For years, Yore Oyster published hand-picked lists of the best Airbnbs in more than 700 cities, from Madrid and Chicago to Philadelphia and Mobile. Listings change too fast for lists like that to stay accurate, so we retired them. What still works is the method we used to build them. Here it is, updated for 2026. It takes about five minutes in any city.
1. Aim for 10 options or fewer
In a big city, Airbnb will happily show you hundreds of places. That’s the problem. Scrolling through 300 listings leads to hours of searching, putting the booking off, and finally grabbing something mediocre at the last minute.
Ten great options beat a thousand good ones. The filters below are there to cut the list down to 10 or fewer, and every one of those 10 will be worth a look.
2. The ABCs of a great Airbnb
There’s no single “best” Airbnb, because everyone wants something different. But every good pick has three things in common:
- Available: it’s free on your exact dates. Always search with dates, or you’ll fall for places you can’t book.
- Beautiful: life’s too short for a sad apartment.
- Certified by past guests: lots of recent reviews, and consistently high ratings.
3. The 6 filters to use every time
- Choose the city.
- Enter your exact dates.
- Move the map so it shows only the neighbourhoods you actually want to stay in, usually the downtown core. Then search this area only.
- Pick “Entire home”, unless you want to share with the host.
- Set a maximum price with the total price shown (fees included). $150 a night is a good starting point in most cities.
- Turn on “Guest favourite”, Airbnb’s badge for the homes guests rate highest.
Skip the rest, including the number of guests and most amenities. They muddle the results more than they help.
4. Too many results, or too few?
Still more than 10? Lower your maximum price (try $100 a night), or add the “Dedicated workspace” amenity if you’ll be working. Hosts who list it have a real desk and chair.
Fewer than 5? Turn off “Guest favourite” first, then widen the map a little, then raise your price (try $200 a night if you’re booking last-minute). If your dates can move, use flexible dates to search a day or two either side.
5. Mistakes to avoid
- Filtering by every amenity. Many long-running listings never updated their amenity lists, so filters hide good places that actually have what you need. Only filter for true must-haves, like a pool.
- Trusting the star average alone. Read the three or four most recent reviews. They tell you how the place is now.
- Skipping the cancellation policy. On a trip that might change, a flexible policy is worth a few dollars a night.
6. How to pay less
- Stay a week or a month. Many hosts set automatic weekly (7+ nights) and monthly (28+ nights) discounts, and they can be large.
- Ask politely. For longer stays, or a gap between two bookings, message the host before you book. Say who you are, why you like the place, and what you can pay. Hosts would rather fill an empty week at a discount than leave it empty.
- Compare the total, not the nightly rate. Cleaning fees can turn a cheap-looking two-night stay into an expensive one.