Modern travelers do not seek to limit themselves to traveling within their own country. If finances allow, many go in search of adventure to the most remote corners of our planet. One can only imagine how much effort was required to conduct international travel a quarter of a century ago.

Absence mobile communications, the same Internet, problems in embassies - and these are just the beginnings. Whereas now, by opening an Internet browser, you can find so much information that it will be enough to ensure maximum reliability for your upcoming trip.

And what does the growth of our needs cost? Having visited some five-star hotel in Turkey last year, a person will no longer want to go to Croatia next year with no less comfortable conditions. Moreover, everyone strives to find a nest that is cheaper and with more comfortable conditions.

Today I will talk about an excellent service for renting apartments around the world from homeowners, which has found recognition all over the world, allowing the user to rent cheap apartments/rooms in any corner of the planet. We will talk about the site airbnb.ru.

By the way, Russians are reluctant to use the Airbnb apartment rental service due to ignorance of its existence. There are older services like hotellook.ru or generally “oldies” that stay afloat only at the expense of citizens of the CIS countries. These are sites like booking.com. They are also good in their own way, but the peculiarity of AirBnb is that it is possible to rent apartments directly from the homeowners, and this is its main advantage. But first things first.

Airbnb service - an inside look

Airbnb.ru gives you the opportunity in a few clicks rent an inexpensive apartment or room in many countries around the world. Airbnb offers not only hostels and daily apartments, for lovers of exquisite relaxation, there are offers to rent an expensive yacht or some oriental palace.

And what’s good is that on Airbnb (AirBnb) you can find a budget option housing in very good location, in which if you shoot hotel room, you will give five times more money. Here's an example from Airbnb - renting a room in Barcelona with a view of the Sagrada Familia costs 1,848 rubles

The photo above is the view from exactly where you will live! Time passes and the exchange rate of the ruble against the dollar and euro changes, but still, as a percentage, renting apartments through AirBnB will be cheaper than in a hotel.

Yes, if for some reason you didn’t watch the video above, I’ll tell you again that the very story of the creation of the Airbnb website is quite funny. Two guys, being students in another country, did not calculate their finances when renting a room, and in order to somehow get off their knees, they began to rent out their air mattress on the floor. By the way, the name of the Airbnb website follows directly from the description of this story, and translated means an air mattress and breakfast.

As practice shows, the Airbnb service offers the most various options housing in Europe or America, while East Asia either I haven’t heard of the existence Airbnb service, or they have their own competitive site similar to Airbnb, but the Airbnb service is almost not represented here at all. Although, if you really want to and have Google translator at hand, you can also find good apartments at an affordable price.

I like that on Airbnb you can immediately filter apartments by quality, view from the window, location, price, even by the face of the owner of this property and his friendliness, because on the site AirBnb people write real reviews about the apartments they rented from the owners. Moreover, these are not paid reviews, but real comments from real people:

Like any project, the Airbnb service has its advantages and disadvantages, which I will discuss below.

Benefits of the AirBnb service

1. Airbnb is awesomeaffordable prices

Even in the most major cities there are affordable housing offers around the world. Airbnb's website is proof of this. On Airbnb it is quite possible to find better offers for renting apartments compared to private advertisements for renting apartments or hotels. As a rule, the local representation comes down to people who are eager to make a little extra money on their home. In fact, the offers on Airbnb are completely different. If you are trying to rent an apartment in London for 100 dollars, then it’s better not to go anywhere, but you will be gladly provided with an air mattress in many parts of the city. On Airbnb you can really settle down cheaper upon arrival, plus you’ll have it at your fingertips local, he is the owner of the apartments you rented, who will show and tell you everything.

2. Airbnb is comfort

If a cozy and comfortable life at the level of a luxury hotel room is very important to you, then Airbnb is the perfect service for you. As a rule, many apartment owners rent out their homes in order to earn money during that period of time when they themselves go on vacation or simply live in some other place with relatives. In this case, you will be absorbed in a homely atmosphere with complete autonomy.

I think you won’t refuse to see how the French or Italians furnish their apartments, or what household appliances the Germans or British use. I can say with confidence that you obviously won’t get such a vast amount of information while staying at a hotel.

Often, such apartments are rented fully equipped - you will be provided with everything you need to lead a normal life, including a washing machine, dishwasher and equipped kitchen with a full set of appliances and dishes.

Here are some examples of apartments

AirBnb - apartment in London

AirBnb - apartment in New York

AirBnb – apartment in Paris

AirBnb – apartment in Rome

3. Airbnb is forclear communication

When renting out a home, owners not only look for potential client, just like you, they are given a unique opportunity to communicate with foreigners. As practice shows, people are always happy to chat on a variety of topics, even to the point of giving you valuable advice on visiting a particular place, or, for example, giving you the number of the cheapest taxi to get to the place you need. Don’t think about it, this is not necessary - if you don’t want to, no one will oblige you

4. Airbnb is aboutdiscussing housing conditions in advance

The Airbnb service requires fulfillment of a mandatory condition before booking - you will definitely need to communicate with the owner of the apartment, where you will be provided with comprehensive answers to all your questions. For example, how is the infrastructure in the area where you live, are there cheap supermarkets here, is the metro or bus station far away. You have the opportunity to clarify whatever your heart desires.

5. Airbnb islinking accounts

If you are registered on Facebook, you will have no problem tracking the movements of your friends, especially if their profile is directly linked to the Airbnb service. Share your impressions!

Disadvantages of the Airbnb service

1. I don't argue that Airbnb is a great service. But Airbnb, like everywhere else, has its drawbacks. First of all, this is the lack of a professional approach. Most of apartment owners, as a rule, ordinary people who want to earn extra money, so be prepared for anything and have maximum patience (especially if you are booking an apartment for the first time) - some questions may take too much time to discuss.

2. Living conditions. Each person has his own moral values, so there is a high probability that your wishes will not coincide with the specified living conditions from the owner. Not because you are being deceived, but everyone has different preferences.

