MAKE SURE YOUR HOST HAS GOOD REVIEWS AND LIMITED CANCELLATIONS

The host that left me in the cold had many negative reviews, and, stupidly, I didn’t bat an eye at the sheer amount of complaints they had. Not only that but half of their stays were cancelled last minute, meaning they were probably more focused on tax evasion than temporarily homing travellers. Don’t feel too shy to contact previous visitors to the host’s home either if you’re unsure about anything.

COMMUNICATE WITH THE HOST (BUT ONLY OVER THE WEBSITE)

My host ignored all of my messages, and then denied owning a place when we rang them – red flags everywhere! Make sure you keep in contact with your host with the days leading up to your stay, but never over alternative sites – especially when it comes to money.

READ THE DESCRIPTION AND LOOK AT THE PHOTOS

If the description is just “home to rent”, I’d probably avoid it and go with a host who talks about their house and gives recommendations of the area. The dodgy host I stayed with literally had two photos, and they were smudged and awful, and basically no explanation about the location, things to expect, etc. Heck, we didn’t even get a house number!

FOLLOW OTHER SAFETY MEASURES YOU WOULD AS IF STAYING IN A HOTEL

Letting other people know where you are, keeping your passport somewhere safe, making yourself familiar with the fire escape, etc, are all things you should be doing anyway, regardless of whether you stay in a commercial hotel or a little cottage owned by a 94 year old.

Just like any other aspect in regards to travel, there’s always an element of danger going to be present. And like with all other aspects, there are ways to keep yourself safe. Don’t be an idiot like I was, and make sure everything is in order before you book a last-minute flight to a foreign country.

Do you guys have any experiences, good or bad, with AirBnb? Let me know in the comments below!