Booking an Airbnb for a holiday is relatively forgiving.
The mattress might be slightly uncomfortable. The Wi-Fi might be slower than expected. There might be construction happening next door. The dining table might not be particularly pleasant to sit at.
For a three-night city break, these are annoyances.
For a one-month remote-work stay, they can become serious problems.
When we work remotely from an Airbnb, apartment or other short-term rental, the accommodation is no longer simply where we sleep. It becomes our office, meeting room, kitchen, living space and home — often for several weeks at a time.
That changes what makes a property “good.”
A beautiful apartment with an infinity pool might be a terrible place to work. A relatively ordinary apartment with excellent Wi-Fi, a proper chair, natural light and a quiet bedroom might be considerably better.
And one of the biggest mistakes remote workers can make is assuming that filters such as “Wi-Fi” and “dedicated workspace” tell us everything we need to know.
They don’t.
After years of remote work becoming increasingly mainstream, platforms and hosts have certainly adapted. Airbnb itself allows hosts to test their Wi-Fi and display the result on their listing, and connections above 50 Mbps can be displayed as “Fast wifi.” But Airbnb also points out something important: the displayed test primarily tells us about download speed at a particular point in time, while actual performance can vary depending on network conditions, where we are in the property and other activity on the network.
So if we are booking somewhere for a serious period of remote work, we need to look beyond the headline features.
Here are the 15 things we would check before booking an Airbnb for remote work.
1. Check the Actual Wi-Fi Speed — Not Just Whether Wi-Fi Exists
“Wi-Fi included” is almost meaningless for a remote worker.
A property can technically have Wi-Fi while offering a connection that is completely unsuitable for daily video calls.
Fortunately, some Airbnb listings now display a verified speed test. Airbnb categorises 25–49 Mbps as sufficient for activities including video calls, while connections above 50 Mbps are labelled “Fast wifi” and can support multiple connected devices.
For one remote worker, we would generally be comfortable with around 25 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload, assuming the connection is stable.
For two people working simultaneously, we would rather see 50–100 Mbps download and at least 20 Mbps upload.
But we should not obsess over the highest possible number.
A stable 50 Mbps fibre connection can be substantially better for remote work than an unstable 300 Mbps connection.
This is particularly important when Zoom, Teams or Google Meet calls form an important part of our working day.
We covered this in considerably more detail in our guide to how much internet speed remote workers actually need, including upload speed, latency, packet loss, VPNs and simultaneous video calls.
If the Airbnb does not display a speed, we can simply ask the host.
Even better, ask:
“Would you mind sending me a recent speed-test screenshot taken from inside the apartment?”
That gives us considerably more information than asking whether the Wi-Fi is “good.”
Airbnb itself encourages hosts to test and display their internet speed because connectivity has become such an important consideration for remote guests. Airbnb’s guide to checking Wi-Fi speed before booking
2. Ask About Upload Speed Too
This deserves its own section because it is frequently overlooked.
Internet providers and hosts normally advertise download speed.
We might see:
100 Mbps Wi-Fi
and assume the connection is excellent.
But the connection might actually be:
100 Mbps download / 5 Mbps upload.
For streaming Netflix, that is fine.
For two people simultaneously attending video calls while Dropbox is uploading files in the background, the experience may be less comfortable.
Upload speed matters whenever information leaves our device.
That includes:
video calls, screen sharing, sending large attachments, uploading videos, cloud backups and synchronising files.
For most remote workers, 10 Mbps upload is workable.
Around 20 Mbps or more provides greater comfort, especially if two people are working from the same property.
For video editors, photographers and professionals regularly moving large files, fast upload speed can be more important than having extremely fast download speed.
Airbnb’s own guest-facing Wi-Fi information currently focuses on download speed and explicitly notes that the displayed result does not provide specific upload-speed or latency information.
That means asking the host directly can still be worthwhile.
3. Look at the Desk — Carefully
Airbnb has a “dedicated workspace” amenity.
