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Living a location-independent lifestyle has never been easier. And so, making sure that your home away from home is up to par is as important as ever. 

Whether you're heading somewhere for only a couple of days or staying longer – weeks or even months – you want to make sure that the Airbnb you book is as great in person as it seemed in the listing.

5 Tips for Booking the Best Airbnb

1. Read many reviews

There is a saying that looks can be deceiving. This can certainly be true for Airbnb. While the place you're eyeing might have amazing images, a pretty good rating, and a great description, don't jump the gun and book the place before reading the reviews. And the more reviews your read, the better.

While the description of the Airbnb property is written by the owner and can be very much like tootin' one's own horn, the reviews can actually hold a lot of information about what the place is really like.

Pay attention to negative reviews. What are the bad things others have pointed out? Sometimes only by reading the reviews you'll discover that a place might have poor water pressure, be noisy at nights or lack a necessity that one might expect to be included.

2. Ask about WiFi

Now, a location-independent lifestyle works so well because we can stay connected almost anywhere. This is particularly important to digital nomads. And that's why booking an Airbnb with good WiFi is pretty much a must.

But should you only rely on the mere fact that WiFi is listed as available on the property description? Well… no! And here's why.

The broadband quality varies a lot from country to country. What might be considered fast in one place, might be entirely outdated somewhere else. Used to fiber-optic? Some places it's not yet that common.

So while a host might say that there is WiFi in the property, it may actually mean something else than what you expect.

For digital nomads and anyone living a location-independent lifestyle, a reliable connection is an absolute must. This means a connection that allows you to easily have several tabs open, make video/conference calls, send and receive files and, let's be honest, Netflix and chill at the end of the day.

Yet some hosts think that basic WiFi connection is sufficient enough and don't feel the need to mention that the only thing you will be able to do is send an email and open a single tab (and even that will take ages to load).

In fact, I once stayed in a place in the Alps which was pretty amazing but even though the host said there is Wifi, it was only available for a couple of hours a day (usually in the middle of the day when you're not even in) and only if others weren't using it. 

So a pro tip before booking an Airbnb is to confirm with your host in writing the WiFi situation in the apartment. This allows you to have proof in writing in case you arrive and there are issues. When messaging the host, you could ask the following things:

• whether the WiFi covers the whole property or will it only work in one room
• is the WiFi available 24/7
• is the WiFi connection powerful enough to allow several devices to connect at once
• does the place have its own WiFi or is it shared between several apartments
• ask them to send a screenshot from Speedtest.net that shows the WiFi speed

3. Ask about parking near the property

Sometimes, depending on the city you visit, you might want to have a rental car. Especially, if you are staying somewhere for a longer period. But before you book your wheels, you might want to check in with your host to see what the parking situation is on/near the property.

In some cities/countries this can be more important than elsewhere. For example, European cities with busy city centres might have limited parking options or have parking spaces that are quite expensive or require a special permit to park.

Check with your host whether or not you would be able to park your car on/near the property and whether or not that is included in the price. Perhaps, if there are no options to do so, they can recommend a nearby parking lot and help you get a weekly/monthly pass.

Also, don't forget to check whether the parking spots are designated to particular cars/apartments as this may be the case in apartment buildings and you don't want to find yourself in the middle of a nasty argument with other tenants.

4. Explore different neighbourhoods

It may be tempting to book an Airbnb at the very heart of the city with all the tourist hotspots, but this is actually one of the key things to avoid. Especially if you want to be able to enjoy an authentic experience.

Not only are the most central places highly overpriced, but it can also mean that the place you end up staying at is noisy due to nearby attractions.

A top tip is to try and explore different neighbourhoods before deciding on where to book. Nowadays, you can easily find information about different neighbourhoods in every city and see which ones are more to your liking and then try and book there.

For example, many people travelling to Berlin want to book central as it means that everything is within a walking distance. However, Berlin is well-known for its many districts which all have a unique character. Not only that, but some of the most authentic places are actually tucked elsewhere, away from the city centre. 

So instead of trying to book a flat in Mitte which is central and expensive, you can look at places like Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg, and Neukölln that not only have excellent local options and are somewhat more affordable but are also close enough to the centre that you can reach top locations via the U-Bahn within minutes.

5. Message the host before booking to check random details

Some things can seem obvious. But not to everyone. So as tempting as the “instant book” option can seem on Airbnb, it is highly recommended to contact your host before booking.

It's a great opportunity to ask them some random questions as well as see what the host is actually like. From their response, you will not only have all the information you need, but you will also be able to see how and when they respond, which is great to know ahead of time in case you need help from them during your stay.

Here are some of the things that may not be included in the property description but are good to clarify with your Airbnb host before booking a stay:

• Does the kitchen have everything you need? Things like dishes, appliances, extra sponges, cloths for wiping down the surfaces, washing up liquid, hand soap, is there a freezer, microwave, etc.
• If you are planning to stay for more than just a couple of days, check if there are basic cleaning supplies like a sweeping brush, a vacuum cleaner, and a mop for the floors, surface cleaners, sponges etc.
• Which side of the apartment does the sun come through in the mornings? If it's in the bedroom, ask if there are light-cancelling blinds there. Rarely any host will mention this so it's good to check beforehand unless you want to be woken up by the bright, hot sun at 5 AM in some places.
• In warmer countries, always ask your host whether there is air conditioning or a fan in the apartment. Those hot summer nights can really mess up with your sleep unless there's a nice way to cool down.

Things to be Aware of When Booking an Airbnb

• Reviews of the same kind. When reading reviews, if you notice that most of them sound the same, too similar (only mentioning great location and nothing else) or too vague, it can be a warning sign that not all of them are authentic and there's something fishy going on.
• Central can sometimes mean noisy. Booking near a town square or a popular tourist destination can sometimes mean that the place is noisy. You might want to check with your host whether the windows cancel out sound and if it's summer then will keeping the windows open mean that you hear the noise from the street (if there are bars, restaurants, clubs nearby).
• Missing photos of an important area or only having wide-lens photos. If the listing lacks photos of any important part of the property, this might mean that there's something the host is wanting to hide (especially if it's the bathroom and/or kitchen). Wide-lens images can sometimes make the space seem bigger than it is and, funnily enough, it can often affect the bedroom by making the bed seem bigger. Again, if it's important, make sure to ask for measurements.

Don't assume and always clarify. Things can be subjective. The truth is, sometimes a poor Airbnb experience doesn't mean that the host was hiding something or was sloppy. Especially when travelling, we have to remember that there are cultural differences that we can simply be unaware of. 

So don't assume – always clarify any doubts, because everyone's expectations can be very subjective and depend on the cultural background. For example, in some countries, people are used to having an electric socket in the bathroom for using the hairdryer/straighteners but in the UK you are almost guaranteed to not find any in the bathrooms. And it's just the way it is.