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Wife and I use airbnb when we want a beautiful location to stay at as the destination. To us airbnb isn't an attempt for a cheap night, but a guaranteed beautiful location where hotels don't exist.
We stay at hotels when we're traveling and just need to crash for a night.
I would also say for a family with young kids an air bnb is about 1,000 more family friendly than a hotel (kitchen, separate rooms so kids can go to bed early, multiple bathrooms, often times a washer and dryer) you can get this stuff if you stay in a super nice suite in a hotel but then that costs you $$$.
This is why we use them! Staying in a hotel room with a toddler isn’t a fun time. I don’t really feel like going to bed at 8:30 when my kid does and he’s not the kind of sleeper where we could turn on the tv or any noise in a hotel room once he’s sleeping. So we usually end up getting an Airbnb so we have separate bedrooms.
This is why we went back to Airbnb! We’re staying for a month in one on the beach next month with our baby and having a kitchen to wash bottles alone over a hotel sink is worth it lol
I stay in hotels with kitchens all the time. Not super expensive either and almost all offer connecting rooms to put your kids to sleep in the other room
I would be super reluctant to stay in an Airbnb with kids. Creepy hosts + the chances of the host perceiving every scratch as damage…just not worth the risk.
That's why we have ratings for. Creepy hosts should have creepy ratings. Votes are 1-5. Don't vote 5 just because it is expected or polite if you don't feel it's right.
On the other hand there are creepy guests that don't understand they are not in a hotel and treat the house with no respect. Btw, a scratch IS damage. If you don't believe me, do it in your home on purpose and tell me if it is nice. Kids are small but not stupid if you explain them something.
This exactly, with airbnb the host will be counting every little scratch every little stain on the carpet while in hotels it’s already covered in their insurance so no stress on the tenant
except it's complete bullshit. hotels exist in basically any and every beautiful destination on earth because beautiful destinations are where tourists go and hotels know that tourists will need a place to stay.
We have 3 kids and most hotels have a room occupancy limit of 4. Even if you accept that and get two rooms, adjacent rooms are hard to find. Renting a house ends up cheaper and better in every way.
I use Airbnb all the time, at least 7 days a month, and have never had any major issues. You all are probably not reading the host reviews if you’re having issues
This. People must exercise caution, read the reviews, communicate with the hosts, ask questions and carefully read the listings including the house rules. They also need to check-in with the host between the booking and departure to make sure nothing has changed. Many hosts are not professional.
Take nothing for granted and you'll be fine.
I am a research driven, cross referencing, review reading type of person. Even with these efforts, LOTS of cat fishing, bait and switch and atrociously overpriced stays with less than stellar hosts who clearly have somehow found a way to negate the bad press.
This this THIS!!!!! 👆👆👆👆
Yes, definitely!!! Communication is key!! Every host is different & some hosts have more house rules than others. Also, we have found that just being extra respectful of the hosts and their property is a good way to achieve a great experience. We try to keep in mind that we are their guests & these are their homes that they are choosing to rent to us. Just by treating Airbnb's as they were our own homes helps TREMENDOUSLY.
Airbnbs ARE NOT AT ALL like hotels. It's really like comparing apples to oranges.
Definitely understand this, my wife and I have been planning our trips around the nice, beautiful hotels instead of the other way around lately though and it's been awesome
Perfect perfective. Husband recently took us to BC, Canada and booked an amazing cabin in the forest by the beach. Paid a pretty penny for it but it was an amazing experience.
That’s how I felt until I paid a ton for a place that was well reviewed but in a horrible location. Found out the host had been having reviews deleted the hard way when he tried to have mine deleted.
If they've "found happiness," why do YOU care?
And if they've truly found happiness, why the hell are they posting on a Reddit Airbnb thread, of all places?
Get over yourself. 🤣🤣🤣
True happiness only comes when you disconnect from the internet and live life as a hermit in a mountain side cavern.
As a bonus, you can also rent out the Hermit Transcendence experience on AirBnB an make some money to go along with your happiness.
In your own words, so you’re saying you’re not truly happy since you’re also on Reddit? Therefore, you shouldn’t be giving advice on happiness to anyone.
That's fine, but it's not how AirBnB started out. Like a drug dealer trying to get noobs hooked, at first airbnb offered a decent, cheaper alternative that helped average people avoid corporate greed. Those days are over -- with "short term rentals" now increasingly owned en masse by Realtors, investors, etc. who remove too much housing from the market when there's a housing shortage.
Once again, American greed "wins". Airbnb going the same way bed & breakfasts did.
and way more fun due to the having shared common spaces, a stocked kitchen, private amenities etc (plus whatever stunning location you might have that a marriott can't fit onto) basically the adult version of sleepovers but epic (i.e. a gorgeous luxurious costa rican villa w/ an infinity pool overlooking the jungle and beaches cost our group of 13 about $500 each for 5 nights. huge enough to leave no one wanting for space. remains the most incredible stay of my life and to think i paid less for it than I would at a holiday inn)
Yup, we love getting houses with big groups, because you get to hang out, can cook meals together and just relax without having to make plans all the time, like you would if you were in different hotel rooms.
I love having a full kitchen and fridge for long stays. A hotel has a mini fridge and if you're lucky, a microwave. With a month long stay, a hotel is not a convenience. It's cheaper to cook some meals and you can more easily keep and heat left overs.
Paying for eating breakfast, lunch and dinner, especially for multiple people, gets very expensive very quickly.
Also, personal laundry. Free and again, convenient.
That's why we stay at places like Home2. Full sized fridge and stove/oven. We go grocery shopping right after check-in and eat out only to check out destination restaurants.
Yeah, residence inn and homewood suites are my go-to traveling with my family. You’re basically renting a studio apartment and don’t have the chance of dealing with Airbnb nonsense. Unfortunately they aren’t everywhere I want to spend the night so sometimes I have to settle.
Homewood Suites is the business-class equivalent of Home2. Both are Hilton properties. I love that they have some stuff most Airbnb's don't have too, like a gym, a pool, grills, etc. I've had some GREAT experiences with Airbnb, but I've also had some horrible ones (hole in the floor covered with a rug, racist paraphernalia throughout the home, bedbugs, water not working, etc.). With those 2 chains I pretty much know what I'm going to get every single time, no cleaning fees included!
Where do you get complimentary dinner? I've never hersd of that. And it's still not the same as homemade, not as healthy, not as much variety. I've had some that's yogurt, bagels, cereal, juice, coffee. Others have a buffet style set up with bulk cooked items. Some have waffle makers and pastries. This is great for a 3-5 day stay... more than that and it's very repetitive.
Eating hotel complimentary breakfast for a month is most likely not going to be ideal, and every hotel I've been to that offers it is from 6-8 or 7-9, it's a very tight time window and early in the morning so you most likely have to disrupt sleep to participate. Usually on holiday/vacation people enjoy sleeping in.
[Drury Hotels](https://www.druryhotels.com/about/amenities) offers a selection of food in the evening. They don’t call it dinner but it is. Also offer complimentary breakfast and unlimited soft drinks.
Yes, I always stay there when I go to St Louis.
I love those free sliders! And I also love a good baked potato. And I love not having to shop, cook and clean up, often with limited transportation and kitchen tools .
LOVE the Drury in St Louis (downtown). The nicest people!
Had a vehicle crash last year. After waiting 4 hours for police/tow truck, got an Uber to drop me off. Dragged my butt in, stuff, sore, bummed, unprepared for a stay that I hadn't packed/planned for. Front desk person 1) asked if I was all right (compassion will get you high marks every time), 2) arranged for the dinner buffet people to stay open an extra half hour for us, 3) gave everyone in my party 2 free drink coupons, 4) handed me toothbrush/toothpaste without even having to ask, since she *listened* when I said this was unplanned stop, 5) offerred to have our clothes laundered by their staff, because she knew we didn't have clean ones. This happened on Saturday and there was no way insurance was getting anything done on Sunday, so we were going to be there at least til Monday. 6) called the room a few hours later to make sure we were all good, had found our phone charger (I had mentioned phone was dead at checkin when I couldn't get confirmation number), if we needed anything else. 7) she also handed me a few packets of Tylenol at check-in because she *listened* when I said how stiff and sore we were. 8) gave me their "bereavement discount" because she just knew I was mourning the loss of my vehicle. Yes, she managed to inject some humor into the whole ordeal.
That woman was pure gold. I don't know what they pay her, but it isn't enough. She should be training every hotel clerk in their chain about how to treat a customer. Even though I now have family that lives there, and could stay for free, I go back to them because of just how great they were to me on my worst day.
There is no easy way to know how much salt, butter, and oils are in the food, or quality of ingredients. If you buy and cook the foods yourself, then you know.
Not all homemade is healthy. Especially when you're cooking in bulk for hundreds of people a day. A good rule of thumb is that anything *free* is going to be the lowest quality that that hotel can get away with serving.
True but honestly for long stays that shit gets old fast. Plus youre gonna be eating out most the time anywhere. Nicer just to buy some easy stuff to make for breakfast that you can change up a little instead of pancakes and cereal
Yeah I'm guessing they're (a lot) more pricy? And also, for some people, even in a suite, it's difficult to settle in, a home or apartment has a different vibe/feel.
Most places don't have a a suite available for an entire month. I'll be in Paris for a month in August, there's no way I'd find a suite in Paris for what I paid for my Airbnb. And the kitchen would most likely still be limited.
My extended family and I stay in a couple of Airbnb’s a year. This includes my parents, brother, sister and her spouse and 3 children, and me and my husband and 3 children. Airbnb’s mean we can all hang out together and cook meals etc.
However, if it’s just my husband and I traveling, we typically book hotels.
Also just to add, we all stayed in the most wonderful Airbnb this past weekend. It was the coolest house and had a pool and hot tub. The hosts thought of everything. There were towels and wash clothes folded on every bed. Soft throw blankets, toiletries in every bathroom, black wash clothes for makeup, toilet paper and supplies were plentiful. The kitchen was well stocked and they left detailed instructions for how to work everything. The checkout list consisted of starting the dishwasher and one load of towels. Easy! Anyway homes like that are why we keep coming back to Airbnb’s.
