Airbnb in New York: tips and testimonials – Part 2

You saw last week here on the blog the part 1 of the post with Brazilian reports that have used Airbnb in New York and elsewhere in the world – click here to check if you have not seen. As I mentioned, Airbnb is nothing more than a large classifieds portal for hosting worldwide (190 countries!). Through photos, descriptions and, most importantly, the real users ratings, you can get a sense of the accommodations for help in your decision. The experiences and reported tips will help you feel more secure to close a hosting with Airbnb.

Dani Veles, São Paulo – SP – She has traveled to New York once and he has used Airbnb by the first time in the city.

“My experience with Airbnb could not have been better! The price enabled me to stay much longer in the city, having the experience of living like a local (including the possibility to cook at home and doing laundry), having direct contact with NY residents. As my host was a sensational person, although I do not speak a word of English, with the help of an application (and patience that I did not find in any hotel), she gave me all the tips and possible guidelines for subway and restaurants. As it was my first time and I did not know the city, it was very good renting a room and having guidelines and tips from my host. The next time I can rent an entire space. For me, price is one of the biggest advantages of Airbnb, it allows you to stay longer in the city. Also, I was in a great place, extremely comfortable. Another advantage is that you can save some money: you can cook at home, which can result in big savings. In addition, many people travel beyond for resting (of course) and to know new cultures and local customs and I can not imagine a better way to live like a local than this one. If you want to use Airbnb, my main tip is to analyze the profile of your host, how long he rents the space and especially the testimony of people who were there. I gave up to rent another room because in one of the statements the person who reported to have asked about the availability of Wi-fi had their bags put out of the house! Anyway, I think planning is the soul of a good trip! I think Super valid search the places in advance and analyze the location: in the case of New York the proximity to the subway is more than relevant factor. “

Patricia Correia, Curitiba – PR – She has been in New York City twice and she used Airbnb once.

“We had a bad time in New York, because our host did not show up at the agreed time and were unable to communicate. We were in front of the address, my friend crying and several people passed the street told us that we fall into a scam and that it was often happens. It was a nightmare. Then a person who worked in a grocery store could talk to our host. He delayed about three hours, was already night and we were on the sidewalk. Not to mention that one day they entered the apartment and took all the chairs and table, without warning. I had used the service in Miami and everything went well. To conclude, after this I not recommend Airbnb anymore. This host was recognized and still did not respect us. I believe we have to rely on luck . I have heard many people saying that it is common to apply scams as well. In addition, we are vulnerable to the owner, who can enter the site and do whatever you want. “

Lidia Gomes, São Paulo – SP – She has been in New York City twice and she used Airbnb once.

“My two experiences with Airbnb, both in New York and in Rio de Janeiro, were great. The hosts were super attentive and honored with all that has been agreed on the website. In New York, I was in Brooklyn: I rented a room for 1 month in an apartment where my host and her sister lived. The bathroom was shared, however, was always clean and spotless. The only rule was to take my shoes off when entering and separate recyclable waste and non-recyclable. My host was concerned with my food – I ate super bad, and several times she invited me for dinner – and also for my safety – always asking me if everything was okay when I came back too late. After I closed the rent, my boyfriend decided he would visit me, so, I asked her to receive and it was ok. She updated the value of his stay on the website and we paid the difference directly to Airbnb. My flight back to Brazil was long after the check out time, but she allowed me to leave the bag in the apartment and returned to pick up later. Shewas a mother to me! Generally, I prefer to rent an entire apartment, but I think it’s advantageous when you are traveling with more than 2 people. For me, the best part of using the service is that you can live like a local, live with people who are from the city, that give you valuable tips about the place and what to do / visit. If you want to use the service, the advice I give is to look closely at the host profile: checked the reviews and evaluation that person received is very important. It is also good to read all the rules of the place where it will be analyzed and if you fit there, because the relationship between you and your host should be reliable and respect. Finally, go open to exchange experiences and to live as those who live there. Talk to the neighbors, make friends with the neighborhood marketers: this immersion is wonderful and you will come back with many stories to tell. “

Amanda Negrão, Cuiabá – MT – she has been in New York and she has used Airbnb, but not in the city.