3. The lack of instant booking of accommodation on Airbnb is also a small drawback, especially for businessmen. The fact is that if other sites for renting and renting out apartments - analogues of Airbnb, offering reservations in hotels, provide a maximum of five minutes for placing an order, then on Airbnb you will have to wait for the owner’s decision. Therefore, this option is not suitable for people who are still at home today, and tomorrow - somewhere at the other end globe and they urgently need housing.

4. Virtually no privacy on Airbnb. To make a reservation on Airbnb, you will have to spend time. Registration, sending and checking documents, filling out a profile (which, by the way, is mandatory). The documents will be available only to the site administration and, as a rule, the owner will not see them, unless, of course, you offend him or do something else illegal. Well, another important nuance on Airbnb is the possibility of communal living, when other people can potentially live with you in the apartment.

5. Don’t be surprised by the fact that you may be denied a reservation if the host of your Airbnb property simply doesn’t like you or your profile – this is also quite possible. Agree, everyone decides for themselves who they can move in with them.

Please note that it is worth reading in advance reviews of accommodations on Airbnb or view the owner’s profile in detail. You never know how he will behave in one case or another. And so you can already hint at some common interests.

How to use the AirBnb “inflatable service”, AirBnb discount coupons

To get started, go to AirBnb website and register. I think this operation is not worth describing in detail, everything is simple and clear. By the way, you may have heard that there is discount couponsairbnb. Would you like to receive $25 off your accommodation reservation? If yes, then follow this link, it is already included airbnb coupon code, and then, by registering on the site, you will receive a bonus of $25. That is, by ordering a rental property, the rental price will cost you $25 less! Agree, not bad!

The main page of the Airbnb website presents the hottest offers from the most different countries world, if you haven’t found anything suitable, enter the city where you are going. The Airbnb system will give you a comprehensive list of offers for a specific locality, and the location of the proposed housing on the map. Airbnb also has many filters available (just like an online store), which can potentially speed up the search for accommodation based on your request.

When choosing accommodation on Airbnb, you will receive a sufficient amount of information in the form of photographs, descriptions and numerous reviews, which, by the way, are checked by the administration for authenticity. As a rule, in the right corner of the page on Airbnb the price directly for renting an apartment per day is indicated. There you can also decide on the number of days and the cost of all services provided by the service.

Well, ultimately, after checking all the data when writing a request to book an apartment, you can make a payment using a bank card. In addition, for owners of electronic wallets, the PayPal service is provided.

Criteria for choosing accommodation on Airbnb

First of all, a verified user profile. Let me tell you that on Airbnb everything is serious about document verification, which is why scams rarely come up here. To register your accommodation (apartment, house, yacht, etc.) in the Airbnb system, you will need to provide everything Required documents, confirming not only your identity, but also your right to own housing.

Only after approval by the administration of the Airbnb service, the user will be marked with a special icon, which gives the right to take further actions. The same situation applies to photographs of the proposed housing. When choosing, pay attention to the inscription “verified photo”, which indicates that the “photo shoot” of the property was carried out by a professional photographer from the agency and, of course, corresponds to reality.

The next item is the response rate on Airbnb. This box indicates the percentage of questions asked by potential tenants and answers given by the landlord. That is, if you see a frequency of ten percent, you don’t even have to try to find out anything there, since it’s unlikely that anyone will give you a complete answer.

On the other hand, if the response rate is greater than 90 percent, then the host is incredibly sociable and responds to all messages as quickly as possible. And, believe me, if the housing is good, then you have to answer 100-200 requests per day.

Don't forget to update your service calendar. By updating it regularly, you will, first of all, save time. Imagine, you are looking for accommodation on the website, find a suitable one, look at the photos, compare with other offers (as a rule, this takes at least one hour if you are planning a serious trip, and especially if you are a woman).

And already when you agree to book accommodation, you are told that the apartment is occupied. Moral of the story: Update your calendar often to avoid wasting unnecessary time. Good apartments will not stand empty for long.

"And I changed my mind"

The “inflatable” service Airbnb, due to the huge number of different scammers, has provided various conditions for canceling a reservation. This opportunity allows you to select accommodation directly depending on your confidence in the upcoming trip. Don’t worry, the Airbnb service fee for making an apartment reservation will not be reimbursed in case of cancellation. Of course, serious circumstances are taken into account when refusing, but in this case much will depend on communication with the administration.

The Airbnb website has special “Site Visitor Compensation Rules” that allow you to get your money back if certain misunderstandings arise, including:

The tenant independently canceled the reservation or provided you with accommodation on the spot;

The expectation does not coincide with reality due to the fault of the apartment owner;

You personally discovered that your new home is incredibly dirty and, even more so, unsafe.

Of course, such nuances do not come up often, but anything can happen, and if you are not satisfied with something in your new home, just contact the service administration within 24 hours after moving into your new place.

Accommodation reservation certificate for visa

Everyone knows that when visiting many countries, the embassy will require confirmation of your solvency and mandatory place arrangement. None of my friends have used this service, but based on reviews online and on the website, it becomes clear that a printed reservation made on the website is positively accepted at the embassy.

The downside of Airbnb

It is quite obvious that in addition to renting any type of housing, you can just as easily rent out your apartments: an apartment, a dacha, a yacht (whoever has one) :)

Much, of course, depends on the location of your home, but if there is free space and you don’t shy away from neighbors unknown to you, then why not rent it out? Speaking of guarantees, the AirBnb rental service provides a potential tenant with no less guarantees than a tenant.

Plus, it's completely free. The system is as follows: to assure you of a guarantee (the so-called “safe transaction”), the Airbnb service imposes its own markup on top of your housing price. If there is a service office in your country, then in some cases the agency can take professional photographs completely free of charge.

In order to rent out an apartment on Airbnb, you need to go to the “Your Ads” section in the “Control Panel”.

In conclusion I would like to say that AirBnb service may seem incredibly complicated to some (which is why I gave such a detailed description of it). In fact, this service is quite advanced and easy to use, so at a minimum, you need to pay attention to it in order to keep it in mind or simply recommend it to friends. It’s not that I’m advertising it, it’s just that after using it, me and my colleagues were left with only the best impressions.

