Air BNB: Anybody tried this?

[Benjamin Strange]

My girl and I are looking to travel to NYC for a week in April, and we're looking to avoid staying in an expensive hotel, and are looking into the AirBNB thing instead. Have you guys heard of this? It seems really cool.

Here's the deal: people list their space as a place to stay for a few bucks a night, so you can essentially crash at somebody else's house. It's often far cheaper than a hotel, plus you get to meet new people along the way (and the renter makes a bit of cash, too). Pretty sweet!

Anybody here try it? I'm curious about people's experiences. Or even better, are there any TBers in NYC listing a spare bedroom on Air BNB? It would be sweet to crash with a fellow bassist.

[MJ5150]

No thanks. I'll spend the money on a hotel room.

-Mike

[J. Crawford]

Lifetime's rendition of the Craigslist killer and the Buffalo Bob scene of Joe Dirt ruined this for me.

Pass.

[Simo98]

I expect the website has a rating system, where you basically are able to see reviews from other people who have stayed at the same place and see what they thought of it.

There is a similar website called couch-surfing I believe that is a similar idea, I have talked to people who have travelled the world with websites like this and a few nights in backpackers for next to nothing.

There is another good one called workaway, a bit longer term, but basically you stay at someones place for a couple of weeks in exchange for helping out around the place a few hours a day.

[Benjamin Strange]

It does have a rating system, and it also has insurance just in case anything goes wrong. Also, you don't have to stay in an occupied place: sometimes entire apartments or houses are put up. Sometimes people sub lease their place while they are out traveling themselves. Overall it seems like a pretty good idea.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Seems like a pretty cool idea.

Also, are there any hostels you could use, you'd still be able to get a room for yourselves but it'd be much cheaper than a hotel. Spent a week and a half in a hostel in SD, cheap, clean and had the essentials!