I Rented a Private Room on Airbnb This is What Happened
I Rented a Private Room on Airbnb This is What Happened
In the spirit of doing brave sh*t, I tried something completely different . . . renting a private room on Airbnb.
NOT the entire condo.
NOT the entire apartment.
NOT the entire house.
I rented just 1 room in a house shared with absolute total and complete strangers. Crazy, right??!!!
and here’s how it went…
Why I Rented a Private Room on Airbnb
If we are being completely honest and keeping it 100% real, my budget more than inspired me to take this route. After searching (last minute as always) for places to stay in LA/Hollywood, the prices of hotels and entire homes on Airbnb were more than I was willing to pay. Especially for what was basically a brief stop-over LA trip on my way to Fiji and New Caledonia.
Why Renting a Private Room on Airbnb was HUGE Stretch for Me
Here's what you should know in order to understand why renting a private room is such a HUGE stretch for me:
At my true core, I'm an introverted-extroverted-only-child who has a strong affinity for her personal space. And because of this, living with someone who is not my significant other tends to be a bit much for me. Sooooooo when I went away to college, I only lived in the dorm for 1 semester. That's right, I said 1 semester. And it was a wrap due to an absolutely bizarre and horrible experience. I'll save you all the details. Just know that my (first, last and only) college dorm roommate thought it'd be ok to loan my clothes out to other dorm residents and to house a stray dog (fleas and all) in "our" room while I was away for the weekend. So needless to say, a sista was extra scarred for life and over cohabitation.
On Continuing to Step Out of My Comfort Zone. . .
Fast forward to 2018 . . . Chameka passed away. And because of this, I've truly been on a quest to live life to the fullest and to do some brave sh*t. So after I quit my job (and I am happy), I decided to take my first solo trip outside of the country starting in LA heading to Fiji and New Caledonia for 23 days. So if I was going to step out of my comfort zone, there was no better time to do it than now.
The Airbnb Location
Just off of the Sunset strip nestled high above the famous Chateau Marmont Hotel in the Hollywood hills, was my Airbnb. In this neighborhood, houses easily command a pretty penny of $2 million and up. So I figured my Airbnb would be nice. And it did not disappoint.
Funny story: as I was arriving at my Airbnb I spotted the "Dearly Departed" tour bus driving around the Chateau Marmont Hotel. I'm guessing they were checking out bungalow #3 where John Belushi tragically passed away. . . Welcome to Hollywood.
My Arrival at the Airbnb
When I arrived, Gabe, my host was there to greet and assist with my luggage. We hit it off instantly and chatted about things in common as he gave me a tour of the house.
Fun Fact: we were all treated to an impromptu concert by my host Gabe, who was an entertainer at Disney in the U.S. and in China. He's a natural performer and a great singer.
About My Private Room at the Airbnb
The house was comprised of 5 bedrooms and 2 baths although I'm pretty sure there was a 3rd bathroom (non-accessible) located in the master suite that the homeowners occupied. My room was located in the back wing of the house. True to the Airbnb pictures, my room was stylishly and simplistically decorated with white linens and pops of color. 2 sets of clean towels were laid out on my nightstand along with a list of house rules and suggestions of where to eat and points of interest in the area. To my relief, the wifi was fast and my smart tv with pre-loaded with Netflix. YES!
Did I Feel Safe? Safety in a Shared Airbnb
So really, is an Airbnb private room safe? Prior to my stay or even considering the idea of renting a room from Airbnb, the issue of safety had more than crossed my mind. As a single female traveler and in life, unfortunately, we've all had our share of encounters with creepy men or people who just made us feel uneasy. So the hesitation was real in renting a room. I'm happy to report that at no time did I feel unsafe during my stay. Each room came with a lock and key and the front door automatically locked but was accessible by keypad. The grounds and front door were well lit so coming and going during the evening wasn't a concern.
***Stay safe while traveling, here are some important travel tips to stay safe overseas and around the U.S.***
Pros and Cons of Renting a Private Room on Airbnb
Pros of Renting a Private Room in an Airbnb:
Saves money
Great location
Snacks and continental breakfast were provided
Great way to meet new people
Cons of Renting a Private Room in an Airbnb:
No Thermostat Control
Thermostat compatibility is so key. Fortunately, the homeowners and I were on the same vibe when it came to the thermostat.
Shared Bathrooms (aka The Curious Case of the "Mystery Wet")
Ewe. This was easily the biggest drawback for me. And when it comes to touching wet things that I didn't wet myself, I'm a bit freaked out. Also, I'll just say this, everyone's bathroom habits are different and some take more time in the bathroom than others. There were a couple of instances in which the bathroom was occupied and I really had to go. Luckily, the second bathroom was empty and available.
You Can Never Get Fully Comfortable
In most cases, as soon as I hit the door, my bra is off with the quickness. I don't need anything extra in my life holding me back (and that especially includes women's lingerie). As much as I wanted to walk around in total unchained freedom in my shared Airbnb, I imagine "freeballing" to be frowned upon.
Common Space is Common to All
In my Airbnb, the front room, sun deck, patios, and kitchen were open to all house guests at all times. So I really shouldn't have been surprised when I saw someone knocked out on the couch sleeping in the front room.
Noise
Fortunately, noise levels weren't an issue during my stay; however, I can definitely see how they could be an issue at other times.
Final Thoughts: Will I Be Renting a Private Room on Airbnb Again?
Maybe. But it would strongly depend on the location and the cost per night of a hotel room or traditional Airbnb home vs the price of renting a private room on Airbnb.
Helpful Resources
Ready to stay at an Airbnb? Get started with Airbnb with $40 off your first stay.
Stay safe while traveling, here are some important travel tips to stay safe overseas and around the U.S.
Don't forget Travel insurance because you never know what can happen. I use and love World Nomads.***Good News: it’s not too late to purchase, even if you are already traveling***
Using FREE WIFI while traveling? Make sure to protect your personal data (passwords, email, credit cards and etc) with a VPN (Virtual Private Network). I use Nord VPN.
Thank You
Thanks so much for stopping by and reading. I'm a frequent traveler and renting a private room on Airbnb was a pleasant experience. Feel free to leave comments below with any questions or share your own Airbnb private room experience. Or just to say "hi", I don't bite (as long as I'm properly fed).
And if you found value in what I shared, share it with a friend, save it, or pin it. I greatly appreciate the love and as always, sharing is caring.
-XOXO (as always)
Melissa D.
Photography & Editing by: Yours Truly, Melissa Drake
Disclosure: Keep in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Please know I link these companies because of their quality. I do not recommend any product or service I do not use.
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