Using Airbnb as a woman
Today I want to talk about using Airbnb when I travel. And not just using Airbnb, but specifically using Airbnb as a woman. It is sad that I have to even think about it that way, but as I live in the real world, there you have it. When I was first traveling on my own, I stuck with hotels in busy places, as I felt safer and I tended to be closer to city centers. For most touristy activities in larger cities, that's a great place to be. However, travelers pay a price for that, and I felt it. I wanted to be able to put more of my money into actually enjoying a city rather than into a room I'd hardly be in each day. Enter Airbnb.
As a female traveler who often is globetrotting solo, I felt that I had to be smart and careful in my choices with Airbnb options. For instance, after I do a preliminary/mainly generic search for what I want, I start narrowing down the options.
1) I look at the owner of the property; I tend to immediately exclude a listing that has only a sole male owner listed. It's my weird thing, maybe, that I worry about that, but again, I believe in keeping it real.
2) I then look at properties that just list a sole female owner. It just makes me feel safer, you know?
3) If there's nothing that is going to work for what I need, then I will look at properties owned by a couple (doesn't matter if the couple is male/male, female/female, or male/female) or family with kids. I might hear some noise with kids running around nearby, but at least I'd feel safer than with just a male owner.
4) I need a place, generally, where I can cook. Cooking in the evening in my own place can save me a ton of money when I travel. I also try to at least have grab-and-go snacks or eggs for my mornings. Buying them is cheap and they're quick and easy to make and eat!
5) My last checklist item is how far the property is from a busy intersection. If I have to take a bus or train, I don't want to walk 5 blocks alone in the dark from my drop-off point to the door of my Airbnb site. I try not to be out much after dark anyway, but sometimes I have to satisfy my need to photograph buildings and other things when they're all lit up in their glory. If I were renting a car somewhere, the proximity thing wouldn't be as big of a deal, but as I use public transportation as much as I can, walking distance is definitely a consideration.
As a female traveler who often is globetrotting solo, I felt that I had to be smart and careful in my choices with Airbnb options. For instance, after I do a preliminary/mainly generic search for what I want, I start narrowing down the options.
1) I look at the owner of the property; I tend to immediately exclude a listing that has only a sole male owner listed. It's my weird thing, maybe, that I worry about that, but again, I believe in keeping it real.
2) I then look at properties that just list a sole female owner. It just makes me feel safer, you know?
3) If there's nothing that is going to work for what I need, then I will look at properties owned by a couple (doesn't matter if the couple is male/male, female/female, or male/female) or family with kids. I might hear some noise with kids running around nearby, but at least I'd feel safer than with just a male owner.
4) I need a place, generally, where I can cook. Cooking in the evening in my own place can save me a ton of money when I travel. I also try to at least have grab-and-go snacks or eggs for my mornings. Buying them is cheap and they're quick and easy to make and eat!
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| The kitchen in my Chicago apartment |
5) My last checklist item is how far the property is from a busy intersection. If I have to take a bus or train, I don't want to walk 5 blocks alone in the dark from my drop-off point to the door of my Airbnb site. I try not to be out much after dark anyway, but sometimes I have to satisfy my need to photograph buildings and other things when they're all lit up in their glory. If I were renting a car somewhere, the proximity thing wouldn't be as big of a deal, but as I use public transportation as much as I can, walking distance is definitely a consideration.
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| My neighborhood in Chicago |
So basically your fear is that all solo men are potential rapists/sex offenders/kidnappers/murderers? That isn't 'keeping it real', its tarring all men with the same brush and is quite insulting.
ReplyDeleteI think you've misunderstood what I wrote. I realize that most violent crimes against women are done by men, especially in urban areas; a great deal of research shows this. I know that as a woman, I need to think about this when I travel, and I take it into consideration according to my own comfort level. If other women don't feel that they need to take it into consideration, more power to them. For myself, I do what is within my comfort level.
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