Hotel Booking Tips
In this new normal, short-term rentals stand to be more popular than ever. After all, travelers can book a private home with a kitchen and a pool, eliminating the need to have dinners out, stand in line to check in or vie for a sliver of crowded beachfront.
Check for cleanliness standards
First things first: Let’s talk about how to find a clean Airbnb. It’s always a question on everyone’s minds, but even more so during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
As mentioned, Airbnb recently rolled out pretty robust safety protocols. During this “Booking Buffer,” hosts commit to keeping their home empty for 72 hours to focus on cleaning and sanitizing. Guests won’t be able to make a reservation during that period.
If a host does not abide by the new protocols and does not undergo the certification process, their listings will not be shown in the Airbnb Enhanced Cleaning Initiative inventory. That means you’ll definitely want to start your search within this directory if these standards are important to you so you can have additional peace of mind while booking.
This is generally pretty common travel advice for most situations, but it holds even truer for apartment stays. Unlike a hotel, which might have hundreds of similar rooms, serviced apartment listings are usually one-of-a-kind — meaning the best ones book up far in advance.
Hosts get to determine how far out they’ll accept bookings and can open availability a couple of years in advance. Most, however, only allow travelers to book six months to a year in advance.
Compare different properties in your price range
Apartment rentals can range from fantastic deals to wildly overpriced. Because rates are determined by the host, they can vary widely. That means you’ll likely see properties that look similar, but are listed at vastly different rates.
Keep in mind that rental costs do not necessarily correlate to property quality, so be sure to compare multiple listings by closely examining photos, reading reviews and comparing all-in costs within your range to get the most bang for your buck.
Be mindful of cancellation policies
We know many travelers are hesitant to fully commit to a trip right now, but may also want to at least get something on the books and adjust plans later.
Just keep in mind that if a reservation has already begun — as in, the check-in period has passed — this policy will not apply.
With Airbnb, cancellation rules vary as widely as rates from property to property, from “flexible” policies that allow cancellations until 14 days before with little or no penalty to “strict” policies that may only offer a 50% refund after 48 hours of booking. Basically, you always want to read the fine print before confirming your reservation.
Review the availability calendar
If you come across a property and it seems like a great value, take a peek at the availability calendar. By doing so, you’ll be able to see if other renters have booked it, which can give you some sense of how competitive the listing is — and how urgent it is that you make a decision.
On the flip side, if you think a property costs too much and the availability is wide open, other renters likely agree with you, too.
Just as you would with any property, service or restaurant, it’s important to read the reviews from other guests. If you encounter a negative review, be sure to consider what’s motivating the guest to write it and whether or not those circumstances might apply to you.
Often, a new listing won’t’ have many (or any) reviews, but you can check reviews of the host if they have multiple listings.
As an added bonus, reviewers also leave tips for future guests. If you have questions about the property, logistics or even ideas about what to do in the area, you might find your answers here. This may be especially important in the coming weeks and months, as reviews can provide clues as to what you can expect in terms of cleanliness and sanitization.
Negotiate your price
Let’s say you found the perfect listing, but it’s a little out of your budget or overpriced for the area. You can make an offer to the host by clicking the “Contact Host” button below the listing summary. From there, you can send a note explaining how much you would like to pay during the dates of your intended stay.
Message hosts before you book
Even if you aren’t looking to negotiate the rate, it’s their home, their city and they’re the best people to answer your questions.
From specifics of the room arrangements to tips regarding public transportation that will ensure a smooth arrival and check-in process, you’ll have an easier trip if you ask any questions in advance. This can be especially helpful if you’re hoping for more details regarding cleaning policies and protocols.
Map your stay
This might be one of our favorite pro tips. If you want to see just how close a listing is to the beach, attractions or even just get a sense of the neighborhood, you can give yourself a tour using Google Street View. By doing so, you can virtually drive down streets to check proximity and get a sense of the local offerings. For larger properties, you can use Google Earth to get a satellite view of the property from above.
Don’t sweat picture quality
Don’t be deterred too much by lower-resolution photos, since they’re typically not reflective of the actual property. When you show up, the property will be in ultra-high definition, so try to envision what’s behind the photos.