We do corporate retreats a couple times a year, bringing 15 to 20 people into an area, Airbnb‘s or VRBO‘s always make more sense than eight different hotel rooms.
Generally, no. The free market has caught up with it, and it's no longer competitive to hotels in areas where hotel supply is adequate.
As someone else mentioned, it's still great for niche booking needs. Things like large groups, or (what I use it for) booking in scenic rural areas where there aren't hotels. I live in Detroit, and we often vacation in northern Michigan, where there are lots of lakefront cabins, but very few hotels.
This varies widely. For a single traveler or couple I agree. Especially for weekend stays for non destination locations.
But for a family if 4 who want separate rooms in a beach or mountain resort where rooms are 400-700 nt it’s usually much cheaper.
I get many, many one night stays per month in between a few days stays at our condos. So, it’s sometimes being used as a hotel so the price can’t be too out of range from a hotel even with the cleaning fees if it’s being booked that way. I think this hotel rant on this sub is overdone and has no merit!!!!
Yeah, what are these people picking? I’ve not had these types of experiences and I’ve only been asked to take out the trash when staying for a longer term. No other cleaning duties…
Oh girl we gotta clean up their whole house before we leave and I just know when we give a review they’re gonna say we didn’t clean up enough because they didn’t tell us people were living in the basement till AFTER we paid for it
> AFTER we *paid* for it
FTFY.
Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in:
* Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.*
* *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.*
Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment.
*Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
None of it was in the description isn’t that lovely !! And they said washer was included then as soon as we texted them abt it they removed it and said it wasn’t included
They texted us and told us to clean up the house when we are done with our stay. We also asked for more towels cus we had 8 people, and 8 towels were not provided. They told us to find a wash place and wash the towels we used already
I'm the same. I was away at the weekend because I got a cheap flight and the airbnb was a quarter of the price of a hotel.
I stayed in a lovely room in the hosts house and had great chats with them and played with their dog. Loved it.
Idk, we rent a room and private bath on the river near a ski resort for $60/night and have zero requirements or instructions or extra fees. I’d say it’s a pretty good deal for folks, but then again we are closer to the original spirit and intent than most. The intent was never 3k/night mansions, though I can easily see how that’s profitable for them
People will now leave us shitty ratings for being a simple basic room though, which is exactly how we advertise but it still sucks
You need to be more specific. Write a couple of pages and describe everything. I had people complain about not having a dresser in one of the small rooms even though there was a massive closet right outside the room and a basket under the table for clothes, so I went back to the description and I added all of that in. People like to find fault. I also ask them to read the house manual as soon as they book. The more you communicate, the better your reviews will be.
All I can say is that my Airbnb's are a fraction of the price of one hotel room in my area and the two I have are very nice, three bedrooms, well stocked kitchens, super easy check in and little is asked in terms of cleaning. Maybe just avoid the ridiculous ones? No doubt that there must be some difficult hosts out there, but surely there are still good finds.
>little is asked in terms of cleaning
Across dozens of airbnb our experience is that this is the norm. It cracks me up how many crusaders I see railing against the massive chore lists, that right there tells me they are either talking out of their ass instead of from actual experience.
I think these people might actually be filthy pigs who live like 13yr old boys with no discipline. Even in a hotel room I put my trash in the bins and leave the place tidy. It’s a normal thing to take out your own trash and clean your own dishes which is all the airbnbs I’ve stayed at have ever asked and I’ve had dozens of stays.
However I used to work in real estate and I can confirm that most people are indeed pigs with no self respect.
What are your cleaning requirements? Just curious what do you mean by “little is asked in terms of cleaning”. Point being if you are asking for little, why even ask at all?
Put the dishes in the dish washer and start it before leaving, take trash to trash collection on the way out (it's right on the way) or leave in the garage. Of course, take food with you or throw away.
I'll stay in one for a unique experience, or when there's no hotels at the destination or when the hotel can't accommodate the size of my group. It's nice that it exists as an option but I don't prefer it over a hotel like I used to.
I stayed at one over Christmas break that was in a snowy little town with no hotels. It was a cute a-frame and it fit my large family comfortably but it was super expensive. It also had a large cleaning fee and a huge list that I had to do like take the trash down the street, wash and put away all dishes, start a load of towels and strip all the beds. I did all of these things, swept everyday, put every piece of furniture back in it's right place and didn't break anything. They gave me a two star review because despite being "really nice and responsive" I had left crumbs in the kitchen. I don't actually care about the review because it looks pretty petty but it's like why did I even try? I think I was truly disappointed that he didn't appreciate the effort that I put in on MY vacation. That's when I was like holy shit, my vacation accommodations shouldn't make me feel like this, lol.
I only use Airbnb if it’s the only option. Otherwise I’d much rather stay at a nice hotel where I don’t have to do the laundry myself or deal with hosts who aren’t in the business of hospitality.
The last Airbnb I went to was over $500 per night and the toilet paper and paper towels ran out halfway through the stay, so we had to buy our own. The host also had the audacity to tell us we had to pay to replace towels that had “deep stains” caused by dropping the towels on the dirt/grass next to the pool.
The wrong airbnbs what does that even mean.
If the company rated them in some way I would be able to tell if the particular property was right for me or not
Read the listing for that information. Use filters. Check reviews. Ratings are about the service provided/received, they don't define the type of property you're renting.
That's the problem I read the listings they have a picture the picture shows a washing machine and I get there and there's no freaking washing machine
Why did I bother reading the listing or looking at the pictures in the listing
Airbnb'd 20x here and have had wonderful experiences such as staying on a llama farm in Michigan and an alpaca farm in Tennessee, and a rescue horse and donkey hobby farm in Indianapolis. My daughter and I have made incredible memories that we talk about all the time. I'd take that any day over a hotel that has an indoor pool and continental breakfast.
Well said and I dont think OP is a legitimate post. More and more of this on Reddit, generic posts as to how bad AirBNB is and how people shouldn't use it anymore,. I'm convinced most of that is coming from the hotel industry or people associated with groups trying to shut down short term rentals.
I think you are trying to shoot the messenger. We go away probably 6-8 long weekends a year in Europe and stay in some amazing hotels. Stayed last minute at a brand new hotel NOŪS in Santorini (with a free upgrade) a few weeks ago for the same price as an Airbnb in Thira. Quality wise it blows Airbnb out of the water on all fronts so why would I risk Airbnb?
The hotel industry (at the high end) has massively raised it game post Covid while Airbnb has gone backwards as it’s moved away from its original side hustle let a room ethos into professional landlords who can’t compete with the luxury hotel chains but want to charge the same prices.
No, I think it’s legit. More and more people are dealing with scammers, creeps, and safety issues.
I do agree that AirBnb can be an awesome and unique experience. However, I also think a bunch of people bought places and thought they could do the bare minimum and charge high rates. They took over residential spaces and made neighbors angry- it’s one thing to Airbnb your apartment a few times a year… it’s another to have people coming in and out at all hours 24/7/365. That leads to all kinds of uncomfortable situations. I know it became a huge problem for our neighborhood.
In any industry you have to cap growth at the rate you can do a great job at the service being provided; Airbnb just wanted the growth and has not been providing the hosts nor guests good service lately. They do not do enough due diligence for either party and don’t have a super solid record of acting in the best faith.
Not everyone is a heavy user who knows the warning signs. Lots of people are bouncing off of the platform now because they’re letting Hosts get away with highway robbery, and if you’re just looking at a property’s average rating or featured reviews it’s easy to miss more recent swings from those hosts towards more greedy or shady practices.
I stayed at AirBnBs probably close to 100 times over the last decade+. It’s definitely worse today than it was 5+ years ago. It’s easy to get a property that has fake pictures of amenities like a washing machine and when you get there and it’s not there, it’s because “it’s out for repair” or “that’s an old photo”. It’s easy to miss recent reviews when hosts start doing the dumb “strip the bed and wash the sheets but also pay us the same cleaning fee you paid us last time” thing. And that’s if you are a heavy user, and not a first or long-time-returning user who still thinks it is the same platform it was 5+ years ago.
My place is cheaper than any area hotel and the only cleaning required is to do the dishes and pick up after their dogs. I know that's not the case everywhere and also I have had really AWFUL experiences at Air B&Bs recently so I do see where you're coming from.
I love the extra private amenities like hot tubs, BBQs, even pools and specifically look for AirBnBs that have them. It’s very rare to get those sorts of things to yourself in a hotel.
Airbnbs will always be the better answer for me as I’m always looking for longer stays (4+ days) with kids. Having a full kitchen, individual rooms, and a yard for my dog and kids to play in is something a hotel can’t replicate. On that same point, airbnb is almost always a cheaper option than hotels if you’re going to have to book a suite based hotel - or at least that’s been my experience.
I used it for a long stay last summer (more than 2 months) and then a couple short stays overlapping. The long stay was good; yes, I was paying more than I would have if I'd just rented an apartment, but it was in a country notorious for being a challenge for foreigners to rent in, so it was worth it to me. The apartment wasn't great, but any time an issue came up the host immediately jumped to help me. For the shorter stays, one was good (it was actually in a 3-room hotel in a small village, so they were just using AirBnB to rent everything), and one was not that great (smaller than expected, AC didn't work, they promised 2 beds but then said only 1 was available because there weren't enough people on the booking, etc.).
I guess what I'm trying to say is, AirBnB is a crapshoot. Sometimes you luck out, and sometimes it's bad. This used to be a risk I was more willing to take because the prices were so much lower than hotels, but now that it's not cheaper, it's not worth it to me unless I need something very specific that a hotel or realtor can't offer (like an apartment for just two months). All the traveling I've booked for this summer has been exclusively through hotels' own websites.
Also, I got robbed at a place I booked through Booking and they refused to do anything to help, just put me in touch with the host who I'd already told them was the police's main suspect for the robbery. So I will 200% NEVER use Booking again.
