Airbnb - Home Away From Home?

So first, let me say that I have never used Airbnb, but it has always intrigued me.

The way I understand it is this:

People, including yourself, can rent out your house...kind of like a vacation home, or you could rent someone else's house as a vacation home. From my understanding, there are rigorous background checks for the renters and the rentees. Airbnb seems to appeal to people that want to truly experience a locale. Maybe staying at a hotel doesn't give them the feel they are looking for. Maybe they want to blend in a little more?

Okay, I don't really know what the motivation people have, but I do know that it is catching on. The appeal value for me just went up today when I read the following article about Barclay Arrival+ points able to be redeemed for Airbnb stays. Depending on the locale, you can stay at someone's house for under $100 a day! Anyway, it's got me thinking...

http://millionmilesecrets.com/2016/10/30/can-i-use-barclaycard-arrival-miles-for-airbnb-stays/

Thanks for reading :)