With summer coming, you’re probably already planning a vacation getaway. If you’re thinking of staying in an Airbnb apartment or any other similar platform that you have installed on your iPhone, you need to be aware of certain things. Be careful not to be scammed and always find the best apartments.
Likewise, it is important to take into consideration a series of elements that will even allow you to save money. And for this It doesn’t matter which destination you chooseas reflected by the travel experts at De Morgen. Here we summarise them for you.
Plan it as far in advance as possible
There are times when there is no other option than to go on an adventure and book the entire trip just a few days before. This does not mean that experts always recommend Make the reservation months in advance.
As soon as you know when you have your holiday, it is a good idea to think about where you want to go and find the available apartments to get a price that will surely be better the longer you have. In addition, you will make sure that they are not all full if you book just a few days in advance.
“Extend” your stay when searching
Another tip that experts give is that add more days in the search engine than you are actually going to be thereThis is because many apartments are rented only for long periods or include discounts for additional nights that may even end up compensating you even though you are staying for fewer days.
For example, if you are going to be there for four days, look for a full week. Or if you are going to be there for three weeks, look for the entire month. This way you will also find some apartments that would not otherwise appearsince they only reflect them if they are for long stays.
Don’t look in the city center
Obviously it is always more convenient to have accommodation in the heart of a city. Everything is closer, but Apart from being more expensive, there may be other drawbacks. City centres are often full of old flats which, although habitable, may not have sound insulation and this can be a problem for rest.
Experts recommend expand the search areaIt is better to stay in peripheral neighborhoods or those that are not strictly in the center, as long as they are well connected to get around by public transport or on foot. You can also avoid conflictive neighborhoods with a simple search on the Internet.
Make sure you find a good host
You have to “find love” with your host, as the experts say, although in a more metaphorical sense than anything else (although we won’t put any obstacles in the way of anyone who wants to start a consensual love story with him or her). The fact is that It is not enough to read reviews from other guestsYes, it is useful, but not the only thing.
Experts recommend read especially the answers that the host offers them, as well as the contact they have with us. By analyzing their tone and their ways of expressing themselves we can learn a lot about them and whether they are reliable and decisive when faced with problems or doubts.
Pay attention to all the numbers to avoid surprises when paying
We often find that the prices listed for apartments are strangely low. While it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a scam or anything like that, it is worth looking at whether or not they are included. cleaning costs and other extras which end up increasing the price per night.
If instead of using the iPhone app you search for it on a Mac, experts recommend use an extension called ‘Airbnb Price Per Night Corrector’ and is able to display full prices. It is available for both Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.
Give some depth to your information search
If you have doubts about the actual location of the apartment or about the host himself, but the reviews do not solve anything for you, experts consider it key perform a Google search for information to confirm or dispel your suspicions about the place.
For example, looking up the apartment’s address or the host’s name. They often use multiple platforms other than Airbnb, and finding the information on those other platforms can be vital to ultimately determining whether it’s a good place to stay. In the best case scenario, You may even find the possibility of renting it at a better price. than the one marked on Airbnb, although you should prioritize that it is a dedicated platform and that it covers you in case of fraud.
Research the environment and travel blogs
There is nothing worse than renting an apartment in a place where there are no leisure options or you simply don’t know about them. Wasting the first day of your stay planning your trip is tedious and, in a way, means wasting time and money.
That’s why they recommend Visit travel blogs and YouTube channelsas well as other platforms and social networks. This way, you can get recommendations for cultural and leisure activities close to the apartment and go from home with everything planned to make the most of your stay. Especially when you will be there for only a few days.
Always pay through the platforms
Continuing with the above, once you have decided to rent an apartment, Be wary if other payment gateways are proposed to you for this. They are often scams and if you pay freely, there will be no way to protect yourself and recover your money.
Obviously you can file a complaint, but you won’t have the guarantees offered by platforms specialising in apartment rentals. Therefore, always do so on trusted sites. And if they have already offered you another payment method, and even if they finally agree to do it through the platform, be wary.