Airbnb has become an increasingly popular way for people to find accommodations when travelling and also a way for people to make money by letting others stay in their home. Depending on where and when you are travelling, Airbnb can be a very cost-effective solution rather than staying at a traditional hotel. When travelling through Europe, I opted to rent an Airbnb in two cities I was staying in: Paris, France and Bern, Switzerland. These places had hotel rates that were extremely high and also had a very high cost of living. Therefore, I thought it would be economical to stay at someone’s home.
When renting through Airbnb there is a wide variety of accommodation types you can choose from. I will go through the two options I have experience with and explain how this all worked out with my food allergies.
- Renting a room in a home
When in Bern, my travelling partner and I rented a room from a very nice girl who lived in an apartment with three other people. We were permitted to use common areas such as the bathroom, laundry, kitchen, etc. Due to my risk for anaphylaxis, we did not opt to use the kitchen as I could not be guaranteed what food had been prepared there. This was a personal choice I made as I did not want to go through the hassle of meticulously washing countertops, dishes, and utensils. However, this is still an option for people willing to put in the work. Staying in someone else’s home with others still living there obviously presents with some limitations. It is important to fully understand what type of rental you are signing up for when making your booking. Often private rooms in a home or apartment are cheaper than having the whole place to yourself. With this in mind, you do have the risk of cross-contamination or coming into contact with your allergen in a shared kitchen, so be cautious.
- Renting an entire home
For our time in Paris we were able to rent a one-bedroom apartment which we had to ourselves as the owner was not there. This was a really great luxury to have as we were able to save a lot of money on meals by buying food at a local grocery store. We had breakfast in the apartment every day and also prepared lunches to take with us. I ran into no difficulties with my food allergies while staying in the apartment. The kitchen was very clean when we arrived and if I was concerned I would just carefully wash things like knives that may have previously been used for peanut butter. Our host was even nice enough to leave us a bottle of wine to enjoy. Being able to make two out of three meals in a day also helped me to ensure that what I was eating was safe for me. I purchased allergen-safe foods from the grocery store and did not have to worry about miscommunication or cross-contamination at restaurants.
My experiences with Airbnb and my food allergies have been great so far. I have had no problems staying safe while staying in someone else’s home! If you are very concerned about your allergies, you are able to message the person you are renting from on the website to discuss any issues or accommodations that can be made!
Happy travelling!
– Lindsay S.
Tags: Airbnb, communication, Europe, Lindsay S., Planning ahead, Travel