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UPDATE: As of March 2021, Airbnb no longer has a referral program so I no longer have a discount code to offer. You can still check out some of the amazing locations that I stayed below.
I love staying at Airbnbs. So far I have stayed at a few around the world and I have always had an amazing experience.
Here are few great reasons to stay at an Airbnb when you travel:
- Find unique accommodations for an experience you just can’t get from a bland hotel
- Enjoy the feeling of living like a local in a new city
- Save money while still having a BETTER experience than at a traditional hotel
My Personal Airbnb Experiences
Here’s a brief overview of everywhere I have stayed so you can get an idea of the unique range of accommodation offered on Airbnb:
Porto, Portugal
On my first trip to Portugal, I stayed with my brother in this three-bedroom flat in Porto, Portugal for a few days.
The view from the apartment was amazing. We paid about €50 a night, had three bedrooms, a full kitchen, and a large living room. We were right by bridge Dom Luis and just a short walk from restaurants and Sandeman where I highly recommend a tour and tasting of their port wines.
Copenhagen, Denmark
I stayed in this beautiful apartment in Copenhagen, Denmark for a weekend trip:
It was only $100 a night, much cheaper than any hotel in central Copenhagen. And I was literally a two-minute walk from the famous Nyhavn canal in Copenhagen, along with lots of other popular sites. The owners were very nice but they were leaving for the weekend right as I arrived. So instead of just having my own private room, I had the whole apartment to myself!
Paris, France
When I lived in Paris, I actually found my apartment on Airbnb! I worked out a separate rental agreement with my landlady (instead of paying through the Airbnb platform) but I would have never found my beautiful home in Paris without Airbnb:
I loved this apartment so much. Being right in the middle of my favorite neighborhood (Saint Germain des Prés) and waking up to this view was truly a dream!
Havana, Cuba
Airbnbs are known as “casa particulares” (private homestays) in Cuba and they are a MUCH better alternative to government-owned hotels. The apartment in Havana was in the upstairs of a gorgeous old house on a quiet, tree-lined street in the Vedado neighborhood:
It was spotlessly clean, comfortable, had a private balcony, and best of all it only cost $30 a night! Our host was so nice and he made a delicious breakfast for us every morning for an extra $5!
UPDATE: Airbnb Bad Experience (And What Happened)
Seven months after originally publishing this post, I’m coming back with an update.
On a recent trip to England, I had booked two Airbnb stays. One was at a cottage in the Cotswolds and it was absolutely amazing! A great experience like I had come to expect from Airbnb.
But I also had a BAD experience at an Airbnb in London. I had booked this Airbnb for two nights, and when I arrived it was nothing like the pictures. It was super dirty and there was black mold growing all over the ceiling and walls in the bathroom. It was a total nightmare!
I immediately freaked out and left and ended up staying at a nearby hotel instead. I got in touch with Airbnb customer service and requested a refund after the Airbnb host refused to provide one.
Within a few days, someone from Airbnb personally called me and let me know they were refunding my booking and that they had contacted the Airbnb host and were requiring them to get rid of the mold within 96 hours or they would shut down their Airbnb.
I was really impressed with Airbnb customer service. So even after this one bad experience, I still feel confident recommending Airbnb because of the way they handled the situation and the overall quality of all the other Airbnbs I’ve stayed in.
Is Airbnb Worth It?
My answer is YES! I’m used to staying in hotels when I travel, but the times I have stayed at an Airbnb have been some of my favorite travel experiences! I definitely plan to use Airbnb more in the future and I love browsing through all their unique listings around the world.