Airbnb Tips For Guests From A Long Time Superhost

If you’re a frequent traveler but maybe late to trying a vacation rental, you may be wondering “is Airbnb legit?” I’m so glad you’re here and this article is full of Airbnb tips for guests just like you!

As a host in the vacation rental or short term rental space, it’s so so exciting to get bookings from new guests that brand new to the platform. I feel so honored to be the one that gets to curate your experience and first time stay! 

There is a whole culture in the vacation world and they are two separate approaches, I like to call them the old and new way of travelers. Old vacation rentals are houses that have been rented for decades to groups with a traditional booking office for key pick ups and drop offs. There’s staff that close by and available in person.

The new way of vacation rentals is a completely technologically infused experience with contactless check ins,  check outs and stays. Most Airbnb hosts are going to fall in “the new way” with a contactless experience so you have to understand the technology or where to go to get the info.

Check out all my best Airbnb tips for guests below.

This post is all about Airbnb tips for guests.

Best Airbnb Tips For Guests

1. Tips for booking Airbnb.

Send a message to the host at booking explaining the reason for your trip. This is a great way to get things kicked off with your host in a positive and friendly tone. You should hear from the host in 24 hours or less on your request to book or an acknowledgement of your booking.

If you don’t move on to another listing. This could be a sign that they will not be an attentive host during your stay. Make sure you are always checking reviews from previous guests before booking to avoid this issue from the beginning!

Pro Tip

If you have no reviews, be super friendly and extra explanatory. If you have bad reviews, get ready to explain so just put that info in your original message.

Can you lie about guests on Airbnb?

Also, some of you may be wondering why there’s guest count limits. You may even wonder, “Can you lie about guests on Airbnb?” The answer to this is no freaking way! You need to be so truthful about the number of guests that will be sleeping there and the number of guests that could be there at any given time. Airbnb has a strict no party policy. So if your host gets wind from a neighbor of unauthorized guests, you risk having your reservation cancelled and no refund.

Want to know how to get a discount on Airbnb? Check out this article!

2. Read all the information from the host.

Make sure you take the time at booking to understand everything about the listing and when you should receive key details for your trip. This is going to ease your stress immensely and know where you should go for keep information and when! There’s nothing more stressful than trying to find checkin instructions at 11pm in the pitch black with barely any cell service!

If you have questions beyond that, check their communication preferences before reaching out. This is CRUCIAL! This could mean the difference between getting the information you need and not. If the host asks you to call or text a certain number and not message them, it could be because they don’t check the messages frequently. And the opposite is true too. If the host wants you to message them with any questions, it could be that there’s a team of co-hosts that will respond to your question rather than waiting for a call or text back.

3. Check to make sure you have all your check in instructions set before you leave.

This is super crucial! Especially if you’re arriving late. Most hosts will respond late into the night but if it’s literally the middle of the night, you’ll have a chance of hosts not responding and being stuck out in the dark. Yikes!

Airbnb’s platform is so awesome and has an entire section for hosts to upload pictures and walk you through checkin step by step. So make sure you’re well acquainted with what was provided.

4. Understand that arriving early is not ok.

Yesss, this is so not ok. If you want an early check in, just ask! Most hosts will have a way to accommodate this with a fee or just arranging their cleaners around.

Even if you’re 15-30 min early, ask. They may be trying to get the place ready for you up until the last minute depending on how the previous guests left it. You don’t want to rush a good cleaning!

5. If something is wrong let the host know right away.

Most hosts want to deliver a 5 star experience. If you don’t reach out to tell them if something’s not right and just leave that in their review, you’re missing out on an opportunity for them to deliver that great experience. Let the host know and give them an opportunity to rectify the situation.

If you’re looking for a great Airbnb experience, I’d love to host you at one of my listings!

6. If a listing is just flat out inaccurate, call Airbnb immediately.

This is a major issue and Airbnb needs to deal with this properly. According the the AirCover for guests policy, they will refund you and help get you into another listing. Don’t fret, there will be another host that will be delighted at the last minute booking.

7. Enjoy your stay and use all the amenities!

Soak up that vacation and take advantage of the awesome experience you booked! Nothing better than a well planned and decorated Airbnb.

8. How to check out of an Airbnb

So Airbnb etiquette when leaving is to follow the check out instructions the host left you. Follow all the check out instructions thoroughly and be out by the check out time. If you can’t make that happen for some reason, be up front about it! This will allow the host to accommodate you and let it not show up in your guest review.

Did you know that hosts review their guests as well? And did you know that receiving a negative review from a host will affect your ability to book other listings and use the Airbnb platform in the future? This is why communication is key with your host.

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9. If you need a later check out time.

Let the host know the night before at least so they can do their best to accommodate you. More than likely the day is planned for cleaning and maintenance but I always try to do my best to accommodate my guests if they provide enough advanced notice!

10. Always leave an accurate review!

Always, always make sure you leave a review. This is the foundation of Airbnb’s platform. Guest and host reviews make the experience so much fun for future travelers in search of their next stay.

Also, if something was wrong and the host fixed it, explain that in your review so potential guests can understand the kind of host you rented from.

What did I leave out and what tips do you have for guests? Let me know in the comments!

This post was all about Airbnb tips for guests.