So here’s some basic stuff I always do for every AirBnB I use.
-If you can, book the apartment in someone else’s name, preferably a ‘partner’ type situation. Single females are sketch. Couples, not sketch. Also, if there’s something you missed (I once forgot a bottle of lube >__>) it’s perfectly normal for a couple to have left that there. A single girl on her own? She’s an escort.
-Have a good cover story that’s vague enough to be realistic. Why are you in town?
-NEVER, EVER EVER book an apartment with a doorman. Doormen talk. I’ve heard others talk about buying off doormen, but what makes you think they won’t just take your money and then talk anyway? I also avoid any apartment that says there’s “24 hour surveillance” or something like that, because surveillance means someone’s watching. I prefer buzzer apartments myself.
-ALWAYS read the full listing on AirBnB, including reviews of the apartment, including reviews the host has for other apartments. Some things I look for:
Do any of the reviews mention the host wanting to show the apartment to other potential renters? Depending on where you live, the host can require that you let them show the apartment, but they have to give you notice, usually minimum 24 hours. Aw hell no.
Do the reviews mention sounds from the other apartments? If you can hear them, they can hear you.
See what the reviews say about access to parking or proximity to public transportation, for clients.
Think about the neighborhood: it’s not about what’s good for you, but what’s good for clients. You and I might both know that Harlem is an awesome, up-and-coming vibrant and safe neighborhood, but Daddy Warbucks doesn’t feel that way.
In the summer months, look for air conditioning. It seems stupid, but not everyone has it. I made this mistake, once.
-Corporate vs. private. Some apartments are corporate-owned, and they usually have builder-basic/IKEA furniture and almost no decorations. Some apartments are actually owned by the people who live there. I’m conflicted about which is better: corporate means less risk to being outed because they don’t care as much about what goes on in their apartments, they tend to be dingier/dirtier, no one lives there, and they don’t interact with neighbors (who may mention the stream of men coming to your door), but on the same hand, every corporate apartment I’ve stayed in has been missing important things (like shower curtains) and they’ve wanted to show the apartment halfway through my stay. On the other hand, private apartments feel lived in, they’re usually more comfortable, but there’s a risk of the person being offended by what’s happening in THEIR apartment. YMMV.
-On AirBnB, they show you the general neighborhood, along with the street name. Check the photos against Google Street View to find the exact location. Check it out. Does it look as nice as its surroundings? What does the front entrance look like?
-After you’ve gotten the apartment, I always take photos right when I get in, since I know I’m going to rearrange certain things to be more appealing to my own aesthetic. You don’t want the host to come back to all their furniture in weird places.
-Since I only ever do longer stays, I check things out during normal “working” hours for me. I walk the halls, check out the front entrance, see what’s up.
-When you’ve booked clients, walk them through getting into the building. The worst thing a client can do is look lost, ask someone, and get your ass noticed. Be unnoticeable. In my emails, I’ll say, “Buzz apartment whatever, the elevator is on your right, my apartment is at the end of the hall to your left.”
-I never, EVER use the host’s towels or sheets. The last fucking thing I need is something ruined. Use your own shit and bring a laundry bag. (I don’t go under the covers for my sessions, so I have a nice couple of thin bedspreads I use.) If the laundry machines are in the apartment, you can use them. If they’re in the hall, I’d just go to a laundromat, honestly.
NOTHING IS EVER WRONG IN THE APARTMENT. In order to be invisible, you have to have a good reputation on AirBnB, and it’s reciprocal: if you give a host a good rec, they’ll leave you a good rec, and good reviews are your ticket to NOT being outed. Lightbulbs are out? “Apartment was great! Thanks!” No toilet paper? “Apartment was great, thanks!” If the host thinks ANYTHING suspicious, they’ll get irritated and leave something questionable in your reviews. You’re at their mercy.
I may add to this later. I’ve been working out of AirBnB for the past year and a half, so if I think of anything else, I’ll add it.