Airbnb is the most popular rendezvous choice foraffair seekers, according to new research from Illicitencounters.com. The booking site topped a list of locations for lovers to meet behind their partner’s back - with 67% claiming Airbnb helped facilitate their affair.
Of the 3,000 polled, the top reasons people would prefer an Airbnb over other locations are privacy (48%), better value for money (32%) and preferring the remoteness of Airbnb sites (28%).
89% said they felt Airbnb was less seedy.
Airbnb replaced the traditional hotel hook-up at the top of the list, with 16% admitting they felt like they were being watched at public hotels. According to the research, cheaters are looking for experiences beyond getting under the sheets, with 21% revealing Airbnb enabled them to partake in more activities with their lover in private.
Split equally between male and female, 27% said Airbnb allows them to cook for their lover, explore new places (24%), and feel more ‘homely’ (19%) - which helped normalise their secret tryst.
Other popular choices to meet up with a lover included their home address (21%), the car (16%), and the office (10%).
TOP RANKED PLACES TO MEET YOUR LOVER
Airbnb
Home address
Hotel
Car
Office
Coffee shop
Park / countryside
Bar
Restaurant
Sporting event
Jessica Leoni, Sex and Relationships Expert at Illicitencounters.com, said: “The UK is reported to be the fourth most under surveillance country in the world, and there's no doubt Airbnb provides more choice, and properties for lovers that are more secluded or bespoke with options to fit their privacy needs.
Amid tightening of purse strings, Airbnb in general is cheaper and properties tend to have more character and are more homely. This is interesting, with lovers attempting to shed the seediness and guilt of a traditional hotel rendezvous with a more wholesome option.
Being able to cook for your lover, or enjoying an outdoor experience, both point toward lovers trying to normalise their affair outside of their marriage. Airbnb is the perfect choice for this sort of behaviour.”
Jane, 43, shared her Airbnb experience. She said: “I’ve been married for over 7 years but have been having an on and off affair with the same person for the past 8 months. I live in a town centre and hotels have always felt too risky, and it’s impossible to relax. The first time we did an overnight stay together, it made me feel dirty too. We started using Airbnb's about three months into our relationship. It feels much more authentic, real, and feels like a real relationship.
"We do more relationship stuff, like explore the local area, and we spend evenings together cooking and drinking wine.
"I will leave my husband down the line, and this experience has made the relationship with my lover feel much more normal rather than a quick fling."
