartment with a balcony or terrace, high ceilings, panoramic windows, a studio apartment or a layout with isolated rooms. Accommodation on airbnb can be decorated in different styles, there is a very original and beautiful room design.
  • Communication with the owner... You rent an apartment (room, house) from a specific person, with whom you can discuss the conditions before booking. The airbnb host is your friend in an unfamiliar city, who will answer questions and provide helpful tips. Staying through airbnb will make you feel like a local.

You must have some experience to book successfully on airbnb. Most of the mistakes are made by new users who have not read the rules. Briefly about the most important thing to save your time.

Airbnb coupon

Airbnb is currently running a promotion that gives first-time members a $ 33 first-trip credit (coupon). To take advantage of this discount, please visit airbnb at my invitation.

Your booking must be at least $ 75 (excluding taxes and fees). The minimum booking amount and the amount of the bonus may change, read the rules of the promotion on the day of registration and payment. If the booking qualifies, the airbnb discount coupon will automatically appear on the checkout page. The bonus is valid for 1 year. Sign up to airbnb and get a discount on your first booking while the promotion is active.

You cannot apply a coupon to a confirmed booking. If you have already made a booking, use the coupon next time. If the host cancels the booking for which you applied the coupon, it will be available for a new booking. If you cancel the booking, the bonus will expire.

How to fill out a profile

Filling out a profile is an important point, which determines how willingly the owners will communicate with you and meet halfway in financial matters. Private accommodations are rented through airbnb, so it is up to the hosts to decide who they want to rent out their property to. Airbnb must be 18 years of age or older to create an account, book an accommodation, and host on airbnb.

To make a good impression and become a welcome guest, you need to tell a little about yourself and choose a suitable photo.


In what language to fill out the profile

The official language of communication on airbnb is English, so it is advisable to fill out your profile in English, and in case of difficulty, use an interpreter. The name and surname must be written as they are indicated in your passport (this is useful for visa documents). Look at other users' profiles to find out how to best tell you about yourself. In the example above, my husband's airbnb profile. We travel abroad and across Russia, therefore the text is written in two languages.

The photo... Your photo must be real (not a photo of an animal or a landscape). Smiling faces look good, not passport photos. Think about what kind of tenant a typical owner wants to see: neat, friendly and adequate. For the main photo, it is advisable to choose a clear, large photo without sunglasses - this will make it easier to verify your airbnb profile. You can add multiple photos and record videos.

Specify profession... An indication of a serious profession, such as a doctor, makes a good impression. But there is no need to invent anything, because every person has something interesting besides work (family, hobby), write about it. The main principle is short and optimistic.

Recommendations... To increase the credibility of their profile, new members can ask their friends to write them a recommendation. The friend that recommends you must be registered with airbnb.
UPD: You can no longer add recommendations. If you have already received them, they will remain in your profile.

Particular attention to filling out your profile should be given to young people 18-25 years old. Many landlords are reluctant to rent out their homes to students and young people for fear of inappropriate behavior and harm. Choose a photo and write the description as if you were preparing for a job interview or meeting with your partner's parents.

The profile does not show e-mail addresses, site names and phone numbers, so do not write this in the story about yourself, but fill in the contact information fields when registering.

Profile confirmation

Airbnb's user authentication requirements have changed significantly since the service's inception. Previously, when registering on the airbnb website, it was enough to specify an email address, now you need to go through the profile confirmation procedure. Why is this done? To minimize risks and increase trust between hosts and guests. Booking cannot be made without confirming your profile!

To verify your airbnb profile, you need to go to Edit Profile and select Trust & Confirmation. E-mail address and mobile phone number are the fastest to confirm. Checking social connections is only possible for Facebook, Google or LinkedIn.

Your airbnb profile photo must be clear and recently taken (verified against the photo on your documents).

The last stage of identification is uploading the official document. Suitable document: passport or driver's license. Take and process a photo of the document in advance and save it on your computer. The photo can also be taken using a computer or phone camera in the mobile application.

After uploading a photo of an official document, you may be asked to take a selfie and compare it to the photo on the document.

After successfully completing all stages, a green "Verified" icon appears.

Why Verify Your Profile? To use airbnb, the world's largest accommodation booking engine, and save money. The owners are also asked to go through identification. When a person sees that your profile has been verified, it is easier for him to make a decision, make a choice in your favor, give a discount.

Since there are problems with verifying your profile, please do so in advance.

