Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Needing to meet the owner to get the keys is indeed one of the worst parts of an airbnb, although more and more are using self-access. Your comment about relying on them to text you an entry code is silly, just more inventing problems to whine about. Oh my god you have to look at your phone and type in a number, end of days.
I hate relying on the DAILY MADE SERVICE of hotels. I don't like that strangers are coming in, don't like wondering if they will be knocking when I don't want them to, don't like putting the do not disturb up then wondering whether will get service if I don't go ask for it, don't like wondering what I should lock up etc. I'm an adult who can make a bed in two minutes, don't change my towel after every use at home so who cares if you get new towels. When checking out yeah I think I can take 20 seconds to put the towels somewhere.
I consider being on vacation and having all day to do whatever I want pretty lazy, the couple minutes needed to be a Big Boy and make my own bed or place my towel on the rack hardly give me a sense of drudgery. I'm capable of having completely lazy Sundays at home while still maintaining a bit of order, it doesn't get lost with a new location.
Travel is not a time when I deprive myself of privacy and a functional spacious place to live. I like finding foods I can't get then preparing them in the kitchen, I like having a separate bedroom since I wake up earlier than the wife, I like walking outside and not having the taxi line the first thing I see, I like being able to throw my clothes in the washing machine if I want and not be on someone else's schedule and overpriced rates to get them back, I like having the cafe around the corner full of locals instead of tourists.
To each their own.
And you're more than entitled to those convictions.
Self-access is great when it works. I've been unable to access my Airbnb for the entire first night, due to a non-responding host that didn't contact me until the morning after the night I was supposed to check in.
"Omg I'm so sorry I didn't see your message" doesn't pay for my alternate accommodations I had to book because she didn't text me the code. I received a refund for the first night, but Airbnb did nothing for the difference in cost for having to book another property at a moment's notice (limited to Instant Book or using a hotel).
This has NEVER happened at a hotel property. "Super Hosts" are still amateurs in hospitality. You are still a sole proprietor with a 1099 (if you even have that much volume, their site states $20K is the threshold).
Until I can start booking Airbnb with my Chase points, it'll stay an alternate to my preference for corporate properties unless I absolutely must travel to a large city during Superbowl weekend and every 3-star hotel is $500+ a night.
Self-access is great when it works. I've been unable to access my Airbnb for the entire first night, due to a non-responding host that didn't contact me until the morning after the night I was supposed to check in.
I wouldn't have even shown up expecting to stay there. You can contact airbnb if the host isn't responding on how to get into the place, they will try to contact the host for you, and if all fails they will cancel the reservation and help you find another one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ddm2k
This has NEVER happened at a hotel property.
Sure it has, just in another format. Sometimes people show up at a hotel and they don't have a room for them or they don't have the type of room they reserved, it's quite common as the reason behind negative hotel reviews. You're stuck in the same situation, no place to stay upon arrival. It's unusual for both hotels and airbnbs, but it does happen to both there is no guarantee of smooth checkin for any form of lodging.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ddm2k
Until I can start booking Airbnb with my Chase points, it'll stay an alternate to my preference for corporate properties unless I absolutely must travel to a large city during Superbowl weekend and every 3-star hotel is $500+ a night.
I've used AirBNB in Japan, South Korea, Vancouver, and NYC. I got what I was expecting in Japan, Korea, Vancouver, but NYC was hit or miss- and this was in the outer boroughs (the prices weren't that big of a difference, the homes weren't always as the pictures depicted). These days I'd prefer just staying in a hotel unless I want a kitchen to cook in or need laundry. At least I know what to expect when I book a hotel.
Depending on location and length of stay they can be more cheaper than a hotel room, and I'm talking about those with studio/1br apts, not rooms. Might consider one for next month, but not a room with a shared bath. Had enough of that crap.
I stayed in an Airbnb, an entire unit alone in Denver and it was AWESOME!!!! It was slighly funky but I knew it would be. I've stayed in bad ones there before that were lower end. I find that to be the trick, not to go to cheap, and message ahead for any questions. I will do it again next time I go. It is a great way to live in a place a week or two and feel like a local. In exspensive cities there are amazing bargins even in Monaco. Do you have any idea how expensive a studio apartment is in Monaco? It's the most expensive place in the world, 250 sq ft, 1.5 MILLION dollars if you can even find one. Yet an airbnb will be 100 a night for a fabulous place how can you beat that? Or stay 10 miles away in France for less than half that. My nieghbor runs one across the street in Nashville TN and it's booked solid 90% of the time with no issues. I agree the trick is to book only separate units or sometimes the private rooms with priavte bath have their own seperate entry which is fine.
