How to get the best price on your AirBnB
06/09/2018
Airbnb is one of my favorite ways to find accommodation while traveling. There is such a wide variety of accommodation options, for almost any budget! But what if you find a place you love, and it’s a bit more than you hoped to spend? I’m going to reveal my secret to getting the best price on Airbnb! I’ve used this hack many times, and it almost always guarantees an Airbnb discount.
Few people know about this, but you can actually negotiate the price on Airbnb. Hosts have the option to send you a ‘special offer’ for their property! This trick works especially well if you are booking last minute. If hosts don’t book their rooms at the listed price, they may be willing to offer you the discounted price, rather than have the room empty.
If you’ve never used Airbnb, check out my post: Airbnb: Everything you need to know!
BONUS: You can also use this link to sign up and get $35USD off your first stay!
Step 1:
When searching Airbnb, you have the option to narrow search results with filters, including a maximum price. If my maximum price is $30 per night, than I always filter to include places that may be just above my budget, so I’ll put $40 per night as my filter.
Step 2:
Once you’ve found a place (or a few places) you like, scroll all the way down until you see the ‘Contact Host’ button. It’s small and not very obvious, but it is always there.
Step 3:
Then you should see this screen, and are ready to write a message to your potential host!
Make sure you enter the dates you are wanting to book for, and how many guests, as those are both factors that may influence the hosts decision. Airbnb is all about connecting people, and for many hosts the space you are renting is their personal property, so don’t just message them asking for a cheap price. Say hello, tell them a little about yourself and the people you are travelling with, tell them what you like about their listing, be friendly! Here is an example of some messages I have sent to hosts:
In my message, I greeted the host and commented them on their listing. I make a mention about their dogs, which shows that I read through the whole listing before messaging them. I mention being on a budget, and let them know that should they accept my offer, I would book right away, and thanked them. Be friendly and personable!
Voila!
If the host is willing to lower their price, they will send you a ‘special offer’ for your requested dates! If you have told them that you would book now, it’s best to go ahead and get it confirmed. If you have messaged more than one host, make sure to tell the other hosts that you no longer need the request you sent.
If the host is not agreeable to the price you asked for, they may still send you a ‘special offer’, with the lowest discount they are willing to go to, or they may tell you that it is not possible for them. If that is the case and you are not willing to pay the higher price, make sure to say thank you! Remember these are real people, and it’s always good to be kind to one another.
In my experience, this trick works almost every time. In Singapore, I messaged 2-3 hosts before I found the perfect property within my budget! Two of them sent me special offers for their properties at $35 per night (meeting in the middle, they originally listed for $40 per night, I asked for $30), and the third host sent me a special offer for the price I had asked for.
This is a nice hack to use, but remember to be respectful. If someone has a property listed for $100 per night and you are asking for $40 per night, they are probably going to say no, and that is fair. Again, these are real people renting out their homes and personal properties, and Airbnb works on a system of trust and respect. Be kind!
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Did this work for you? Have any tricks of your own? Let me know in the comments!
Wow, this worked like a charm!
I’m still new to AirBNB but this will be something I will try from now on.
Thanks 🙂
I love this! I have gotten great prices on AirBNBs by going with brand new listings (only if I have a solid fall-back plan in case it’s really sketchy), ones that are off-the-beaten-path, or once for one that had a low rating (it was brand new, had one good review and one terrible one – from someone who sounded crazy. But because of the bad review no one had booked, and I got it for like half off the going price). More recently, I message the host and ask them to waive the extra guest fee (since we’re a family of 4). So far, I’ve never been turned down. I think it helps that we use AirBNB a ton and are always really clean and respectful, typically do more than what’s asked for cleaning, etc… so we have good reviews and people can see that we’re pretty reliable…
Hi Kate, those are great tips to use as well. A little risk can mean big rewards.. or savings! I agree, having those good guest reviews definitely helps.
Cheers!