How to avoid Airbnb Disappointment - Questions to ask host

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Questions for your Airbnb Host

Nomads Productivity Entrepreneurs

Picture this: You’ve travelled 15+ hours on a bus full of unpleasantries, are exhausted, smell terrible, and you just need to put your feet up with a glass of wine 🍷 … but there’s no wine opener (or something equally as catastrophic).

Important:

Ask your host to respond to these questions by a certain date (preferably before your free-cancellation deadline).

Feel free to make your host work for your business. You’re paying them after all.

Reduce your chances of being let down when you check-in and uncover everything upfront.

We are Ella & Ryan, digital nomads, exploring the world mindfully. Between getting married, becoming nomads, and starting our own businesses, we’re sharing everything we learn along the way. Here is a picture of us in Evora, Portugal.

We're Ella & Ryan!

We're digital nomads, exploring the world mindfully. Between getting married, becoming nomads, and starting our own businesses, we’re sharing everything we learn along the way.

Studio rental on Airbnb in Prague with bed chair and closet with window

Budapest 🇭🇺

Jaco 🇨🇷

Beautiful view of ocean sea beach from Nazare Airbnb in Portugal

Nazaré 🇵🇹

Beautiful interior of airbnb in Evora Portugal with local cork and historic refurbishments.

Évora 🇵🇹

El Tigre 🇨🇷

Beautiful view of the sea ocean and beach from Airbnb in Quarteira Portugal

Quartiera 🇵🇹

Centrally located and modern Airbnb in Budapest during Christmas Market visit, vegan restaurants, and digital nomads

Prague 🇨🇿

Vienna 🇦🇹

We all think we know exactly what we want in our short-term rentals. We have a few top-of-mind non-negotiables that narrow the field of where we choose to stay.

Price Number of beds Location

We don’t realize the countless other preferences laying dormant waiting for us to be annoyed post-check-in. Let this list help.

From years of experience, checking in and checking out, we’ve encountered our fair share of ‘irritable’ accommodations that didn’t quite live up to the listings expectations. Here is a list of questions that attempts to improve our alignment with each stay.

For those working remotely

What is the speed of your wifi?

Ask your host to send you a screen shot of the internet speed.

Fast.com

Is there excess noise in the area?

A good host will tell you outright. Most don't. We had a host constructing 2 additional rental units on their property… starting construction at 6am… in the middle of a tranquil jungle.

Is there a working station?

ASK FOR A PICTURE if it's not shown. Your opinion of what constitutes a working station might differ greatly from your hosts.

Are there many power outages?

Some regions are prone to outages from power shortages, storms, and grid instability.

For those planning to cook...

What appliances do you have?

We had to slice a tomato with a butter knife. True story.

Appliances: Refrigerator, oven, stove, microwave, toaster, blender, kettle, coffee maker, air fryer, etc.

Cooking essentials: Pots, pans, strainer, cutting board, chopping knives, spatulas, bottle opener, cutlery, glassware, plates, bowls, reusable containers, mugs, etc.

Will any kitchen basics be provided?

Coffee grounds, cooking oil, salt, pepper, dish soap, sponge/cloth, etc.

Kitchen basics + toilet paper usually tells you everything you need to know about your host. Hopefully they care about you in the slightest and want to help you get up to speed in your new digs.

Where do you recommend purchasing basic cooking supplies?

Be mindful of when you’re arriving. Some stores might not be open late or on certain days of the week.

Is the tap water drinkable?

Even if the water in the city is advisable to drink, get a context-specific perspective. Maybe the plumbing in the building you’re staying in is very old and lead-based.

Best purification bottle

For those who use the washroom...

Can I flush the toilet paper?

Many regions around the world have different plumbing standards and thus require that toilet paper and other similar products are disposed of in a garbage can. If this isn’t something you’re comfortable with, make sure you ask about it.

Is hand soap provided?

Hopefully it is.
If it isn't, consider somewhere else.

For those doing laundry...

What type of detergent is accepted?

Laundry machines can be picky. Some prefer liquid soap, others prefer powder, etc.

For communal laundry machines...

How many are in the building?
How much does it cost?
Payment options?
Where can I get change?

For those who watch TV...

Do you have a smart TV, Apple TV, or equivalent?

Is a streaming subscription included?

Even if you have a Netflix account at home, you might not be able to access it where you are, unless you have a VPN changer!

Do you have an HDMI chord?

For those who value safety…

How many keys for the front door will be given?

Especially if you’re staying with more than 1 group, having inter-group freedom to leave and enter the property can be a life-saver.

Does the property have locks on the doors?

Yes, ask this because somehow we’ve stayed at an Airbnb that had no locks…

Do the locks work?

At the very least, this will encourage the Airbnb host to double check: We’ve stayed in places where the door had a lock that didn't work (and the host refused to fix it).

For those staying long-term

Do you have any tips on how to manage your property?

For long-term rentals (~3+ weeks), you are getting into the territory of ‘managing’ the property. You will want to ensure you have some basics covered such as:

Electric panel location ⚡️
Water shut-off valve 💦
How to buzz deliveries in 📦
Location of the plunger 🪠
Watering plants 🪴

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