Used Airbnb for the first time when we went to Ireland last year.
As with everything, read the reviews (taking into account some people will moan and mark down if they heard a rumour that a person 5 doors away farted loudly at 4am)
Pricing is probably on a par with say renting a cottage/house but cheaper than some of the hotels we were looking at
We rented 2 properties and both were great (both down as Super Hosts).
When you book you will pay 50% and the other half when you want up to around 8 weeks before your booking
Communication with the people renting was superb via the Airbnb App. Both of them for ours were responsive and both very much anything you need or any issues just contact us and we will sort it.
I like that when you leave them feedback, they cannot see it until they have left their own. As a user you get a rating as well, so those renting can reject your booking if you have been a twat previously but there is no way the feedback you get can be based on what you leave. It will be based on how you left the place, did you complain about the suspected farter at 4.02am etc
We were unsure but took a gamble based on what others had said to us about using it. We have now booked via Airbnb for when we visit Rome in July.
Another benefit can be the locations being slightly better than the Hotels. In Ireland we were right on the Harbour in Howth and right by Bunratty Castle when we went over the t'other side of Ireland and in Rome, not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing we are in a huge apartment right in the middle of the shopping district.
Also if you fancy ditching Austria, there is a house on the street I live on which is on Airbnb. Great if you like shit football, gingerbread and a ton of pubs.