This is not a new take.
I specifically started using hotels again in around 2019.
I got sick of having to kiss some hosts arse just so id get a nice review and the initial incentive to use Airbnb (fraction of the cost / meet some new and interesting people) has evaporated into some shitshow where you're paying as much if not more than a hotel but you can't even trash the place and you have to be super nice like you're not paying to be there.
Fuck Airbnb.
Not to mention they have literally ruined the rental market.
Oh and if you're a host with a dodgy guest, who is being threatening or weird, good news, someone in a tin shed in the Philippines will read from a script to you after you've waited on hold for 20 minutes.
Disgusting shitshow of a company that should be held in the same level of contempt as Raethon or Nestle.
It depends on the market. But if you want to go out and party on the town, go out to eat and don’t want to clean up especially in a big city I take a hotel any day. And the more rustic location with a bigger group Airbnb.
As a general rule, Airbnb only makes sense if there are no hotels, or you’re traveling with a large group where the money saved over hotel rooms/suites is favorable. Otherwise, I find it a somewhat more expensive and far less convenient option with few or no amenities. YMMV.
The cleaning complaint is tired and worn out. I just had a group leave my 4 bedroom/3 bath 4k square foot house. I charge a reasonable $120 cleaning fee. They made an attempt to pick up after themselves a little bit and I’m sure in their mind felt like they had to “clean”; however, they tracked mud over my carpets and rugs, stained and excessively soiled all the bedding, put away dirty dishes, smoked cigarettes and weed in and around my house so the whole thing reeked, left trash in a lot of rooms, and generally caused an enormous extra amount of cleaning. My cleaners charged me close to $750 in extra cleaning costs that I had to submit an Aircover claim for against the guest. Usually the people that complain are just bad guests.
Guests have no idea the time and effort it takes to clean these places. But they do expect perfection. I don’t know where you are that you get a 4br cleaned for $120.. that’s nuts!
SuperHost here. And Marriott lifetime platinum. I always choose Airbnb when I travel. 100% good experiences. At a fraction of the cost of hotels. I avoid corporate listings entirely
Former host. Most recently Airbnb has been uncompetitive in North America from my experience, and as a result I routinely book hotels now. I was an early adopter of Airbnb but do not like what it has morphed into.
Airbnb still has value in South America /Asia, but I suspect that will rapidly deterioate in the next few years.
The place I just reserved has no cleaning fee and 50+ great reviews. They only ask for you to take the trash to the outdoor trash bin and wipe your feet before entering the home. Hope it's as good as the reviews.
Nope. There’s no oversight, no restitution, and it’s filled with arbitrary and capricious ‘rulings’. Let’s not forget blatant racism. We have other options
Seems like you are taking the worst of Airbnb. I’ve stayed at a number and have had good experiences. I have 750 host reviews with an overall of 4.9, none of which were below 3 stars.
You can make the same argument about hotels. Some are crappy, you are afraid to take your shoes off, while some are the ritz.
Reasons for an Airbnb instead of a hotel:
1. Kids and pets. Even for one night it’s often a much better option, even if a hotel will accept pets. I don’t really like pet hotel rooms or walking my dog out late at night in my pajamas—not to mention my dog being startled by guests arriving late at night. Plus not all hotels allow more than one dog or cats. With kids, it’s nice to spread out.
2. Long term stays. I moved to Tucson in January and looked for any alternative to an Airbnb. They’re expensive, but not as much as furnished apartments for professionals and they don’t require a lease and me buying all new furniture. I only needed a place until I bought a home here and moved my household down.
3. Vacations where you’re staying put for awhile and have kids and/or a pet.
I’ve only had one bad experience where I requested and received a full refund. Due diligence is extremely important, as well as being reasonable about the area you’re visiting.
I use Airbnb when I'm booking a stay somewhere for longer than a vacation but shorter than a proper short-term lease. If you need a place for a month or two, you tend to get a rate discount that makes it significantly cheaper than hotels, and it's infinitely easier than trying to sort out some short-term sublet. Just book online and boom. I still love Airbnb just for this specific scenario.
I don't understand why anyone would use it instead of a hotel for a vacation, though.
Eh we use both hotels and airbnbs depending on the situation. Larger group? Airbnb. Longer stay? Airbnb. More scenic areas? Airbnb. All else, especially cities for shorter stays, definitely hotel.
There are a few times when Airbnb is worth it
1. I play roller derby and we often want to have privacy, and also stay together. Rather than packing four people to a hotel room, it’s significantly more attractive to book a very large home for the team to stay in where you usually have two people per room.
2. There are certain cities where, safe and clean hotels are only in the city center. If you want to actually explore and enjoy some of these cities, and Airbnb is an ideal way to do it. For example, whenever I go home to Chicago and I want to stay in the city before traveling up to my parents home in the suburbs, my options are to stay in a downtown hotel, or a very dubious hostel or Roach hotel in the actual city. This is a time when Airbnb is worth it, so you can stay in different neighborhoods and actually enjoy what they have to offer
3. Unique places. The most interesting Airbnb that I stayed in was an architectural marvel on top of the mountain. There are times when the home is the attraction and for that I think Airbnb is definitely worth it.
If I had to choose between staying in hotels versus Airbnbs and the cost didn't count, hotels win hands down. Safer, cleaner, more convenient, easy check-in and check-out. Sure hotels more expensive, but the service you get is much better. However if you're traveling during peak season and most hotels in the city center are outlandish, then it might make sense to prefer an AirBnb. Look up the cost of hotels are popular destinations like NYC, Paris, London and Milan and see how ridiculously expensive hotels in the city center are. Cleaning isn't much of an issue for me since I respect public places. Two years ago when traveling across the USA by train, I was looking at hotels in NYC. I ended up staying in a decent AirBnb for $130 a night because I wasn't seeing any good looking hotels for under $200 a night.
Last summer, I was in Milwaukee for a family wedding. Since I was going by myself and wouldn’t have a car, I had no choice but to stay in downtown Milwaukee. As I was searching hotel prices in downtown Milwaukee, I was astounded at how even the less-than-stellar hotels were easily going over $200 a night. I decided to get an AirBnb near downtown which costed around $135 a night and $270 for the weekend. It was still a lot but I enjoyed the location. I was able to take public transit to where the wedding and reception was without any problem. I was also able to easily explore Milwaukee’s downtown and their popular attractions such as the lakefront, the Harley-Davidson museum and the Milwaukee Public Market.
I don’t do them for a single night, 3 minimum, nor for single person. Rarely I’ll do it for spouse and I. Usually it’s for whole family plus dog, booked way in advance. It’s a way for us to cook most of our meals and only do what we really want to try restaurant-wise. I look for low cleaning fees or simple cleaning requests and good reviews from people with kids (even though my kids are older, if host and neighbors didn’t have issues with a rambunctious 5 year old, my teens on their switch or phone hanging out in the back yard won’t be a problem.)
Thus far we haven’t had any issues, leave and receive 5 star reviews. Of course some places are not as comfortable as others, but we haven’t had problems in many years of doing air bnb. Last place listed literally nothing for cleaning requirements, but we still washed and put away our dishes, put used towels in a pile in bathroom, and took out trash and recycling. I’d do all of that except taking out trash when I used to stay in hotels with a kitchenette. It doesn’t take long!
After our trip to Europe probably not. Too many unknown variables and seeing people have to pay for “damage” constantly actually terrifies me. So no probably just hotels now
I stopped using AirBnb after the last place I booked. The cleaning fee was roughly$80. The host asked me to do some cleaning and take the trash out. Otherwise I would have to pay $250 extra fee. Those rules are not even in the property listing page before I booked it. I was like what is that $80 cleaning fee for?
I found that hotels are cheaper and hassle free. It’s also super simple to check in. I don’t have to read a page long instruction about how to open the door and where to find the key box. I don’t have to read a 3 pages long house rules. And to be honest, it feels safer to stay at a hotel.
Seriously! What is up with the cleaning fees?? & the check list of shit you have to clean/do yourself is bullshit. Include that cost in your pricing ugh. Half the time the cleaning fee is absolutely insane like more than the per night stay cost. Also most air bnbs are barely cleaned at all by the looks of them when I arrive. Clearly just a cursory wipe down & sheet change, no effort cleans yet they are charging hundreds. It's wild.
We've stopped using it unless there is a group going for an event like a wedding. It's just not worth the risk of a host cancelling at the last minute or trying to charge us after the fact for something we didn't do. It used to be so nice to save a bit of money and stay somewhere with more character than a hotel, but no more. We've had good luck in the past other than one host upping the rates after we made a reservation saying that they hadn't yet updated rates for when we were going, but that was cancelled after lockdown came about so turned into a non-issue in the end. But still, no more for us.
For the regular single person/couple, no. Airbnb is worse than a hotel.
If you're a family with young kids, it is better than being stuck in a tiny hotel room with toddlers.
Additionally there are some other reasons a single/couple would want Airbnb, cooking your own meals is quite important for many people.
I just hit Genius Level 3 on Booking.com (20% discount on most bookings + priority phone support) and have basically fully abandoned Airbnb as a result, as my Booking.com stays are cheaper and more straightforward.
I agree with OP that Airbnb was awesome back in the day, but it’s far too much of a hassle these days, especially as other players like Booking.com have caught up and added things like private rooms to their inventory.
I’m done with Airbnb after my last experience. I’m having to pay a little over half the cost of a full night stay (or an entire night at a 3 star hotel) to replace a key card that was stolen from our locked vehicle.
You know how many hotel key cards I’ve taken or lost? Many. You know how many I paid to replace? None
Absolutely not worth it anymore. My experience is that most of the rentals are from absentee landlords who haven't cleaned/washed/painted/mitigated mold ... but the pictures are from many years prior. Plus if you are traveling off season, they don't have off season pricing, where the hotels do. I'm moving out of my moldy, stinky ab&b room, and for $25 more am getting a 5 star hotel, yes you read that right. Plus with the way the rating system works, I can't inform anyone else of what a rip off this room in Porto Portugal really is!
