A Comprehensive Guide for New Users with $45 Airbnb Discount Code
We love Airbnb. This lodging platform’s model has literally changed the way the world travels by offering affordable accommodations to all types of travellers worldwide, including us. What’s not to love: you get to pick from an ever-increasing number of dreamy apartments for pretty much the price you’d expect to pay for most hostels.
Airbnb has quickly become our “go-to” platform when searching for private apartments, shared houses and other types of lodging abroad. But we’re always stunned to hear about travellers who haven’t used this great web platform yet, so we’ve written this comprehensive post to help people understand how easy it is to use. We always save money using Airbnb, why shouldn’t you start saving on travel accommodations as well?
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for products and services that we use and recommend. If you purchase these through our website links, the price will stay the same to you and we get a percentage as a commission.
Interested in using Airbnb? We’ve got great news! We have an Airbnb discount code just for you.
Here’s your chance to save some money on your first stay! Get a $45 Airbnb discount by creating a new account with this link, applicable towards your first stay of 95$CAD or more. Not planning on going anywhere soon? No worries! This Airbnb discount code credit is valid for 12 months.
Here’s what you will get in this step-by-step post
Table of contents
We started using the Airbnb platform about 5 years ago, as we spent close to a year on the road during our grand journey across South and Central America. We’ve since booked dozens of Airbnb lodgings around the world. Not only in the United States, but also in Uruguay, Argentina, Bali, Chile, Ireland, Scotland and Australia. The duration of our stays ranged from single night bookings in the United States or Europe to multiple months at the same location in South America.
With Airbnb rentals, your stepping away from the basic budget hotel rooms that offer zero personality and get to choose from a quaint Barcelona apartment on the Rambla to a stylish loft in New York City. The choices are usually abundant and the offers are reasonably priced depending on the amenities available in the listing.
Saw a place you like on Airbnb? Check it out, enter your dates, grab it and go!
Not so fast you’re thinking? You’ve never done this before and are used to doing hotels with a reception area, a lobby and everything that goes with it… We understand the uneasy, “what if” feeling you’re probably having right about now.
For new users to Airbnb it can be intimidating not knowing what or whom to expect.
You’re imagining yourself, staying over in a perfect stranger’s home… Right? First of all, it’s not as weird as you may think. We’ll be putting all of your worries “to bed” as we guide you into becoming an Airbnb Pro with all of our best advice featured in this post.
Read our step-by-step Airbnb tips to score the best place for your next trip. You’ll also find out how to get more Airbnb discounts, apart from the great Airbnb discount code available with this $45 referral link.

San Telmo Buenos Aires Studio under 50$ a night – You should see the garden view!
Why use Airbnb? Advantages and benefits…
In short, it’s cheaper than anything else out there in regards to lodging, excluding Couchsurfing. But there are other great reasons as well.
Let’s demystify the Airbnb model a bit, shall we?

Private room in Canggu Bali with access to kitchen and pool – Homeowner was from Quebec, Canada, a pure coincidence!
Anyone with a room and a bed can apply to become an Airbnb host.
The lodging rate is fixed by the owner and can vary according to the time of year and, the length of your stay and additionally Airbnb discounts are offered for weekly and monthly bookings. As a third-party provider, Airbnb promotes the owner’s space for rent and takes care of the money transaction part. The accommodation is listed on their website in exchange for a service fee taken only at the time of booking. Airbnb also covers liability and insurance, which provides a great peace of mind to hosts who grant access to their cherished homes to friendly strangers like us!
If you’re a new Airbnb user, you probably have the following questions…
Is it safe?
The quick answer is yes. Obviously, you need to take certain steps to ensure that you’re renting from a legitimate and reliable source and we’ll get to that below.
What about my money and deposit?
Probably the most asked question is understandably about the money and your deposit. First, no money is exchanged directly with the homeowner. It’s not a widely known fact, but the host receives your deposit from Airbnb 24hrs after you’ve taken possession of the lodging. This gives you, the renter, a grace period for a claim or refund if the place doesn’t turn out to be as expected.
Will it be clean?
99% of the time the places are immaculate. Only once did we have to contact a host, as we came upon a new Airbnb listing in Montevideo, Uruguay, to request that the bathroom be better cleaned and that a few basic extras be added to the kitchen amenities, which were pretty much non-existent. Eager to please, the bathroom issue was quickly resolved and the requested items such as a coffee machine, a sieve and better pillows were provided the next day. In fact, this host went on to follow up with us a few days later to see if anything else was needed in the apartment as to provide us with a most comfortable stay.
What if the place isn’t as shown in the ad?
Again, certain steps are your responsibility, like reading the reviews and the full description, looking carefully at the photos and the exact location on the map. From all of our bookings with Airbnb, only once have we had to request a cancellation in Antigua Guatemala. The room had a strong and unpleasant odour from having been freshly painted making it inappropriate for use. A free phone call to Airbnb’s customer service resolved the issue in record time. They helped find us replacement lodging and offered to pay 50$ towards our evening meal with proof of receipt for the inconvenience this caused us on arrival. Bravo Airbnb!
How to use Airbnb’s website to rent the perfect place
Set up a profile: Choose a good picture of yourself and put aside a quick 10 minutes to fill out your account profile. Make it good and show yourself in the best light with a smile to reassure your future host that you can be trusted with the keys to their place.

