A treehouse in Ontario’s wine country, a converted wine barrel in Switzerland, and a repurposed lifeguard tower in Miami — I’ve booked them all through Airbnb.
As a travel reporter, I’ve slept in accommodations throughout the US, Canada, and Europe. I often choose Airbnbs over hotels because they offer more unique experiences.
I also typically travel solo. I’ve taken overnight trains in the US and Europe, spent seven nights on one of the world’s largest cruise ships sailing the Caribbean Sea, and traveled by rail to Niagara Falls, Montreal, and Quebec City. On these trips, I explored new cities and unique accommodations — all by myself.
Now that I’m a seasoned solo traveler, I have many practices to ensure I feel as safe as possible when traveling alone — especially in other countries.
When it comes to staying in Airbnbs solo, my best tip is to book for two people
When I make an Airbnb reservation, I simply change the number of guests from one to two. Then, in my message to the host, I say I may have a friend joining me for my trip.
This way, my host doesn’t think I’m traveling alone. Creating the illusion that I have someone else with me makes me feel more comfortable falling asleep at night in a stranger’s place.
Booking for two sometimes comes with an additional fee, depending on the Airbnb.
For example, when I traveled to Rome and booked two nights in a livable art sculpture Airbnb, the price was $102 a night for one person and $145 a night for two people. In this case, a companion did end up joining me for the stay. But even if they hadn’t, I would have been fine paying the additional fee to feel more secure about staying there alone.
Solo travel can be daunting, especially when you’re booking accommodations with an individual rather than directly through a company like you would at a hotel.
Still, after all my unique Airbnb experiences, I think it’s worth booking them even when I’m alone. And booking for two makes me feel a little safer.
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