Towards the end of our Germany and France trip, we had 4 more nights in Frankfurt to “relax” before heading back on a 24 hour journey back home to Australia. Unfortunately the dates lined up with the trade expo season, which meant all Frankfurt hotel were charging triple rates! Three star hotels were charging about $400 per night. So it was a great opportunity for us to try Airbnb. It was our first time using the website, so we were nervous as we didn’t know what to expect.
The good things about Airbnb:
– It gives you a clear layout of the accommodation
– All the costs (cleaning fee, tax etc are all included)
– Clear reviews from other travellers (but not specifically from families)
– Generally prices are reasonable
– Get to experience life as a local
– Everything is prepaid
In our case, host Rainer of “Skyline Studio” lives in the same building. He gave us his Whatsapp number and if we needed any help we can simply knock on his door.
Rainer was super friendly and speaks perfect English. He showed us our room on the very top of a 5 storey building…with no elevator. So yes we climbed 5 flights of stairs with our main luggage, stroller, backpacks and an 11 month old baby Berlin strapped on the baby carrier.
The room itself was cozy with pretty good views of Frankfurt skyline. Berlin found the place amusing and took special liking to the potted plants. This property obviously didn’t have a cot, so we had to improvise a “bed” for Berlin with a folded doona on the floor which he unfortunately didn’t like very much.
We got to do groceries at the local supermarket, prepare our breakfast daily and have a glass of wine once Berlin’s asleep. Having a separate living space definitely goes a long way when travelling with little ones. It was such a memorable ending to our Germany & France holiday.
A few things to consider when booking your family travel accommodation with Airbnb:
– Still follow our 6 steps to choosing the right accommodation
– Don’t choose places that are too good to be true. We picked Rainer as our host as he was one of the few with more than 100 ratings
– Hotel staff can give you backup support if you ever need help. With Airbnb it all depends on your host
– Level of service (such as cleanliness etc) will again fully depend on your host
