The Secrets of Airbnb

Airbnb has revolutionized the lodging industry by giving everyone access to more intimate, localized, and homelike crash pads around the world.

Here’s how to deploy some lesser-known features to get more out of the app.

‣ Not ready to pay in full? For rentals over $250 and booked two weeks in advance, the app’s Pay Less Up Front feature lets you put down a deposit (usually 50 percent), with the remainder of your rental fee due closer to the check-in date. This extended payment window comes in handy when you need time to collect funds from everyone else in your party. (According to Airbnb research, nearly 40 percent of travelers have been stiffed by their friends. Don’t let that be you.)

‣ Want to go beyond tourist traps and connect with real communities? Airbnb Experiences puts visitors in touch with vetted local hosts keen to share their hobbies, expertise, and access.

From an intimate concert in a secret Tokyo jazz club to tango lessons in Buenos Aires to tall-ship sailing off the coast of Italy, the 15,000-plus available experiences put you right in the heart of the local scene.

‣ Hundreds of these experiences (under the banner of Social Impact) let you do a good deed—and pass along 100 percent of your booking fee to a participating sponsor organization.

So if you spring for a close encounter with wolves in the Pacific Northwest, you’ll directly support Predators of the Heart, the very sanctuary that protects them (and other animals rescued from the exotic-pet trade). Going on a rainbow tour of West Hollywood, complete with SaturGay Brunch? You’ll help fund the Lavender Rights Project’s LGBTQ+ oral-history and education initiatives.

‣ Planning a trip with a big group of friends? Use the Wishlist feature to pull together all the apartments or houses you’ve “loved.” Then invite everyone to view your list, where they can give a thumbs-up or thumbs-down on each place—and add suggestions of their own. Once your trip is confirmed, you can easily share the itinerary so even your flakiest friends wind up at the right place.

‣ In 2018, Airbnb launched a stylish upscale tier of homes under the moniker Plus. Currently available in more than 200 cities worldwide, Plus properties are personally inspected and must pass a 100+ point evaluation to be accepted into the higher echelon of Airbnb-dom. This rigorous appraisal takes into account color scheme, furniture layout, and even the plushness of the towels.

‣ Some families just aren’t built for hotels. So Airbnb offers a helpful trip category called Family, which zeroes in on places with five-star reviews from other families, plus amenities like fully outfitted kitchens, outdoor play areas, and parking spaces big enough for your minivan.

‣ When you select “for work” under trip type, you’ll find homes with self-check-in, Wi-Fi, and a designated work space.

In your profile, enter your business email address; it’s your key to the Airbnb for Work section, which opens up third-party booking. If someone else normally books your work travel (or you manage your employees’ plans), Airbnb can replace your corporate-approved hotel. Consider it the end of noisy ice machines and sad beige wallpaper.

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