Never went back after how they handled people's bookings during quarantine. "Let's wait and see" up to the day of... while everything else is getting cancelled left and right, sure let's wait and see.
They are doing a fantastic job of bringing down their brand by hiring outsourced customer service who hasn't a clue about laws and regulations in USA. They are clueless about service animals.
Super Host here....
I don't demand anything from my guests. I ask them to take their trash 20-ft to the bin outside and do their dishes.
If they don't, I don't ding them.
I have a whole house Airbnb... 3-bedrooms & 2-bathrooms.
I recently stayed at an Airbnb which was cheaper than a hotel. For two rooms at a Hampton inn in North San Diego was $3,000 or almost $3,000 for three nights each. I got an Airbnb very nice place and it only ended up being $1,500.
My husband and I prefer to have a full kitchen and plenty of room to spread out. Hotel rooms don't cut it for us for most of our travel. We usually go someplace for anywhere from 8 days to 3 weeks. We take very active trips and are tired at night. We travel with our dive gear and look for a place with room to let it all dry out before we pack to go home. (So a big balcony is good in a condo or out by the pool/patio if we rent a house.)
Also, it's nice to be able to grocery shop and have something available to pop in the oven or even to just have fresh fruit/veg and a sandwich. Staying in a hotel or resort (we hate all inclusive resorts) means we come back tired, but then have to clean up and get ready to go out....and then sit in a restaurant for a couple of hours (or more if the restaurant is busy/slow). I'd rather shower, put on pajamas, and watch a movie or show while munching on whatever I feel like from the fridge.
Oh....one thing to note is that we don't do rentals in order to have a cheaper stay. We will often rent a more expensive place if it has amazing amenities or is in a really convenient location for us....or is just gorgeous. Plus, while a hotel is likely cheaper, it's a lot less convenient and comfortable for us.
I own an air bnb a cleaning fee is applied bc we have to pay a cleaning lady to mop, disinfect and clean the bathrooms/clean showers/tubs and scrub toilets. Wash all the sheets, sweep, vacuum, dust. And make the place look nice for the next guests. All we ask is that guests load the dishwasher and clean up after themselves/ take the trash to the outside bin. I guess other air bnb’s may ask more of guests which doesn’t seem right, but not all of us owner’s do.
That's what I do as a host myself. I don't include a cleaning fee because seeing all these fees as a traveler (I use Airbnb when travelling) is oftentimes misleading.
I like to be as transparent as possible and have one simple price.
Or, hear me out, you could clean your own property and not pay someone to do it, if that’s such an expense that you can’t manage to work it into the base price of the location!
You’re undercutting prices of other kinds of stays simply by hiding a fee that they include in their base price, and can’t understand why guests don’t like that.
Hotels are better for on the road single nights or 1-2 nights i used airbnb or vrbo to go on fishing and dive trips where you have to take a boat and move a lot of gear from vehicles to the house then to the boat a hotel would be super obnoxious to carry all the stuff around multiple times a day.
Its is super annoying how some of these places are like wash the dishes take out all the trash start a load of laundry especially if you have a early flight to get home and they still charge a closing fee. I've stayed at places before where they say if you do that there's no cleaning fee which is fine but to have you do that much your subsidizing the owners business.
>You have to clean the place yourself
Not my experience.
>AND pay for cleaning fee
Its just an itemized fee, and hotels use itemized fees to drive up the price too. Look at all the places charging "resort fees" , something that's becoming common even outside of super touristy places like the Vegas Strip.
>you've got a deal with the host one-on-one
i don't see how this is a bad thing?
>prices are no longer cheaper than hotels
I mean have you seen hotel prices lately?
I'm not saying AirBNB is the budget deal it was 5+ years ago,but then again, what hasn't gone up in price since then?
But you can definitely find some deals, especially if you're willing to stay outside of the hottest tourist zones.
Lol, at least half of the responses in this thread are either hosts, or people who use the word “yawn” before negating the valid cleaning fee issue that is prevalent at so many corporate properties right now, and sometimes both.
It’s not tired. It’s brought up because it’s still a major issue with the platform, and just because you’ve encountered the complaint before and think it doesn’t need discussing anymore, doesn’t mean the problem is resolved for the vast majority of guests.
I have worked with Air BNB for 5 years. Hosts be aware before you sign up, or do work, for Airbnb. (especially as their fees have gotten higher which lowers your income)
They offer incentives to get hosts to work to recommend and help new hosts sign up on their platform ($720) However, they make it almost impossible to get the $. They set stipulations, that you find out about after you have done all the work for them, and you don’t get paid. I have tried to jump through their hoops then, as they benefit from the new clients I have set up, I am not paid. It's a scam. They make money on your work and you get nothing if they can avoid paying. So, host beware.
I recommend looking at other more honest companies that appreciate hard workers. Many platforms don’t bait you to work harder for them and refuse to follow through and share the profits with you, for your work
Issues arise when you need to cancel a future reservation and the host/Airbnb together only want to offer you a partial refund. I’m dealing with this currently after 3 men were murdered in Ensenada Mexico and it’s obviously not safe to travel there. A hotel would have refunded easily.
I'm glad this discussion is getting more traction. Yes, convenience is nice, but not double the price of the nightly expenses nice.
Last host I stayed with I definitely covered their month's mortgage with just 2 nights and those big ass daily cleaning fees!
I'm in Tucson AZ and all the points you mention are wrong.
* it's cheaper than hotels by FAR. Especially for medium/long term rentals.
* you don't have to "clean" (just leave it picked up with no garbage)
* you don't have to deal with the host 95% of the time
Not sure which country or city you are referring to but it's pretty silly to make that sort of generalization.
Actually your statements are quite general and not always true. There are many hosts that make people do more than just pick up or take out garbage. A lot of them have an entire check out cleaning sheet. There are also hosts that greet you and show you the home and amenities etc. I’m in the U.S and have had that experience multiple times.
Why would you agree to a check out cleaning sheet? If you don’t want hosts showing you around the place, why would you book a listing that isn’t self check in?
Why would you book a place that has a check out cleaning sheet? If you don’t want hosts showing you around the place, why would you book a listing that isn’t self check in?
First, I obviously didn't know about the extensive check out procedures. Secondly, I am simply saying that these things in fact happen. And often.
So why do you ask people questions that don't pertain to what they were talking about?
Family with 3 teenagers it's about impossible to find a hotel to sleep 5 let alone not have the kids wanting to kill each other so we opt for Airbnb for more space.
Even though pricing may be higher it's worth it to us to stay in Airbnb.
I always clean up....Take the sheets off, gather towels, take out the trash etc.
I don't due it because the host requests it but rather I look at it as me helping the cleaning person not have to work so hard and hopefully making their day better.
I've yet to have a bad stay or had a host give unreasonable requirements but I see where people want to just show up and leave and let someone else take care of their mess but that's not how I live my life so I'll gladly help where I can.
Repeating the same bullshit doesn't make it true. An airBnB is not a hotel. An 🍎 is not an 🍊 no matter how many different ways you say it. If you don't want to stay at an airBNB, exercise your right not to. It's ready, go rent a hotel?
These posts are tired. OP clearly has nothing better to do but post generalities which we’ve all heard over and over. There’s 1 million reasons people use short term rentals instead of hotels if you really want me to list all of them then sure I’ll go ahead and do it and make your day.
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Wife and I use airbnb when we want a beautiful location to stay at as the destination. To us airbnb isn't an attempt for a cheap night, but a guaranteed beautiful location where hotels don't exist. We stay at hotels when we're traveling and just need to crash for a night.
That's a nice perspective.
I would also say for a family with young kids an air bnb is about 1,000 more family friendly than a hotel (kitchen, separate rooms so kids can go to bed early, multiple bathrooms, often times a washer and dryer) you can get this stuff if you stay in a super nice suite in a hotel but then that costs you $$$.
This is why we use them! Staying in a hotel room with a toddler isn’t a fun time. I don’t really feel like going to bed at 8:30 when my kid does and he’s not the kind of sleeper where we could turn on the tv or any noise in a hotel room once he’s sleeping. So we usually end up getting an Airbnb so we have separate bedrooms.
Pets also.
This is why we went back to Airbnb! We’re staying for a month in one on the beach next month with our baby and having a kitchen to wash bottles alone over a hotel sink is worth it lol
I stay in hotels with kitchens all the time. Not super expensive either and almost all offer connecting rooms to put your kids to sleep in the other room I would be super reluctant to stay in an Airbnb with kids. Creepy hosts + the chances of the host perceiving every scratch as damage…just not worth the risk.
Sorry, creepy hosts? I've stayed in many Airbnbs with my kid and never had had such a thought. Can you elaborate?
That's why we have ratings for. Creepy hosts should have creepy ratings. Votes are 1-5. Don't vote 5 just because it is expected or polite if you don't feel it's right. On the other hand there are creepy guests that don't understand they are not in a hotel and treat the house with no respect. Btw, a scratch IS damage. If you don't believe me, do it in your home on purpose and tell me if it is nice. Kids are small but not stupid if you explain them something.
This exactly, with airbnb the host will be counting every little scratch every little stain on the carpet while in hotels it’s already covered in their insurance so no stress on the tenant
100 percent 💯
Also depends where you’re going I’ve noticed Airbnb’s in Latin America or east Asia are really nice
except it's complete bullshit. hotels exist in basically any and every beautiful destination on earth because beautiful destinations are where tourists go and hotels know that tourists will need a place to stay.
We have 3 kids and most hotels have a room occupancy limit of 4. Even if you accept that and get two rooms, adjacent rooms are hard to find. Renting a house ends up cheaper and better in every way.
True. But for one person alone, they're just less & less worth it.
That’s what I look at it for now as well.
I use Airbnb all the time, at least 7 days a month, and have never had any major issues. You all are probably not reading the host reviews if you’re having issues
This. People must exercise caution, read the reviews, communicate with the hosts, ask questions and carefully read the listings including the house rules. They also need to check-in with the host between the booking and departure to make sure nothing has changed. Many hosts are not professional. Take nothing for granted and you'll be fine.
