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My experience with Airbnb has been much better than yours, maybe I am just more cautious.
But I agree that upscale brand name hotels are almost always better than Airbnb rentals. Only 1/3 of my past bookings with Airbnb were so good that I wanted to go back.
About half of our Airbnbs have been fine. Not sure if this is just luck of the draw, or if there is something I'm overlooking in the ones that don't turn out well.
Could be that I don't translate the descriptions as well as I should.
Eclectic international neighborhood: Bars on the windows, groups of young men following us around, and no walking about after dark..
Cozy studio: One room with a microwave on top of a dorm refrigerator.
In the heart of things: Neighbors will will partying and and playing music all night long.
I know a lot of people love AirBnB, but we found it iffy.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould
About half of our Airbnbs have been fine. ...
I know a lot of people love AirBnB, but we found it iffy.
AirBnB has been less than iffy for me (bad to really bad, but once was nice (kinda) in Portugal)
Not a popular opinion here... (imagine if we nurtured freedom of valuable information / accurate dialogue)
The AirBnB rating system lost it's credibility when 100% of our hosts INSISTED we give them top ratings.
1,000's of GREAT stays for us in private hospitality guesthomes over last 30+ yrs, no ratings, no problems, excellent stays (free to $20 / night worldwide (for entire family)). 6 stays so far this month (very nice!!). and in very expensive and popular destinations (often for free, including meals).
Although I'm sure some people here agree with me, an unpopular opinion I have is that I LOVE traveling by myself. I like going with tour groups where I get to meet people as well as solo road trips. Staying in a hotel by yourself is heaven on earth. The places I want to go don't appeal to a lot if people and I'm not waiting around to find travel companions.
I think one person or a couple is ideal.
I have found that even simple things like going out to dinner (even here at home!) get more complicated when you have 3 or 4 people, then more complicated when you have 5 or 6. It's crazy because everyone wants something different to eat, a different time, some may be ill, some in a bad mood, etc.
We are retired and have the money to travel all we want. We've been to a lot of places (nothing crazy, but many of the basics here and in Europe) and found travel very tiring. So much "getting there" for each "being there". Even when we travel I insist on "being there". I'd rather spend 5 days in Barcelona and just walk the streets and get coffee and people-watch than see 10 towns in 10 days and a bunch of historic churches.
Anyway, what we decided...at least currently...is to own multiple houses. We have 3 now, two of them quite small, but all 3 in amazingly beautiful areas. Coastal Rhode Island, for example, and one in SW Florida near a nice Downtown and a mile from the Bay (and walking distance to a lot of things)....
This way we spend time actually being places and living there. We don't have to worry about check-in and check out times, smell jet fuel or go on a "quest for decent food".....
When we were younger we would do Club Med - that was great because you were "there" and the food and entertainment and most everything was all taken care of.
The concept of a B&B is creepy to me. Why would you want to stay in someone's house?
There is a B&B I have stayed in more than once in Saratoga. It is beautifully updated. To me, it feels like I'm staying at a small, boutique hotel. It's not like we're sharing a bathroom and it's not like we even have to eat breakfast together.
Beaches: Maybe an hour or so walking in the beach. After that I am bored. many people go for their summer vacation to Myrtle beach. And when they get there what do they do - lie by the poolside. If they wanted to do that why go all the way to a beach resort.
Cruise ships: People state how inexpensive and convenient they are. But I hate being contained in with 4000+ people. And I have anxiety when doing shore excursions on my own because I am fearful I might be late getting back to the ship on time. And the cruise's arranged excursions are expensive.
Food: I could never make that as a important thing during a vacation. I can survive on local food, McDonald or whatever. I pay all that money getting there for the sights to see, not spending hours in a Michelin star restaurant.
Food: I could never make that as a important thing during a vacation. I can survive on local food, McDonald or whatever. I pay all that money getting there for the sights to see, not spending hours in a Michelin star restaurant.
It's basically free to browse the pictures of the sights you want to see. You can also watch documentaries, travel videos and use Google map to feel the streets.
But you can't experience the food without being there eating it.
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(imagine if we nurtured freedom of valuable information / accurate dialogue) 
and in very expensive and popular destinations (often for free, including meals).