That sounds promising.
But the definition of a workspace can be rather generous.
A narrow console table with a decorative stool might technically count.
So might a kitchen counter.
For someone spending eight hours per day working on a laptop, that distinction matters considerably.
Look through the listing photos rather than simply trusting the amenity filter.
Can we actually see the desk?
Is it large enough for a laptop?
Could we add a portable monitor?
Is there enough space for a mouse?
Is there a power socket nearby?
Will our knees fit underneath it?
Does the desk appear to be at a reasonable height?
If the listing states that there is a dedicated workspace but there is no photo of it, we would ask the host to send one.
This is one of those situations where a single photograph can tell us much more than the listing description.
4. Check the Chair — Not Just the Desk
This is arguably even more important.
A beautiful wooden chair looks excellent in Airbnb photographs.
It may feel terrible after three hours.
Remote workers frequently focus on internet speed and forget ergonomics completely.
Yet if we are staying for one month, we could easily spend 160 hours or more sitting in that chair.
Ideally, we want a chair with a backrest, reasonable support and a height that works with the desk.
An office chair is excellent.
A comfortable dining chair can also work.
A backless stool is considerably less appealing.
If a property looks otherwise perfect but has a poor chair, this does not necessarily mean we should reject it. For longer stays, it may be possible to ask the host whether another chair is available.
Sometimes there is already a better chair somewhere else in the property.
We can also travel with relatively small pieces of equipment that improve temporary workspaces. Our Ultimate Remote Work Travel Gear Guide looks at the equipment that is genuinely useful for longer working trips without turning our luggage into a mobile office.
5. Find Out Where the Workspace Is Located
A desk is useful.
A desk in the wrong place can be almost useless.
Imagine a one-bedroom Airbnb with a workstation in the living room.
That may be perfect for one remote worker.
Now imagine two people are staying there.
One starts a client meeting at 8:00 while the other is making breakfast two metres away.
Later, one wants to relax after finishing work while the other still has three hours of meetings.
Suddenly the floor plan matters as much as the furniture.
For couples or friends working remotely together, we strongly prefer accommodation where work and living areas can be separated.
That could mean:
a desk in the bedroom and another table in the living room;
two separate bedrooms;
a bedroom plus an office;
or at least enough space for one person to work behind a closed door.
If both people regularly have calls, an open-plan studio can become frustrating surprisingly quickly.
Remote accommodation is therefore not simply about the number of square metres.
The way those square metres are divided matters.
6. Check Whether Video Calls Will Be Quiet
Noise is one of the hardest things to judge from listing photographs.
An Airbnb can look extremely peaceful while sitting above a nightclub.
A beautiful balcony might face a major road.
An apartment in a historic centre may have charming wooden windows that provide almost no sound insulation.
None of this matters very much in the photographs.
For remote workers, it matters every weekday.
Read reviews and search specifically for words such as:
noise, quiet, street, traffic, construction, bar, neighbours, walls, church, dogs and nightclub.
A recurring comment about street noise should not automatically eliminate a property. Some people are far more sensitive to noise than others.
But it gives us information.
Google Maps or satellite/street imagery can also provide context.
Is the apartment above restaurants?
Is there a major road immediately outside?
A school?
A railway line?
A construction site may be impossible to predict, but we can at least eliminate obvious risks.
And if quiet is essential because we spend much of our day speaking with clients, asking the host directly is completely reasonable.
7. Find Out Whether the Internet Is Shared
This is particularly important in guesthouses, apartment buildings, colivings and properties where a larger home has been divided into multiple rental units.
“100 Mbps Wi-Fi” sounds excellent.
But who shares those 100 Mbps?
If one fibre connection serves a single apartment, we have considerable capacity.
If the same connection serves 15 guest rooms, the situation can be very different at 8 p.m.
Bandwidth usage fluctuates throughout the day.
