Airbnb founder to eat his own dog food

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Couch surfing – or whatever else you’d call the hitchhiking equivalent to sleeping – might work for a few nights, but can you make a career of it? The founder and CEO of a spare room rental service is about to find out.

Brian Chesky, one of the minds behind Airbnb, which helps people rent out their spare rooms to strangers, is going to spend the rest of this year using Airbnb to find places to lay his weary head. Chesky’s a victim of his own success: the company has effectively taken over his office, according to a post on the company’s blog, leaving him with the choice of getting a new place or proving the Airbnb concept in a most unusual and effective manner.

He explains:

Anyone else would have started the hunt for a new place to live. However, that’s when the idea struck me. Why not just live on Airbnb? Instead of getting a new apartment, I decided that I will live the remainder of 2010 on Airbnb. I will stay 2-3 nights in homes and apartments on our website, across San Francisco. Originally I wanted to stay in every place available in SF on Airbnb. But, with 650 listings, that would take me a couple years. Still, by Christmas, I will likely break a record for living in the most homes in a single city. The benefit is clear; the best way to make a great product is to design something for yourself. By using Airbnb everyday, I will get to know the product and the people like never before.

In all fairness, this is the sort of eviction every entrepreneur hopes for! Aggressive growth and successful execution are the reasons for Chesky’s unique homelessness.

[via VentureBeat, photo via Airbnb blog]

Long time in port? Rent a Car! – Cruise tip

by Gadling Staff on

When you’re in a port for an extended period of time, rent a car.

When you have a car of your own, you can not only see the port of call at your own pace, but you can experience the local culture as well.

Additionally, this a less expensive way for everyone in your party to be together. Even the smallest island in the Caribbean has a rental car agency. If you can’t find an car rental agency on the Internet, contact the port of call’s Chamber of Commerce.

Eight rules for renting a car in a foreign country

by Katie Hammel on

Renting a car can be a great way to see a foreign country. Having your own wheels allows you the freedom to take your time, to stop for long lunches in the countryside, to turn down that little lane that looks interesting, and to go where public transportation won’t take you. But, renting a car comes with its own set of challenges and dangers. Here are eight road rules to remember when renting a car on your travels.

If you can’t drive a manual, now is not the time to learn.

Outside of the US, many, if not most, cars have manual transmissions. Finding an automatic rental can be difficult, and the cost will be significantly higher. You may be tempted to save money by taking the manual and if you’re fairly comfortable driving one, that’s fine. But if you’ve never driven one before, took a crash course just before your trip, or haven’t had to step on a clutch in over a decade, get the automatic. You’ll be concentrating hard enough on trying to figure out where to go, decipher all the crazy foreign road sides, and possibly drive on the “wrong” side of the road, that you really don’t want to add learning how to shift into the mix. And if you screw up the car’s transmission while you try to learn how to drive a manual, you could be held liable for the damage.



Always spring for the insurance.
$10-$20 a day for insurance can add up, and it’s easy to figure that, hey, nothing will go wrong, so why not skimp a little on the full coverage. Don’t do it (unless your credit card offers some coverage). On the off chance that something does happen, even if it isn’t your fault, you’ll be kicking yourself when you are stuck with a hefty bill. In some countries it is common to be offered an additional coverage on your tires and windshield. If you’ll be driving on gravel roads, definitely take this option. It’s usually just a few bucks more over the course of your rental and well worth the cost.

Let your hosts know when to expect you.
When you head out for the day with your car, always let your hosts know where you expect to go and when you’ll most likely be back. If you are going from place to place, let the proprietors of your next accommodation know when you’ll be arriving and what route you will be taking. If you do get horribly lost or get stranded along the road, at least you’ll know that one person has noticed that you’ve gone missing and they will have somewhat of an idea of where to start looking for you.

Make sure you have a spare.
In the US, it’s easier to get help if you get a flat tire. Chances are you’ve got your cell phone on you and you may even be a AAA member, making it easy to arrange a tow. At the very least, you can call the rental company and ask for assistance. If you are traveling in another country without a cell, getting help is a bit more difficult. Always check to make sure your rental car has a spare tire, and before you set out on your trip, make sure you know how to change it.

Don’t forget a map.
If you’ve got the cash and the option is available, get the GPS, but also bring a hard copy map with you as well. As we’ve seen, sometimes there’s no substitute for an actual old-fashioned paper map. If GPS isn’t an option, don’t rely on vague directions, be sure to pick up a comprehensive map in case you decide to wander a bit or in the event that the directions you were given turn out to be less than accurate.

Know the rules of the road.
Stop at stop signs, don’t speed, watch out for children and livestock. These are rules we know and which tend to be consistent across continents. Other rules of the road are more localized and often unwritten. Not following them may not get you a ticket, but they may not earn you any friends along the way either. Always research the road culture in a place you will be driving and learn customs that are followed there. For instance, when I was driving in South Africa, I was glad my friends had told me that on two-lane roads I should move over to the far left so that faster drivers could pass me. Had I not known, I probably would have made some other drivers very angry as they tried to pass me while I drove in the middle of my lane.

Don’t make yourself a target.
If you are driving from place to place, you’ll be traveling with your luggage and you may have a GPS unit mounted on your window or a map spread across the backseat. All of this screams “I’m a tourist, come pillage the car!” Always put your luggage in the trunk and stow the GPS and maps in the glovebox. Lock your doors when you aren’t in the car and don’t give anyone a reason to break in.

