AirBnB: Then, Now, and the Hidden Gems

My Bnb, Global Village, was the second property in the South Okanagan to be listed on Airbnb. Back then, 2014, the concept was simple: you have a spare bedroom, nothing fancy, you listed it for cheap on Airbnb. People stayed with you and got to experience local hospitality and save money, and you got to make a little money off a room you only used to store old clothes and your mother's hand-me-down Hummels. Easy peasy. It was a great concept.

Over time, the concept morphed from simple cheap accommodations to fancy, expensive, self-contained spaces that were decorated in the latest styles and provided all kinds of luxuries. I admit, I adapted, and my space morphed too…from a $80 a night basement bedroom with an old (positively ugly) bathroom across the hall, to a $238/night premium room with it’s own entrance and gourmet two course breakfast.

There is nothing wrong with that, but long gone are the days of affordable accommodation. Airbnb has raised its fees tremendously – the guest now pays my fee, plus a huge Airbnb fee, plus taxes! For the most part, it is now cheaper to stay in a hotel/motel than most Airbnbs. People have gotten so used to that type of accommodation, they have forgotten the benefits of sharing in good old fashioned hospitality in someone else's home.

Affordable places still exist, and if you take your time looking, you can find hidden gems – like where I have been staying in Napa. Accommodations, for the most part, are incredibly expensive here. But I booked a room in John’s house - in the old historic part of Napa. It was listed at $128 CAD/night. 

John is in his sixties – and the "business" is managed by his son. The home is a lovely, renovated old house in downtown Napa. I am in one of two upstairs guest bedrooms. I have access to the whole house, including a large kitchen fully stocked with everything one might need to cook a meal, and John provides breakfast foods (help yourself) and coffee. My bedroom is small, has a lock and a nice bathroom, is newly renovated, tastefully decorated, and has an amazing electric lift mattress and quality linens. Best sleep I have had in a long time!

John and his son were here to greet me when I arrived, but for the most part I have had the house to myself. The first night I was invited to join John and his wife? sister? neighbour? in Thanksgiving leftovers (I declined), and today while enjoying my supper, I was offered a wonderfully refreshing homemade Agave cooler. John and I chatted for awhile about travel and wine, and then he was off again, and once more I had the house to myself.

As a single traveller, staying in someone’s home gives me an opportunity to visit with people (if I feel like it), and I get the security and safety I don’t necessarily feel when staying in a motel. What I paid for this gem of a place was only $20 more a night than the cheap Motel 6 I parked myself in earlier this week – and that night I barely slept a wink between the highway traffic, the bad mattress, and the feeling that my car full of all my belongings may not be there in the morning.

Some people might think it is weird to stay in someone’s home – but the truth is, that is the best part of the experience. People who open their homes like this are generally my kind of people – open, trusting folks who want to meet people from around the world, share their hospitality, and show off their lovely region. I know that is why I do it – so I have never hesitated to look for the same sort of accommodations. 

Airbnb hosts like John, who do a consistently good job and get nothing but good reviews, are awarded the Super Host and Guest Favorite designations – so when looking for the gems, I limit my searches to those properties. In fact, as a Super Host/Guest Favorite myself, I am actually staying here at John's for free because Airbnb awards super hosts with credits to use while travelling. 

For sure there are times when I want my own space, and I will then book an entire place to myself, but for the most part, the best experiences I have had travelling have been staying in a room in someone’s home. So if you have never done that, and especially if you are a solo traveller, I encourage you to try it. Look for Super Hosts with the Guest Favorite designation and you can’t go wrong. I guarantee you will get a better sleep than in a noisy hotel, you’ll enjoy much better quality beds and linens, and best of all, you might make some new friends.