A connection that performs perfectly during a host’s speed test at 11 a.m. may behave differently when everyone returns home and starts streaming video.
We can therefore ask:
“Is the internet connection private to the apartment, or shared with other units?”
This is particularly useful when the accommodation looks more like a hotel, residence or guesthouse than an independent apartment.
Shared internet is not necessarily bad.
A professionally designed hotel network may be considerably better than a cheap home router.
We simply want to understand the setup.
8. Look for Ethernet — Especially for Important Calls
Ethernet is not essential.
But it is an underrated bonus.
A wired connection removes many of the variables introduced by Wi-Fi: walls, interference, signal strength, router distance and competing wireless devices.
If our job involves important client calls, webinars, live broadcasts or presentations, an Ethernet port can be extremely useful.
Unfortunately, it is rarely mentioned in Airbnb listings.
If reliable connectivity is essential, ask.
The host may not know what “Ethernet access” means, in which case a photograph of the router can sometimes answer the question.
Even if we normally use Wi-Fi, knowing that Ethernet is available gives us an excellent backup if the wireless network becomes unreliable.
9. Check Mobile Coverage as a Backup
Internet connections fail.
Even very good ones.
For someone on holiday, a two-hour outage might mean reading a book.
For someone presenting to a client in ten minutes, it is a different situation.
This is why mobile connectivity matters.
Ideally, our phone or a second SIM/eSIM should be able to create a hotspot if the main Wi-Fi fails.
Before booking a longer remote-work stay, it can therefore be useful to check mobile network coverage in the area.
This becomes especially important in rural destinations, mountain villages, islands and remote countryside properties.
The beautiful cabin surrounded by forest might have excellent fibre.
Or it might have mediocre Wi-Fi and virtually no mobile signal.
In the second case, one technical problem can completely disconnect us.
For serious remote work, redundancy is valuable.
10. Check Heating and Air Conditioning — Depending on the Season
Temperature can affect productivity far more than we expect.
A charming Alpine apartment may look perfect in summer photographs but be difficult to heat properly in January.
A Mediterranean apartment may look beautiful in spring but become extremely hot during July.
For a holiday, we can spend the hottest part of the day outside.
When working remotely, we may be sitting indoors from 9:00 until 17:00.
That changes the equation.
Check whether the property has heating, air conditioning or fans according to the season.
Also pay attention to where the unit is installed.
Air conditioning in the bedroom does not necessarily cool the living room where the desk is located.
Likewise, a small heater might technically satisfy the “heating” amenity while struggling to heat a large apartment.
Recent reviews from the same season can be particularly useful here.
Someone staying in February can tell us much more about winter comfort than someone who stayed in August.
11. Make Sure the Kitchen Works for a Long Stay
Remote workers use accommodation differently from tourists.
If we stay for four nights, eating at restaurants twice per day may be part of the experience.
If we stay for six weeks, the economics — and our enthusiasm — change quickly.
A functional kitchen becomes significantly more important.
Look for:
a proper refrigerator;
a stovetop;
basic cookware;
knives;
plates and cutlery;
a kettle or coffee machine if that matters to us;
storage space;
and ideally enough counter space to prepare food comfortably.
Again, “kitchen” can mean very different things.
In some listings, it means a fully equipped residential kitchen.
In others, it means a microwave, mini-fridge and one induction plate.
For one week, either might work.
For one or two months, we probably care about the difference.
This is one reason workations increasingly differ from traditional holidays. As we explain in our guide to what a workation actually is, combining work and travel creates different requirements from simply going on vacation.
12. Check Laundry Facilities
Laundry is another amenity that barely matters during a weekend trip and becomes increasingly important with every additional week.
For a month-long stay, having a washing machine inside the apartment can make life considerably easier.
If there is no washing machine, find out what the alternative is.
Is there a shared laundry room?
A laundromat nearby?
A paid cleaning/laundry service?
Does the host provide fresh bed linen and towels during longer stays?