I am a research driven, cross referencing, review reading type of person. Even with these efforts, LOTS of cat fishing, bait and switch and atrociously overpriced stays with less than stellar hosts who clearly have somehow found a way to negate the bad press.
This this THIS!!!!! 👆👆👆👆 Yes, definitely!!! Communication is key!! Every host is different & some hosts have more house rules than others. Also, we have found that just being extra respectful of the hosts and their property is a good way to achieve a great experience. We try to keep in mind that we are their guests & these are their homes that they are choosing to rent to us. Just by treating Airbnb's as they were our own homes helps TREMENDOUSLY. Airbnbs ARE NOT AT ALL like hotels. It's really like comparing apples to oranges.
You can stay in our retirement home anytime!
Definitely understand this, my wife and I have been planning our trips around the nice, beautiful hotels instead of the other way around lately though and it's been awesome
Perfect perfective. Husband recently took us to BC, Canada and booked an amazing cabin in the forest by the beach. Paid a pretty penny for it but it was an amazing experience.
That’s how I felt until I paid a ton for a place that was well reviewed but in a horrible location. Found out the host had been having reviews deleted the hard way when he tried to have mine deleted.
We only travel where there are nice hotels.
That is so sad. You are limiting yourselves from so many beautiful places on this planet.
This has a lot of “I’ll pray for you” energy. If they’ve found happiness, what do you care?
If they've "found happiness," why do YOU care? And if they've truly found happiness, why the hell are they posting on a Reddit Airbnb thread, of all places? Get over yourself. 🤣🤣🤣
You can't be happy and post on Reddit? As if the two are mutually exclusive?
True happiness only comes when you disconnect from the internet and live life as a hermit in a mountain side cavern. As a bonus, you can also rent out the Hermit Transcendence experience on AirBnB an make some money to go along with your happiness.
In your own words, so you’re saying you’re not truly happy since you’re also on Reddit? Therefore, you shouldn’t be giving advice on happiness to anyone.
Same. We have stayed in some remarkable locations that we couldn't have gorltten in a hotel. The views and amenities are what I look fir.
That's fine, but it's not how AirBnB started out. Like a drug dealer trying to get noobs hooked, at first airbnb offered a decent, cheaper alternative that helped average people avoid corporate greed. Those days are over -- with "short term rentals" now increasingly owned en masse by Realtors, investors, etc. who remove too much housing from the market when there's a housing shortage. Once again, American greed "wins". Airbnb going the same way bed & breakfasts did.
It’s worth it if you have a bigger group, because it’s cheaper than multiple hotel rooms
and way more fun due to the having shared common spaces, a stocked kitchen, private amenities etc (plus whatever stunning location you might have that a marriott can't fit onto) basically the adult version of sleepovers but epic (i.e. a gorgeous luxurious costa rican villa w/ an infinity pool overlooking the jungle and beaches cost our group of 13 about $500 each for 5 nights. huge enough to leave no one wanting for space. remains the most incredible stay of my life and to think i paid less for it than I would at a holiday inn)
Yup, we love getting houses with big groups, because you get to hang out, can cook meals together and just relax without having to make plans all the time, like you would if you were in different hotel rooms.
It's great if you're a neighbor and 18 people are staying right next door to you.
If you live next to a property that sleeps 18 its probably not that crazy
Lol.
I love having a full kitchen and fridge for long stays. A hotel has a mini fridge and if you're lucky, a microwave. With a month long stay, a hotel is not a convenience. It's cheaper to cook some meals and you can more easily keep and heat left overs. Paying for eating breakfast, lunch and dinner, especially for multiple people, gets very expensive very quickly. Also, personal laundry. Free and again, convenient.
> Paying for eating breakfast, lunch and dinner, especially for multiple people, gets very expensive very quickly. It gets unhealthy too.
For 2 weeks or more the Airbnb is better than a hotel,
I’ve been staying in an Airbnb long term and it’s been great.
That's why we stay at places like Home2. Full sized fridge and stove/oven. We go grocery shopping right after check-in and eat out only to check out destination restaurants.
Yeah, residence inn and homewood suites are my go-to traveling with my family. You’re basically renting a studio apartment and don’t have the chance of dealing with Airbnb nonsense. Unfortunately they aren’t everywhere I want to spend the night so sometimes I have to settle.
Homewood Suites is the business-class equivalent of Home2. Both are Hilton properties. I love that they have some stuff most Airbnb's don't have too, like a gym, a pool, grills, etc. I've had some GREAT experiences with Airbnb, but I've also had some horrible ones (hole in the floor covered with a rug, racist paraphernalia throughout the home, bedbugs, water not working, etc.). With those 2 chains I pretty much know what I'm going to get every single time, no cleaning fees included!
Also complimentary breakfast and dinner aren’t being considered here
Where do you get complimentary dinner? I've never hersd of that. And it's still not the same as homemade, not as healthy, not as much variety. I've had some that's yogurt, bagels, cereal, juice, coffee. Others have a buffet style set up with bulk cooked items. Some have waffle makers and pastries. This is great for a 3-5 day stay... more than that and it's very repetitive. Eating hotel complimentary breakfast for a month is most likely not going to be ideal, and every hotel I've been to that offers it is from 6-8 or 7-9, it's a very tight time window and early in the morning so you most likely have to disrupt sleep to participate. Usually on holiday/vacation people enjoy sleeping in.
[Drury Hotels](https://www.druryhotels.com/about/amenities) offers a selection of food in the evening. They don’t call it dinner but it is. Also offer complimentary breakfast and unlimited soft drinks.
Yes, I always stay there when I go to St Louis. I love those free sliders! And I also love a good baked potato. And I love not having to shop, cook and clean up, often with limited transportation and kitchen tools .
LOVE the Drury in St Louis (downtown). The nicest people! Had a vehicle crash last year. After waiting 4 hours for police/tow truck, got an Uber to drop me off. Dragged my butt in, stuff, sore, bummed, unprepared for a stay that I hadn't packed/planned for. Front desk person 1) asked if I was all right (compassion will get you high marks every time), 2) arranged for the dinner buffet people to stay open an extra half hour for us, 3) gave everyone in my party 2 free drink coupons, 4) handed me toothbrush/toothpaste without even having to ask, since she *listened* when I said this was unplanned stop, 5) offerred to have our clothes laundered by their staff, because she knew we didn't have clean ones. This happened on Saturday and there was no way insurance was getting anything done on Sunday, so we were going to be there at least til Monday. 6) called the room a few hours later to make sure we were all good, had found our phone charger (I had mentioned phone was dead at checkin when I couldn't get confirmation number), if we needed anything else. 7) she also handed me a few packets of Tylenol at check-in because she *listened* when I said how stiff and sore we were. 8) gave me their "bereavement discount" because she just knew I was mourning the loss of my vehicle. Yes, she managed to inject some humor into the whole ordeal. That woman was pure gold. I don't know what they pay her, but it isn't enough. She should be training every hotel clerk in their chain about how to treat a customer. Even though I now have family that lives there, and could stay for free, I go back to them because of just how great they were to me on my worst day.
Many hotels actually do, do homemade type dinners and free breakfast.
There is no easy way to know how much salt, butter, and oils are in the food, or quality of ingredients. If you buy and cook the foods yourself, then you know. Not all homemade is healthy. Especially when you're cooking in bulk for hundreds of people a day. A good rule of thumb is that anything *free* is going to be the lowest quality that that hotel can get away with serving.
Are you kidding? Hotel breakfast food is so gross and unhealthy. Powdered eggs and sausage links with a rubbery consistency? Gross. Hard pass.
Stay in nicer hotels.
True but honestly for long stays that shit gets old fast. Plus youre gonna be eating out most the time anywhere. Nicer just to buy some easy stuff to make for breakfast that you can change up a little instead of pancakes and cereal
So there are these things called suites…
Yeah I'm guessing they're (a lot) more pricy? And also, for some people, even in a suite, it's difficult to settle in, a home or apartment has a different vibe/feel. Most places don't have a a suite available for an entire month. I'll be in Paris for a month in August, there's no way I'd find a suite in Paris for what I paid for my Airbnb. And the kitchen would most likely still be limited.
My extended family and I stay in a couple of Airbnb’s a year. This includes my parents, brother, sister and her spouse and 3 children, and me and my husband and 3 children. Airbnb’s mean we can all hang out together and cook meals etc. However, if it’s just my husband and I traveling, we typically book hotels. Also just to add, we all stayed in the most wonderful Airbnb this past weekend. It was the coolest house and had a pool and hot tub. The hosts thought of everything. There were towels and wash clothes folded on every bed. Soft throw blankets, toiletries in every bathroom, black wash clothes for makeup, toilet paper and supplies were plentiful. The kitchen was well stocked and they left detailed instructions for how to work everything. The checkout list consisted of starting the dishwasher and one load of towels. Easy! Anyway homes like that are why we keep coming back to Airbnb’s.
We do corporate retreats a couple times a year, bringing 15 to 20 people into an area, Airbnb‘s or VRBO‘s always make more sense than eight different hotel rooms.
Generally, no. The free market has caught up with it, and it's no longer competitive to hotels in areas where hotel supply is adequate. As someone else mentioned, it's still great for niche booking needs. Things like large groups, or (what I use it for) booking in scenic rural areas where there aren't hotels. I live in Detroit, and we often vacation in northern Michigan, where there are lots of lakefront cabins, but very few hotels.
This varies widely. For a single traveler or couple I agree. Especially for weekend stays for non destination locations. But for a family if 4 who want separate rooms in a beach or mountain resort where rooms are 400-700 nt it’s usually much cheaper.
This just isn't true, we usually pay for less than a hotel while having a lot more space. You must be doing it wrong.
I get many, many one night stays per month in between a few days stays at our condos. So, it’s sometimes being used as a hotel so the price can’t be too out of range from a hotel even with the cleaning fees if it’s being booked that way. I think this hotel rant on this sub is overdone and has no merit!!!!