Airbnb booking

Using the airbnb website is easy, there is a Russian version and an airbnb mobile app. Accommodation options can be viewed without registration, by entering the name of the city, dates and number of guests, but it is better to immediately register at my invitation to receive a discount on the first booking (valid for a year) and go through the profile confirmation procedure.

Search by parameters

There are many advertisements for rental housing, so immediately specify your search by parameters: type of accommodation, price, area, amenities. The most popular type of accommodation is a separate apartment (s). Important selection criteria may be the number of rooms and sleeping places, the presence of a kitchen, Internet, washing machine, air conditioner, heating, elevator ...


Choosing options and drawing up a wish list

  • Reviews... Guests rate the accommodation in which they have stayed and write reviews, this information should be paid attention to first. From the reviews, you can find out many important details, for example: is it warm in the apartment in winter, how the shower works, where the bedroom windows face. The best variants are rated "5 stars" and their hosts the Superhost badge (medal).
  • Description and conditions... Going into a specific listing, you can read the detailed information about this accommodation. Important components of the price: additional guest surcharge, cleaning fee, cancellation conditions. In the column "Conveniences" everything that is in the rented premises is marked. The hosts describe their requirements for guests in the House Rules section.
  • Photo... Look carefully at all the photos, the more, the better. Photos taken by airbnb photographers are labeled “Verified Photo”, which increases the credibility of the information provided.
  • District... The exact address of the accommodation is not indicated in the ad, it will be given to you after booking, but you can see the area on a google map.
  • Calendar... Hosts fill out a calendar of free and busy dates, which is not always up-to-date (in the profile of each host there is information about how quickly he answers and how often he updates his calendar). Looking at the calendar, you can conclude how popular the housing you are interested in is. If you send a request for dates that are on the border with those already taken, this is beneficial to the owner and he is more likely to confirm the booking and make price concessions.
  • Price... Enter the check-in-check-out dates and the number of guests. Infants (children under 2 years old) do not increase the number of guests when booking, so there is no additional charge for their stay. The final cost is displayed and a calculation is given for all its components: with airbnb services and additional fees.
  • Wish list (bookmarks)... Bookmark all the options you like so you can easily find them. Name the collection by the name of the city, for example, "Prague". You can add notes to objects, noting the pros and cons, the final price, and anything that grabs your attention or raises questions. Using such a list, it is then very easy to remember each viewed option and make the final selection. The ads shown does not mean that all of these options are 100% available on the dates you want. To find out the details, you need to enter into a correspondence with the owner.

A letter to the landlord

After you finish prequalifying your airbnb listings, you need to chat with the hosts to discuss terms and conditions. Do not click the "Book" button without receiving a response! Instant booking is only possible for ads marked with "lightning".

By default, the chat language is English (which languages ​​the host speaks on their profile), and airbnb offers automatic translation. If communication in Russian is an important criterion for you, select the host language in the filters, but this will significantly reduce the number of options. In the countries of Eastern Europe, you can find Russian-speaking hosts. If you are booking accommodation in Russia, then, of course, you are texting in Russian.

You can write to the owner using the "Contact the owner" link in the ad. In the message, tell us about your plans (when and with whom you are going) and ask all your questions. It is especially important to agree on the time of arrival-departure before booking, if it is planned at a non-standard time.

Send letters to multiple hosts at once (airbnb copies the text of the letter and all you have to do is change the name). Most of the responses come within a few hours or the next day. Many overseas hosts don't reply on weekends, just keep that in mind and wait a bit. Install the mobile version of airbnb and you will receive all alerts in real time.

Special offer... If the season is not high, and the period of your stay is long, then there is a chance to negotiate a discount. State your price or wait for a counter offer. Not all owners make concessions, it depends on the demand for a particular home and the wishes of its owner. With a booking period of more than a week, the discount, as a rule, is already indicated. If the host offers you a discount, a "Special Offer" will appear on your chat page with a new price at which you can book. When making a decision, hosts look at your profile, it's great if you already have positive reviews, but they won't appear until after your first trip through airbnb.

Pre-booking confirmation... If the dates you want are available, the host sends a "Pre-booking Confirmation". Make a decision and click the "Book" button. Be sure to notify the owners of all the apartments you have requested that you have made your choice (airbnb will automatically send you a message).

The correspondence with the owner of the booked accommodation must be continued: inform about the time of arrival, find out how best to get to the place. If you've booked in advance, be sure to email the host again the day before you arrive (airbnb will remind you of your upcoming trip).

Don't try to trick airbnb by negotiating directly with your host. Before you pay for the reservation, your contact information will be hidden, and your email, phone number and site name will not be shown in the correspondence, in addition, the owner may complain about you. It also happens the other way around, when the host himself offers you to pay him money, bypassing airbnb, keep in mind that such "savings" increases the risk of being cheated. Booking through airbnb is beneficial for both parties.