This modern condo was our home for 2 months in Cuenca Ecuador
IF YOU ENJOY THIS POST, YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE THESE.
Explore Airbnb Homes:

Search for the dates you need
Are you flexible with your travel plans? Have you always dreamt of spending a weekend in Paris or a few nights in San Francisco? By keeping your travel plans flexible, you can better your chances to score that rare find. Enter your dates and start searching now!
The number of guests:
Identify how many guests will share the space. Similarly to hotels, the price for a single or double occupancy will be different.
Narrow down your search with filters:
City and urban areas can bring up higher search results, this is when the Airbnb filters come in handy. You can filter by room type, by amenities and, of course, set your price range accordingly.
Home type:
An “Entire Place” selection is meant to reflect a self-catering apartment or studio. Make sure you read the description thoroughly as some units, for example, can be on their own floor, but with a shared entrance. Sometimes, studios won’t have expected amenities such as access to a kitchen with just a stovetop for tea, which is fine if you are aware of what you are booking and that you’re OK with it.
“Private Room” is what you should expect as the conventional B&B concept, some come with private bathrooms, some with a shared one as listed in the description of the property. The last option is a “Shared Bedroom” which would be comparable to sharing a dorm room in a hostel.
Price Range:
The amenities:


Save to Wishlist:
Analyze your results:
Now that you have a shortlist, it’s time to analyze your results. The place has 5-star ratings, that’s great, but it only has 3 reviews, not so great… As a first time Airbnb user, you might want to select a place with a minimum of 10 reviews, just to play it safe.
Take time to read the latest ones and snoop in the reviews for some extra details you might find relevant. If there are no reviews available for that property, but you’ve fallen madly in love with the place, check to see if this host has other properties which may feature a longer history of reviews.
Super host:
Keep an eye out for this Airbnb badge, it’s the ultimate trustworthy reference for a host. This host has had to meet a specific list of requirements, such as 5-star reviews, cleanliness and prompt communication to obtain this badge beside their profile picture.
Location:
A very important consideration is to ensure that the location is safe, offers a variety of restaurants, shops and public transport if you’re not driving or don’t plan to drive. Living with locals as other perks also. We once scored a great little place so close to the glorious Cliff of Moher site that we were able to get there early enough before the Paddywagon crowds. Priceless!

Cliff of Moher Ireland – Without the crowds
Check the fine print
Service fee:
Cleaning fee:
A one-time fee that is charged by the host. Some host won’t charge a cleaning fee, so check the total amount of your stay before booking as to better compare between offers.
Security deposit:
Cancellation Policy:
How can you get or apply additional Airbnb discounts?

Consider a longer stay:
As mentioned earlier, the nightly rate is not totally fixed because Airbnb hosts usually offer a weekly discount, which can be a game changer if you can extend the length of your stay. The Airbnb discount percentage is entirely up to the host and it can range from 10% up to 35% on week-long stays. Some listing may even offer a 50% off on monthly stays or longer. Weekly rates apply to stays from 7 to 28 nights and monthly ones for reservations longer than 28 nights.
Tip: In some cases, it’s worth booking a 7th night to get the weekly discount applied, even if you plan to only stay for 6 nights. Of course, as a courtesy, we’d suggest telling the host once you’ve arrived that you will be leaving a day early. Keep in mind that the same technique applies for a month-long stay. Play around with your booking dates in the Airbnb calendar and see if you can be flexible and save some extra cash.

Want an extra Airbnb discount? Ask for it.
Ready to book your first Airbnb lodging?
Placing your reservation:
Make sure you’re booking a legitimate property:
As with everything in this great world of ours, there are some deceptive people and misleading hosts out there. Some have even gone as far as to copy the Airbnb website and pass themselves for what appears to be the real deal. Avoid scams and look for real stamps of authenticity. Read about this scam here
Tip: Always book via Airbnb secure online system. Remember that doing so is your sole warranty in case of recourse with the host. If you’re tempted to book on your own, it also means that you’re on your own if ever you have an issue during your stay.
Arrival coordination:
Reviews:
What are Airbnb disadvantages?
Have we convinced you to book your first Airbnb for your next trip?
Do you use Airbnb?
Please share your experiences, comments or questions below…
Please share your experiences, comments or questions below…
Like this article? Pin it!


Thank very much for sharing this. Airbnb has been a godsend for a budget traveler like myself – especially when I am with someone and we split the cost of a room. Sometimes small studios are even cheaper!