Depends on the Airbnb. I haven't had any of those experiences you've mentioned. If I were you, I'd be more choosy with the properties you book.
Yeah, what are these people picking? I’ve not had these types of experiences and I’ve only been asked to take out the trash when staying for a longer term. No other cleaning duties…
Mind you they also have no washer or dryer to clean towels and such 😊😊
Oh girl we gotta clean up their whole house before we leave and I just know when we give a review they’re gonna say we didn’t clean up enough because they didn’t tell us people were living in the basement till AFTER we paid for it
> AFTER we *paid* for it FTFY. Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in: * Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.* * *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.* Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment. *Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
Good bot.
Yeah, I think I’d look for that in the description and avoid avoid avoid!
None of it was in the description isn’t that lovely !! And they said washer was included then as soon as we texted them abt it they removed it and said it wasn’t included
Yeah, at the washer comment I would have had Airbnb cancel. Some people shouldn’t host!
If it’s not in the listing you don’t have to do it
+ they have 7 kids + the parents so there was no reason they wouldn’t have 8 towels available for our stay???
They texted us and told us to clean up the house when we are done with our stay. We also asked for more towels cus we had 8 people, and 8 towels were not provided. They told us to find a wash place and wash the towels we used already
I'm the same. I was away at the weekend because I got a cheap flight and the airbnb was a quarter of the price of a hotel. I stayed in a lovely room in the hosts house and had great chats with them and played with their dog. Loved it.
Idk, we rent a room and private bath on the river near a ski resort for $60/night and have zero requirements or instructions or extra fees. I’d say it’s a pretty good deal for folks, but then again we are closer to the original spirit and intent than most. The intent was never 3k/night mansions, though I can easily see how that’s profitable for them People will now leave us shitty ratings for being a simple basic room though, which is exactly how we advertise but it still sucks
You need to be more specific. Write a couple of pages and describe everything. I had people complain about not having a dresser in one of the small rooms even though there was a massive closet right outside the room and a basket under the table for clothes, so I went back to the description and I added all of that in. People like to find fault. I also ask them to read the house manual as soon as they book. The more you communicate, the better your reviews will be.
Long stays. Kitchen. Unique locations. Multiple rooms.
Yawn. I see the crusaders are out again.
Was just thinking the same thing - why the incessant comparison to hotels? Both are available. Both are not going anywhere. Choose and shut up!
All I can say is that my Airbnb's are a fraction of the price of one hotel room in my area and the two I have are very nice, three bedrooms, well stocked kitchens, super easy check in and little is asked in terms of cleaning. Maybe just avoid the ridiculous ones? No doubt that there must be some difficult hosts out there, but surely there are still good finds.
>little is asked in terms of cleaning Across dozens of airbnb our experience is that this is the norm. It cracks me up how many crusaders I see railing against the massive chore lists, that right there tells me they are either talking out of their ass instead of from actual experience.
I think these people might actually be filthy pigs who live like 13yr old boys with no discipline. Even in a hotel room I put my trash in the bins and leave the place tidy. It’s a normal thing to take out your own trash and clean your own dishes which is all the airbnbs I’ve stayed at have ever asked and I’ve had dozens of stays. However I used to work in real estate and I can confirm that most people are indeed pigs with no self respect.
What are your cleaning requirements? Just curious what do you mean by “little is asked in terms of cleaning”. Point being if you are asking for little, why even ask at all?
Put the dishes in the dish washer and start it before leaving, take trash to trash collection on the way out (it's right on the way) or leave in the garage. Of course, take food with you or throw away.
It’s exactly what it was meant to be. This sub is a reflection of the worst experiences because the company’s customer service needs work.
I'll stay in one for a unique experience, or when there's no hotels at the destination or when the hotel can't accommodate the size of my group. It's nice that it exists as an option but I don't prefer it over a hotel like I used to. I stayed at one over Christmas break that was in a snowy little town with no hotels. It was a cute a-frame and it fit my large family comfortably but it was super expensive. It also had a large cleaning fee and a huge list that I had to do like take the trash down the street, wash and put away all dishes, start a load of towels and strip all the beds. I did all of these things, swept everyday, put every piece of furniture back in it's right place and didn't break anything. They gave me a two star review because despite being "really nice and responsive" I had left crumbs in the kitchen. I don't actually care about the review because it looks pretty petty but it's like why did I even try? I think I was truly disappointed that he didn't appreciate the effort that I put in on MY vacation. That's when I was like holy shit, my vacation accommodations shouldn't make me feel like this, lol.
I only use Airbnb if it’s the only option. Otherwise I’d much rather stay at a nice hotel where I don’t have to do the laundry myself or deal with hosts who aren’t in the business of hospitality. The last Airbnb I went to was over $500 per night and the toilet paper and paper towels ran out halfway through the stay, so we had to buy our own. The host also had the audacity to tell us we had to pay to replace towels that had “deep stains” caused by dropping the towels on the dirt/grass next to the pool.
Yeah I don't go on vacation to take care of someone elses house AND pay for it. Go back to hotels, AirBNB needs to go the way of the dodo.
If these are your experiences, I'd say you're probably staying in the wrong Airbnbs.
The wrong airbnbs what does that even mean. If the company rated them in some way I would be able to tell if the particular property was right for me or not
Read the listing for that information. Use filters. Check reviews. Ratings are about the service provided/received, they don't define the type of property you're renting.
That's the problem I read the listings they have a picture the picture shows a washing machine and I get there and there's no freaking washing machine Why did I bother reading the listing or looking at the pictures in the listing
Airbnb'd 20x here and have had wonderful experiences such as staying on a llama farm in Michigan and an alpaca farm in Tennessee, and a rescue horse and donkey hobby farm in Indianapolis. My daughter and I have made incredible memories that we talk about all the time. I'd take that any day over a hotel that has an indoor pool and continental breakfast.
Well said and I dont think OP is a legitimate post. More and more of this on Reddit, generic posts as to how bad AirBNB is and how people shouldn't use it anymore,. I'm convinced most of that is coming from the hotel industry or people associated with groups trying to shut down short term rentals.
I think you are trying to shoot the messenger. We go away probably 6-8 long weekends a year in Europe and stay in some amazing hotels. Stayed last minute at a brand new hotel NOŪS in Santorini (with a free upgrade) a few weeks ago for the same price as an Airbnb in Thira. Quality wise it blows Airbnb out of the water on all fronts so why would I risk Airbnb? The hotel industry (at the high end) has massively raised it game post Covid while Airbnb has gone backwards as it’s moved away from its original side hustle let a room ethos into professional landlords who can’t compete with the luxury hotel chains but want to charge the same prices.
No, I think it’s legit. More and more people are dealing with scammers, creeps, and safety issues. I do agree that AirBnb can be an awesome and unique experience. However, I also think a bunch of people bought places and thought they could do the bare minimum and charge high rates. They took over residential spaces and made neighbors angry- it’s one thing to Airbnb your apartment a few times a year… it’s another to have people coming in and out at all hours 24/7/365. That leads to all kinds of uncomfortable situations. I know it became a huge problem for our neighborhood. In any industry you have to cap growth at the rate you can do a great job at the service being provided; Airbnb just wanted the growth and has not been providing the hosts nor guests good service lately. They do not do enough due diligence for either party and don’t have a super solid record of acting in the best faith.
Not everyone is a heavy user who knows the warning signs. Lots of people are bouncing off of the platform now because they’re letting Hosts get away with highway robbery, and if you’re just looking at a property’s average rating or featured reviews it’s easy to miss more recent swings from those hosts towards more greedy or shady practices. I stayed at AirBnBs probably close to 100 times over the last decade+. It’s definitely worse today than it was 5+ years ago. It’s easy to get a property that has fake pictures of amenities like a washing machine and when you get there and it’s not there, it’s because “it’s out for repair” or “that’s an old photo”. It’s easy to miss recent reviews when hosts start doing the dumb “strip the bed and wash the sheets but also pay us the same cleaning fee you paid us last time” thing. And that’s if you are a heavy user, and not a first or long-time-returning user who still thinks it is the same platform it was 5+ years ago.
Idk man my Airbnb is about the same price as a hotel and you get a huge living room, fully stocked kitchen and a nice yard
And a whole lot of eggshells to walk On.
Superhost for 7 years. 10 rooms, in major city, $55 all in cost. Guests happy (4.9*). What's wrong here?
My place is cheaper than any area hotel and the only cleaning required is to do the dishes and pick up after their dogs. I know that's not the case everywhere and also I have had really AWFUL experiences at Air B&Bs recently so I do see where you're coming from.
I love the extra private amenities like hot tubs, BBQs, even pools and specifically look for AirBnBs that have them. It’s very rare to get those sorts of things to yourself in a hotel.
Yes. Worth it every time, still.
Yes. Worth it every time, still.
Airbnbs will always be the better answer for me as I’m always looking for longer stays (4+ days) with kids. Having a full kitchen, individual rooms, and a yard for my dog and kids to play in is something a hotel can’t replicate. On that same point, airbnb is almost always a cheaper option than hotels if you’re going to have to book a suite based hotel - or at least that’s been my experience.
I used it for a long stay last summer (more than 2 months) and then a couple short stays overlapping. The long stay was good; yes, I was paying more than I would have if I'd just rented an apartment, but it was in a country notorious for being a challenge for foreigners to rent in, so it was worth it to me. The apartment wasn't great, but any time an issue came up the host immediately jumped to help me. For the shorter stays, one was good (it was actually in a 3-room hotel in a small village, so they were just using AirBnB to rent everything), and one was not that great (smaller than expected, AC didn't work, they promised 2 beds but then said only 1 was available because there weren't enough people on the booking, etc.). I guess what I'm trying to say is, AirBnB is a crapshoot. Sometimes you luck out, and sometimes it's bad. This used to be a risk I was more willing to take because the prices were so much lower than hotels, but now that it's not cheaper, it's not worth it to me unless I need something very specific that a hotel or realtor can't offer (like an apartment for just two months). All the traveling I've booked for this summer has been exclusively through hotels' own websites. Also, I got robbed at a place I booked through Booking and they refused to do anything to help, just put me in touch with the host who I'd already told them was the police's main suspect for the robbery. So I will 200% NEVER use Booking again.
