Quick Guide to Airbnb – USI Affinity
October 14, 2015
The Quick Guide To Airbnb
Have you heard of Airbnb? It’s okay if you haven’t. We are here to help break down the latest trend in travel. Whether it’s an apartment for a night, a castle for a week, or a villa for a month, Airbnb connects people to unique travel experiences, at any price point, in more than 34,000 cities and 190 countries.
Based in San Francisco, California Airbnb is a trusted marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations around the world.
Let’s now dive in a little deeper so you can understand the process of Airbnb.
Safety
Many people wonder if Airbnb is safe. To allow your mind to be at rest, Airbnb verifies personal profiles and listings, maintains a smart messaging system so hosts and guests can communicate with certainty, and manages a trusted platform to collect and transfer payments. To put hosts and travelers at ease, Airbnb offers a Verified ID service and public reviews. Having a Verified ID indicates that you've completed a specific set of verifications—offline ID, online ID, profile photo, email address, and phone number.
Hosts and guests also build trust and cultivate their reputations by writing reviews about their experiences after each trip. Airbnb’s messaging system ensures that communication between hosts and guests stays protected on Airbnb, so your contact information remains private until you have a confirmed reservation. For your peace of mind, there are also reporting features so you can easily notify Airbnb if you ever feel uncomfortable.
Payments
Airbnb’s payment system supports many currencies and several types of payment and payout methods. They collect guest payments from the moment they make a reservation and wait until 24 hours after arrival before releasing funds to the host. This way, guests and hosts can feel confident knowing that Airbnb will process and deliver payments when a reservation is honored.
Support
Whether you’re traveling or hosting, Airbnb offers exceptional customer service before, during, and after your experience. You will never be left with questions or concerns unanswered. For the most common questions about Airbnb, check out the Help Center which hosts a variety of FAQ’s.
Travel & Book
Airbnb offers an easy search bar right on their site where you can type in where you want to go, when, and how many guests. Once that step is completed, a detailed list of accommodations will appear with images, price, reviews, and the option to select an entire home, private room, or a shared room. You can also narrow down your price range from as little as $10 to $1,000+. There are a few ways to book spaces on Airbnb. Some hosts want to get to know a guest before they confirm a reservation while others prefer to reduce the time it takes to manage requests by using Airbnb's Instant Book feature. The buttons to book features include:
• Request to Book- which sends a reservation request to a host for the specific trip dates you select. The host has the option to either accept or decline the request, or ask you questions about your trip. When a host responds to your request, they send you an email to let you know. If they don't respond within 24 hours, your request simply expires.
• Instant Book- which immediately confirms your reservation and closes the host's calendar to other incoming requests. They will send you a receipt by email with your trip's details, and your host may follow up with you, too.
• Contact Host-lets you start a conversation about their space and hosting style through Airbnb’s secure messaging system. You can use the messaging system to discuss trip details, request special prices, or ask about specific amenities.
Cancellations and Refunds
If for some reason you need to cancel your reservation or be provided a refund, Airbnb lists four in-depth documents right on their site that outlines guest refund policy and extenuating circumstances for host and guest cancellations.
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