There is no universally correct answer.
In many cities, a laundromat five minutes away is perfectly adequate.
But we want to know before arriving rather than discovering after check-in that the nearest place to wash clothes requires a 30-minute bus ride.
13. Understand the Location as a Resident, Not a Tourist
Tourist maps can be deceptive.
“Only 20 minutes from the historic centre” sounds like useful information.
But remote workers spend most weekdays living rather than sightseeing.
We should therefore evaluate a neighbourhood based on everyday life.
Where is the nearest supermarket?
Can we buy lunch nearby?
Is there a gym?
A pharmacy?
A café?
A coworking space if we need a change of environment?
Can we walk around safely and comfortably?
How easy is public transport?
If we stay for a month, these everyday journeys matter considerably more than whether the main cathedral is a seven-minute walk away.
This is also where smaller towns can sometimes outperform famous digital-nomad destinations.
Being able to walk from our apartment to a supermarket, gym, café, coworking space and hiking trail in ten minutes can create an extraordinarily convenient lifestyle even if the destination has relatively few conventional tourist attractions.
Remote workers are temporary residents as much as visitors.
We should choose accommodation accordingly.
14. Read the Reviews Differently
Reviews are probably the most useful source of information on Airbnb — provided we read them strategically.
We do not need to read 200 reviews equally carefully.
Instead, look for patterns.
One person complaining about a mattress may simply have different preferences.
Eight people mentioning weak Wi-Fi deserve our attention.
The same applies to:
noise;
cleanliness;
heating;
communication;
hot water;
construction;
uncomfortable beds;
poor Wi-Fi;
and inaccurate listing photos.
Recent reviews matter more because properties change.
Routers get replaced.
Neighbouring construction starts.
Furniture changes.
Hosts improve things.
Buildings deteriorate.
We also pay special attention to longer-stay reviewers.
Someone who spent six weeks in the property probably discovered issues that a weekend visitor never encountered.
A comment such as:
“Great place, but the chair became uncomfortable when working all day”
is vastly more useful to a remote worker than:
“Perfect apartment for exploring the city!”
The reviewer was using the accommodation the same way we intend to use it.
15. Message the Host Before Booking a Long Stay
Finally, if we are planning to live and work somewhere for a month or longer, we should not be afraid to ask questions.
A good host should understand why reliable internet or a proper workspace matters.
We can keep the message simple:
Hi, we’re considering your apartment for a one-month remote-working stay. We have regular video calls during the week, so could you confirm the approximate Wi-Fi download/upload speed and whether the connection is private to the apartment? We also noticed the workspace in the photos — could you confirm whether the chair has a backrest? Thank you!
We do not need to send a 20-question interrogation.
Focus on the factors that would actually prevent us from booking.
The response itself can also tell us something.
A host who replies:
“Internet is very fast, don’t worry”
has given us less useful information than someone who says:
“We have a 300/100 Mbps fibre connection, and the router is inside the apartment.”
Likewise, fast and clear communication before booking can be reassuring when we know we may need the host’s assistance during a longer stay.
The Perfect Remote-Work Airbnb Is Rarely the Most Instagrammable One
There is an interesting mismatch between what makes accommodation attractive online and what makes it good for remote work.
Airbnb photography naturally emphasises:
views;
balconies;
beautiful bedrooms;
stylish kitchens;
pools;
terraces;
and unusual design.
Those features matter.
But after two weeks, we may care significantly more about whether the desk chair hurts our back.
We care whether Zoom works at 10 a.m.
We care whether someone can sleep while their partner has an early meeting.
We care whether the supermarket is five minutes away.
We care whether the apartment stays warm.
We care whether we can wash our clothes.
The ideal remote-work property therefore does not necessarily need to be luxurious.
It needs to be functional.
What If Two People Are Working Remotely?
Couples deserve special attention because the requirements change quite dramatically.
A studio apartment can be excellent for one remote worker and awful for two.
