A few weeks ago I wrote an article on “How to get a private pool for a Hijab free holiday” with Airbnb. I knew this article would get many clicks since it is a hot topic in the Muslim community and every single women wants a Muslim friendly hijab free holiday.
I want to make this an awesome experience for the ladies and men out there. Nothing worse than booking the wrong villa and your wife’s expectations going downhill. It will make for more of a holiday from hell rather than paradise.
So, here are my top five tips for finding the perfect villa on Airbnb for all my hijabi sisters out there…
1.Narrow your search down
Make sure you look for private villas. This does take a little bit of time since depending on area there might be many properties but eventually it can be done. Once you are logged in into the Airbnb site,
- Check the box that says ‘entire place’
- Property type – villa
- more filters : type in ‘pool’
Tip: I type in pool rather than private pool because not everyone uses this keyword when entering their houses which means you might miss a gem.
2. Pay attention
Make sure you look through the photos. I know interior photos are important but for me personally the exterior are even more important. If I am looking for a muslim friendly or private holiday I want to make sure there is little to no possibility of someone seeing me. Many modern villas will have other houses next to them, or it will be with an open garden. These are pretty useless to me since I can’t sun bathe. So I always make sure I look into the photos and try and find photos of different angles to check that there is a high wall or it is in a secluded area.
3. Ask for information
If you find a property you like but you don’t think there are enough photos or information make sure you email the owner. You can ask them to provide additional information about the area or how private it is. Many of these properties will require you to rent a car so make sure you have all the necessary documents as well.
Tip: Complete your Airbnb profile with some basic information and a photo. It doesn’t have to be your personal photo but it makes a better impression if your profile is complete.
4. Reviews
Always check if there are reviews available for the property you need. Reviews can be very valuable and no wonder they are more trusted than anything else. They provide you with great information about the property, the area and the host. You can find out pretty much half of your questions just by reading reviews. It also shows you that the property and the owner are legitimate. Airbnb screens every property and they have measures in place to protect you and the host however it always pays to be careful. If you can’t find reviews for the property on Airbnb do a Google search and in many cases you will find additional information.
5. Enjoy & Reciprocate
Airbnb is a community so once you are back from your holiday, review the property and the owner. It is great for you to have a review on your profile for your next holiday and by reviewing you are providing information for other travellers like yourself. I always work with the mantra what comes around goes around. Most importantly don’t forget to enjoy your holiday inshaAllah and have fun.
Get on Airbnb for yourself and start searching! I would also be extremely grateful if you use my referral link, you will receive £17 off your next booking.