And don't forget that when you first register on Airbnb, you'll receive a small bonus of twenty-five dollars to your account, so don't waste time and get the most out of your vacation.

Get ready for a long post. In this article, I tried to take into account all the nuances and answer all questions about renting out your apartment using Airbnb. This information is based on my personal experience and the experiences of my friends. So practice, practice and more practice. Go!

How to rent out an apartment through Airbnb?

Imagine the picture:

You boarded a plane to relax in some wonderful country, for example, Greece. You've been lying on the beach all week, enjoying the sun, sea, life and fresh seafood. You met new people, ate delicacies and got a good tan.

And so you returned home, checked your account and were glad that you had a good time and managed to make good money while you were basking in the sun.

But wait a second, is this even possible unless you're a venture capitalist?

Every year more and more people rent out their homes to travelers. Some of them earn six figures.

To make money with Airbnb you need 3 things: an empty house, a room that sits idle or even a sleeping place, openness in communicating with people and the desire to earn money.

The idea of ​​Airbnb is simple - you rent out your home to travelers (often more expensive than daily rent apartments to your fellow countrymen), and travelers rejoice at the opportunity to live in comfort and feel “like a local.”

By helping tourists experience the day-to-day life of their destinations, Airbnb's founders have created a $30 billion company. This service covers 190 countries and 60 million tourists as its clients.

Good news - you can get your piece of this huge pie.

If you prefer to first thoroughly familiarize yourself with a new situation before rushing headlong into the pool, this article is for you. Everything you need to know to successfully make money by renting out your home to tourists is described here. And the basis was personal experience renting an apartment through Airbnb.

How does Airbnb work?

Airbnb is an online home rental platform that offers an alternative to the hotel industry. This is also a good opportunity to make money for those who are open enough to let strangers into their home.

Airbnb connects tourists in need of affordable or unique accommodation with hosts offering a free bed or fairytale palace depending on your capabilities.

Tourists use Airbnb when:

• hotels are crowded (for example, during a festival);
• hotel prices are unreasonably high;
• They don’t like hotels a priori and prefer to live “at home.”

They can come to you either for a couple of days or for several months, all this is agreed upon in advance on the website and we will move on to the technical aspects a little later.

Airbnb retains a small commission from both tourists and renters.

Why rent out your home on Airbnb?

Airbnb has become a very popular platform among renters because it allows you to earn additional money without spending much time and money. But this does not mean that this type of business does not have negative sides.

Opening your home to strangers is always a risk.

Firstly, renting out housing is also a kind of income generation, which is subject to tax by law. For non-payment of tax (if you are caught, of course), you will have to pay a fine.

Secondly, we've all heard horror stories about homes that have been destroyed or stolen by tenants. Statistics show that such cases are less than 1%, but they also occur.

But if you have the courage to let strangers live in your property and resolve the issue of taxes for yourself, then Airbnb can be a profitable business for you.

If you like to communicate, then this service will help you make many new acquaintances around the world. Airbnb is used by many business people, and you will have the chance to meet people from different social circles.

Not to mention that an empty home is a big source of expense if you don’t use it in any way. So why not bring benefits to people who will also pay you for it.

Airbnb Rental Requirements

Initially, to rent out your home on Airbnb, you need to create an account. It's free, both for tourists and for you. To register, you will need an email address, or a Facebook or Google+ account.

Legal aspects

If you live in Russia, then you do not need to make any additional movements. If you, as a decent citizen, are going to pay taxes, then you have 2 options:

• pay personal income tax as an individual. face;
• register as an individual entrepreneur.

Choose the option that is more profitable for you, keep in mind that the individual entrepreneur also has insurance contributions to the Pension Fund.

If you live in another country, check this point in your legislation.

Personal space

By registering on, you must accept the rules of the game - here it is customary to respect personal space. And if you have security devices in your home, such as CCTV cameras, then warn your guests in advance.

Otherwise, the guest may terminate your agreement and request a refund, and you will receive a penalty in Airbnb's system.

Time spent

If you are serious about making money with Airbnb, then be prepared to spend several hours a week on it.

You need to visit Airbnb's official website frequently to interact with your potential guests: answer questions, make arrangements to convince travelers to stay with you.

You also need to confirm the reservation and simply clean up after the guests. Of course, you can delegate the latter to a cleaning company.

Get permission from the owner

If you are a tenant yourself, then obtain permission from the owner to sublease all or part of the premises, specified in the contract, so as not to have problems in the future.

Responsibility

The Airbnb community is built on reliability and trust. Therefore, it is very important to accurately and correctly describe the housing you are renting: provide real photographs and normal living conditions (electricity, heat, running water and cleanliness).

Otherwise, you will be left with negative reviews, your offer will have a low rating and tenants will avoid it.

How to get good reviews

Hospitality is the key to success. Airbnb has hospitality standards. Therefore, if you want to earn good money in this service, then try to comply with them. This will help you get good reviews, which means your services will become more in demand.

The math is simple: good reviews = more guests = more money.

To get good reviews, you need to pay attention to the following aspects.

1. Always update the availability of your rental property. It is important that the platform and future guests know when your property is occupied and when it is available.

2. Provide future guests with information in a timely manner. Be approachable and check in with Airbnb frequently so you can answer questions in a timely manner, tell us more about your property, check-in/check-out times, etc.

Sometimes it happens that having booked accommodation with an unscrupulous landlord, a traveler actually ends up on the street in unfamiliar city. In such a situation, he tries to quickly find a replacement for him, and here you are online.

3. Be proactive. Always prepare your home for new guests. If for some reason you have to cancel your reservation, then do it in advance so that the tourist does not find himself in the situation described above, and he has time to calmly find a new home.

4. Be honest. Provide real information about your accommodation so that travelers' expectations do not diverge from reality. Otherwise, your account may be blocked.

About security

The question of security arises for every sane person who encounters a previously unknown phenomenon, and Airbnb is no exception.

There is always a risk that you will come across an unreliable person. Airbnb hosts have had various situations where the house has been turned upside down after a party, property has been damaged, and in some cases guests have changed the locks and refused to leave.

