Tips for getting cheap AirBnBs or discounts?

09/05/24 6:16am

Is it possible to get discounts on airbnbs? How do I go about getting cheap airbnbs or deals on airbnbs?

09/05/24 10:13am

One tip that has worked for me in the past is if it's a relatively new listing or a listing with not a lot of reviews, sometimes if you reach out to the owner and ask for a small discount they will agree to it because they want to build up the reputation of their airbnb.

You can also try to find the owner's contact info outside of airbnb, like on instagram or facebook, and message them there to try and book direct. They'll be able to save on the airbnb fees and will likely be happy to pass on some of the money they saved to you as a discount

WikiCaveSeeker243

09/06/24 6:10am

Are you traveling during a peak or busy season? If the Airbnb doesn't have a lot of bookings, it doesn't hurt asking for a small discount if you're staying for more than a few nights. Some hosts are willing to negotiate and come back with a better price, but others may be pretty set on their prices.

It may also help to look for new hosts on Airbnb who just started listing. There's a good chance they have lower prices so more people stay there and leave positive reviews.

WikiDesertCaster243

09/06/24 7:12am

I want to add to the last comment that if you've booked through AirBNB and they have nobody booked for the day you leave, they might offer you an extra night for a discounted price just to get the room filled, especially as it gets closer to your travel dates and especially if it's in the off-season or if the day after your trip is a workday, in which case it's going to be less in demand. This has happened to me multiple times and I almost always take advantage of the extra day and extend my vacay a little :)

Also, probably goes without saying, but the type of room you're booking will affect the cost, of course. If you want a giant mansion to yourself, you'll be paying out the nose, but if you don't mind sharing a bathroom and common areas with other travelers, you're going to pay a LOT less. Totally worth it, IMO.

I know we're here for AirBNB but if anyone has tips on how to spend less overall on trips I'd be all ears. I love traveling but I feel like I always spend so much on just flights/gas and lodging and it's hard to feel liek I need to forgo museums and dining out and actually experiencing the place I'm visiting, just to save money. How do other people do this??

Angela Rice
Luxury Travel Specialist

09/06/24 3:31pm

I think it's really important when you're a budget traveler, especially when you're traveling internationally, to really look at that experience on the cost side related to what costs are fixed; for example, your airfare is going to be expensive for a trip to Europe. So right there, you have a huge investment, not even taking into consideration what money you're going to spend on hotel, accommodation, transfers, as well as experiences. The whole goal of a trip is to experience, so there are going to be costs associated with museum entrances, theater productions, obviously meals, and experiencing the cuisine. So when you are already investing a large percentage, let's assume the ticket price is running at $1,000, and you're a family of four right there, you're investing $4,000.

I like people to think about the bigger picture and not be so caught up in how much they're going to spend, but the overall value of the trip, and a lot of times with our travelers, we have that discussion, and they turn a one week trip into a two-week trip. Yes, they're spending more money, but they're getting significantly more value from that trip. That might mean that this trip that they were hoping to plan for 2021 is delayed until 2022 so that they can save the amount of money that they need to make that experience more valuable to them. So, I really focus on when working with a more budget-conscious traveler; I think it's really important to explain to them the fixed costs that are invested in the trip and make sure that they don't compromise the experience due to a low budget.