AirBNB - Share your experiences here

[Quickstatus]

An Airbnb operatior in Jindabyne last year posted on the local FB page discussing ways to minimise guest electricity use
The push back was swifter than dropping a hot potato

I looked at Airbnb in London but for the prices they want I decided to book a boutique London hotel
Also some of these London Airbnb are in the basement. Im not staying in a basement in london
Laundry is one of the main reason to book an AirBnb for me but in london there is a laundry pickup service

 

[burmans]

Yes London AirBnb prices are ridiculous, have found cheaper on booking.com

 

[Antoallison]

That's a shame @LostRedditor, have you contacted the Airbnb HQ ?
They might be able to find a similar place (or better) in some cases.

I have found them co-operative when I have had issues.

I agree that prices when cleaning fees that the host imposes are added in, the costs are often similar to many hotels.

I did ask a host once if the cleaning fee was negotiable, and they dropped it.

 

[Lost Redditor]

That's a shame @LostRedditor, have you contacted the Airbnb HQ ?
They might be able to find a similar place (or better) in some cases.

I have found them co-operative when I have had issues.

I didn't call them, I've only ever heard how unhelpful they can be so I didn't consider it. I'll keep that in mind for next time! I was lucky to find another place that fits albeit a shorter stay. I have relatives in the area so we'll just stay with them for that week

 

[TravelingJ]

Travelling Europe late 2023 and have been quite astounded at the prices of hotels including ones I have stayed at before. So have now looked to airbnb and it seems much more palatable. I am fairly new to it though so quite nervous. Any tips? I have been making sure to read the reviews and only book with superhosts.

 

[SYD]

Travelling Europe late 2023 and have been quite astounded at the prices of hotels including ones I have stayed at before. So have now looked to airbnb and it seems much more palatable. I am fairly new to it though so quite nervous. Any tips? I have been making sure to read the reviews and only book with superhosts.

If you’re collecting QFF points, make sure you book through QF Hotels (AirBnB). Same price but a decent serve of points!

 

[burmans]

Travelling Europe late 2023 and have been quite astounded at the prices of hotels including ones I have stayed at before. So have now looked to airbnb and it seems much more palatable. I am fairly new to it though so quite nervous. Any tips? I have been making sure to read the reviews and only book with superhosts.

My only other advice would be to check the maps, some AirBnb are a fair way from central, though to be fair sometimes that’s actually nicer to be in a local area. Otherwise I think you’ll be fine. People with bad experiences are much more likely to post about it than those who have good experiences, but I’m overall very happy with all the places I have chosen and certainly cheaper than hotels.

Do contact hosts beforehand to get instructions regarding how to find your accomodation (some aren’t that easy to find), how best to get there (public transport, Uber, taxi, nearby metro?), what are the arrangements for getting in, where to meet and timing etc.Good communication is a pretty good indicator of how good your experience will be.

 

[SYD]

For the hesitant, read the reviews! (all of them).

Also, filter on “Super Host” to potentially mitigate the risk of arriving at the “Bates Hotel” - unlikely as that should be following these two points.

The upside of a decent AirBnB is the ability to self cater breakfast (and lunch or dinner). Plus washing machine - filter on that option for long stays.

 

[Quickstatus]

For the hesitant, read the reviews! (all of them).

Definitely read ALL the reviews.
I discovered in a 5* review that the apartment was on the fifth floor and there was no elevator.

 

[Quickstatus]

filter on that option for long stays.

Or at least for planned laundry days during the overall trip

Also check the transaction currency before completing payment. Searching from country to country does not automatically change the currency to the local.

 

[luckypierre]

My only other advice would be to check the maps, some AirBnb are a fair way from central, though to be fair sometimes that’s actually nicer to be in a local area. Otherwise I think you’ll be fine. People with bad experiences are much more likely to post about it than those who have good experiences, but I’m overall very happy with all the places I have chosen and certainly cheaper than hotels.

Do contact hosts beforehand to get instructions regarding how to find your accomodation (some aren’t that easy to find), how best to get there (public transport, Uber, taxi, nearby metro?), what are the arrangements for getting in, where to meet and timing etc.Good communication is a pretty good indicator of how good your experience will be.

A couple of points that maybe helpful:

Book as early as you can for the best accommodation which has good reviews, is reasonably priced and has good cancellation policy. We typically book places with >4.9 ratings. Have used AIRBNB extensively over a number of years in Australia and Europe.

