Booking Your First Airbnb? Watch Out for Hidden Red Flags

I’ve decided to solo travel this summer, and for the first time ever, I used Airbnb to book my accommodation. I watched tons of YouTube videos to get advice on red flags, what to watch out for, and so on. I wanted to be prepared. Despite my research, I fell into a trap. I’m writing this blog to potentially warn you about red flags that might not be so obvious.

The Research Phase

Through my research, I discovered that on Airbnb, any reviews under 4.90 are not good. That was a surprise to me and pretty valuable information as well. So, for my search, I focused on Superhosts and hosts with a score above 4.95.

I looked at how many reviews they had and what people were saying, studying the pictures and descriptions carefully. I also contacted hosts to confirm there were no hidden or extra fees to the booking. I found out from my research that some hosts ask you to pay the bills at the end of your stay.

The Perfect Place… Or So I Thought

I found a beautifully looking place, a bit remote, which was what I wanted to prepare for my Camino de Santiago. The host had a 4.97 rating with around 18 reviews. The pictures were beautiful, and the location was 6 km from the beach. It seemed like a dream.