From Ask Admin: Question/Issue/Error Message Can Airbnb be used for official travel? Resolution There is no legal prohibition against utilizing Airbnb’s online booking services and facilities for official lodging. The State Department’s policy is for travelers to utilize their Travel Management Center (TMC) for the booking of lodging for official travel. Employees who elect to utilize Airbnb and book their own lodging do so at their own risk for any additional costs resulting from not utilizing their TMC or GSA’s FedRoom Service, including service fees, cancellation penalties, and other additional costs. The online service and or booking fees for Airbnb are not reimbursable either as a separate expense or within authorized lodging per diem, for either short-term or long-term lodging. Please see 14 FAM 511.3 Per Diem (3): "Lodging. Includes expenses for overnight sleeping facilities, baths, personal use of the room during daytime, telephone access fee, and service charges for fans, air conditioners, heaters and fires furnished in the room when such charges are not included in the room rate. Lodging does not include accommodations on airplanes, trains, buses, or ships. Such cost is included in the transportation cost and is not considered a lodging expense." A traveler must provide an itemized receipt for lodging regardless of amount. In order for an internet receipt for lodging to be acceptable, the receipt MUST be itemized on a daily basis, listing all expenses separately for lodging and lodging taxes. Receipts for lump sum amounts are not acceptable for the purpose of claiming per diem. This includes any receipt from any provider of lodging services/reservations (such as Expedia) other than the actual hotel where the traveler stays. Please see 4 FAH-3 H-465.1-4 Receipts Required to be Attached to Manual Vouchers.