Airbnb's step-by-step guide to finding and offering accommodation

Are you planning to travel and have not yet decided where to stay? Or do you have a spare room that you want to take advantage of? In any case, with this step-by-step guide from Airbnb we will help you make the most of this rental platform and achieve your goals, as a host or as a guest.

Airbnb is one of the best ways to find accommodation when you travel. If this is your first time using Airbnb, fear not! You will become an expert in with a little information and experience. This comprehensive guide will help you find the perfect Airbnb listing and become the best host.

What is Airbnb?

Airbnb is a platform that allows people to find short-term or long-term accommodation . As part of the solidarity economy network, you do not own any of the accommodations shown on your website or app. Rather it acts as a digital marketplace where people looking for a place to stay (guests) can rent accommodation from a landlord (host).

Airbnb has more than 3,000,000 listings worldwide. But not all are “classic” rooms in a flat or house, the properties listed on Airbnb include castles and even tree houses.

How does Airbnb work?

Anyone Can Become a Host or Guest – Airbnb is committed to accepting anyone and encourages tolerance.

Step-by-step Airbnb guide for guests

Guía paso a paso de Airbnb para huéspedes

How to make a reservation on Airbnb?

Find the type of accommodation that best suits you and your trip, select the dates and make your Airbnb reservation . You will receive a message when the host confirms your stay. As a tip, if you don’t want to wait for an answer, filter by “Instant booking”, you can reserve your accommodation without having to wait for the host’s acceptance. All you have to do is contact the host to discuss check-in.

How to find the best listing on Airbnb?

With so many accommodations available on the website, it is easy to get lost and make the wrong decision. Follow these tips for guests and make sure you find the perfect Airbnb listing.

Perform a specific search

It’s the first step, and perhaps the most important, in saving you time and ensuring that you are satisfied with your Airbnb reservation. Start by selecting your destination, which dates you want to register your entry and exit and the number of guests.

You will get many results and it is possible that some of the images already catch your attention, but do not stop now. Filter by type of accommodation -whole house, private room or shared room-, configure your budget and select “instant booking” if you do not want to wait for the host’s approval. Now you will see fewer available results, but the rest should match your criteria. Note that you are not done yet.

Click on “more filters” and you will get a list with even more details : the number of rooms and beds, the services available (television, fireplace, iron, Wi-Fi, etc.), the house rules – if pets are allowed or smokers allowed), the neighborhood, the host’s language, and more. After this step, accommodations that exactly match what you are looking for will appear on the list.

Look at the photos

Photos are the best way to get an idea of the atmosphere of the accommodation. The best Airbnb hosts make sure their photos of their stay are attractive and representative. Examine the images of your results that you find most attractive and create a short list of your best choices, before moving on to the next step.

Check the Airbnb profile of the host of each accommodation

In this step you must make sure that the host has good reviews. The first thing you should do is check if they have a profile picture and if their account is verified. Look for hosts that have at least 4 stars and a decent number of reviews . Actually, many people book mostly with Superhosts – experienced hosts with good ratings.

Read the reviews carefully

Are Airbnb Reviews Real? It’s a recurring question that guests often ask themselves, so in this Airbnb step-by-step guide we explain them to you. Only guests who stayed in verified Airbnb accommodation can leave a comment , within 14 days of their visit. Some claim that because they are not anonymous, the reviews are partially real as sometimes the guest does not want to leave bad reviews in case they are classified as a “complicated” host. But Airbnb has the peculiarity that guests and hosts rate each other, each can see the other’s review only when both have sent them. This is why people are free to be completely honest in their reviews without fear of reimbursement from the host in the form of a bad review. Airbnb reviews are accurate and representative of the host experience, so trust them.

Airbnb Step-by-Step Guide for Hosts

Guía paso a paso de Airbnb para anfitriones

Do you want to make good use of that spare bedroom? Do you want to share your whole house or get the most out of a second home? Airbnb is your chance! But keep in mind that you won’t become a good host overnight after reading this step-by-step guide from Airbnb.

Before starting as a host on Airbnb, you should consider some issues that you should take into account.

Consider if it pays to rent your room or house

The first question to ask yourself is: Will it pay me to list my accommodation on Airbnb? If you want to be a good host and attract travelers from all over the world, you will have to make some investments. But more than money, it will also take you some time to communicate with the guests, welcome them and answer their questions.

Set your goals and expectations

Why are you considering listing your rental on Airbnb? Earn an occasional income from time to time? Create a reliable and consistent income stream? Depending on your goals, your experience with Airbnb will be different, so you should clearly define your interests.

Are you confident enough?

Remember that Airbnb hosting means welcoming strangers into your home. Many people do it, but not everyone is ready to rent their own space to strangers. If you are not open-minded and not very sociable, reconsider the decision to list your Airbnb accommodation. Living under the same roof with someone you don’t know very much can be stressful.

Who do you want to rent your accommodation to?

The positioning of your ad will depend on the type of travelers you want to attract . People who are traveling on business will not have the same expectations as travelers who want to know the city. Consider what you have to offer to make it clear in your ad.

How is your relationship with your landlord?

If you are not the owner of the home you live in, you may want to contact the owner to inform them of your plans. You can always do it without consulting it, but this decision may upset you. Good relationships with your landlord are essential, especially if something happens while you are hosting. Keep in mind that Airbnb offers insurance of up to € 1,000,000 but this circumstance is not covered.

What about your neighbors?

In some way, your neighbors would be affected by your decision to become an Airbnb host, especially if you plan to turn this into a business. There will be many guests who may disturb or make noise, something that your neighbors will not agree with very much.

Are you ready for a life change?

One way or another, becoming a host will change your life. You will need some time to yourself, you will meet new people, maybe you will make new friends, you will have to manage your schedule and you will have to fully commit to these functions.

If you still consider all these options, you have it clear, the next thing will be to prepare for everything that involves renting your house on Airbnb and prepare your home with all the requirements that the platform demands. You should also bear in mind that the competition between accommodation hosts on Airbnb has grown considerably in recent years, and that you must coexist with hotels, hostels, Couchsurfing and other hosting systems.

Evaluate point by point the questions we ask you in this step-by-step Airbnb guide to become the best host.