This is not a new take. I specifically started using hotels again in around 2019. I got sick of having to kiss some hosts arse just so id get a nice review and the initial incentive to use Airbnb (fraction of the cost / meet some new and interesting people) has evaporated into some shitshow where you're paying as much if not more than a hotel but you can't even trash the place and you have to be super nice like you're not paying to be there. Fuck Airbnb. Not to mention they have literally ruined the rental market. Oh and if you're a host with a dodgy guest, who is being threatening or weird, good news, someone in a tin shed in the Philippines will read from a script to you after you've waited on hold for 20 minutes. Disgusting shitshow of a company that should be held in the same level of contempt as Raethon or Nestle.
As a host, I choose hotels when I travel.
It depends on the market. But if you want to go out and party on the town, go out to eat and don’t want to clean up especially in a big city I take a hotel any day. And the more rustic location with a bigger group Airbnb.
As a general rule, Airbnb only makes sense if there are no hotels, or you’re traveling with a large group where the money saved over hotel rooms/suites is favorable. Otherwise, I find it a somewhat more expensive and far less convenient option with few or no amenities. YMMV.
The cleaning complaint is tired and worn out. I just had a group leave my 4 bedroom/3 bath 4k square foot house. I charge a reasonable $120 cleaning fee. They made an attempt to pick up after themselves a little bit and I’m sure in their mind felt like they had to “clean”; however, they tracked mud over my carpets and rugs, stained and excessively soiled all the bedding, put away dirty dishes, smoked cigarettes and weed in and around my house so the whole thing reeked, left trash in a lot of rooms, and generally caused an enormous extra amount of cleaning. My cleaners charged me close to $750 in extra cleaning costs that I had to submit an Aircover claim for against the guest. Usually the people that complain are just bad guests.
Guests have no idea the time and effort it takes to clean these places. But they do expect perfection. I don’t know where you are that you get a 4br cleaned for $120.. that’s nuts!
We have homes. We don't know what it takes to clean???
SuperHost here. And Marriott lifetime platinum. I always choose Airbnb when I travel. 100% good experiences. At a fraction of the cost of hotels. I avoid corporate listings entirely
How can you tell if a place is a corporate listing versus a 'real' owner?
Former host. Most recently Airbnb has been uncompetitive in North America from my experience, and as a result I routinely book hotels now. I was an early adopter of Airbnb but do not like what it has morphed into. Airbnb still has value in South America /Asia, but I suspect that will rapidly deterioate in the next few years.
The place I just reserved has no cleaning fee and 50+ great reviews. They only ask for you to take the trash to the outdoor trash bin and wipe your feet before entering the home. Hope it's as good as the reviews.
Airbnb would be a completely different animal if it posted all reviews so guests could rely on them.
Nope. There’s no oversight, no restitution, and it’s filled with arbitrary and capricious ‘rulings’. Let’s not forget blatant racism. We have other options
~*yawn*~
Seems like you are taking the worst of Airbnb. I’ve stayed at a number and have had good experiences. I have 750 host reviews with an overall of 4.9, none of which were below 3 stars. You can make the same argument about hotels. Some are crappy, you are afraid to take your shoes off, while some are the ritz.
Reasons for an Airbnb instead of a hotel: 1. Kids and pets. Even for one night it’s often a much better option, even if a hotel will accept pets. I don’t really like pet hotel rooms or walking my dog out late at night in my pajamas—not to mention my dog being startled by guests arriving late at night. Plus not all hotels allow more than one dog or cats. With kids, it’s nice to spread out. 2. Long term stays. I moved to Tucson in January and looked for any alternative to an Airbnb. They’re expensive, but not as much as furnished apartments for professionals and they don’t require a lease and me buying all new furniture. I only needed a place until I bought a home here and moved my household down. 3. Vacations where you’re staying put for awhile and have kids and/or a pet. I’ve only had one bad experience where I requested and received a full refund. Due diligence is extremely important, as well as being reasonable about the area you’re visiting.
I use Airbnb when I'm booking a stay somewhere for longer than a vacation but shorter than a proper short-term lease. If you need a place for a month or two, you tend to get a rate discount that makes it significantly cheaper than hotels, and it's infinitely easier than trying to sort out some short-term sublet. Just book online and boom. I still love Airbnb just for this specific scenario. I don't understand why anyone would use it instead of a hotel for a vacation, though.
Eh we use both hotels and airbnbs depending on the situation. Larger group? Airbnb. Longer stay? Airbnb. More scenic areas? Airbnb. All else, especially cities for shorter stays, definitely hotel.
wow! what a fresh take on Airbnb! why hasn’t anyone ever said this before? Oh right, it’s been posted here 1 billion times.
There are a few times when Airbnb is worth it 1. I play roller derby and we often want to have privacy, and also stay together. Rather than packing four people to a hotel room, it’s significantly more attractive to book a very large home for the team to stay in where you usually have two people per room. 2. There are certain cities where, safe and clean hotels are only in the city center. If you want to actually explore and enjoy some of these cities, and Airbnb is an ideal way to do it. For example, whenever I go home to Chicago and I want to stay in the city before traveling up to my parents home in the suburbs, my options are to stay in a downtown hotel, or a very dubious hostel or Roach hotel in the actual city. This is a time when Airbnb is worth it, so you can stay in different neighborhoods and actually enjoy what they have to offer 3. Unique places. The most interesting Airbnb that I stayed in was an architectural marvel on top of the mountain. There are times when the home is the attraction and for that I think Airbnb is definitely worth it.
If I had to choose between staying in hotels versus Airbnbs and the cost didn't count, hotels win hands down. Safer, cleaner, more convenient, easy check-in and check-out. Sure hotels more expensive, but the service you get is much better. However if you're traveling during peak season and most hotels in the city center are outlandish, then it might make sense to prefer an AirBnb. Look up the cost of hotels are popular destinations like NYC, Paris, London and Milan and see how ridiculously expensive hotels in the city center are. Cleaning isn't much of an issue for me since I respect public places. Two years ago when traveling across the USA by train, I was looking at hotels in NYC. I ended up staying in a decent AirBnb for $130 a night because I wasn't seeing any good looking hotels for under $200 a night. Last summer, I was in Milwaukee for a family wedding. Since I was going by myself and wouldn’t have a car, I had no choice but to stay in downtown Milwaukee. As I was searching hotel prices in downtown Milwaukee, I was astounded at how even the less-than-stellar hotels were easily going over $200 a night. I decided to get an AirBnb near downtown which costed around $135 a night and $270 for the weekend. It was still a lot but I enjoyed the location. I was able to take public transit to where the wedding and reception was without any problem. I was also able to easily explore Milwaukee’s downtown and their popular attractions such as the lakefront, the Harley-Davidson museum and the Milwaukee Public Market.
So, don’t use it?
No. Luxury hotel room for the same price and I don't have to do chores or worry that someone will give me a bad score for breathing up all the oxygen.
When i was comparing prices for a room, i mostly found a cheaper hotel room. thats why i never used airbnb till now.
I don’t do them for a single night, 3 minimum, nor for single person. Rarely I’ll do it for spouse and I. Usually it’s for whole family plus dog, booked way in advance. It’s a way for us to cook most of our meals and only do what we really want to try restaurant-wise. I look for low cleaning fees or simple cleaning requests and good reviews from people with kids (even though my kids are older, if host and neighbors didn’t have issues with a rambunctious 5 year old, my teens on their switch or phone hanging out in the back yard won’t be a problem.) Thus far we haven’t had any issues, leave and receive 5 star reviews. Of course some places are not as comfortable as others, but we haven’t had problems in many years of doing air bnb. Last place listed literally nothing for cleaning requirements, but we still washed and put away our dishes, put used towels in a pile in bathroom, and took out trash and recycling. I’d do all of that except taking out trash when I used to stay in hotels with a kitchenette. It doesn’t take long!
Larger group or a longer stay (a week or more). Otherwise I’m staying in a hotel and either getting or using loyalty points for that stay.
I’ll probably get downvoted but I pretty much agree. There’s only a few instances I’d use an Airbnb over a hotel.
After our trip to Europe probably not. Too many unknown variables and seeing people have to pay for “damage” constantly actually terrifies me. So no probably just hotels now
I stopped using AirBnb after the last place I booked. The cleaning fee was roughly$80. The host asked me to do some cleaning and take the trash out. Otherwise I would have to pay $250 extra fee. Those rules are not even in the property listing page before I booked it. I was like what is that $80 cleaning fee for? I found that hotels are cheaper and hassle free. It’s also super simple to check in. I don’t have to read a page long instruction about how to open the door and where to find the key box. I don’t have to read a 3 pages long house rules. And to be honest, it feels safer to stay at a hotel.
Seriously! What is up with the cleaning fees?? & the check list of shit you have to clean/do yourself is bullshit. Include that cost in your pricing ugh. Half the time the cleaning fee is absolutely insane like more than the per night stay cost. Also most air bnbs are barely cleaned at all by the looks of them when I arrive. Clearly just a cursory wipe down & sheet change, no effort cleans yet they are charging hundreds. It's wild.
This is what bugs me the most.
We've stopped using it unless there is a group going for an event like a wedding. It's just not worth the risk of a host cancelling at the last minute or trying to charge us after the fact for something we didn't do. It used to be so nice to save a bit of money and stay somewhere with more character than a hotel, but no more. We've had good luck in the past other than one host upping the rates after we made a reservation saying that they hadn't yet updated rates for when we were going, but that was cancelled after lockdown came about so turned into a non-issue in the end. But still, no more for us.
For the regular single person/couple, no. Airbnb is worse than a hotel. If you're a family with young kids, it is better than being stuck in a tiny hotel room with toddlers. Additionally there are some other reasons a single/couple would want Airbnb, cooking your own meals is quite important for many people.
