Airbnb started as a community-based accommodation service where people offered room rentals to tourists as a side income. This allowed travelers to get a glimpse into local life while saving money on staying in the city center. Over time, Airbnb’s model shifted to a commercial one, where for most hosts, it has become a source of livelihood. Personally, I have experienced both. Since 2013, I have stayed at 61 different locations on all continents through Airbnb. In this article, I will share my extensive experience.
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Table of Contents
How Airbnb Accommodation Works
Hotels offer various types of rooms, while Airbnb offers three types of accommodations:
- Shared Room is similar to a dorm in a hostel, where the owner or other guests sleep in the same room with you.
- Private Room is an alternative to a hotel, where you have your own room, but other people live in the house.
- Entire House/Apartment is a rental of the entire property to a single guest.
Searching for a property is simple; just enter the destination, stay dates, and the number of people. The search results can be filtered by price, amenities, apartment size, cancellation policies, property type, host language, and other parameters.
Once clicked, each listing provides detailed information about the property, amenities, house rules, photo gallery, and reviews from past guests.
The price for accommodation on Airbnb consists of the base price, a cleaning fee (set by the host), service fees (commission for Airbnb, which is a percentage), and taxes (paid to the state and possibly the city). After submitting a booking request, the total price for accommodation is blocked on your credit card. In the past, you would wait for the host’s confirmation, but today, most reservations are confirmed instantly.
For some hosts, an additional fee is charged for each extra person, while others do not differentiate in price.
Once the reservation is approved, you will receive an email, and communication with the host is done through the Airbnb mobile app for Android and Apple iOS, as well as the web interface.
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Registration for Airbnb + Discount Coupon 2025
Before Airbnb became purely a business, it was built on gradually establishing a trustworthy profile. Today, trust is no longer as essential, but you still need to first register for free. The account can be linked to an email, Facebook, or other services.
Next comes identity verification. The more available methods you choose, the more trustworthy you will be. You can choose to send a scan of your passport, ID card, or driver’s license, link to Facebook, Google, or LinkedIn, upload a profile photo to Airbnb, and provide a phone number and email address.
Building a reputation on Airbnb involves collecting recommendations and ratings. Both the guest and the host give these to each other. In the early days of Airbnb, a good reputation opened the door to lucrative accommodations. Today, that’s no longer as significant.
Previously, Airbnb offered a discount coupon for the first trip worth up to $35 for newly created accounts. However, in 2020, the referral program was discontinued, and discount coupons are no longer easily available.
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How to Choose Accommodation on Airbnb and Avoid Scams
Airbnb is popular worldwide, and in larger cities, there is an overwhelming amount of listings. As of 2025, it is no longer true that Airbnb prices are lower than hotel prices. The differences have leveled out, and accommodation on Booking.com is often cheaper even when maintaining comparable standards. Many properties are listed on both Booking.com and Airbnb.
Every guest has different requirements for their accommodation, and for me, the combination of the following factors works best.
🗺️ Location
I prefer staying in the city center, where I will spend most of my day. Prices are higher, but I save time on commuting. For locations outside the center, I pay attention to the availability of public transportation. I always check the surroundings of the property on Google Street View.
💵 Price
I usually hide listings that are significantly below the average price shown. Low prices have their reasons, and from experience, I know I wouldn’t choose them anyway. I also hide listings above my price limit.
📷 Property Photos
Do I like the interior of the apartment? Is the apartment tidy, and how well is it furnished? Few low-quality photos usually indicate that the host either doesn’t take Airbnb seriously or has little experience.
⭐ Reviews from Previous Guests
I prefer listings with reviews from previous guests, especially paying attention to the criticisms. On the other hand, in Sydney, I booked an apartment with no reviews at all, the owner initially did not communicate, but in the end, it turned out to be one of my best experiences ever.
🧹 Cleanliness
For guests, cleanliness is said to be the most important indicator. I choose accommodation with at least 4.5 stars out of 5. People tend to overrate, and four stars are usually below average.
👩 Host
Has the host filled out detailed information about themselves? How likable are they, what rules have they set for the house, and do they respond to previous guests’ reviews? I also check the host via Google, you just need to know how to search.
I select a specific listing by opening 40-50 tabs with offers side by side and eliminating the “worst” ones using a process of elimination. I save the link to the last 5 options in a text file in case the “winning” offer doesn’t work out.
I always wrote my booking requests in a friendly manner. I introduced myself and outlined what I planned to do in the area and why I chose that particular offer. Today, this is usually unnecessary as I feel that hosts don’t care much about it.
If the accommodation is in high demand and the host is selective, you can make an impression with your message. I recommend highlighting one detail from the host’s profile to show you have read the listing. For example, praise the view, wallpaper, or kitchen counter.