“The first time I used the Airbnb was in July 2015 on my trip to Buenos Aires. I went with some friends. So, we started looking for a hotel, but the hotel does not really worth for price and the location we wanted, it was hard to find hotels. So we started looking apartments on Airbnb and, for our surprise, it was great to see that, in addition to various options in the area we wanted, we could find options with 2 bedrooms with prices much lower than hotels. All the talk was taken by Airbnb. Some time before arrival, I added the number of the owner on my phone and we talked about the time of my arrival. Once there, everything was as expected. The owner spoke English and we communicate very well. In addition, he gave us several great tips and made us feel at home. I do not think we would have so much fun staying in a hotel. At the time of the trip to Buenos Aires, Airbnb did not offer pay per ticket to Brazil travelers, then you pay with the card, subject to the exchange variation on the date of the invoice and the IOF. After the trip to Argentina, I used Airbnb twice more. One in Rio de Janeiro for the Rock in Rio and one in Florianópolis for a wedding.  I had no negative surprise, I was always very well received, with things the way I expected them to be. To this day, I only rented an entire apartment, and traveling with more than two people is what make Airbnb advantageous. At the time that I traveled to New York,  I got to look at apartments, but it was just me and a friend and a whole apartment was more expensive than hotels. However, I would rent an apartment in New York and, if I go again, I want to look and search before to choose between a hotel or an apartment. I prefer a whole apartment for privacy, so you can cook and feel at home. I have friends who like to rent rooms to have contacts with people in the country. Maybe if I traveled alone I had this same option, it is always a good thing you local tips to know a new city.

Finally, if you want to use Aribnb, it is good to follow some tips. First, search for the city and see where you want to stay. This will greatly influence: if the city is a big city and you’ll need the subway to get around, you have to take into consideration. In Argentina, all the sights were closer to the Casa Rosada, but the restaurants and bars were in the Palermo area. So, I chose to use public transport during the day and go out walking at night. Be sure to check which items are indispensable to you, like wifi, air conditioning, number of bedrooms, garage etc.After choosing the characteristics of apartment / house you’re after, it’s time to evaluate options, always reading the comments of those who has stayed in the apartment and the profile of the person you are renting. Before rent right away, exchange messages with the apartment owner, see how long it takes to respond to and take into consideration that if you need to contact during the trip it will take the same average time “.

Helio Da Silva Amaro Junior, Rio de Janeiro – RJ – He has been in New York City three times and he used Airbnb once.

“I think rent by Airbnb is quite interesting if you need (in our case, because of our daughter) or enjoy cooking. My wife and I loved it and, in the US, we can find a lot different foods than in Brazil. In addition, as I like beer and having a refrigerator, I can taste different beers at a more affordable price than in bars. Plus, we can have the experience of being in an apartment and live the local life. However, we had two problems. The first happened before traveling, because we booked the apartment in April and, in July, we received a notice that would no longer be possible to rent it. So, Airbnb provided a credit and also released  a  $ 200 voucher for our next reservation be less expensive. And the other problem was the arrival, because we were waiting almost an hour the person responsible for handing over the keys. We already knew New York, so, we decided to choose a more residential area to experience the local life. In addition, we look at several apartments until we find someone who interested us. As we had to change the apartment reservation, just changing a ground floor apartment to another on the second floor, which hampered somewhat because of our daughter and the stroller that we had to go down and up when we left. There are several real estate options, so it is best to choose a region and look at all the available options, as well as read the comments to know better what are renting. Finally, always keep in touch with the person who is renting the apartment and ask everything you want to know about the property, so that you can avoid many problems. And I repeat, always read the comments. ALL OF THEM”.

Gabriela Saab – mora em Nova York – Viajou três vezes para Nova York e usou o Airbnb em uma delas. 

“First time I used Airbnb was in August 2015 and me and my husband loved it. The apartment was super nice, it belonged to a fashion hairstylist, so, he had many different pieces of art and many interesting books. The owner of the apartment was placed at our disposal to show the location and even to have a coffee and show the East Village. In the end, he gave me a lot of hair products that had won in a event! How not to love? I do not like to share, mainly because of the noise, so I prefer to rent an entire apartment. For me, the advantages of using Airbnb are several. First, you feel more at home, especially when travel time is long. It is also nice because you can buy food -.. I love going to the market and see the options and what people buy) and cook (saving money on restaurants and making good food) and you can feel better how to live in that city. I did not have any problems with Airbnb. Maybe someone else would bother with the fact that the owner had to leave a bag and pick up some clothes in the middle of our stay, but as I had ever known and he was the best, did not care. To use the service, the trick is to see the comments on opinions of those who have been in the apartment before booking. And make sure that no lifts or that the fit is on lower floors (we had to climb 4 flights of stairs with two bags each very heavy). Oh, and remember that, especially in Europe and the United States, there are some doors that lock out. This is slammed shut! We Brazilians are not used to it and run the risk of staying outside. “