How to book accommodation while traveling
How do we book accommodation all around the world?
We go about this in two ways: We either book on a website such as Airbnb or Booking.com, or we go onto local Facebook pages to find accommodation.
Airbnb/Booking.com:
We use Airbnb the most, whether we’re booking short-term or long-term accommodation. We use Airbnb because it is a safe and secure way of booking places, paying for them and they have good discounts if you’re booking long term. We also suggest contacting the Airbnb owner to see if they’re happy offering you a further monthly discount and more often than not, they are.
Pros:
Safe and secure payment
Can view ratings and reviews
Good long-term discounts
Easy search optimization and filters
Cons:
Sometimes expensive because of AirBnb admin fees
Short-term Airbnb is illegal in some countries such as Singapore and Thailand. Here is a full list of cities that have restricted or banned AirBnb: https://www.passiveairbnb.com/top-cities-and-countries-where-airbnb-is-illegal-or-restricted/. We found out the hard way in Bangkok.
Airbnb doesn’t include many hotels, resorts and BnB’s. Bookings.com is a good alternative for those.
Facebook groups:
If you’re struggling to find affordable, long-term accommodation on Airbnb, search for expat/local community groups in the decided country. Once you’ve joined the group, search for keywords such as “rent”, “accommodation”, “villa”, “hotel” etc, depending on your needs. If there isn’t anything that you like, write a post on the group asking for help finding accommodation and most group members will help you.
Pros:
Affordable pricing at local prices
Won’t be ripped off because locals/expats will advise you on pricing
Cons:
Takes a lot longer to find your desired accommodation
Short-term rental may be hard to find
Community groups are full of scammers so you have to be more aware
No reviews, and no secure payment gateways
If you have any further questions, you can contact us at hello@rhettandclaire.com. Good luck and happy hunting! :)
