My sneaky trick for booking holiday accommodation saves me thousands | The Sun

A FREQUENT traveller has claimed to have saved "literally thousands" on accommodation, by using a clever "rolodex" method.

Holiday costs are going up, meaning people are on the lookout for ways in which they can trim the price of their getaways.

One way they could do that is by returning to a destination and accommodation they have stayed at before, particularly an Airbnb.

That's what Tiktoker Anna (@annathingbutanimals) does when she wants to find bargains.

She said she stores the contact details of her Airbnb hosts after her visits, and then gets in touch with them privately before her return.

Anna claims they are usually happy to rent out one of their rooms to a returning customer, usually with a healthy discount.

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However, others remain unconvinced, due to certain protections that come with using the website to book.

In a video, she said: "I'm done gatekeeping. This is my biggest travel hack that saves me literally thousands of dollars while travelling and I cannot believe nobody is talking about this.

"Every time, and I mean every time, you stay in an Airbnb, save their phone number.

"I don't care how long it's been, save it as like 'Jason Airbnb, Lisbon' or 'Antonio Airbnb, Mexico', whatever it is.

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"Some of these people, I kid you not, have like 30 properties, and they would so much rather rent it to somebody they know.

"Every time I'm going somewhere, I go through my rolodex and think, 'Who do I know there?'

"And I'm like,'Hey, it's Anna. I stayed in your Airbnb on blah, blah, blah, absolutely loved it. I'm coming back and was wondering if you have anything during this time'.

"And then whatever the list price is, whatever the price they give you is, say, 'Hey, can I pay you 70 per cent of that, if I pay you in cash?'

"If it's off season or last minute, you can even go lower. I've done, like 50 per cent before.

"This has never not worked for me, and I think I've saved $500 (£407) just this month."

Anna's advice was backed up by Airbnb hosts in the comments, one of whom said: "I’m an Airbnb host and she is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT."

Another person said: "My mum owns an Airbnb and she much prefers booking past customers like this!

"Saves everyone money and trouble and makes for loyal relations."

A third added: "This is genius. We have 4-5 Airbnbs and we have discounted multiple properties, especially if it’s not booked out."

Others pointed out one or two potential issues that could arise while using the method, including missing out on the insurance and protections that come with booking via the website.

For instance, if there's a serious issue with the accommodation the website will help find a similar place, depending on availability at comparable pricing.

If a similar place isn't available Airbnb will offer full or partial refunds. Booking privately won't provide guests with this coverage.

One person commented: "But then you have zero protection or contract if you pay cash and don’t go through the Airbnb website. That seems sketchy."

Another added: "But I won’t be insured then."

There are other ways that guests can save money on Airbnb stays, including haggling via the app.

Hosts can be contacted before a booking has been made and some are open to doing a deal with people before they book the room.

This is often more successful if it's at short notice, or if you're booking a longer stay than normal.

Holidaymakers should also compare costs, with plenty of Airbnb hosts also putting their rooms on other accommodation sites like Booking.com.

The prices aren't always the same as they are on each site, due to booking and admin fees, meaning they can be cheaper elsewhere.

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Meanwhile, this is how booking a "wonky weekend" could also save you money on your holiday.

And here are 25 popular travel hacks to keep holiday costs down.

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