Our First Airbnb Experience Was a Breeze

When my family travels, we are creatures of habit. If we’re passing through somewhere and simply need a quick and easy hotel night near a highway, we tend to use hotel points to stay at one of several midscale brands. We book in advance and almost never play it by ear in those situations. The few times we’ve winged it, something always seems to go wrong.

So, when a recent family road trip required us to stay overnight in tiny Socorro, New Mexico, where none of our go-to brands were available, I posed the question to my partner: Should we try an Airbnb for the first time? After looking at a couple of options I’d found, he answered with a resounding, “Sure!”

We booked the property, the quaintly named Lone Pine Inn, with no problems. Soon we were communicating with the lovely owner, Cindi, who was prompt and helpful with her replies. We’d have the whole two-bedroom house to ourselves, and we even had a washer and dryer, allowing us to pack far fewer clothes for our eight-day driving trip.

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I wasn’t sure what our kids, 11- and 17-year-old boys, would think of the idea, as they’re generally laser-focused on what the hotel pool looks like. This home had no pool and its log cabin feel might not be their idea of luxury. But once I showed them the pictures, they too were enthusiastic about the idea—a pleasant surprise.

Our check in was amazingly easy as Cindi sent us the code to the lockbox on the front door a few days before our stay. She left us a note to help ourselves to any food in the house, and she thoughtfully had an array of snacks on the counter, as well as a nice variety of bottled cola and water in the fridge.

She had set out local restaurant menus, visitor information on Socorro and the surrounding area, and WiFi instructions. There was soap in the bathroom, and all sorts of small touches could be found all over the home, from hand lotion to dryer sheets. We wanted for nothing.

The home was decorated in a cozy western style that befitted the homes more than 70-year-old history—which Cindi thoroughly explained, in her own handwriting, for all guests to read. We signed the guestbook, which was filled with warm stories from numerous guests who had enjoyed the hospitality over the past couple of years.

After days of one-room hotel stays, it was a pleasant change to have a separate room for the kids, giving us all more privacy and space to stretch out.

Checking out was effortless, and we communicated with Cindi about our stay and thanked her. Our older son especially loved the experience, and we’re excited to try this new tactic for a longer stay in the near future. If anything, though, our host set pretty high standards, and the next homeowner will have some large shoes to fill.