Planning a trip abroad can become an overwhelming task when hours turn into days searching for the perfect hotel, amenities, location, and more. Luckily, Airbnb now provides more than 3 Million listings worldwide in 65,000 cities, 191 countries, with 3,000 castles, and 1,400 tree houses which almost ensures that you will find what you’re looking for be it a humble abode or extravagant digs. Here’s a list of the perks attained by mastering Airbnb abroad.
By Dominique Simpson
Stay Central For Less
You are planning the ultimate trip to Paris that you elaborately dreamt of as a child well on into your college years. You check your favorite travel sites and began to realize that picture perfect hotel in the 16th arrondissement on the boutique lined street is $499 per night and come to the realization that staying at this 4 star boutique hotel will not be your fate. This is where Airbnb comes to the rescue. Airbnb provides centrally located flats, with rival views and chic Parisian balconies just steps away from the Eiffel tower for a fraction of the cost. You’ve now added 300 square feet of excess space for your party of two, a refrigerator, microwave, and even a laundry unit to wash your favorite pair of jeans. You are centrally in the hustle and bustle of the city and can conveniently get to all the best attractions on the local train.
A Free Travel Guide
If you’re lucky, your host will inadvertently become your local travel guide, which can help tremendously when exploring a new destination abroad of unfamiliar territory. Whether its your first time in Costa Rica or Jamaica, your host will usually provide the best restaurants, hang-outs, and shopping within the area. This is your biggest asset if you are the spontaneous traveler who rarely plans small details within your trip and can save you the headache of getting lost when navigating on train and bus routes often frequented by the locals.
Cut Food Spending
Have you ever returned from vacation and began tallying up the restaurant bills to only realize you’ve spent an exuberant amount of money on just food. The Hotel Buffet is $29.99 per day, and while enticing, your girls trip of four just spent $120 on breakfast! Your Airbnb host may offer a local authentic breakfast and even snacks for your excursions. Another fun option is hiring your host to teach a cooking class of the local cuisine during your stay. It’s a satisfying cultural experience and you come home showing your friends and family your new “signature dish”.
New Friends
This unlikely friendship usually develops during pre-trip correspondence as you’re in preparation for your vacation or business trip. They began helping you plan little yet pertinent details on your trip and arrange their discounted car service to make sure you arrive to their place with no hiccups. The unique yet personable experience of Airbnb allows you to be in constant communication with your host and whether your renting a room or the entire place, these hosts become your safe haven on foreign grounds. Even better, you now have a second home away from home with an instant book reservation.
Laundry
No one ever incorporates laundry into their travel itinerary until its 10 days in and your favorite undergarments are in the hotel-provided plastic laundry bag. One of the perks of staying at an Airbnb is most homes have at minimum, a functioning washing machine. There’s nothing worse than getting that hotel bill with an added $68 for your 1 pair of pants, sundress, and undergarments. If your vacation is longer than a week, this is something to take into consideration and your best minor investment.
A Local Experience
While some travelers prefer a five-star luxury accommodation that only provides michelin-starred dining, others travel desire a more practical and engaging experience. If you’re the latter of the two, you may enjoy the local family hosting in Old Havana or Beijing where you’re able to engage with the people and truly immerse yourself within the culture in a more remote area outside the major city. Airbnb generally provides lodging options in areas outside of tourist perimeters and chain hotels. As long as you’re comfortable navigating through these territories, explore away and stay in a local hub.
Photo Credit: Airbnb
