AIRBNB - STREETTROTTER
A

AIRBNB: Changing the way people Travel and Trust

Till an year back, we could not imagine knocking the door of strangers and staying in their houses for a vacation. And today we are comforting in their spare bedroom and cooking in their kitchen. We have keys to their house and access to their building, as and when we wish. 

What started as an AirBed & Breakfast concept in San Francisco, has today become a global phenomenon. Reported as a cultural breakthrough in America, a leap of faith in the Share Economy and a rising threat for the Hotel Industry, Airbnb has certainly changed the way people lodge and trust while traveling…

Gone are the days when people sat for hours looking for hotel and resort deals to fit their planned budget. Today with a little bit of faith and a guest account on Airbnb, it is simpler and much cheaper to find a lodging space in a local household almost anywhere in the world. Not only the new age travelers, but also businessmen and families are turning to the site for staying options, giving luxury hotels a serious run for their money. While the hospitality industry has worked hard for years to provide us with all possible amenities, Airbnb is successfully filling the void of a local experience abroad. Meeting new travelers and local residents in exchange of meaningful conversations with people of different cultures are turning simple trips into a learning experience, which has touched the hearts and minds of many over this past one year.

On one hand where the guests are finding heartfelt places to stay, the hosts on the other hand are a happy lot too renting their spare bedrooms for extra cash and cross-cultural company. Above all, staying with different hosts in different places, is teaching travelers a lot about how different people stay across the globe. While some are inclined towards luxury renting out posh condos, the others are living in the most minimalistic of ways, with simple bedrooms in simple homes…

AIRBNB - STREETTROTTER

Being a first time user of Airbnb myself this past month, I would honestly confess – I am struck with “Airbnb Love”! 

Considering that lodging during Christmas and New Years in Washington, DC and New York can be expensive, me and my husband decided to try the site out. Looking for an affordable place to stay, we set our bar to a maximum budget of $100 per night. Next, the site showed us almost 50+ listing of probable condos, apartments, shared and private bedrooms spread all over the city. Here is when I realized that the key while choosing a the place of stay is really the location.Weighing all our options and wanting to be closer to Downtown, we naturally opted for places accordingly.

AIRBNB - STREETTROTTER

In Washington, a luxury condo costed us 100 dollars a night which was right in the heart of the city. On our arrival we were welcomed within sparkling clean interiors, tasteful settings and a cozy private bedroom by our first host ‘Tommy’ and his two pet cats. His polite behavior and keenness to make us feel comfortable touched me instantly. Also, with almost all monuments, museums and restaurants being at a walk-able distance, we hardly had to worry about taking a cab and travel time.

AIRBNB - STREETTROTTER

AIRBNB - STREETTROTTER

While in New York, even though we opted for a place in Brooklyn, which was a little far from Times Square, it was still right above the Subway. We literally could not have been closer to the station! Our host here was a musician ‘Carrie-Anne’ who made us comfortable in a cute little room in her apartment with a night full of interesting local interaction. Her taste in art and a background of being a chef introduced me to some new artists and lovely homemade black coffee! 

Airbnb without a doubt made our trip a memorable one. And as we are sure this is how we will travel from now on, we also hope that we will be able to introduce a lot other first timers to this new-age concept! 

If you have an Airbnb experience of your own, please do share it in a quick comment!

 

 

CategoriesNORTH AMERICA
STREETTROTTER

StreetTrotter is a Travel, Culture & Lifestyle blog, inspiring people everyday with real stories to look good and travel even better. Founded in 2012 by Shraddha Gupta, Founder & COO, this space is all about experiencing new things in life, be it a daring mountain trek, a frugal backpacking trip, a runway look made local, or simply anything that scares you enough to live a little more deeper.

  1. multiplayer browser games says:

    Hi mates, itѕ wonderful post оn the topic of cultureand сompletely explained, kеep іt up ɑll the time.

    1. I was a first time user too last year, and me and my husband both over surprised at how nice the experience was. I was like the comfort of home, at a much much cheaper cost. Most of the places I have researched now, are actually decorating their homes like hotels to make their rental even more experiential for travelers. You should definitely try it out! Happy Travels!

  2. Revati Victor (Different Doors) says:

    We love AirBnB! Especially when we’re in Europe and it makes us feel like we’re locals going down to the grocery store and running our own little errands. In Europe, where hotel rooms can be a bit small, AirBnB is a great way to get comfortable apartments for less!

  3. Nina says:

    I’ve never tried airbnb myself but I’m very curious about the experience, it’s on our agenda for next summer! If things go well, we might consider being a host ourselves, we have an extra free room and it seems interesting to welcome travelers into our home. Airbnb looks like a win-win for both the travelers and the guests.

    1. If you can host, you should really do it! Most people I met, said they hosted because it gives them company, and also helps them get their basic rent out which they have to pay. So its a great source of extra income too, for people who have extra rooms and don’t mind travelers in their house. I would be a host myself someday! 🙂 Happy Traveling!

  4. Great article! I actually used AirBnB in Brooklyn too! You summarized it really well and took some really awesome shots! My girlfriend and I are taking a road trip this summer and you got us thinking about AirBnB again… thanks and happy blogging!

    1. Hey Thanks! We are actually doing it again in Florida this month. And in Texas we rented an entire villa last month. Its always been great, for all kinds of travelers. Hope you find the best places for you too! Happy traveling.

  5. Tim says:

    I do not have an Airbnb experience to share as yet but I have been hearing more and more good things about the service so anticipate that someday soon I will be able to share one with you. Thanks for furthering the trust.

  6. I haven’t tried Airbnb before, but we have tried their competitors – FlipKey and HomeAway and were generally very pleased with the results. Vacation rentals can turn out to be cheaper and more spacious than traditional hotel rooms. Since we travel as a family and typical hotels generally cater to business travelers, we are happy that there are other options nowadays than staying in a tiny room with two queen size beds and an outdated TV.

  7. McCool Travel says:

    I do love AirBNB and similar hotel alternatives. Last month I rented a place in downtown Boston. It was half the price of nearby hotels and we had two floors, full kitchen, private entrance, street parking, patio, an awesome (better than any hotel) shower.

    1. I agree! Airbnb can give you some magic in the heart of the city at an unbeatable price. I guess all we have to do is look and know how to work with it. I love Airbnb!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.