In a rolling 12 month period you are permitted 3 fee free cancellations by Airbnb. After the first three cancellations in this period Airbnb retains the service fee for other cancellations. ( of course still subject to cancellation policy of host). Consequently if you have to cancel a number of bookings, cancel the most expensive first as they will have tge highest Airbnb service fees.

Occasionally you can by Airbnb gift cards at a discount (follow Ozbargain website), you can then load the gift cards as credit on your Airbnb account. For example we bought Airbnb gift cards earlier this year which were discounted by 15%, a significant saving.

 

[Skyring]

If you’re collecting QFF points, make sure you book through QF Hotels (AirBnB). Same price but a decent serve of points!

Ouch. I didn't know this. How does the experience differ from the regular AirBnB app?

 

[SYD]

Ouch. I didn't know this. How does the experience differ from the regular AirBnB app?

Book via QF website that takes you to AirBnB and redo your search. It can be a little clumsy having to re-find the place you’re after but worth the effort.

QFF points post a few days after your stay v QF Hotels stays post ~6 wks.

 

[aikman]

I just made my first Airbnb booking. I wanted to buy and use discounted gift cards but I couldn't because I didn't want to be stuck with them in case the host did not accept my booking because well, as I now know, bookings are subject to acceptance by the host, in case they want to discriminate I suppose. I also had to upload my photo and write a little essay on the reason for my travels. Very customer unfriendly policies in my opinion.

Edit: And it wasn't even cheap. 33% more expensive than a hotel but I needed to stay in a specific residential suburb so I sucked it up.

 

[SYD]

I just made my first Airbnb booking. I wanted to buy and use discounted gift cards but I couldn't because I didn't want to be stuck with them in case the host did not accept my booking because well, as I now know, bookings are subject to acceptance by the host, in case they want to discriminate I suppose. I also had to upload my photo and write a little essay on the reason for my travels. Very customer unfriendly policies in my opinion.

Plenty of places are “Instant book” (there’s a search filter) but otherwise being a bit like ride share, riders and drivers get ratings. AirBnB hosts and places get rated. Places with good reviews will be more popular. Guests who trash places will be marked down. Not totally unreasonable - especially if you’re actually lodging with a person - which I’ve never done. Only ever book “Entire place”.

 

[FlyingFiona]

If you’re collecting QFF points, make sure you book through QF Hotels (AirBnB). Same price but a decent serve of points!

Be mindful that some properties won't appear if you go through the QF website. I discovered this when I went to make my first ever AirBnB booking last year. I found where I wanted to stay, then logged in through QF and it was no longer listed (I checked this a couple of times using different brows and computers). So I had to book it without going through QF.

 

[jb747]

Just got home after three weeks in Tasmania. Stayed entirely in AirBnBs. All were exactly as advertised and what I expected, and all gave more than any hotel. One terrace house, two restored cottages, and one new, and one huge loft apartment.

 

[mel-world]

Just got home after three weeks in Tasmania. Stayed entirely in AirBnBs. All were exactly as advertised and what I expected, and all gave more than any hotel. One terrace house, two restored cottages, and one new, and one huge loft apartment.

Glad it worked for you. If no-one living there full time, that's 5 properties not on the rental market. Why people living in cars, on the street and in tents in Tasmania. A reason why I'll never use AirBnb.

 

[Lynda2475]

Glad it worked for you. That's 5 properties not on the rental market. Why people living in cars, on the street and in tents in Tasmania. A reason why I'll never use AirBnb.

That is far from being true all the time.

For example the airBnB i used to stay in New York was part of a whole floor apartment where the owners lived on site (which is legal unlike whole apartment sublets in NY). They liked to have guests to help with the mortgage for a portion of each year; the room and bathroom where I (and other guests) stayed was never going to be offered up a a long term rental because they didnt want to share their home full time.

Similarly, my preferred airbnb in London is a renovated old pub, the owner restored the pub (it only opens weekdays as near the courts and surrounded by legal offices) and added 1 room ensuite apartments above which are rented through airbnb (and otehr platforms). The zoning for the building doesnt allow these to be rented permanently due to lack of laundry facilities, parking etc. So again not taking a home from anyone. But they are spacious and modern, air-conditioned with large beds (no singles tax), decent walk in showers, great storage and wifi which many hotels in central london cannot offer.

A lot of the properties on airbnb are also listed on stays, booking.com etc. Vacation rentals have been a thing for decades before airbnb; people who buy a holiday home will not want to rent it to a permanent resident because then they cant enjoy it the few times a years they themselves want to stay there, so makes sense to rent to other holiday makers on the weeks they arent there themselves.

 

[mel-world]

Good points, but my core argument still holds, especially in you use the whole property with no-one living onsite.