Payment for accommodation

If the booking is confirmed, you will be charged 100% of the amount for accommodation and services. In Russia, you can pay by credit card or PayPal. Please include your home address with zip code when filling in your billing address. Nobody checks this data.

Partial prepayment is available for most ads. When using it, part of the cost of the reservation (usually 50%) is paid immediately, and the rest is automatically debited at a later date. Airbnb will send a reminder email 3 days before the second payment. You can pay for the entire booking at once by choosing this option at the checkout stage.

Long-term bookings (over 28 days) are paid in installments. At the time of booking, you will be charged a prepayment for the first month, and the rest of the funds will be debited monthly in the same way.

To avoid converting through the airbnb website, pay for your stay in the host's currency. Most often, the host's currency is euros or dollars. It is more profitable to pay from a card with the same currency, but if you only have ruble cards, the bank rate will still be more profitable.

After payment, a confirmation is sent to your email with the details of the reservation: the address of the accommodation, the phone number and email of the owner. Save this information. In addition to booking confirmation, airbnb sends out an email.

The host receives the money 24 hours after the guest's check-in, so if something goes wrong during check-in, call or email the airbnb Help Center right away before the money is transferred!

Compensation or money back... Weighty factors for compensation or refund is the discrepancy between the housing described on the site (there is no specified furniture or amenities, not cleaned, unsafe). All this must be photographed and justified. Refunds may also be due to the cancellation of the reservation by the host, in which case standard procedure applies.

Airbnb Booking Confirmation for Visa

Airbnb's booking confirmation is suitable for self-visa at most consulates. Fill in the names of all guests as in passports at the time of booking, then they will appear on the receipt, which is printed directly from the site and sent by email.


The airbnb receipt contains all the necessary data: the names of the guests, the address of the place of residence, the date of arrival-departure, information on 100% payment. If, in addition to the airbnb receipt, confirmation of payment with a bank statement is required, then you must book under strict conditions so that the money will be debited from the account immediately (such a booking cannot be canceled).

How to add guests


You can add all guest names and company names to your airbnb receipt yourself up to your check-out date. It is better to add guests immediately at the time of booking. After payment, enter the contact information: name, surname and email address of each guest, this information will appear on the receipt. If your guest is registered on airbnb, use the same email, then this trip will sync with his profile.

How to add a baby who is not counted in the total number of guests (if agreed with the owner): write his name separated by commas to any adult guest, then it will be displayed on the receipt.

Cancel Reservation

Airbnb cancellations can be initiated by the guest or the host. Removing the armor is a rare case, because it is not beneficial to anyone, but if this does happen, you need to know the conditions. The cancellation policy allows you to change your reservation before or during check-in.

Cancellation by guest

If you have changed plans and cannot use the accommodation you booked through airbnb, please go to your booking and click the "Cancel" button. Before confirming the action on the site, read about the cancellation conditions and penalties.

Refunds are subject to the host's cancellation policies. The airbnb service fee is refundable up to 3 times a year if the guest cancels the reservation prior to travel. The host can view the number of bookings canceled by the guest in 12 months and draw conclusions.

Cancellation policy

  • Flexible conditions allow you to cancel your reservation 24 hours before arrival, so it is best to choose accommodation on these conditions
  • Moderate the conditions are also quite mild, they make it possible to cancel without a penalty 5 days in advance
  • Strict with a delay terms and conditions are free of charge cancellation within 48 hours of booking and no later than 14 days prior to arrival. Further, if the cancellation occurs no later than a week before arrival, you will lose 50% of the amount
  • Strict conditions immediately impose a 50% penalty in case of cancellation, but if it is made no later than 7 days before arrival
  • Super Strict 30 or 60 days used in special cases. You can cancel such a booking 30 or 60 days before arrival with a 50% refund
  • Long term conditions apply for stays of 28 days or more, if canceled, the first payment will not be refunded

Airbnb may consider extenuating circumstances resulting in a guest's cancellation. The issue of reimbursement of expenses is decided individually upon presentation of documents. "Postponed vacation" is not an argument.

Change of reservation

If you have already paid for the reservation, but want to make changes to it before arrival (change the number of guests, dates), send a request to the owner using the "Change or cancel booking" button. The host can confirm, reject, or ignore the changes.