In Russia, this kind of thing is quickly resolved with the help of the police, but in England, for example, serious problems can arise. They have such a thing as “squatting”. This is when strangers can move into an empty house without asking, and they can only be evicted from there by a court decision, and the legal process is a long process.

Incidents like these got Airbnb into serious trouble in 2011, so they have since implemented a sophisticated vetting system that has become a benchmark in the home rental industry.

You can't be anonymous, and the review and rating system works both ways, keeping both guests and landlords within the bounds of decency. Those. you can only allow trusted people with good reviews into your home.

Before confirming a reservation, parties may only communicate through Airbnb. All messages containing a phone number are automatically blocked. Of course, there are workarounds, for example, sending the number in parts, but do you need it?

Moreover, participants’ bank cards are also confirmed by the system. You can exchange contacts with the guest only after the reservation has been paid, so that you can call and communicate in a more convenient way.

All payments are made within the system using online banking. When a guest makes a reservation, he must enter his card details or pay through PayPal, which also takes care of user security.

Payment is credited to your account the day after the guest checks into your property.

Another important thing is that you always have the opportunity to refuse a booking request if the guest does not seem reliable to you. There will be no sanctions for this; you have the right to accept only those you trust.

If you're looking for more information, Airbnb has a Facebook Connect feature that allows hosts to ask for recommendations from a guest's friends.

If these security measures prove ineffective, the landlord will be paid a guaranteed insurance of $1 million. You will be able to use insurance if your damage does not exceed $1 million.

If you have any problems, you can contact Airbnb and request a refund. Please note that insurance does not cover all property or personal liability, so you may be better off purchasing separate insurance.

How to properly register an account on Airbnb

Filling out information about housing on Airbnb is quite simple. The platform itself is intuitive, so filling out an account won't take much time. But if you want to stand out from the crowd, here are some tips for you.

Heading

Many people underestimate the importance of a bright and catchy headline, and write something like “Bright and modern two-room apartment in the city center.” This is not bad, but there are thousands of such headlines.

To stand out from the gray mass, you need to be a little creative, you need to be remembered. For example, in Minsk there is a “taxi with a squirrel”, everyone in the city knows it. It’s just a man driving his clients in an inexpensive foreign car, and a real tame squirrel lives in the interior of his car. It's a small thing, but it's cool.

There is no need to indicate your city in the title, this is already clear. Travelers first choose a city, and then apartments from the proposed options.

If your home is located outside the city, this is worth mentioning.

Description

The description is simple; it is best if you write about your home clearly and, most importantly, honestly. Include as many important details as possible so guests know exactly what to expect. Do not make false or exaggerated statements.

To look more professional, translate your description into at least English, I recommend also Spanish and Chinese, but this is optional. This way you will generate more trust by your effort to be understood.

Photos

Photos are very important. Most often apartments are rented from good photos. The logic here is simple: the higher the quality of the photos, the more bookings.

Take photos during the day, natural light is best. You can only upload 10 photos to your account, so choose those that will give guests a clearer idea of ​​your space: what it looks like, what size it is, what bed, bathroom, etc.

For ideas, I advise you to contact your more expensive and popular competitors. See what angles they choose and do the same.

Airbnb also provides its own photographers. Photography is free. A badge will appear on your photos that they were taken by an Airbnb employee, which means they are reliable, which will add to your trust. Just find out if this service is available in your area.

Set the rules

Airbnb allows all hosts to set their own rules for guests. Consider your needs, the needs of travelers and your neighbors. For example, do not make noise after 11 pm, do not smoke. Indicate the number of people you are willing to let into the house. You may want to assign them some responsibilities around the house, for example, taking out the trash after yourself, watering the flowers.

Your profile

Your profile is one of the most important elements of your account. People trust people. This means you must appear in the eyes of travelers as a person worthy of trust. Fill out your information so completely and clearly that guests know what to expect from you as a host.

Price

Another important aspect that everyone pays attention to when choosing housing is the price. Before you set your prices, look at your competitors' rental prices. Take into account their location, photos and analyze how successful they are (based on reviews). Look at hotel prices.

While you are a beginner, set the price a little lower than your neighbors for approximately the same housing option. Take into account that you will need to pay an Airbnb fee, buy small things like toilet paper, and possibly pay for the services of a cleaning company.

If you're serious about making money by renting out your home on Airbnb, be flexible with your pricing. Look at market demands and raise or lower prices depending on the tourist season.

Lifehack. It’s very easy to evaluate the season, go to wordstat.yandex.ru. Check "Query History" in the purple search bar. In the line write “hotel Moscow”, instead of Moscow write your city and click “Select”. You will see a graph from which you will understand how often tourists look for accommodation in your city depending on the season.

These are very easy to use; if you know that demand is expected to increase next month, then raise your prices. On the other hand, if you don't have many guests yet, lower your prices until you get at least 2-3 positive reviews.

If you don't want to go through such a tambourine dance, Airbnb has a built-in pricing tool. It will automatically adjust your price based on demand in your area. You can set a minimum and maximum price per day.

Landlord checklist

So, you have set up your profile according to all the rules and even received your first reservation. What's next? Now you need to prepare your home for receiving guests.

Regardless of the level of comfort your accommodation provides, you should always welcome your guests in a clean and friendly manner. Think of your property like a professional hotel, trying to maximize guest experience and good reviews.

Check your accommodation

Remember that your guests' expectations should not differ from reality. Think about how your furniture performs its function. It’s good if there is a washing machine, but if it’s broken, then it would be better not to have it.

Do not overload the space; less furniture is better than more. Ikea minimalism is just right. But you will have to worry about the safety of fewer things.

Get organized

Before renting out your home, do a thorough cleaning. Clean up the kitchen, bathroom, and hallway. Basically, anywhere your guests can get to.

Dirty apartments are what killed many fledgling Airbnb businesses. Nothing supernatural is required from you, just:

• Vacuum the carpets and wash the floors;
• Wipe off the dust, even in places you usually don’t go into;
• Clean your bathroom until it shines. Have you ever heard the phrase: “the toilet is the face of the owner.” Rough, but to the point.