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What to Watch Out for on Airbnb
Airbnb places a strong emphasis on safety, and most complications are trivial.
1️⃣ Host Declines Accommodation Request
A host can decline a booking request without giving a reason. Similarly, a request is canceled if the host does not respond within 24 hours. The hold on the funds on your card is immediately canceled; however, it may take several days for the money to be released back to your account.
2️⃣ Host Approves and Then Cancels a Reservation
If the host approves and then cancels a reservation, the guest gets the full amount back. For a canceled 3-night reservation in Santa Monica, I also received a credit of $45 for alternative accommodation.
Sometimes, a host may cancel a room reservation because they have received a request to rent the entire apartment. Hosts are penalized for frequent cancellations.
3️⃣ More Expensive Does Not Automatically Mean Better
The price of accommodation on Airbnb does not necessarily correlate with quality. Some offers are ridiculously overpriced, and you can usually identify them in the “Value” rating.
4️⃣ Host Requests Payment Outside of Airbnb
All payments should be made through Airbnb to ensure protection. Some hosts ask for an upfront payment, a deposit, or a balance in cash, via bank transfer, or through PayPal to avoid paying Airbnb’s commission. All of these practices essentially violate Airbnb’s terms of service, and it is considered a breach of the rules by the host. I recommend rejecting the booking request and choosing another option.
5️⃣ My Negative Experiences with Airbnb
I’ve stayed with Airbnb on all continents, and I’ve been lucky. I’ve never had any major problems. In Santa Monica, my approved reservation was once canceled, and I received the aforementioned credit $45. In the Norwegian mountains, I stayed in a cabin where guests were supposed to handle cleaning before departure. The cabin smelled of mold, and this self-cleaning concept didn’t work; upon arrival, I had to wash the bedding first.
The hosts in Malta had a broken boiler, and there was no hot water. It was over 86°F outside, so it didn’t bother me. In Tokyo, I was supposed to pick up the keys from a mailbox after entering a code. The code didn’t work. I simply messaged the owner, and they immediately sent me a working code. These are the only minor blemishes in my experience with Airbnb.
6️⃣ What to Do If the Host Doesn’t Respond?
If there are only a few days left before your arrival and the host hasn’t responded, contact Airbnb support. Explain the situation and provide the reservation number. Airbnb will attempt to contact the host, and if unsuccessful, they will help you find alternative accommodations. As compensation, you will receive a credit for future trips, and in extreme cases, Airbnb will reimburse the host for a hotel.
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Various Airbnb Tips and Tricks
⌛ Prepare for Waiting
Airbnb is not a hotel with a 24-hour reception, although the services have become more professional. Some hosts, however, are still regular people with regular working hours. You can avoid waiting on the sidewalk by communicating well with your host. Inform them of your estimated arrival time as soon as you know it.
🎁 Bring a Gift for the Host
If you prefer staying with a host at their home, a small gift will make a great impression. You can bring chocolates, beer, or a similar typical souvenir. I recommend reading the host’s profile to avoid any faux pas, such as giving alcohol to a Muslim host.
📧 Never Delete an Email from Airbnb
Keep all incoming emails related to your trip until you’ve exchanged reviews with the host. Airbnb support typically favors the guest, and any evidence, including communication, can be helpful in case of any issues.
⭐ How Reviews and Ratings Work
After your trip, both the guest and the host have 14 days to write reviews for each other. You can see the other party’s review either two weeks after returning or once both parties have written their reviews. This process prevents retaliation for negative reviews.
Write your review of the host truthfully and respectfully. In addition to the star rating, you can add a public recommendation and a private message that only the host will see.
🪄 How to Complete Your Airbnb Profile
The more information you add to your profile, the more trustworthy you will appear to hosts. I recommend adding a profile picture with a clearly visible face, describing your work, interests, countries visited, and motivations for traveling, etc.
🏞 Discount on Airbnb Accommodation
Some hosts offer discounts for longer stays, but before submitting your reservation, you can always try to negotiate. In the host’s profile box, you will find a contact button. Message them, compliment their place, and ask if it’s possible to get a better rate for your dates.
📜 Follow the Rules and Act Like You’re at Home
This may seem unnecessary to mention, as a polite person will behave respectfully when visiting, while an inconsiderate person will always be inconsiderate. Still: Follow the established rules, avoid entering private spaces, and at least do a quick clean-up at the end of your stay.
🧙♂️ How Much Is Airbnb’s Commission?
Guests typically pay a commission of 6-12% of the total amount before fees and taxes. The higher the accommodation’s value, the lower the percentage. Hosts also pay a 3% commission on each completed reservation.
💬 What are your experiences with Airbnb? Write in the discussion below the article. Thank you!
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