To think Air bnb is over rated?

[jennymanara]

We have stopped using air bnb unless it is literally just for a bed for 1 night. Because the standard is invariably poor, unless they are very expensive, or are already a proper bnb just advertising on air bnb.
I adopted a few years ago a policy of only staying with superhosts. But have decided to abandon even that after staying with a few that were fine, they had all 5 star reviews, but not as good as other places I had stayed for similar money in the same city.

I think when air bnb started there were genuinely real bargains for what you got. But this is no longer the case. Instead it is full if people who are renting at the going rate locally, but really have no idea how to be professional.

I prefer self catering with kids so in that regards I've found it much better value

We've only had one bad experience, that was with a right doofus in Canada.

However, we do tend to go for the pricier options. Perhaps it's like everything else, you tend to get what you pay for.

I’ve always found it great value for money.

Do you have to clean the property when you leave? That would put me off. A lot.

I've stayed in some great places, don't think I've ever had a bad experience actually, either at home or abroad. I never pay for expensive places either.

I normally look for a nicely-worded description with lots of information about location and facilities, photos that they've obviously made an effort with but are not actually professionally taken, and obviously reviews and star-rating. If it's anything less than perfectly clean, I don't book it.

I've stayed in maybe 6 Airbnb's across the UK and some European countries, and have had a great experience in all of them.

"Do you have to clean the property when you leave? "

You just have to leave it in reasonable condition, so rubbish thrown out, crumbs etc swept up, towels in a pile in the bath or whatever, everything back in the place it was when you found it. Same as you'd do in a hotel (or you'd hopefully do, I used to clean hotels and some people live shit EVERYWHERE.) I usually hoover quickly if I have time.

I have big ethical issues with Air BnB so won't use it at all. It's drifted right away from how it was originally set up.

I've only had positive experiences and some amazing bargains.

I only book ones with lots of good reviews

I haven't stayed anywhere terrible. I have actually had better luck abroad. But in this country only one place was as good as a well run bnb. Even the self catering places were not as good as booking similar through an agency.

"I have big ethical issues with Air BnB so won't use it at all. It's drifted right away from how it was originally set up."

I agree. I'll only stay in it in certain places these days, it's a real shame it's pushed up prices so massively in some areas. It's not a problem with Air bnb itself but more with unscrupulous landlords wanting to make a quick buck.

@goat I only book ones with lots of good reviews as well. I actually doubt given some places I have stayed how true they are.

I also dislike that there is no minimum safety standards for self catering properties such as smoke alarms or regular boiler servicing.

I don’t stay with them any more (we actually used to host through then when it first started up) because they are pricing people out of living in this and other cities.

The whole concept has completely changed.

I have ethical issues with it pricing people out of homes in tourist cities. Also every thing people say about it makes me not want to use it. Finally I prefer hotels. 8 don't want to be in someone's home or an apartment. I like the luxury of a hotel and if I had to stay somewhere really cheap I'd rather go for less time or do less trips to afford a hotel. Wr could definitely afford more holidays if we used cheaper accommodation. I know not everyone has this option. But it's not for me.

I didn't like the fact that they wanted to keep a copy of my passport online. Didn't feel very secure to me, with all the hacking and stealing of details that go on, so I ended up cancelling and booking elsewhere.

No thanks, I know the state of the air bnb's round here because my friend does the cleaning.
In one of them the home owners junk and clothing is everywhere, in all the wardrobes and in all of the drawers.

We stayed in a lovely cottage in Dorset and booked direct. The equivalent, just down the road on airbnb were more expensive. I think this must also be down to high fees? So for small buisness with say a few cottages or a small B&B I'm not sure they're great either.

I'm another one who has real issues with what AirBNB has become and will not use it because I have problems with the morals of using it in many areas. I have seen first hand how it can utterly destroy neighbourhoods.

There's been a lot of covert filming reported also.

There are clauses about it in airbnb agreements, but, who polices that?

Only supposed to be cameras in lounges, but those offering airbnb accommodation often put them all over, to protect their property legally when damaged be creepy perverts

I’ve always had good experiences with it, we book a lot of cabins/barns/annex type places in the south east countryside for weekends away and it’s great for finding those quirky little places, and often cheaper per night than hotels. I like that you can bring your own food and hover off the grid with it. The reviews have always been accurate and the hosts helpful.

A friend of mine got last minute tickets to a festival in another city and all the accom was sold out/prices pushed up, she found a room in someone’s house for £30 on Airbnb. It wasn’t luxurious but it was clean and nearby and meant she had a bed when she finished the festival, so it met her needs.

I would hesitate to book them in busy tourist cities as I know they push people out of homes.

I suppose it depends on what you’re looking for and your experience using it.

Well I've just booked one for holiday next year in France, stayed in a lovely place in spain last year and went to paris on a city break in March and stayed in Air BNB.

I think you have to be picky. The one we've booked for next year was also on HomeAway but was more expensive on there.

I don't like how they don't show you precisely where the property is until after you've booked.

A big part of us having a nice holiday is being within 5-10 minutes walking distance to shops, restaurants, beach and other amenities, and they only show you the circle, which you can often take as the property being 20 minutes walk up a big hill from where you want to be, so I wouldn't book unless I can see from the photos that it's where I want it to be.

I like the luxury of a hotel and if I had to stay somewhere really cheap I'd rather go for less time or do less trips to afford a hotel

I often use Airbnb when travelling abroad and not because its a cheaper option - Its most certainly not.

My rule of thumb is that I wont stay anywhere that isn't up to the standard of what I have at home and to get that I have to pay a premium. Its the same with hotels - not that I prefer them to Airbnb. Ive stayed in many hotels over the years, some of the best in the world, and I'm over them.

@choufleur I would be fine about somewhere like that because that is basically someone doing it professionally, advertising in a range of places.
And I have booked places still when all I want is a bed e.g. working away for 1 day, won't get in till after dinner and have to leave early the next day. All I want then is something cheap and clean. And actually places I have booked for this have been fine.
But in both my last two holidays I booked a variety of places to stay, hotels, bnb and direct with self catering and 1 air bnb. In both cases the air bnb was amongst the most expensive accommodation and was fine, but nowhere near the best.