15 Tips to book an Airbnb in India

Airbnb has been popular in developed nations for quiet a while. But I am seeing it gaining popularity in India off late. We had our first experience staying in an airbnb on our most recent trip to Goa. And I have already listed the pros and cons of staying in an Airbnb basis this experience. Do check the post out if you haven’t already. Today, I am writing about the tips to book an Airbnb in India based on my experience. So, without delay, let’s get started with my list of pro tips to book Airbnb in India for a successful airbnb stay experience.

Read through all the reviews of a host and the listing on Airbnb

When you are booking an Airbnb in India or anywhere else, reviews give the real picture. I have meticulously read the reviews whenever I have hunted for an Airbnb. And I prefer the ones with minimum 20-30 plus reviews. There are both good and bad things that you come to know reading the reviews of an Airbnb and it’s host. Listing below few things that I have known through Airbnb reviews which you can’t know otherwise. Reading the reviews will be definitely my No. 1 of the tips to book an Airbnb.

Airbnb reviews that are “Red Flags” for me

• The Airbnb had bed with bugs.
• There were rodents or roaches in the airbnb.
• The actual place was not as beautiful / clean / up to the same mark as the one shown in the pictures on Airbnb.
• Airbnb host was creepy in any way.
• Any review that indicate guest security was compromised in any way.
• The location was not as mentioned in the description.
• Any of the facilities mentioned in description were not present.

Reviews that are not Red Flags for me but could be for someone else

• TV was not functioning or not there at the Airbnb – we don’t watch Television on our holidays so it’s not a concern for us.
• Late night parties and loud music were not allowed at the Airbnb – We are not much of a party animal so it doesn’t concern us.
• There was a fiction between the Airbnb guest and Airbnb host because the guest left the property dirty – We try our best to leave any property or even hotel room we stay in, as much as in the same shape as we got it. So, we never had this concern.
• Liquor or smoking not allowed in the Airbnb property – we don’t smoke or consume alcohol so it’s not a problem for us.

Some positive reviews that indicate the Airbnb host is indeed great

• The Airbnb host went extra mile in any way to help his airbnb guests.
• Airbnb host is available all the time and prompt to help the guest out with any queries.
• Everything in the Airbnb is as descried in the airbnb listing.

Check for other listings by the same host

Sometimes, particularly when the listing by a host is new, you can click on the host’s profile in the Airbnb. It will show you all the listings by that host. There can be other listings which have reviews. And they will give you a good picture about the Airbnb host and his properties in general. Like how well behaved and professional is the host, how well maintained is his property in general etc.

Check how equipped the kitchen is

For me, access to a functional kitchen is one of the major reasons I book on Airbnb or I prefer Airbnb over hotel room. And a fully equipped kitchen with not just server-ware but proper cookware is important for me. So that I can cook for my kids the same way I cook for them at home. This is one of the major reasons that on my two weeks trip to Thailand, I had such a comfortable stay in Bangkok in Hotel Evergreen Place Siam where they had a part-hotel with a fully functional Kitchen.

 

Sometimes, there is a kitchen mentioned in the listing on Airbnb but it might not be equipped to our liking. For instance, I read reviews in the past about Airbnb properties that mentioned kitchen. But actually had only a microwave and few serve-wares. Sometimes, there are additional restrictions on using the airbnb kitchen. For instance, your host may insist that only their cook can access the kitchen. So, I would always ask about these details from the Airbnb host before booking. This is my go to tip of the tips to book an Airbnb.

Ask for the exact wi-fi speed if you plan to use wi-fi for workcation from the airbnb

Everyone boasts about having a wi-fi now a days. But having a high speed wi-fi is particularly important when you are planning to stay long term. And work from your airbnb. Don’t go by just the term “high speed wi-fi” which most Airbnb hosts tend to mention. I once read somewhere that a couple who intended to work from the mountains during the pandemic, actually asked their hosts to send them screenshot of the data upload and download test and wi-fi speed test. Which gave them a very clear picture of the wi-fi speed. I really liked this idea. And did apply it when I was hunting for a place to stay for my workcation from Goa last year.

I also feel that apart from Wi-Fi speed, it is important to check if the internet keeps running uninterrupted when there is no power or power cut. This is particularly important if your nature of work needs you to be online for fixed hours. Or, you have meetings that need to be attended at fixed times. But, if you are a blogger, writer, freelancer etc. then your work might provide you the flexibility to work as you desire. So, small interruptions in internet might not matter to you that much.