At the end of the day, there’s no such thing as the “perfect” Airbnb or serviced apartment.. Each listing is going to have pros and cons, so it’s a good idea to have some guidelines and priorities in mind before you even begin your search.
Welcome To Longonot Place! Situated on Harry Thuku Road, Longonot Place Serviced Apartments is the perfect base to explore Kenya’s capital while staying for business or leisure in our 99 spacious apartments. Our mix of 1-3 bedroom apartments are popular for both local and international corporate clientele. We provide an ideal accommodation within Nairobi City, featuring a central location, stylishly curated living spaces, personalized guest services and modern amenities. The beauty of serviced apartments is that it provides you with a fully furnished stay with personalized services that make you feel right at home.
How to Cope With Mid-Year Pressure in 2021
It may only be July, but if your daily life is crammed with pressing things to do, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. While it may not be realistic to scale down on your responsibilities, try these ways to boost your wellbeing and calm your mind so that you’re better able to cope with the challenges of the day.
Opt for drinks with lemon in them. The Vitamin C content helps to minimise the effects of stress hormones in the body, according to researchers at the University of Alabama in the USA. Vitamin C, in particular, is one of the first minerals to be depleted in the body when a person is under stress, so sip on a cup of lemon tea to benefit from its calming, strengthening effect on the nervous system, or add the juice of one lemon to a smoothie mix of two cups apple juice and a handful of grapes. Just the smell of a lemon will also have a positive effect on anxiety and lift your mood so look at diffusing this essential oil in your office space.
Breathe in the calm
When things feel frantic, burning a candle or blend of oils can help you relax. A blend of neroli and frankincense oils will have a calming effect, while a candle with a comforting scent like vanilla will soothe frazzled nerves. Or, keep a little bottle of rose oil on hand as it is deeply calming and uplifting. Dab this onto your pulse points when you need to keep things under control.
Get enough sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep is essential during stressful times, but going to bed with nerves that feel shredded can result in you waking up at 2am, with your to-do list looping on repeat in your head. If your racing mind is regularly stopping you from getting enough rest, take steps to wind down before bedtime. Things like taking a bath and spraying your pillow with lavender essential oil will help you switch off and relax before bedtime.
If you wake up during the night and struggle to fall asleep again, calm whirling thoughts by counting slowly backwards from 100, or try this breathing technique: breathe in for one count, out for two, in for two, out for four, in for three, out for six, up to in for six and out for 12, then repeat backwards all the way down to one.
Importantly, cut out the cellphone time just before bed as the blue light affects sleep patterns. Switch off all devices to give your brain time to rest and try reading a book or magazine before bed instead.
Get someone in to help at home
After a stressful work week, the last thing you feel like doing is tackling chores around the house. Take some of the pressure off yourself by hiring an expert cleaner to come in for a morning or a full day to tidy the house. It also helps that someone else has done the background checks on your behalf, which leaves you with even more me-time. During this time you can indulge in some self-care, while you know your home is in good hands and you’ll be coming home to a tidy and welcoming space.
Take a zinc supplement
In addition to Vitamin C, it’s a good idea to consider a zinc supplement to boost your immune system. Zinc, one of the health heavyweights, is the second most abundant trace element in the body and helps build healthy immune cells needed to fight infection. It also reduces fatigue and plays a key role in the renewal of skin cells and keeping hair and nails healthy — concerns that often affect diabetics.
It’s okay to flop down and relax
This one is a hard one for driven souls to admit, but its okay to take some time out and do nothing. Create a pocket of time, even if it’s just once a week, where you forget about commitments and to-do lists, and focus solely on something you enjoy. Choose an activity that’s easily achievable and entirely for your pleasure, whether it’s yoga, watching your favourite series or baking. Switching into relaxation mode and doing something for your own benefit, especially if it’s something that you love, strengthens and energizes you.
It’s easy to get so swept along by the tide of busyness that we forget about ourselves and our own health. But remember that tomorrow will be just as full of demands as today is. Don’t lose sight of the fact that occasionally, even if it’s just for a few minutes, you need to stop, slow things down, take a couple of deep breaths…and just let life be.
(Source >> )