Fix what's broken

Broken wires, flimsy steps, broken furniture - fix or throw away anything that could injure your guests due to its malfunction. Good reviews are important to us, right?

Change the bed linen

This tip may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised how many hostels neglect it. Change bed linen after each guest. If you are too lazy to wash often, buy several sets. This way you will avoid bad reviews. Who would like someone else's hair on their pillowcase?

Empty the refrigerator

This is a “destroy all traces of previous guests” rule. And it seems to be just as unobvious to many hosts as the previous point.

Nobody likes someone else's half-eaten pizza in the fridge. But if you buy salt, pepper, frying oil, etc., your guests will be pleased.

Scrub the bathroom clean

Any good Airbnb host offers their guests 3 basic things: a clean bed, a clean kitchen, and a clean toilet. Always keep these 3 points in mind and you will get good reviews, which means even more guests. I hope this motivates you to be a good landlord.

It will also be a good idea to buy towels, toilet paper, hand soap, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, toothpaste and anything else you consider necessary. This is not a waste of money, but an investment.

Keep track of valuables

If you rent out a room in your home or have guests staying with you for more than a week, make sure your valuables are in safe places. Keep money, jewelry, personal documents and albums with family photos where your guests do not have access.

If necessary, you can even purchase a safe to give you peace of mind regarding your belongings.

Give guests a separate key

Make sure you have at least one spare key for guests. Never give them your only keys, in case they lose them.

There is always something that can be done better. If good reviews are important to you, here are a few for you useful tips, which are worth paying attention to.

Added Value

It is important to understand that the more attentive you are to the comfort of your guests, the more travelers will rent an apartment from you. If you're serious about making money with Airbnb, think about the added value you can provide to your guests, at least at the beginning of your business.

If you pay attention to the reviews from your popular competitors, you will notice that tourists really appreciate the little things that their rental owners have taken care of.

I know many people who are too lazy to bother with all this, and I understand them, but their results are appropriate.

Don't keep guests waiting

Always greet guests, and if you don’t have time, ask your friends about it. Keep in mind that travelers may arrive at night and will need somewhere to stay.

You can be sure that you will not receive good reviews, if you force your guests to hang around a closed door for hours waiting for guests.

Meet them at the airport

The first impression is the most memorable. The best thing you can do for your guests in this case is to meet them at the airport or train station. Firstly, in this way you will not only significantly reduce the number of SMS with questions about how to get there, but also make life easier for travelers. Believe me, they will appreciate it.

If you don't have the time or desire to go on rides, provide your guests with detailed information about how to get to you public transport or taxi. Communicate the fares and provide signs to help them know they are on the right track.

Help them navigate a new situation more easily

Create a “Welcome Card” (print it on a piece of paper or whatever your imagination allows) and put in it information that might be useful to them. For example, your contact details, a list of the best restaurants, museums in the city and things to do.

The next day, check how your guests are doing. Do they need anything else? If you have time and desire, you can spend it together and show tourists the city. Still, renting out through Airbnb is not quite the same as with a regular home rental/rental; to some extent, it is also a community.

Stand out from the crowd

Try to offer your guests something special to stand out from your competitors. Dinner at a restaurant free excursion, homemade cookies. I guarantee that your guests will be satisfied and recommend you to their friends.

Ask for feedback

Starting any new business is not easy. This is true for your Airbnb business as well. If you are new to the site, you will have a hard time finding your first guest. People usually choose places where others have been before and talked about their experiences. They want to know what to expect, and that's okay.

The good news is that if you are new to the Airbnb platform, you can ask your friends or family members to leave a review. Pay for your accommodation yourself at a minimal price. Yes, you will lose a little money on service fees, but it will be much easier for you.

What to do if you do get negative feedback

Sometimes, even if you tried your best, things can go to hell. It’s only a matter of time before you have your first negative comment on your profile. No matter why guests gave you a low rating, you need to remain calm and try to resolve the situation quickly and tactfully.

Apologize to your guests for what happened. Even if you don't agree with the review. Business is business, and the customer is always right. Let your future tenants know that you regret what happened and will make every effort to ensure it doesn't happen again. If you believe a guest is at fault, you have 14 days after check-out to provide them with feedback.

If the negative review was too negative, then write a public response to the review and explain what happened, tell how you corrected the situation and assure guests that they will not have to deal with this in the future.

All reviews remain forever, so do not give in to emotions, even if you really want to and remain professional, regardless of whether you communicate with the guest in person or resolve issues online. Always admit your mistakes and consider feedback as friendly advice on how to improve.

Don't forget that good communication can always prevent a bad review. Always communicate with your guests and try to make their stay with you as hassle-free as possible.

Often bad reviews are written due to a simple misunderstanding. Therefore, try to be understood correctly.

What's the best way to exchange keys?

The exchange of keys is the first contact with the guest. Try to make it leave a good impression. If you don't have time to greet your guests in person, here are a few ways you can hand over the keys to them.

Ask your friends

The most common way. If you can’t do it yourself, then ask relatives, friends or neighbors. Give tourists the phone number of the person who has the key.

Leave the key at a nearby store

The neighboring store or cafe is also perfect place where you can leave the key. But in this case, you must be completely confident in the reliability of the workers. Also make sure that your guests arrive during business hours, otherwise you will only create a new problem.

Use a key safe

Perhaps the easiest way to exchange keys if you constantly don’t have time and don’t want to disturb your surroundings. Buy a small key safe with a combination lock. Then your guests will be able to get into the apartment at any time of the day. You can attach it directly to your door, or you can place it in some secret place.

You can also install an electronic lock that can be controlled remotely using mobile phone. Or you can give the code to your guests and change it every time they check out.

Surephost icon

If you have received at least 10 guests in a year, then you have a chance to receive Superhost status. To do this, you need to fulfill several requirements. You must respond to at least 90% of booking requests and have over 80% of your reviews being 5 stars.

By receiving the Superhost badge, you will become more visible among competitors, and you will have your own advantages and bonuses.