On our 3 weeks trip across Madhya Pradesh, we worked from Orchha for one week and worked from Pachmarhi for the subsequent week. The work in Orchha was interrupted here and there because they didn’t have a great uninterrupted internet connection. But it was a breeze working from Pachmarhi as their wi-fi speed was excellent and it was available 24/7.

Check if the property has a secured parking if you are traveling in your vehicle

We often travel to nearby places in our own 4 wheeler. In the recent past year, we have done several road trips. Including a 4 days trip to Pondicherry, 2 trips to Goa, a trip to Ooty and Destiny Farmstay, a staycation at Radisson Blu Temple Bay in Mahabalipuram, a trip to Chitradurga Fort, and a week long road trip through Kerala. And it is very important to us that we find a proper parking space for our car where ever we stay. From the pictures of some properties it is very clear that they have a car parking inside the campus, while it is not with others. Wherein we enquire explicitly about it.

Particularly with Airbnbs in India I have observed a trend. Airbnb Villas generally come with a car parking spot. While individual houses and flats might not. Even if a flat is there in an apartment and has a dedicated parking, often they don’t allow guests to park their car inside the campus. And you will be surprised how many times you hear from airbnb hosts on explicit enquiry that the parking is actually on the street right outside the campus!! We are always wary of parking in streets and even in public parking spaces. On our recent trip to Goa, we got a big dent in our car in the Calangute beach parking lot, near the busiest of all the beaches in Goa!!

Ask for hidden charges

Sometimes amenities like laundry, electricity, water or even meals might come at extra charges. Which might not be clearly mentioned on the Airbnb listing. If you plan to avail such amenities. better to ask the Airbnb host explicitly about any extra charges they might carry, For instance, the airbnb we stayed in mentioned washer and dryer in the list of amenities. And thus I assumed there must be a washing machine. Upon reaching there, I came to know that the washing machine was not readily accessible to the guests. And the housekeeping informed of an extra charge for laundry. One of the most important of the tips to book an Airbnb in India.

Double check on neighbours comfort if your airbnb is in a gated community

This one is tricky. You might get a hint of it from the reviews on the airbnb site. I once read in one of the Airbnb reviews that although there was car parking, the community didn’t allow the airbnb guests to use it.In yet another airbnb review it was very evident that the neighbours were not happy with the host putting his property on airbnb. Having no power to do anything about it, they annoyed the guests in several ways in a hope that it would attract negative reviews and eventually the airbnb would shut down!

Check for cancellation trend from the host’s end

Unlike hotels, Airbnb platform gives the host option to cancel the airbnb booking at any point of time, with a full refund to the guest. For me, I can’t afford end moment cancellation, for several reasons. First of all the whole idea of once again researching and hunting for an airbnb accommodation all over again is unsettling. Then it can be heavy on the pocket due to last moment booking for an alternative place. Also I simply can’t land on a trip with my kids and then hunt for a place to stay. In short, it means, if the airbnb host cancels and I don’t find anything else as suitable, I might have to cancel my trip itself.

The good news is that Airbnb guests in India are becoming more aware. Which means hosts that do frequent cancellation on their part do earn bad reviews quickly. And their rating goes down. So, if you skim through first few reviews itself, you will come to know about the cancellation trend from the Airbnb host end. I would definitely not prefer such hosts. This is one of the most important of the tips to book an airbnb in India or even globally.

Look at the cancellation policy of the Airbnb

Airbnb cancellation policy is often not as flexible as hotel booking websites like Agoda and booking.com that I usually prefer. There are very few options with 100% refund. Then there are many that carry heavy cancellation charges and some that have 0 refunds. If you book in advance like me then you must be cautious about the cancellation. And safeguard your money. If there’s one thing the recent pandemic time has taught us, it’s that uncertainties linger all the time and unexpected things do happen. The only time I have booked a non refundable airbnb is when I made the booking just one day before the actual travel. As it was a very last moment travel plan. Below is an example of a cancellation policy for a search I made on 31st January :

If you see, from 48 hours of booking till 15 days before booking only 50% amount is refundable for a booking being made for beyond a month. Full refund on cancellation is possible only within the first 48 hours of making the booking.

Pay attention to the final cost at checkout

Most of the Airbnb listings add a minor cleaning fee and a service fee on top of the per night rate shown for the property. But sometimes the costs of these are heavy. Which might offset your initial calculations. And spike your overall total payable amount at checkout. So, do be cautious of it before making the final payment. A very important of the tips to book an airbnb in India that you should consider to avoid ending up paying more than what you planned for.

