As a card-carrying Sagittarius, international travel has always been a priority in my personal and professional life as the Editor in Chief of Who What Wear. My habits abroad have become quite ingrained (find out the locals’ favorite restaurants, definitely check out the vintage shopping scene, etc.). But when I was on my annual pilgrimage to Japan earlier this year with my husband and newborn daughter, I had the brilliant idea to try something new. I wanted to take family photos and thought the Tokyo backdrop and no-obligation holiday energy would be a great combination. I’m no stranger to Airbnb (*checks receipts* I have 72 home bookings on the platform) but I’d never tried airbnb Experience. Within an hour, I had consulted the Tokyo guide on what to wear and made a booking YosukeAnd now I have epic family photos and an edited video that costs a third of what it would have cost me in my home city of Los Angeles. Travel-hack success!
Fast forward a few months, I needed to secure a spot to attend Paris Fashion Week. I was looking for a place that could receive invitations to my shows and was close to the venues. An excellent closet and good lighting for social stuff was a bonus. And my nursing daughter was along for the ride: a crib arrangement, bathtub, no walkups, and plenty of room for her to move around. There are nearly 100,000 homes in Paris on Airbnb, so I knew I’d find what I was looking for. I connected with the folks at Airbnb and they provided me with my dream apartment and also suggested I try some of their experiences and Service. Another opportunity to test out my new favorite travel hack of using Airbnb to take family photos around the world? Twist my arm!
I booked everything intuitively in the app and I loved how it organized everything into one easy-to-reference itinerary. I can confirm details and make any updates all in one place. It felt like I had hired a travel agent, but without talking to anyone. Dream
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One of the services I tried is Airbnb’s recently launched partnership welcome pickupWhere you can prebook private car service to and from the airport. They serve 125 cities, so it’s already very accessible. The warm welcome and help with luggage was great, but I was very grateful for the car seat provision. The seamless start and end of journeys is a boon on busy travel days, and now I’m not sure I’ll be able to go back to my normal taxi! Next time, I have my eye on even more experiences, like a masseuse for a post-Fashion Week treat and professional hair and makeup to attend the most notable shows. And while services matter a lot while traveling, I don’t plan on booking even in my hometown. A mixologist for my husband’s upcoming birthday party? Perfect surprise. A chef to create a special evening at home when my parents are in town? Done.
(Image credit: Salem Mostefaoui for PCA-Stream)
Paris hotels are known to be exceptionally small. Paris apartments are generally not the most spacious, either. But this magical apartment in the Marais felt like a palace. I could learn gymnastics floor routines in the living room. My habitually crowded body was in heaven.
One of the things I love about Airbnb is that it has such a wide range of accommodations available, whether you’re looking for something simple or dressing up for a special occasion. In Paris, I’m always looking for charm (those classic wooden beams are iconic) and a location right in the middle of the bustling Marais, where the vintage shopping is exceptional.
Travel gives you the opportunity to live in ways you couldn’t even dream of at home, and I think boat trip on the seine Extreme tourist in the best way. I collect memories and experiences like other people might collect coins or stamps, and I will never forget traveling down the river on a private boat while drinking champagne with my family.
The number of experiences that actually seem enjoyable in Paris is staggering. Despite the temptation of croissant baking and wine tasting, I was drawn to a tour of orangery. I had previously visited Monet’s house in Giverny and was excited to see the rooms created specifically to house the artist’s huge, winding water lily paintings. Our tour guide was a master storyteller, with endless insightful tidbits that brought the pictures to life. Our guide, Maurizio, also got bonus points for being incredibly patient with the hectic pace of a wandering child.
After my last show of the week, I met up with my husband and daughter for the international family photo shoot round two. airbnb recommended Sophien For the booking, and when we got the photos back, I was so grateful again to have captured this moment in time. At the risk of stating the obvious, a professional is going to treat you and your loved ones with a lot more care than the nearest tourist you could ask for. I have less pictures of the three of us because usually either I or my husband takes the picture, which makes them more valuable. Like Tokyo, the cost was much more affordable than if I had shot locally. I’m dreaming of a little photo album for my daughter with all of our family shoots around the world. A win all around — and a travel hack that holds up whether I’m on vacation or taking a moment between fashion shows.
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