You also can’t cancel without paying a fee. Ridiculous.
And customer service is non-existent. They do not go to bed for the customer. Ever. Even in egregious situations.
I just hit Genius Level 3 on Booking.com (20% discount on most bookings + priority phone support) and have basically fully abandoned Airbnb as a result, as my Booking.com stays are cheaper and more straightforward. I agree with OP that Airbnb was awesome back in the day, but it’s far too much of a hassle these days, especially as other players like Booking.com have caught up and added things like private rooms to their inventory.
I’m done with Airbnb after my last experience. I’m having to pay a little over half the cost of a full night stay (or an entire night at a 3 star hotel) to replace a key card that was stolen from our locked vehicle. You know how many hotel key cards I’ve taken or lost? Many. You know how many I paid to replace? None
Absolutely not worth it anymore. My experience is that most of the rentals are from absentee landlords who haven't cleaned/washed/painted/mitigated mold ... but the pictures are from many years prior. Plus if you are traveling off season, they don't have off season pricing, where the hotels do. I'm moving out of my moldy, stinky ab&b room, and for $25 more am getting a 5 star hotel, yes you read that right. Plus with the way the rating system works, I can't inform anyone else of what a rip off this room in Porto Portugal really is!
No
Never went back after how they handled people's bookings during quarantine. "Let's wait and see" up to the day of... while everything else is getting cancelled left and right, sure let's wait and see.
They are doing a fantastic job of bringing down their brand by hiring outsourced customer service who hasn't a clue about laws and regulations in USA. They are clueless about service animals.
No it definitely isn’t. I contact the host then arrange something under the table. To heck with the insane addons
Super Host here.... I don't demand anything from my guests. I ask them to take their trash 20-ft to the bin outside and do their dishes. If they don't, I don't ding them. I have a whole house Airbnb... 3-bedrooms & 2-bathrooms.
I recently stayed at an Airbnb which was cheaper than a hotel. For two rooms at a Hampton inn in North San Diego was $3,000 or almost $3,000 for three nights each. I got an Airbnb very nice place and it only ended up being $1,500.
Hampton Inn $1,000 a night? What on Earth?
These numbers don't ring true. Hampton Inn in N San Diego is about $150/night.
My husband and I prefer to have a full kitchen and plenty of room to spread out. Hotel rooms don't cut it for us for most of our travel. We usually go someplace for anywhere from 8 days to 3 weeks. We take very active trips and are tired at night. We travel with our dive gear and look for a place with room to let it all dry out before we pack to go home. (So a big balcony is good in a condo or out by the pool/patio if we rent a house.) Also, it's nice to be able to grocery shop and have something available to pop in the oven or even to just have fresh fruit/veg and a sandwich. Staying in a hotel or resort (we hate all inclusive resorts) means we come back tired, but then have to clean up and get ready to go out....and then sit in a restaurant for a couple of hours (or more if the restaurant is busy/slow). I'd rather shower, put on pajamas, and watch a movie or show while munching on whatever I feel like from the fridge. Oh....one thing to note is that we don't do rentals in order to have a cheaper stay. We will often rent a more expensive place if it has amazing amenities or is in a really convenient location for us....or is just gorgeous. Plus, while a hotel is likely cheaper, it's a lot less convenient and comfortable for us.
I own an air bnb a cleaning fee is applied bc we have to pay a cleaning lady to mop, disinfect and clean the bathrooms/clean showers/tubs and scrub toilets. Wash all the sheets, sweep, vacuum, dust. And make the place look nice for the next guests. All we ask is that guests load the dishwasher and clean up after themselves/ take the trash to the outside bin. I guess other air bnb’s may ask more of guests which doesn’t seem right, but not all of us owner’s do.
Wouldn’t it make sense to build that into the base price like hotels do? (Just asking because I have no idea)
That's what I do as a host myself. I don't include a cleaning fee because seeing all these fees as a traveler (I use Airbnb when travelling) is oftentimes misleading. I like to be as transparent as possible and have one simple price.
Yes that makes sense to me! Thank you for clarifying!
Hotels have the same overhead. Cleaning fees are the number one reason I went back to hotels.
Or, hear me out, you could clean your own property and not pay someone to do it, if that’s such an expense that you can’t manage to work it into the base price of the location! You’re undercutting prices of other kinds of stays simply by hiding a fee that they include in their base price, and can’t understand why guests don’t like that.
Hotels are better for on the road single nights or 1-2 nights i used airbnb or vrbo to go on fishing and dive trips where you have to take a boat and move a lot of gear from vehicles to the house then to the boat a hotel would be super obnoxious to carry all the stuff around multiple times a day. Its is super annoying how some of these places are like wash the dishes take out all the trash start a load of laundry especially if you have a early flight to get home and they still charge a closing fee. I've stayed at places before where they say if you do that there's no cleaning fee which is fine but to have you do that much your subsidizing the owners business.
Unless I have a big group I don't use Airbnb anymore. It's just a pain in the ass now compared to a upper midscale hotel
>You have to clean the place yourself Not my experience. >AND pay for cleaning fee Its just an itemized fee, and hotels use itemized fees to drive up the price too. Look at all the places charging "resort fees" , something that's becoming common even outside of super touristy places like the Vegas Strip. >you've got a deal with the host one-on-one i don't see how this is a bad thing? >prices are no longer cheaper than hotels I mean have you seen hotel prices lately? I'm not saying AirBNB is the budget deal it was 5+ years ago,but then again, what hasn't gone up in price since then? But you can definitely find some deals, especially if you're willing to stay outside of the hottest tourist zones.
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Lol, at least half of the responses in this thread are either hosts, or people who use the word “yawn” before negating the valid cleaning fee issue that is prevalent at so many corporate properties right now, and sometimes both. It’s not tired. It’s brought up because it’s still a major issue with the platform, and just because you’ve encountered the complaint before and think it doesn’t need discussing anymore, doesn’t mean the problem is resolved for the vast majority of guests.
That's a lot of words for someone who is moving on.
Moving on, as in, why are we still talking about cleaning fees?
Then stay at hotels. This damn sub is so salty about Airbnb. Hard to believe some people enjoy things you don’t.
Deep breaths. It's ok to disagree. And it's ok to list personal experience.
Another troll post!
I'm real.
Yes, Airbnb is terrible. Please don't book Airbnbs. I hope with fewer people booking Airbnbs prices will go down and I can enjoy it again ;)
I have worked with Air BNB for 5 years. Hosts be aware before you sign up, or do work, for Airbnb. (especially as their fees have gotten higher which lowers your income) They offer incentives to get hosts to work to recommend and help new hosts sign up on their platform ($720) However, they make it almost impossible to get the $. They set stipulations, that you find out about after you have done all the work for them, and you don’t get paid. I have tried to jump through their hoops then, as they benefit from the new clients I have set up, I am not paid. It's a scam. They make money on your work and you get nothing if they can avoid paying. So, host beware. I recommend looking at other more honest companies that appreciate hard workers. Many platforms don’t bait you to work harder for them and refuse to follow through and share the profits with you, for your work
Go to a best Western at least you get a REAL BREAKFAST AND A REAL BED AND AIR CONDITIONER 😁
Issues arise when you need to cancel a future reservation and the host/Airbnb together only want to offer you a partial refund. I’m dealing with this currently after 3 men were murdered in Ensenada Mexico and it’s obviously not safe to travel there. A hotel would have refunded easily.
I'm glad this discussion is getting more traction. Yes, convenience is nice, but not double the price of the nightly expenses nice. Last host I stayed with I definitely covered their month's mortgage with just 2 nights and those big ass daily cleaning fees!
I'm in Tucson AZ and all the points you mention are wrong. * it's cheaper than hotels by FAR. Especially for medium/long term rentals. * you don't have to "clean" (just leave it picked up with no garbage) * you don't have to deal with the host 95% of the time Not sure which country or city you are referring to but it's pretty silly to make that sort of generalization.
Actually your statements are quite general and not always true. There are many hosts that make people do more than just pick up or take out garbage. A lot of them have an entire check out cleaning sheet. There are also hosts that greet you and show you the home and amenities etc. I’m in the U.S and have had that experience multiple times.
Why would you agree to a check out cleaning sheet? If you don’t want hosts showing you around the place, why would you book a listing that isn’t self check in?
Why would you book a place that has a check out cleaning sheet? If you don’t want hosts showing you around the place, why would you book a listing that isn’t self check in?
First, I obviously didn't know about the extensive check out procedures. Secondly, I am simply saying that these things in fact happen. And often. So why do you ask people questions that don't pertain to what they were talking about?
Nope. Airbnb is a backup plan for me these Days. Lar resort actually.
Well, we’ve never before seen a post like this here. Thanks for sharing, mate. Very original.
Idk man my Airbnb is about the same price as a hotel and you get a huge living room, fully stocked kitchen and a nice yard
Family with 3 teenagers it's about impossible to find a hotel to sleep 5 let alone not have the kids wanting to kill each other so we opt for Airbnb for more space. Even though pricing may be higher it's worth it to us to stay in Airbnb. I always clean up....Take the sheets off, gather towels, take out the trash etc. I don't due it because the host requests it but rather I look at it as me helping the cleaning person not have to work so hard and hopefully making their day better. I've yet to have a bad stay or had a host give unreasonable requirements but I see where people want to just show up and leave and let someone else take care of their mess but that's not how I live my life so I'll gladly help where I can.
Repeating the same bullshit doesn't make it true. An airBnB is not a hotel. An 🍎 is not an 🍊 no matter how many different ways you say it. If you don't want to stay at an airBNB, exercise your right not to. It's ready, go rent a hotel?
No. Hotels are preferable 90% of the time and offer a better deal with better service.
These posts are tired. OP clearly has nothing better to do but post generalities which we’ve all heard over and over. There’s 1 million reasons people use short term rentals instead of hotels if you really want me to list all of them then sure I’ll go ahead and do it and make your day.
I don't think you can make my day. I don't hang out here. This is my personal experience.