Check for the location of the airbnb

There are several aspects about checking the location of an airbnb when booking one. First and foremost, the location should be same as what is mentioned on the Airbnb listing. Then, the approaching road should be wide enough for your 4 wheeler to navigate if you are driving there. Accessibility to the market, proximity to the public transport, medical facilities etc. are few things that I would check about the location of the Airbnb.

Unfortunately in India, major tourist places like Goa and Pondicherry tend to have very narrow streets. Some are so narrow that four wheelers can’t even enter. Another thing to check with respect to the location of the Airbnb property is that how remote or prime the location is. Since, unlike a hotel which is full of staff to assist you 24/7, an airbnb doesn’t have staffs catering to you all the time. You will be by yourself for most part of your stay. So, it’s important the Airbnb you book is located in a safe locality, preferably residential. With easy access to shops like grocery and medicine shops, markets, and even public transport.

If staying in a remote place is the only option, like how we prefer on our trips to Coorg and Chikmagaluru, then I would prefer staying in a homestay than an airbnb. Where the host lives in the same host or very nearby and can help as requires. I had wonderful experience staying in homestays like The Casa Coorg Homestay in Coorg, the Courtyard Chikmagalur, Lodge at Wah in Palampur and Jaswant Niwas Jodhpur on our 2 days trip to Jodhpur which were all located a little outside the hustle and bustle of the main town. But then they were all homestays, not airbnbs.

Book your airbnb well in advance if possible

When you are booking your accommodation in advance, it gives you the flexibility to choose from wider options. And at much reduced rates. But the booking should be cancellable when booking months in advance. Because you never know if you would need to cancel months down for one reason or another.

Enquire about power backup at the airbnb

In India, where power cuts are frequent, it’s important to enquire about power cuts in the locality where your airbnb is located. And also ask your host what options they have in the face of power cuts. When I was going to stay in Goa and in Madhya Pradesh for 3 weeks, I enquired about power backup options with Airbnbs. Most Airbnbs have inverters as power backup option. Inverters can give backup only for so many hours. Also, most didn’t have AC and Internet work on power backup. Which was a deal breaker for me. Because , first I was traveling with kids and it was really hot season. I knew they would be uncomfortable without AC in that weather. Second of all, I was going to work from there. So uninterrupted internet access was a must for me.

Check proximity of the airbnb to places of interest

Airbnbs are mostly homes. And they are often located in suburbs, in residential areas. But a few which might be located very close to prime tourist hubs of where you are headed. Imagine an airbnb located right near to Eiffel Tower in Paris. And then imagine how costly it will be! That will offset the advantage of  staying in an airbnb home. Because cost is a major reason for staying in airbnb for most. Having said that, easy access to the places of interest is also important. For me, it is one of the most important tips to book an airbnb in India.

On our recent trip to Goa, we stayed in an airbnb which was almost 2 km from the beach. And the road was through a very busy market. Now imagine walking in a hot weather through a crowded market for 2km to reach the beach vs staying in a shack or a hotel like Biera Mar Beach Resort or Terra Parraiso right near the beach. And you will immediately see the advantage of the later. So, in case being on the beach is your prime motive, then booking an airbnb very far from the beach will not work out for you. Until you are planning to hire a bike or a scooty to navigate. Similarly, which ever location you are planning to visit, check for the proximity of your airbnb to the places of interest that you do plan to visit on your trip.

Pay attention to the security checklist when staying in an airbnb

Airbnbs are mostly safe. But at the same time, petty crime to even murder is not unheard of in an airbnb. So, here’s a mini security checklist that I would prefer to tick when booking an airbnb to make my airbnb stay safe.

 

• Book your airbnb with an airbnb superhost. Superhost are highly rated, professionally established airbnb hosts who are much less likely to indulge in any kind of unprofessional act.
• Make payment only through the airbnb platform.
• If there is a lock code to access your airbnb home, make sure to ask your host it was changed / reset right before your stay.
• Always prefer to book your airbnb stay in a gated community if possible.
• Look for hidden cameras in your airbnb. You can do so by various amateur ways, just search on the internet how to do it.
• Also check for smoke detectors in the house.
• Prefer a posh or good residential neighbourhood. Avoid neighbourhood that are infamous for crimes, downtrodden or very remote from main market, public transport, or isolated in any way.

 

Hope these pro tips to book an airbnb in India help you book yours next.

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