How to Pick the Perfect Airbnb!
It's an art *and* a science.
Michael and I have traveled the world for eight years as digital nomads, and we’ve now stayed in more than fifty different Airbnb units. Virtually all of them were booked in advance of arrival.
We’ve stayed in many fantastic units but also a fair number of terrible ones — so many, in fact, that we now try very hard to avoid the bad ones.
It’s been a lot of trial and error — especially “error.” But by now, we’ve learned a few things — lessons that apply to all online rental platforms, incidentally, not just Airbnb.
But first, a note of humility: even with all our experience, we still occasionally end up in a bum unit. The harsh truth is that while booking short-term lodging online is extremely convenient, these platforms exist to serve both renters and hosts. As a result, they’re not always the most reliable sources of information.
Plus, there is always an element of subjectivity. People want different things: one person’s cozy, centrally located find is another person’s cramped, loud disaster.
That said, let’s get to our list of things you need to know to book the best possible unit.
On the one hand, reviews are meaningless. On the other hand, they’re extremely valuable.
The entire Airbnb review system is completely broken. Because of the all-important rating “average,” anything less than five stars is now considered a “bad” review. So hosts put guests under extreme pressure to leave only five-star reviews, and guests feel guilty leaving anything less — especially if they get to know the host.
As a result, the rating “average” should always be taken with a massive grain of salt.
But this also doesn’t mean the reviews are worthless. You just need to learn how to read them.
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