How to send groceries to your Airbnb before you even get there

One of the benefits of booking an Airbnb is that you can save on food costs by cooking your own meals. But grocery shopping when you'd rather be switching into vacation mode can be a drag. Thankfully, Airbnb has officially rolled out a partnership with Instacart, introducing a grocery delivery service that brings the supermarket straight to your rental. Currently available in more than 25 U.S. cities, this feature lets you to ditch the grocery store lines and maximize your lounge time.

Even better, in select locations, your host might offer the "kitchen stocking" option. With this feature, the host will coordinate the delivery and organize your food in the fridge before you even arrive—and they do it at absolutely no extra cost to you. Plus, to sweeten the deal, Airbnb customers get $10 off orders of $50 or more.

How to order groceries for your Airbnb

You don’t even need to create or log into an Instacart account. Once you book, just head to the "Trips" tab on the Airbnb app. If your rental is eligible, you can start shopping the full Instacart selection up to three weeks before check-in. Airbnb automatically sets up a temporary account tied to your reservation, keeping your cart saved until you’re ready to check out.

A few restrictions

Note that only the primary booker can place the order, so your travel companions can't stock the cart. And because of age-verification laws, you can’t include alcohol if you choose the pre-arrival kitchen stocking option (you'll have to schedule a post-check-in delivery for those margaritas). Finally, because payments go through Instacart, you can't use Airbnb gift cards.

Airbnb hasn't announced any upcharges compared to ordering directly from Instacart, but the convenience of walking into a kitchen fully stocked with snacks, breakfast bundles and coffee is a total game-changer.