Renting just a room on Airbnb

Can renting just a room on Airbnb be an option for you?

Extra things to look out for apart from those when using Airbnb generally which you can find here.

- Is it a room in an otherwise private house or a room in a shared house that is with some other guests or lodgers but without an actual host on site?

- Is that the only room available or is more than one room rented in that house (check if the host has other listings) and if so are they all rented together (you won't find other guests), or separately (you will find other guests)?

- Have you got a private bathroom and if so, is it en-suite? If not, how is it accessed from your room, do you have to go through the living room in front of the whole family watching TV every time (this happened to us and was embarrassing!)

- If the bathroom isn't private how many people is it shared with? Just the host(s) or other guests too?

- What is provided in your room? Is there a kettle or perhaps even a mini-fridge or no facilities?

- If there is Wifi, is it good also in your room or do you have to go to common areas to use it?

- Can you use the kitchen to get your own meals? Which rooms can you access?

- How sociable are you and how used are you to sharing space with other people?

- Are there any cultural differences to bear in mind?

Advantages and disadvantages of renting a room instead of an apartment

Advantages

Often, but surprisingly not always, cheaper than an apartment.

Usually available even for just one night - many apartments (but not all) aren't.

Contact with, and support for, local people! If you want some contact with the locals, or to practice the language or to know where the locals eat this ideal for you. You also have someone to provide help in case of problems.

Disadvantages

Lack of privacy

Can be embarrassing

Savings may be offset by having to eat out

Conclusions

Whether this option is ok for you is entirely personal. We are 50/60 years old, reasonably sociable and I would say we are open-minded people. We found the shared house option (found only in the UK so far), very good because it's less embarrassing than being in a house with the owner. We would definitely do this again, even for a few days.

We found it  a  bit  more embarrassing  to stay actually in somebody's private house. It seems unsociable to just stay closed in one's room the whole time one is in the house but if you are sensitive to other people's feelings it does create dilemmas about how much you can use various facilities without 'bothering' your host. This is especially true of using the kitchen, the times it worked best was when the host was a man who opened cupboards to show where things were and had an "well I'll leave you to get on with it" approach. In a different, very beautiful house, where kitchen use was allowed, my lady host leapt up from her armchair in alarm and followed me into the kitchen when I approached with my cool bag! Leaving something in the fridge, using the microwave to heat something up or the kettle to make coffee should be fine pretty much everywhere when use of kitchen is allowed but I can't see myself frying fish in someone else's kitchen! For us, ok for a day or two, but not more.....
Comments appreciated - have you tried?

Castle Alcalá del Júcar