Read the fine print.
Be sure to familiarize yourself with your rental company’s rules. Some don’t allow rentals with debit cards, and a few countries require than the driver have not just a driver’s license from their home country, but an international driving permit as well. If you’re told something different in person than what you’ve read, be sure to ask for clarification. A couple I talked to in South Africa thought they needed to sign a special form to take their rental out of the country, but the rental agent said it wasn’t necessary. When they hit a cow and totaled the car in Botswana, they were told that because they didn’t sign the form before crossing the border, they could be liable for the cost of the car – about $7000US! Always read the fine print and know the rental rules.

Drive a rental car to Florida for $1

by Katie Hammel on

I agree with Mike Barish’s recent post. Road trips do rock. I love grabbing some friends, jumping in the car, and blasting great music as we cruise down the highway or along back roads. If you love a good road trip…..and you happen to live in Texas or on the east coast……and you want to drive one-way to Florida…..and you just happen to plan on going before November 15, well then Thrifty Car Rental has a deal for you.

The car rental company is offering the rock-bottom-rate of $1 per day for renters willing to pick up the car at Houston Hobby, Houston International, Corpus Christi, Boston, Burlington, or Providence airports and drive it to one of nine airports in Florida before November 15.

Odds are that not many people will be able to take advantage of this offer, except perhaps some of the snowbirds, like my grandmother, who head south every winter. But if the circumstances are right for you, it is an awesome deal.

There are some additional restrictions though (yes even more than those above!). Availability is limited and you must make the transfer within seven days. Drive fast, grandma!
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Four of the most expensive travel products you can waste your money on

by Scott Carmichael on

Forget the recession, forget the “staycation” (I hate that term). If you still haven’t lost all your money in the global economic meltdown, then here are 4 of the most expensive travel items you can spend/waste your money on.

In the lineup, you’ll find how you can spend $2.6 Million on one airline ticket, a cruise, a rental car and one RV. Yes – this is how you can really burn through your cash like it is going out of style!




The most expensive airline ticket

If you book your own tickets (ie. you don’t get them issued through work), you’ll have often whined about wasting $400 on airfare. If you go abroad a lot, you’ll most likely have clicked “buy now” on a $900 airline ticket. But those are nothing compared to the most expensive commercial airline ticket available – the “first class six continent round the world” on the One World alliance. All for a mere $16,900.

Assuming you ignore private jet rates and airline seats auctioned for charity (someone once paid $100,000 for a charity seat on the Airbus A380), nothing costs more than this round the world ticket.

Even tickets on Concorde used to cost less than this. The ticket allows you 16 flight segments in first class to 6 continents, allowing you to circle the globe in comfort. Best of all, a smart mileage planner can earn enough miles for another free round trip in first class and elite status on any airline in the alliance (as long as they were smart enough to add their frequent flier number to the itinerary).


The most expensive rental car

The most expensive rental car in the world won’t come with one of those stupid “number 1” stickers found on Hertz vehicles, and you won’t earn any upgrades for being a member of the frequent rental program. But if you have a spare $75,000 lying around, you can rent yourself a Bugatti Veyron for the weekend. You’ll also need a spare $262,000 on your credit card for the deposit, so be sure you don’t crash the damn thing.

Of course, your $75,000 does get you the fastest production car ever built, and if you feel lucky, you may be able to bring her to her top speed of 253 mph. Just keep the tires in good shape – a set of spares costs another $40,000. Also, be sure you don’t get too attached to this beauty – she’ll cost a sweet $1,400,000 to purchase.


The most expensive RV

For some people, a mobile home or RV is considered luxurious if it features a shower. Others demand a bit more.

Anderson Mobile Estates designs mobile homes for the rich and famous. Their rigs have 2 stories, and up to 1,100 square feet of space. The entire home is designed with luxury in mind – exotic wood, granite, marble and fine china.

Flat panel TV’s and gaming consoles are everywhere, residents can get online using satellite uplinks and if you find yourself in a party mood, you can invite 30 of your closest friends for a bit of fun in the upper deck. Creative minds can even take advantage of full sound booths and editing suites, complete with their own entrance.

The price for this much luxury? Start thinking $2 Million and you’ll be getting close. Best of all, this thing can be set up in just 10 minutes.


The most expensive cruises

For $319,560 you can spend your next 69 days in total luxury on board the Seabourn Odyssey (that works out to be $4631 each day – per person).

This of course does not include any of the prices you could end up paying for your own private yacht rental, which can easily exceed $120,000 per day!

Other luxury cruise line prices are equally expensive – another of the priciest cruises will sail you around the world in 108 days, for $509,490, also on Seabourn. Of course, these fares are for their best possible suite with 2 bedrooms, a whirlpool tub, walk in closets and of course, butler service.

Norweigan Cruse Line offers one of the largest cruise suites in the world – at 5,750 square feet, this accommodation offers 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, butler service, a baby grand piano and a private terrace with enough room for 100 people!

At $25,000 a week (a mere $3500/day), it isn’t as expensive as the Seabourn cruise line suites, but the amenities sound like a ton more fun. Imagine inviting 100 of your new friends up to your terrace for a private party?