Results

If you are a hospitable person and are ready to let strangers into your home, then Airbnb can be a good source of additional income for you. But you need to initially find free time to do this business.

Is it profitable to rent out an apartment through Airbnb? The answer is clear - yes. Firstly, renting an apartment by the day is always more profitable, and secondly, foreigners pay more money.

Many people have managed to create a permanent source of income for themselves by renting out several residential properties and earning six figures a month. And you can too, if you like to host guests and you have read this article carefully.

Today I’ll tell you about the service, which was created in 2008 and is increasingly gaining popularity among travelers. Read also about ours in Bangkok.

You will learn how to register and book accommodation on Airbnb, how to get a $25 discount coupon, and also tell you why the service is interesting and profitable.

What is Airbnb and how does it work?

Many travelers are already accustomed to accommodation booking systems, such as Booking or, where you can choose a hotel to suit your taste and budget in almost any country in the world. But hotels are not always the best option accommodation - sometimes it is more convenient to rent apartments. This is what Airbnb helps with. We must admit, we just recently started booking accommodation through Airbnb, and now we will help you figure it out too.

Airbnb is rental housing around the world from apartment owners. Housing can be either individual rooms, houses, apartments, or interesting options such as trailers, castles and islands. Now the system already includes more than 34,000 cities in 190 countries.

It turns out that Airbnb acts as an intermediary between those who want to rent out their apartment, house or room and those who want to rent this home. Naturally, the service takes a commission for such a bridge. For this fee, Airbnb provides a financial guarantee against all sorts of troubles, when you can contact a 24-hour support center and get a refund or resolve other issues if something goes wrong.

Why is Airbnb interesting and beneficial?

• The service is especially relevant for expensive cities such as Singapore, Paris, other capitals and major cities, where hotel prices are steep. But you can rent an apartment in Airbnb for 20-40 dollars, and at a decent level. For that kind of money, in some cities hotels only offer small rooms.
• The possibility of live communication over a cup of tea with the owner, a conversation with whom will help you get to know the country even more deeply and get interesting information.
• It is especially beneficial to rent an apartment for a large group or a family with a child, when the presence of a kitchen and separate space is very desirable. Per person, it is often cheaper than a hotel, even very decent apartments, the equivalents of which in hotels are very expensive.
• An Airbnb reservation is visa-compliant, meaning a printout of the reservation can be provided to the consulate
• Interesting accommodation options, not the same type of chain hotels. For example, here.

How to register with Airbnb and get a $25 coupon

Upon transition you will receive from us personal Airbnb coupon for $25 for your first booking (works if its value exceeds $75). For example, if you rent an apartment for 3 days for $27 per day, then you will pay not $81, but only $56! This coupon is stored for a whole year, and even if you didn’t use it the first time, you can do so later.

$25 Airbnb coupon from us!

2. Click on the “get discount” button

3. Now you need to register. You can do this using your Facebook or Google+ accounts, or as usual via e-mail.

4. After registration, you need to confirm your profile - it’s simple and won’t take more than 3 minutes, follow the service prompts in your personal account.

Account verification methods

Account verification methods:

• Email
• Phone number
• Your profile photo
• Linking social networks to your account
• Sending a scan of your passport/driver's license.

Why do you need a verified Airbnb profile?

By confirming your profile, both you and the owner prove that you really exist, thus increasing trust. After all, Airbnb is not only a booking service, but also a community of travelers.

Often people choose to live with a confirmed owner of the apartment (the corresponding icon appears opposite him) and I advise you to do so. Also, confirmed guests are more highly valued))

How to rent a home on Airbnb

Now is the time to book your accommodation on Airbnb. We go to the official website and enter the city and dates we need into the search bar.

Search for apartments around the world on Airbnb

All available options appear, and to the right of them is a map, which is very convenient to look at by area, moving and moving.

Booking on Airbnb - search results with filters and map

Pay attention to the filters - there are several of them. You can select the type of accommodation, price range and others. More filters are available by clicking the “More filters” button - you can clearly define your housing requirements.

How to rent an apartment on Airbnb - choosing options

We choose the options we like and read about them carefully. There is a section “House Rules”, there are various conditions: is it possible to smoke, is it possible to have pets, what kind of beds, internet, bathroom, etc.

Read the description and house rules

Pay attention to reviews and whether the owner's account is verified. If not, then there is some risk, and perhaps this is just a new participant, and they did not have time to write reviews. When viewing photos, it is very good if the photo has a “Verified” icon in the upper right corner - this means that an Airbnb photographer visited this place and the photos correspond to reality.

Reviews of the apartment on Airbnb

Reviews of the property owner and his verified profile

Also pay attention to the cancellation conditions, there are several types: in some cases you can return the entire amount minus the service fee, in some cases the money is partially returned or not returned at all. You can read more at.

Cleaning fee. In some cases, a cleaning fee is included and is quite large. Be careful.

In some variants it is taken deposit for the safety of property. Nothing is deducted from you; in case of property damage, the host must send you a request for payment through Airbnb after you check out.

The description says how many people the housing is designed for. In some cases, additional people are paid (the amount is indicated in the description), in some cases it is free.

We contact the owner of the apartment, find out the details that interest us and determine its adequacy, if required :-). If you don’t know English, then enter the Russian text into Google Translator and copy it.

Button to contact the property owner and booking button

Airbnb accommodation reservation and payment

1. Next, send a reservation request. Here you will need to enter your bank card or PayPal wallet details. The billing address is your address, more precisely the one that you indicated when you issued the bank card with which you pay for this accommodation. The host has 24 hours to confirm your request.

2. Instant Booking is available for some options. In this case, the reservation occurs immediately, just like in Booking or other similar services.

3. After the owner has confirmed the request and the payment has gone through, you will receive a receipt by e-mail and detailed instructions with the owner’s contacts and housing address. An SMS is also sent to your phone. Your money remains in the system and is transferred to the owner only after the first day of your stay.

