Ok, what is an Bnb Duck and what on earth does a duck have to do with Airbnb?
Fair question. Meet P. Duckworth – he is the website mascot who chimes in every now and again to give some words of wisdom. Ok, its really just me, but you get the idea.
– “Hi I am P. Duckworth. Welcome to Bnb Duck! You will see me all over the website.” I am a 30 something Aussie guy that loves every aspect of travelling and as it turns out, hosting travellers too.
My first ever Airbnb experience come during a road trip around the USA while on my honeymoon back in 2012. I wanted something different than a square box with elevators and a front desk, so I signed up and booked a walk up apartment in Mid Town NYC.
I didn’t get off to a great start. Arriving in New York the host messaged and said there are some bugs in the apartment I booked and would need to stay somewhere else until the problem was fixed.
So I walked with all my bags and ended up at Hells Kitchen in a very basic room, disappointed and tired. Thankfully, the next day the original apartment was ready to move into.
A long story short, we had an amazing time, we felt like a local, we had a stoop to sit on and the apartment was like something out of Seinfeld. It wasn’t until the last two days of our week long stay, that I noticed bite marks all over my body. The bugs were back.
Covered in itchy bumps from head to toe, I left New York with mixed feelings and never ventured back into an Airbnb for the rest of the trip.
Five years later, after travelling all around the world, I had ventured back into many Airbnb’s in many countries, and was hooked.
Using Airbnb around the world
Whenever I head overseas, Airbnb is always my first stop when booking accommodation. Having stayed in so many Airbnb’s around the world, I have picked up plenty of hints and tips along the way.
For example, I recommend looking at a private room instead of an entire place. In fact, there is a whole article on the topic. Renting out your own private room is also a great way to make money as an Airbnb host yourself. It’s easy to do too, I’ll explain how!
I know exactly how to find the best bargains and what to look for when searching for an Airbnb house. So that is exactly what I hope to share with you on this blog, to help you save money and stay in awesome places as well.
To emphasise, Bnb Duck is not just about becoming an Airbnb host. It’s about Airbnb hints and tips for guests as well. You will find many articles about guest tips on my blog.
Becoming an Airbnb Host
Back home in Ballarat, Australia, after trying and failing to sell one of our investment properties in a slow market, I decided to take the plunge and become an Airbnb host. What did I have to lose?
I scoured the internet for furniture deals, secondhand TV’s and went to garage sales and read local for sale listings. I furnished the entire 3 bedroom house for less than $3,000 AUD ($2,100 USD). Be sure to read my article about how to furnish an Airbnb on a budget to get an insight.
The day I listed the house we had our first booking within seconds, and then another, and another. This was fantastic! It was working!
Two years on, I now have six properties on Airbnb and am making six figures and growing each year. It has certainly been challenging at times, but also one of the most rewarding adventures I have been on.
I can’t wait to share all the knowledge that I have acquired along the way in my blog. As a guest and a host, I know what works and what doesn’t and would love to pass on my knowledge so everyone can get the most out of their Airbnb experience.
So why Bnb Duck?
Ok, you can probably tell I love Airbnb, but I also love ducks. In particular, mallard ducks. The ones with the green heads. Most days you will find me going to feed the ducks nearby my house.
In one of my earlier Airbnb experiences as a guest, I stayed in a property nearby a lake in Ireland. There were mallards everywhere competing for my attention (and my food), it was heaven.
So, I thought why not blend two of my favourite things and create a website about Airbnb along with P.Duckworth our Bnb Duck mascot.
He is full of Airbnb knowledge and will help turn you into an expert in no time! Take advantage of his little pearls of wisdom.
If you are new to Bnb Duck you can start here. I also have a lot of free resources for you to check out such as a free eBook, templates, plus much more.