Never had an Airbnb experience that was better than a hotel could provide. A homeowner cannot provide the 24/7 room service and a full restaurant menu available at 4 AM.
Pass. I'll stay at the W.
This.
Maybe I'm just old school, but as a solo traveler, I just prefer the 24/7 service and decades-long expertise of nice international chain hotels (as well as quality smaller inns). My experience with a few airbnbs in the past were not memorable and obviously without any maintenance at 3am or room service (if I so felt like it).
The ones that DO seem as comparable a hotel suite were waaay more expensive than nearby hotels with whom they competed. Not to mention some airbnb owners being fickle and cancelling at the last minute and/or acting like they were doing me some kind of favor by letting me crash in their "beautiful" home. Too much inconsistency and not knowing what you might end up with across the board (aside from a few reviews and alleged star ratings) .
More power to you... I'll book when rates are $99 a night and your Airbnb rates will respond to demand and increase just as hotels do. MANY hosts are now charging deposits and cleaning fees... how is this different than incidental holds and resort taxes?
All I'll say is in my booking experience, far more often than not I can land a better deal on Airbnb compared to hotel rooms when I'm cross-shopping, when comparing the same/similar location of the city I'm visiting. I've only had very minor problems (same amount as with hotel rooms), but I'm picky on ratings. And yes that's factoring in the fees or taxes. Comparing deposits (assuming you're talking about refundable ones?) and incidental holds is a moot point....you get those back lol. Mind you, I'm the type that doesn't give a crap about amenities or luxury as long as the place is clean.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lieqiang
Sure it has, just in another format. Sometimes people show up at a hotel and they don't have a room for them....
Something like this almost happened to me before. The hotel claimed they didn't have a reservation for me, even though I prepaid it. They kept insisting this until I became very firm that their system screwing up is not my problem. They suddenly "found" my reservation then lol.
I wouldn't have even shown up expecting to stay there. You can contact airbnb if the host isn't responding on how to get into the place, they will try to contact the host for you, and if all fails they will cancel the reservation and help you find another one.
Sure it has, just in another format. Sometimes people show up at a hotel and they don't have a room for them or they don't have the type of room they reserved, it's quite common as the reason behind negative hotel reviews. You're stuck in the same situation, no place to stay upon arrival. It's unusual for both hotels and airbnbs, but it does happen to both there is no guarantee of smooth checkin for any form of lodging.
Everyone should stay where they are happiest.
Sounds like you've got a comeback for everything. The host picked up her phone and manually accepted the request, but did not follow up with a message containing access instructions? Something doesn't add up. She could have denied it if she was not able to follow through.
Never been denied a hotel room, despite now having hundreds of nights booked, and a relatively small amount of Airbnb bookings with multiple snafus. Worst that's happened is getting 2 queen beds vs. 1 king, but that was stated when booking "OR 2 queen beds".
Airbnb still has a long way to go in terms of winning over the hotel crowd. It still smacks very much of being a backpacker's-bargain, "sharing economy" hack job. Maybe if there wasn't so much student debt, lodging would not be such an impact to people's vacation budgets
I'm sure the folks who had their favorite beach taken over by a new resort, or a 40 story high-rise hotel built that blocks their sun, would disagree with the notion that destroying quality of life is limited to airbnb. Every tourist oriented project has pluses and minuses for locals, depending on where they fall on the consumer board.
Who said it was limited to AirBnB?
In your own building when you cannot stop AirBnB from happening it is pretty tragic.
One has nothing to do with the other. The subject is AirBnB not zoning.
Never been denied a hotel room, despite now having hundreds of nights booked, and a relatively small amount of Airbnb bookings with multiple snafus. Worst that's happened is getting 2 queen beds vs. 1 king, but that was stated when booking "OR 2 queen beds".
I'm not sure what your point is here, I've never had an airbnb host not me into the apartment either yet I'm sure we can both acknowledge sometimes hotels don't hold rooms and sometimes airbnbs have unresponsive hosts.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