If you checked in, but decided to leave earlier, the money will be returned according to the booking conditions:

  • Flexible- Accommodation fees are refunded in full for the days remaining after 24 hours from the date of the official cancellation.
  • Moderate- 50% of the accommodation fees will be refunded for unused days.
  • Strict- money for unused days will not be returned.

Cancellation by host

This is a situation that does not depend on you in any way. Airbnb will refund the entire amount of the reservation, including service fee, to the guest. Of course, canceling a reservation is always unexpected and unpleasant, but it rarely happens. Good owners value their reputation, while life situations and circumstances can be of all kinds.

Since 2012, our reservations have been canceled 2 times, in both cases a month before arrival. The information comes immediately via email, the text of the message from airbnb: “Don't worry! We have already issued a full refund for you in the amount ... On our part, the refund is made immediately, but it will take up to five banking days for this amount to appear on your account. Book another accommodation. " Once airbnb sent me a coupon that I applied for a new booking.

Never cancel a reservation yourself at the request of the host! There are times when the owner writes in a personal message that he cannot accept you and asks to cancel. If this is his initiative, then he should also cancel the reservation on the site, only then you will be refunded all the money. How do I know if a host is canceling a reservation? Read the reviews, they show the entry “This is an automatic message. The reservation was canceled by the owner… days before arrival.

When will airbnb get my money back?

The refund process starts as soon as the booking is canceled or changes are accepted. Refunds usually take 3-5 days, but may vary depending on the payment method and your bank. Refund information can be displayed by the date the funds were debited (when the reservation was made).

Check-in-check-out

Since the accommodation booked through airbnb is not a 24-hour hotel with a reception, you must make an appointment with the host. If the owner has set a fixed time of arrival and departure, this information will be indicated in the description of the selected object, if not, then agree on the time before booking. It is especially important to get the host's consent if you have an early or late check-in.


Check-in and check-out on airbnb

Check-in

Most hosts prefer to meet the guest themselves, hand over the keys and show them the property. You can also be met by a relative or a trusted person who deals with housing on behalf of the owner. Agree on all the details of the meeting, indicate the arrival time of your flight, find out how best to get to the place, the entrance number, the code from the front door. You may be asked to contact one hour before arrival (send SMS, write by messenger or call). Usually we get to the place on our own, we were met several times at the station, we also checked in according to the instructions, finding the keys under the rugs and in the mailboxes.

Be sure to print out your travel plan with the address and contacts of your accommodation. Chat with hosts through the airbnb website so that support can help if you have a dispute. In an apartment booked on airbnb, welcome gifts may await you: a bottle of wine, fruit, sweets ... You can also bring the owner a small souvenir - this always helps to build relationships.

Departure

Departure from the accommodation can also be in the presence of the owner or on your own. In the first case, the owners or proxies come at the appointed time and take the keys, in the second, you just leave the keys inside and slam the door or throw the keys into the mailbox (by prior agreement). Almost always, you can agree with the owners on a convenient check-out time, many are accommodating and allow late check-out without additional payment. The decision of the hosts depends on the booking calendar. If the accommodation needs to be prepared for the arrival of other guests, you will have to check out at 12:00 or earlier, as indicated in the house rules. We were allowed several times to stay much later at no additional cost. Chat with the hosts, they are interested in getting guests and good feedback.

Airbnb help

Airbnb provides a security guarantee and customer service (24/7 support, money back, document submission).

To contact airbnb support with a problem regarding a specific booking, you must go to the Help Center on the airbnb website. Through the menu, you can contact the owner for help or go to the problem solving center. A request is created using your reservation number, and the answer is sent to the e-mail specified during registration. Answers to common questions are searched for by entering a keyword.

In case of emergency (in case of problems with arrival and accommodation), you need to call.

Contact airbnb

  • Airbnb phone +1 855 4247262 (24/7 in English)
  • Airbnb Russia Support +7 495 4658090 09:00 - 23:00
  • You can send a message via the contact form

How to become a master

Through the airbnb website, you can not only book private stays around the world, but also become the owner yourself and rent your apartment, room, house on a permanent or temporary basis.


It is convenient to rent out accommodation through airbnb, because you yourself set the period, prices and rental conditions, you choose the guests. “I have nothing to rent, I live in my own apartment,” you say, but perhaps you will find a free room and renting it out will help you earn money and at the same time get to know people from different countries. Are you going out of town for the whole summer or do you travel often? Your property will generate income, pay for vacations and utility bills. If you have additional accommodations, airbnb may be more beneficial than long-term rentals. Airbnb provides guarantees for hosts, you can set your own rules and take a deposit for the safety of the property.

Posting an ad on airbnb

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