Most travelers who visit Cancun stay in one of the many luxury all-inclusives that line the famous Hotel Zone, but Airbnbs are pretty popular in the destination, too.
They’re a great option for families and other large groups traveling together because they typically have more space, but not all Airbnbs are safe.
Fortunately, Cancun is trying to weed those out, but here are five tips for choosing a safe Cancun Airbnb as the illegal rental crackdown begins.
First, let’s discuss what Cancun is doing about illegal rentals and examine the number of Airbnbs in the region.
Cancun’s Crackdown On Airbnbs
Airbnb properties have to meet certain safety standards to protect guests.
Certain things, like having smoke detectors and sufficient locks on the doors, are required, and when Airbnbs are not registered, officials cannot hold hosts accountable.
This is why Cancun is going to be fining hosts up to $6,000 for not complying.
Airbnbs In Cancun
In the entire country of Mexico, there are some 300,000 vacation rentals on vacation rental platforms like Airbnb.
Cancun’s home state of Quintana Roo has more than 40,000, which equates to nearly 15 percent of the country’s inventory.
You’ll have no trouble finding an Airbnb in Cancun, but finding a safe one is what’s important, so read on for five tips that will help you.
Location Is Everything
One of the most important safety factors to consider when renting an Airbnb in Cancun or anywhere else is the property’s location.
The tourist areas in Cancun are generally safe and are very well guarded by authorities and security officials because this is where most visitors spend their time, and they have to keep tourists safe.
There are areas of Cancun that are more dangerous, though, and it’s not unheard of to have Airbnbs in those areas, so it’s important to make sure that you look closely at an Airbnb’s location.
Communication Is Important Too
Communicating with an Airbnb host will not only help you to determine if it’s the right one for you but will help you avoid getting scammed as well.
If you’re looking into a specific property and the host is slow answering questions or responding it may say something about what kind of host they are.
Additionally, communicating with a host can help you ensure that it’s not a scammer renting a vacation rental that doesn’t exist, which does happen sometimes.
Read Other Guests’ Reviews
There’s a reason Airbnb makes it easy for guests to leave reviews: it helps guests determine which hosts meet quality standards.
It also gives guests a glimpse into what kind of amenities a specific property might have.
Most importantly, it allows past guests to alert future guests of any dangerous conditions that might exist, such as being in a dangerous location or not having the right safety features in the rental.
Watch Videos
Videos are even better than reviews because people can exaggerate or tell outright lies with words.
Videos, on the other hand, tell the truth, and travelers love being able to see where they’ll be staying.
This is why TikTok has become so popular among travel influencers, and they can help you choose a safe Airbnb, too.
If Something Doesn’t Sit Right, Choose Another Property
The best tip for choosing a safe Airbnb is to use your intuition.
You have probably heard that a million different times in a million different situations, and it applies here too.
After reading reviews, watching videos, and talking to the host if anything at all doesn’t sit right, listen to the voice inside of your head and either do more research or choose another property.
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