18 October 2023 , 16:45
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A travel tipster has revealed how she bags Airbnbs on the cheap, but her advice has been criticised by some in the industry who've dubbed the move as "sketchy" and potentially dangerous.
Anna (@annathingbutanimals) has shared what she called her “biggest travel hack,” which she claims has saved her "literally thousands of dollars while traveling". The TikTok creator - who loves to trot the world and share her life as a vegan - claims she has saved as much as 50% off stays through the method.
"I’m done gatekeeping. I cannot believe nobody is talking about this. Every time, and I mean every time you stay in an Airbnb, save their phone number. I don’t care how long it’s been," she explains in a recent video. The next time Anna is travelling to somewhere in the area, she makes sure to call up the landlord she's stayed with.
"I go through my Rolodex; I look, OK, who do I know there and I’m like, ‘Hey, it’s Anna. I stayed in your Airbnb on blah blah, blah, absolutely loved it. Coming to whatever, this time, was wondering if you have anything during this time'," she continued.
"Then, whatever the list price is, whatever the price they give you is. Say, ‘Hey, can I pay you insert 70% of that if I pay you in cash?' If it’s offseason or last minute, you can even go lower. I’ve done like 50%. It has never not worked for me, and I think I’ve saved $500 just this month."
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Anna went on to say that she'd done it on behalf of her friends as well, claiming that she could find work as a "legit" travel agency. The seasoned traveller said the move worked because Airbnb landlords often have multiple properties on their books, so they may have somewhere you can stay in the area or not too far away.
It may be possible to get a discount as the landlord can rent it to you directly, without having to pay fees to the only booking agent. Not everyone is wild about Anna's idea however, with some suggesting it could land an unfortunate tourist in a lot of hot water.
"You have zero protection or contract if you pay cash and don’t go through the Airbnb website. That seems sketchy," one person noted under Anna's video. Travel expert Joshua Rasia agreed, arguing that the fees Airbnb attaches to properties partly go to ensuring your protection as a traveller. He previously told the Metro that without the safety net of the Airbnb platform, there's nothing to stop the host cancelling your stay at the last minute, not to mention you may not get assistance/help if an issue arises. He also warned that "your personal safety might be compromised".