A confirmation receipt appears in your personal account

If you registered using , and your booking is more than $75, then you will receive an Airbnb coupon worth $25. This amount is reflected after clicking the “Book instantly” or “Request booking” button in the “coupon” column, as in the screenshot.

Airbnb $25 discount on first booking!

We will be very grateful if you register using our link - you will feel good, and we will receive a small bonus from Airbnb. :-) Thank you!

That's all we wanted to tell you about how to rent a home on Airbnb. We will soon publish an article with answers to frequently asked questions. See you and happy travels!

Updated 01/10/2020

The history of my relationship with Airbnb: 10 countries and 15 cities, 23 apartments and rooms for several days and 2 houses for a month. What have I learned for myself in 4 years and will I continue?

To be honest, I have never had any serious problems with airbnb.ru, and I am 99.9% satisfied with it. Wait, where did one hundredth go?

What kind of accommodation can you find on Airbnb?

Almost anything - rooms, apartments, bungalows, villas and even tree houses! Searching for an accommodation option in one city usually takes from 30 minutes to an hour - I look at photos of apartments, read reviews of those who have been there (I also translate foreign ones). I also compare prices with RoomGuru - it happens that the good old 3-star room wins.

My review of the Airbnb website

Our apartment for 4 people in Jerusalem - $100/night

Note: if not the first time, then here’s a life hack - register your mom/dad/friend (remember that the bonus is not entered, but is automatically counted when you click on the link), and the discount coupon will work again. 🙂

Step 2. Let's move on - looking for accommodation for the trip. Apartment booking is available in almost any city in the world. To do this, set the parameters you need on Airbnb:

• city
• dates (from 2019 the numbers appear along with the cost - convenient)
• and the number of people by clicking “apply” and then “accommodation”

and here they are - all the rental options for your dates, from a luxury townhouse in the center to a homeless-style tent by the lake (did I say, for any budget? :)).

What filters are there?

• Housing type(entire apartment, separate or shared room) - I usually don’t choose anything here, I’m guided directly by the advertisements. You can click, for example, the first option, and the house/apartment will be completely in your – temporary – possession
• Price– you can choose a limit amount that you are willing to pay per day (from 0 to 50,000+ rubles)
• Book instantly– see step below
• Trip type(for families/business trips) – in my opinion, not a completely relevant filter, because a more interesting and cheaper option can be found simply in the feed
• Other– if necessary, indicate the number of bedrooms, amenities, area, or check the box for “unique housing” (hut in the forest, yacht or houseboat? :)

Step 3. We study housing - a short algorithm is as follows:

• look at prices
• determine the location on the map on the right (when you hover over an ad, its price tag is highlighted on the map)
• We are opening several apartments that you like
• read reviews

When you click on an accommodation, you can find detailed information about the rules/conditions of accommodation, photographs of rooms, reviews from travelers and the owner. I advise you to CAREFULLY go through literally every letter. The site works in Russian, so there is a magic “translate” button. Pay attention to the "Amenities" section. It happens that the owners also include breakfast - they are quite simple, but still nice :) Plus, it saves both time and money.

Our apartment in New York (Brooklyn) for $67/night for two - it has a robot, a fireplace and even a cinema (we wrote more in the telegram @howtrip)

My tips on how not to fly by and not overpay:

1️⃣ I never choose apartments that no reviews or a small number of them (2-4). Although I admit that everyone starts somewhere, and that cool loft with zero responses will become a super-selling offer in a month or two. But I’ll probably give him a wide berth.

UPD: I changed my mind and now I’m looking at the “new items”. And all because they sometimes offer a 20% discount to the first 3 guests. I’ve booked this way twice already, and successfully!

2️⃣ Of the whole bunch of enthusiastic reviews, I note those that are automatically generated by the service itself "The host canceled this reservation...". This means that the owner canceled the reservation so many days before the traveler’s arrival - if there are 3 or more, I pass by.

3️⃣ Important factor - frequency and response time owner (can be found below reviews). They demonstrate a person’s attitude towards Airbnb – whether he’s scoring or really being responsible.

4️⃣ Above the red “Request booking” button there are several lines that make up the final cost, but these specific ones are not always found:

• Cleaning fee– I don’t see the need if I’m traveling for 3-5 days or even a week. In principle, it is small - up to 2000 rubles for the entire stay
• Weekly/monthly discount– this is my favorite 🙂 If you book an apartment for 7 days or more, some hosts discount 10-15% of the price, and if for 3-4 weeks, the discount can reach 30-40%! That’s why Bali cost me 400 rubles per night.

5️⃣ And someone enters and security deposit. You can find out about this in the “House Rules” section, expanding them completely. I wonder what he not written off and is not frozen on the card when booking (and certainly not given to the owner in cash). If, after eviction, the owner complains about damage, Airbnb reviews the claim (with your participation, of course) and makes a verdict - pay the amount or forgive. I haven't had any experience with collateral yet.

6️⃣ Don't click on "Request Booking" At once. First, write to the owner (in the “Owner’s name” section there is a “Contact” button): ask something about the apartment or simply mention how you liked the option. But be sure to check whether the desired dates are free - the calendar may be acting up. Plus, it will save your money from the insidious instant booking.

7️⃣ What is "Instant Book"? The host set up an automatic confirmation of the reservation, not a manual one. Accordingly, the money on the card is frozen immediately, without waiting for the final word from the owner. In fact, this is a convenient option, and cancellations (cancellations) occur extremely rarely 🙂 The red “Request Booking” button is normal, and “Booking” is instant.

8️⃣ View cancellation policy. Flexible, moderate, strict - the amount that will be returned to the card if you decide to cancel the apartment depends on them.

Step 4. After your request, the host has 24 hours to accept or decline the reservation. If the outcome is positive, payment is made, and airbnb.ru opens access to all information about the accommodation - the exact address, telephone number for contact.

Things to consider regarding finances (how payments are made):

• Airbnb takes a commission from 10 to 15%, the amount of which depends on the cost of the reservation
• Payment is always made in rubles, not in dollars or euros, even if the cost is indicated in such currencies. And it’s better to use a ruble card to avoid crazy conversion

• If you select “Split payment with friends,” your friend will not be able to pay with bonuses. They can only be used by the person who books the accommodation.

