Memes

Stayed at an Airbnb last year where I left a ~4 star review taking off one star because of excessive noise from the bus stop outside (otherwise positive). Couple months later I get an email saying my review was removed for violating Airbnb policy. Had to contact support where they told me the host had submitted (fake) WhatsApp screenshots of me asking them for money to post a positive review and so they removed my review. No matter what I said customer support refused to reinstate my review. The most alarming thing is that they removed my review without any input from me. Interestingly, the property had added additional co-hosts where that property was their only property after my stay. Presumably these are fake profiles they used to file the dispute so it wouldn’t impact their main account.

In any case, I am never staying at an AirBnb again. Be aware that any rating on AirBnb can be easily manipulated by the host.

Also if you have status at a hotel, perks like room upgrades and late checkout are invaluable.

Hotels are quite heavily regulated in all parts of their operation, many have unionized staff. AirBNB owners are wannabe landlords with no oversight.

The last time I used Airbnb, we rented 2 rooms in a guy's house for a few days. At first, the guy seemed okay, only a minor reminder about leaving dishes out. I left a fairly positive review, but when it came time for his review of us he implied we were racist for not keeping eye contact and conversation with his roommate. I never saw the roommate, and my husband is the kind of introvert who doesn't initiate conversations, especially when alone. It was ridiculous. We were also told that we had access to the rooms, bathroom, and kitchen and not to go into any other part of the house.

I'll stick with hotels.

AirBNB was great when it first started out. It was basically people renting out a room in their home for a night or two, for far cheaper costs than hotels and in areas where a hotel wasn't as readily available. It was a good way for those folks to make some cash on the side and helped the traveler find convenient low cost housing for a couple nights

Unfortunately companies and people decided they could buy up properties and start a business selling out rooms, prices skyrocketed and it no longer became worth it. I just stick to hotels now (or hostels if I ever decide to backpack through Europe or something)

Tiny soapbox time: I don't trust AirBNB hosts to actually treat for bedbugs if they get them. I figure a reputable hotel chain at least has a fighting chance of taking it seriously.

I will take a hotel for it's convenience, service, and predictability any day.

Beds are comfy 99% of the time, there's an ice machine, and my god I'll take any opportunity for room service/being waited on.

In Montreal an Airbnb cought fire and killed 6 guests and one tenant because the owner converted a house to multiple Airbnb ignoring all regulation (including fire marshal rules)

English article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-old-port-fire-1.6788756

The province ended up banning Airbnbs but I don't know the details of the bag

While I agree that hotels are generally better than Airbnb, I have always had really good luck with Airbnb. I traveled across the EU staying almost only in Airbnb's and it was great. It also let me kind of see what the housing market was there if I ever wanted to move. Also one of my hosts in Amsterdam firmly believed in the "bed and breakfast" portion of Airbnb, and cooked breakfast in her kitchen for us every morning and had all kinds of great info about the city. Plus she had an old orange cat that liked to sit at the breakfast table with us.

Also at a hotel: “It smells like smoke.” “Let me take you conveniently to another identical room for free.”

Isn't the point of AirBnB to be way cheaper?

I'm just here to say fuck air bnb. Ban that shit for it's contribution to the housing crisis.

AirBNB is only good if it is an extremely unique/convenient location and there are no hotels reasonably nearby. Otherwise Hotel absolutely > AirBNB

It depends on what your after. If you take family (kids and dogs) then an AirBNB is useful and easier than hotel. When you book always read the reviews. YMMV

Hotels are great if you need 1 bed and nothing else. But hotels get expensive fast if you need an extra room for a kid. Or you take a pet. Or you need to wash your clothes. Or you would like a kitchen.

Airbnb is great for groups. It's basically the only time I use it. Getting a whole two bedroom apartment for an affordable price is really nice.

I mostly use it when:

• I need 2 or more rooms.
• I need an apartment for a week or so.

But I never used it as a replacement of a regular hotel double room.

Hotels don't make you clean their rooms spotless before you leave or have a random pile of hidden fees either, those things always spoils the mood. Plus, you also get to see your points go up if you stay in a hotel.

I'm very worried AirBNB type services will replace standard renting in the same way Uber almost replaced taxis. So many reasons to avoid them.

Fuck airbnb

I did AirBNB once and it was probably the last time.

Wife really wanted to stay there as someone suggested to not stay on the main strip. So we got this cabin up a mountain. When I say up a mountain I really mean that. Unbelievably steep and the car barely made it. Room was to have a hot tube, sauna, and cable TV. After a 10 hour drive we get there up the craziest road I’ve ever driven and decide to just relax and watch some TV and microwave some food we picked up.

Microwave didn’t work, well shit, let’s heat it up on the stove top and turn the TV on. Remote doesn’t have batteries. Well fuck let’s eat and sit in the hot tub. Hot tub is broken. Well what about the sauna. Well it’s the size of a shoe box and looks like death trap. Decide to just go to sleep and get going early.

Wake up go do some sight seeing and pick up some batteries for the remote. We get back to the cabin and hear a hissing sound. Water line had burst behind the fridge and I can’t find the shut off valve as it’s locked behind a door. Call the guy and he tells me a emergency plumber will be stopping by late. While we are waiting we try the TV’s again and one of them won’t even turn on the other will but it’s locked and can’t watch anything. Plumber shows up at 11:30pm. Fixes it about 12:30 am.

Next day just eating a bagel and I walk by the sink and the floor partially collapses. I let the guy we are renting the room know what I think about his place and we leave a day early and get a hotel room. Room was slightly nicer and everything worked. Was 2 mins walk away from what we were going to and perfectly quiet and we didn’t have to spend 15 mins on death road.

I'm in the ghetto right now in a cheap motel but the room is actually kinda nice. Like fresh paint and carpet.

I've stayed at several AirBNB's and really never had a problem at all. But it may depend on the country you're visiting.

Also Airbnb tends to kill communities by making it way too expensive for people to actually live there and sleeping in a complete stranger's house does not sound too safe.

I didn't actually mind abnb until they started raising prices to match hotels. I mean that's their whole point isn't it? Cheap lodging.

I don't mind cleaning after myself and following some reasonable rules as long as I can stay there for cheap (compared to a hotel anyways).