Imagine both people have calls at the same time.
Even excellent noise-cancelling headphones do not stop our microphone picking up another person speaking three metres away.
For two workers, we therefore place much more value on:
separate rooms;
doors that close;
multiple tables or desks;
strong upload speed;
and enough living space that neither person feels permanently trapped inside the other’s workplace.
If only one person has regular meetings, a one-bedroom apartment with a desk in the bedroom and dining table in the living room can work extremely well.
If both spend six hours per day on video calls, two bedrooms or a separate office may be worth paying considerably more for.
Should We Book a Coworking Space Instead?
There is another option.
Instead of demanding that the apartment provide a perfect office, we can book accommodation close to a coworking space.
This has advantages.
Coworking provides professional desks, chairs, internet, meeting rooms and often a social environment.
It also creates a clearer division between work and home.
But it changes the economics.
If two people each pay €150 or €200 per month for coworking, an apartment that costs €300 more but provides an excellent workspace may actually be cheaper.
Coworking also matters less if we enjoy working from home and more if social interaction is important.
There is no universal solution.
The important thing is to decide before choosing the accommodation.
Booking an isolated apartment and only later discovering that we hate working there can make a month feel considerably longer.
Should We Pay More for a Better Remote-Work Setup?
Often, yes.
Remote workers sometimes evaluate accommodation as though every additional euro were purely a travel expense.
But when the property is also our workplace, some upgrades have professional value.
Suppose one apartment costs €1,000 per month.
Another costs €1,150 but includes reliable fibre internet, a real office chair, a separate bedroom and quiet surroundings.
That additional €150 works out at around €5 per day.
If the better setup improves our concentration for eight hours per day and prevents even one important call from being disrupted, it may represent excellent value.
This does not mean expensive accommodation is automatically better.
Far from it.
A €2,000 designer loft with a bar stool and unreliable Wi-Fi can be considerably worse for remote work than a simple €800 apartment with fibre and a proper desk.
The point is to evaluate price against functionality, not photographs.
The 15-Point Remote Work Airbnb Checklist
Before booking, we would ultimately want answers to these questions:
- What is the real Wi-Fi download speed?
- What is the upload speed?
- Is there a proper desk?
- Is there a comfortable chair with a backrest?
- Where is the workspace located?
- Is the property quiet enough for calls?
- Is the internet shared with other guests?
- Is Ethernet available?
- Is there reliable mobile data as a backup?
- Is the temperature comfortable for the season?
- Is the kitchen suitable for daily use?
- Is laundry convenient?
- Does the neighbourhood work for everyday life?
- What do recent and long-stay reviews reveal?
- Has the host clearly answered our important questions?
We do not necessarily need perfect answers to all 15.
The priorities depend on our job.
Someone working asynchronously as a writer might tolerate weaker internet and care more about quiet surroundings.
A sales professional spending five hours per day on calls may prioritise connectivity above almost everything else.
A video editor may care enormously about upload speed.
A couple working simultaneously may prioritise separate rooms.
The goal is not to find the objectively perfect Airbnb.
It is to identify what could make our particular working day difficult before committing to a long stay.
A Beautiful Place Is Not Enough
The freedom to work remotely has dramatically expanded where we can live.
But that freedom works only when the infrastructure around us supports the job.
An Airbnb that is excellent for tourists is not automatically excellent for remote workers.
And the longer we stay, the more seemingly minor details begin to matter.
The desk matters.
The chair matters.
Upload speed matters.
Noise matters.
Laundry matters.
The supermarket around the corner matters.
A door between two people having simultaneous meetings can matter enormously.
When choosing accommodation for a workation or longer period abroad, we should therefore stop thinking exclusively like travellers.
For a few weeks, we are also choosing an office and a home.
The best Airbnb for remote work is not necessarily the one with the most spectacular photographs.
It is the one that lets us finish the working day without having spent eight hours thinking about the accommodation at all.
