I've recently booked a stay with Airbnb for $1600 of which between $240 and $320 went to Airbnb in the form of host or guest fees. I like to avoid fees whenever possible, so I was thinking of a way to get around them for long stays:

1. Confirm with the host that the unit is available for the full time you need it
2. Book one night to get their contact details and Airbnb support in case you find out on the very first night that the unit is awful
3. Contact them directly and pay the host via Paypal/Venmo for the rest of the nights, with a 15-20% discount

Are there any downsides to this option? Am I likely to find hosts who would agree to this deal?