Step 5. Wait for the trip and contact the host the day before to clarify the details.

For the first time we decided to try expensive housing on Airbnb - an apartment with a view of Manhattan cost 20,000 rubles/night for two (we rented for 2 nights)

How to contact Airbnb?

Before booking For any questions, write to support www.airbnb.ru/help. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to call, they simply don’t have that option.

If you made a reservation, and there is a need to contact, find the letter in the mail “Your reservation has been confirmed.” At the very bottom there is a red button, go to the Help Center and specify the problem. You will be asked to write or call their Russian-language support service (toll-free number). Note: this same Russian-language support is often busy, there are few operators, so they switch to English-language support.

I recently discovered their VKontakte page - vk.com/airbnbhelp, there is also a good connection there.

What happens if a booking is cancelled?

Canceled by the host: full refund or credit towards another booking. You canceled: full/partial refund (depending on conditions).

If you choose accommodation with flexible cancellation, there will be no problems. Always pay attention to this. In January 2018, we canceled a reservation in Thailand - the money was returned to the card within 2 days! 🙂 Important: The refund is made to the card that was specified when booking.

By the way, if you are traveling to only one country for a week or 10 days, then I advise you to look at the cost of tours; it often happens that they turn out to be more profitable than an independent trip (applies to countries such as Thailand, Spain, Greece, Tunisia and other popular destinations):

What are the advantages of the Airbnb.ru website? Positive reviews from tourists

Apartment where we lived in Paris (August 2018) - 65 euros/day

1. The most low prices for apartments all over the world. And it is true! This is especially noticeable in large and expensive cities. As mentioned above, many offers are discounted if you book for a week or a month. It is also profitable to rent an apartment with a group; when calculated per person, it is cheaper. You can find cool offers for quite reasonable money. So, in Phuket I rented an apartment for 600 rubles a day with a swimming pool and a gym. Not bad, right? And in Barcelona - a room for 600 euros for a whole month.
2. Simple and clear site. This, of course, is not an entirely tangible advantage, but many services have big problems with this.
3. All kinds of options - you can find luxurious apartments with a view of the entire city, a small and cozy apartment in a residential area with locals. In general, there is a choice and prices for every taste.
4. By renting accommodation on Airbnb, you get to know the locals and get a feel for the culture of the country. Which is quite difficult to grasp if you check into a hotel and communicate with a receptionist programmed to smile.
5. The service has solved one of the main problems for many - full payment - and now it is not necessary to pay the entire amount when booking. You can split it into two parts, and spend the second ≈2 weeks before the trip. Condition: total amount – from $250, travel date – no earlier than 4 weeks.

What are the disadvantages of the site? Negative reviews

Our accommodation for a day in Moscow on Bolshaya Sadovaya - 4200 rubles/day for three

First I’ll say a few words. I read the messages, and I think if everything was as bad as some people describe, Airbnb would have gone under a long time ago. Well, and through one, of course, everything is to blame - the inattention of the user himself.

1. If you were advised of a specific accommodation - for example, Michael’s cozy apartment in NusaDua - you will not be able to find it by name. This has become a very uncomfortable moment for me more than once.
2. Payment upon booking. Now it is possible to divide the amount into two stages, but back in 2017 this was not the case, which did not suit me at all. The money, in fact, is in a “suspended” state for several months, and maybe even quite a large amount. Airbnb has finally met its customers. I know you will say that you can book a hotel without paying at all. But here, when canceling a booking, significant losses are incurred by ordinary people, for whom this is not exactly profitable. And this is compensated by cheaper prices than hotels. On the other hand, you can always cancel your reservation (for certain time before arrival) and the service will return the full amount based on the conditions that were specified in the apartment’s profile.
3. If any problems arise, the support service takes a very long time to respond to emails. And it’s okay that problems arise rarely, but they still happen. The last time I had a question about a refund. Surprisingly, the money was returned faster than the employee responded - 2 days vs. 5 days :)
4. Negative reviews about Airbnb abound with the following: you fell for a fraudulent host who tricked you into getting a bad apartment or canceled your reservation a week before check-in. But just for such a case, reviews of accommodation, host ratings and the ability to contact before booking have been introduced. Always carefully study each comment, look at the profile registration date and photos of the property. If you have any questions, be sure to write to the landlord - this is the difference between Airbnb and a hotel search engine, that it - about communication and waiting. In addition, the service is truly customer-oriented - any cancellation is accompanied by a discount coupon, and for non-compliance with the conditions, money is returned (after proceedings). But this does not eliminate the need to look for new housing and unpleasant emotions. This is where the one missing hundredth is hidden.
5. Speed ​​– people are not always online and after booking you need to wait for the owner’s confirmation. Therefore, if you book accommodation in the morning and plan to check in in the afternoon, it is better to search for hotels through Roomguru or.

Is Airbnb booking eligible for visa?

Embassies accept airbnb reservations for visa. For example, we did the Spanish Schengen and attached several confirmations from this site. Without any problems, you can apply for a visa to the Czech Republic, France and other countries.

Click "View Trip Plan" and print your detailed receipt. Names and dates are displayed there.

What other options does Airbnb offer?

With a discount, accommodation for 7 days will cost less than for 6 or 5. And renting for a month will be more profitable than for 3-3.5 weeks. It happens that the monthly discount starts from 27-28 days.

2️⃣ Why not take a risk and look for new offers (special icon next to it)? Some hosts give a discount on the first 3 bookings, and it can go up to 30-40% of the initial cost.

3️⃣ Some apartment owners add a fixed cleaning fee. It amounts to a significant amount (who knows), especially if the booking is for 3-5 days. So try to find accommodation without cleaning. You can write to the host and ask - what if I clean up myself? :) Sometimes they agree to a meeting, and the price is reduced. But if you are against it, there is no point in insisting.

4️⃣ Naturally, a life hack that many people know about - coupon 2100 rubles Select dates and compare prices

All over the world from Russian-speaking residents

We are looking for a discounted tour.