This is the first of a multiple part series following the Trip4real on their #SF4real journey. Barcinno will be tracking the team during their trip to San Francisco where they are meeting Airbnb’s founders and many other Silicon Valley influencers. Below the team gives us some insights into their first few days in SF. Stay tuned for more details!
Stage 1
Friday – After a long 17-hour flight with an action packed stop in Philadelphia, we arrived to San Francisco at around 22hs. This city rocks! Feeling the need some rest but at the same time full of excitement, just like a little kid with a new pair of shoes. Sleep was hard to come by, not because of the jet lag but because we couldn’t wait to get out and start our first day in SF!
We are staying in an amazing apartment in the Castro that we found on Airbnb. Our super host welcomed us with a bottle of wine and chocolate, which was much appreciated after the long travel! These small details show the true value of the peer-to-peer model.
Saturday – Saturday was and will always be one of our most special days in SF as one of our biggest inspirations, Nathan Blecharczyk, Co-founder and CTO of Airbnb invited us for dinner to a fabulous Mexican restaurant in the Soma district. Love it!
He couldn’t have picked a better place for our first dinner. Between tacos, enchiladas and a few margaritas, we chatted for hours and hours about our experiences as entrepreneurs and the unique value that the peer-to-peer model offers. Turns out we had lots in common! Everything has been a dream come true so far our young team of entrepreneurs.
Sunday – Woke up with a massive hangover (haha, kidding!). Our batteries are charged after our incredible night with Nathan and spent the morning working from our new “office”, putting the finishing touches to our agenda for the next two weeks. Tomorrow the Airbnb meeting awaits us. We can’t wait to see their offices and to be able to take the partnership to the next stage.
Taking advantage of the sunny afternoon, we took a quick stroll to stretch our legs and to check out the golden gate bridge. What a feat of engineering it is. Whether a touristic location or not, you have to see it. We also had the opportunity to criss cross the city and to get to know some of the neighborhoods.
We love the mountainous nature of the city, the ups and downs, the beautiful Victorian houses and vibrant colors – in fact we want to buy one of these houses… Tomorrow is our meeting with Airbnb so it’s time for some rest!
Monday – finally the day for the big meeting has arrived to finalize our partnership with Airbnb!
In typical SF fashion, the skies opened up and the rain started to fall but for us it was the nicest day ever as we were about to live one of the most important and intense days of our lives. The energy we were emitting was clearing any sky in the clouds! Who would have thought that in just one year we would be in SF invited to the Airbnb HQ by the founders!
The Airbnb offices are located in the Soma district which is one of the coolest and most up and coming districts in the city; they’re constructed atop an old warehouse but still reflect the essence of the brand: creativity, fun and comfort.
The space is awesome, not only because of the spectacular and original space, but also because of the irresistible positive energy that was flowing through the office from the people that work there. This is the culture that every startup wants to achieve where the employees aren’t ‘working’ because they are doing what they love. This is priceless.
The welcome from the Airbnb team, from Christopher, the Director of new projects at its head, was textbook. They made us feel completely at home. One of the most striking things about their offices were the different meeting rooms that have managed to recreate the feeling of being in a real house – it’s something you have to see to believe.
This was without a doubt an intense day of work where we have been able to share a multitude of ideas and experiences that are sure to lead to a powerful partnership which will offer travelers who come to Barcelona a unique, memorable and local experience which is ultimately the true essence of travel.
The harmony between Airbnb and trip4real was a 10, and we agreed that is the beginning of a beautiful friendship 😉
Stay tuned for Stage 2 of the #SF4Real journey!
OMG, you got in touch with air b’n’b thats awesome 🙂 !!!