Ask HN: Would you Airbnb with 4-6 strangers?

3 points by bjpless 4 years ago | 4 comments

I've been doing the remote work thing for a couple of years now and it's obviously quite socially isolating.

I'd love to travel and co-work with friends regularly but my personal network is only so deep to reliably count on those known travel companions.

Is there a world where others in a similar position would trust 4-6 (identity verified) strangers with similar preferences to leisurely travel or co-work out of a shared AirBnB and generally socialize in the evenings or around shared hobbies (i.e. surfing, rock climbing, meditation, a book club, etc.).

I think that a shared house and a 4-8 person group provides the most cost effective and socially conducive environment -- they are genuinely the most fun experiences of my life. Clearly, though, they require sufficient trust and safety.

If strangers are a bridge too far, would you self-organize trips like this with co-workers if planning were simple?

stuntkite 4 years ago |

I lived out of airbnbs for a few years trying to figure out what I wanted to do rebooting my career. I stayed in this basically illegal hostel in Beverly Hills run by this Chilean lady who was amazing. There were two other developers who were there a lot and a russian sex psychologist. So us four were always there for like the half a year I was at the spot. There was a rotating cast of characters in the bunk rooms.

It was one of my fondest times. I didn't really keep up with those people but I could see a different reality where me, a 60 year old salsa dancing chilean ex boat captain, a russian phd sex psychologist, and a devops engineer who's not maintaining his psych meds that well continue that adventure at new locations and maybe it's the best thing anyone's ever seen.

I wish there was a way to keep that train rolling. The host lady moved her operation to somewhere else. She's been running hostels for years. I should give her a call. She's for sure keeping the dream alive.

drakonka 4 years ago |

When I read the title I clicked in here to say "Absolutely not", but the scenario you described sounds really nice, actually. If everyone got a private room to sleep in I'd consider it.

PaulHoule 4 years ago |

I have been to airbnbs the worked like a youth hostel. I was in a party with one other person and there were several other parties of 2 to 5 people in a huge house in Boston. The owner was there.

I had a great time.

Vladimof 4 years ago |

I would and did (in the same room) ... it was more like a hostel though.