Over the period we’ve spent working from home, we’ve experienced a whole rollercoaster of emotions. There was the initial excitement as we realised we could work from our pyjamas for two weeks (read: eight months), then the sadness that ensued as we began to miss real life colleagues. Somewhere along the line, WFH became a bit more normal, and with picnics in the park after work and sunny lunchtime runs, it became somewhat bearable.
Then, the dark nights hit. With winter fast approaching, morale has once again taken a hit and we’ve found ourselves dreaming of summer and a life that isn’t spent stuck at our kitchen tables. The desire to escape to sunnier climes has never been more REAL.
And we’re not alone – recent research has revealed that 51% of UK office workers are thinking about living elsewhere during or post-lockdown, while a third of those who have gone on holiday since lockdown lifted have extended their trips so that they could stay longer and work remotely from the location. Furthermore, destinations such as the Algarve, Sicily, Tenerife and Lisbon have featured in Airbnb’s top searched for destinations by Brits over the course of the last month.
Emmanuel Marill, Airbnb’s Regional Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa said: “The pandemic has prompted a real shift in consumer behaviour towards travel, and part of this change has been to normalise the idea of working from anywhere. As businesses have adjusted to remote working, many of the barriers to remote working have been swept away and people are embracing the idea that they can live and work anywhere.
“We’re seeing growing interest among our guests in amenities that facilitate remote working, as they seek to take advantage of their newfound freedom. There are also an increasing number of hosts who are using the flexibility afforded by the platform to cater for and encourage longer stays.”
In fact, according to Airbnb data, 65% of amenity searches on the platform were for homes with WiFi in September, while searches for homes with WiFi increased by 10% compared to September 2019, showing the importance of connectivity when looking for a place to work remotely.
Luckily, hosts on Airbnb have reacted to these stats, and are now offering guests the opportunity to work anywhere this winter by offering discounts on monthly stays. Yup: in a bid to entice people to embrace remote working (not just survive it), hosts are encouraging us to “work from anywhere” this winter. A whole load of owners of the chicest Airbnbs across the continent have decided to offer huge savings on bookings of 28 days or more.
Samantha Scott, Operations Manager at a marketing agency, who’s been using Airbnb for several years to work remotely, said: “The platform facilitates the lifestyle I love. I’m able to travel to new places, make friends all over the world but also save money.
“Prior to working remotely, I was living in London full-time with expensive rent and travelling less. Now, my partner Chris and I are working from Porto, but I’ve also spent time in Lisbon and the south previously – it’s a beautiful country all year round! When booking an Airbnb, I always make sure I have the same filters selected – WiFi is of course the top priority.”
So which properties are taking part in the scheme? Some of the biggest savings to be found include this city apartment in Lisbon which is offering a 76% monthly discount, and these converted stables in East Sussex which boast an impressive 53% discount on monthly stays. There’s also a bright and charming flat in Nice available to rent at almost half its typical monthly cost when you book a month-long stay. We’re already obsessed with without stepping foot in the door.
Scroll further for 15 of the most beautiful properties that are offering discounts on stays of 28 days or more. They all have good wi-fi and all make for *seriously* mental health-boosting WFH backdrops.
Note: for monthly discounts, the booking dates must be set to a minimum of 28 days – e.g. 5th November to 5th December 2020. You can then see the discount applied to the booking.