To think the recent changes to Air BnB will mean fewer people will book with them?

[Movinghouseatlast]

Have you looked at Air BnB in the last 2 weeks and noticed the changes they have made to the website?

I ask because I have a glamping business and since the 'summer release' I have had no bookings at all. Absolutely there are issues with the cost of living/ energy crisis but it seems a bit of a coincidence that I was getting plenty of bookings before the changes happened.

I just wondered if from a consumer point of view if the changes are making a difference? I just think it's not user friendly any more!

I do have my own website but I have stuck with Air BnB as I have always had a lot of bookings and to me as a business they work out cheaper than other platforms like Canopy and Stars etc.

Thanks!

I always contact the owner and negotiate
not much because places I go to are on high demand but always a little

OP if your views have dropped to zero, that suggests a bigger problem with your listing.

Have you got someone else to check it appears ok like I suggested previously?

I always ignore an owner proclaiming their property is luxury anyway!

I haven't noticed any differences in the website. So I think YABU in citing that as the reason bookings have gone down.

Probably a combination of people going abroad, using different sites, maybe more glamping competition or less interest in glamping? I have to admit I wouldn't go glamping if you paid me.

Not many decent ones want to rent out their air bib for one night!

I do hope so. Air BnB destroys rental markets and helps the housing the crisis carry on.

And BTW, if your property is actually luxury, it will be obvious. The change just stops every eejit calling their shitty rooms luxury.

I also avoid AirBnB if I possibly can. Stayed last week in a flat in Rye which was fine, but for £440 for 2 nights, 1 bed and a kitchen I didn't even go into, I was a bit miffed that the owner emailed me to tell me to bag up all the bed linen and towels because of "this terrible virus".
I ignored it. I've paid £80 for an hours cleaning at most, I'm buggered if I'm then going to do the cleaners job for her.
I've also been stung by the thing where I've paid thousands upfront for a villa in Italy and then 2 weeks before they've cancelled and it's taken weeks to get my money back.
VRBO (formerly Home and Away) and Booking.Com are much better sites even though I appreciate that the same properties usually appear on all three.

How many reviews do you have op?

what is your average score?

how many repeat bookings do you get?

But surely you knew all this before you booked?

I've only used Air BnB twice and the host cancelled the booking both times. This was way before covid, two different types of property in different countries (the two trips were completely separate so not the same reason both times). I don't trust it and I wouldn't use it again. I've never had a booking cancelled on any other site. So not relevant to your situation but I wouldn't consider your accommodation because of Air BnB.

Agreed - hotels don't make you bag up your linens. And yet, they don't charge you an extra fee specifically for cleaning. I resent it, so I don't book with AirBnB.

@Intrigueddotcom No, no mention of the bed stripping nonsense at the point of booking.

I think a lot of hosts are being a bit cheeky re Covid, it's gone from check in at most places 3pm, out by 11 to check in as late as 5pm out at 10 and also do the housekeeper's job for her "Because Covid". So sometimes you've barely had time to shower, go out and then sleep and you're up at the crack of dawn for the convenience of the cleaners.

Last week I also stayed at Gravetye Manor where check in was 2pm, check out at 12. I know it's not comparing apples with apples but this is the sort of thing which is making self catering for short periods a lot less attractive for me.

As an owner who has used an agency in the past I can categorically tell you Air BnB is no different to any agency. The owner is the owner whether they are on Sykes, Air bnb, cottages.com, Toad Hall etc etc etc. It will always be the owner who sorts out issues. It is the owner who cleans it or pays for it to be cleaned. All an agency does is market the property. The owner pays 20-30% to have the property marketed.

Owners have to have insurance whether they are on Air BnB or booking.com or any other site. Whether they have it or not is up to the owner.

But properly let cottages do have to meet legal standards and can be checked.
Someone air bnb a room in their house has no one checking. They don't even need a smoke alarm.

You can usually find something better for a similar price.

I do think glamping might be on its way out too. Nobody I know ever goes more than once. Expensive for posh camping.

I have just been looking all over for a UK week away in the next month, so really last minute for us. The Airbnb website was on a par with one other for glitches. The site actually jumped about with no warning, so I would see a property that might do but go to click on it and it jumped and I ended up clicking on a completely different property. Bloody frustrating.
I've not booked anything on it in years cos add ons, but I was willing to try, the glitchy jumpy website made me not bother.

If Air BnB is used less, perhaps there might be less use of homes in tourist areas for self-catering, and they become homes for use 52 weeks a year. I can hope.

I’ve used booking to arrange holidays and twice they’ve made a massive cock up - once cancelled my booking without being in contact as I’d had a new bank card - so they couldn’t take the money - any communication would’ve resolved this issue. Contracted the owner direct and paid them instead - full communication etc no problems.
The second time they advertised at x price and the owners messaged me and said I needed to cancel the booking because booking made an error - really not my issue contact them to resolve (as it happened Covid hit and it was cancelled anyway)

Not interested in Air B&b too many people who have never done this type of thing, sub letting council properties, not holiday standards, not idea of impact them make to other residence - shouldn’t be allowed other than actually holiday let’s in holiday destinations or city centers.

I have 105 reviews all 5 star actually! My point is about Air BnB not my listing. Currently no-one can see I am by the sea, walking distance to restaurants and beach which is my USP. Also they cannot see how many reviews I've has, just 5 star. A listing with 3 reviews at 5 star also now just says 5 star.

Most things on Air BnB are over 4.3 average as they kick you off if you go below that consistently.

I meant the cost

and the fact that you didn’t use the kitchen… presumably you knew you would be eating out?

I think AirB&B has lost its shine. We've had some great stays over the years. But now prices for what you get now are just stupid - there's nothing luxury about a hut!
The cleaning fee is cheeky and expensive for a short stay. And I know stripping the beds takes two minutes...but it's exactly the thing I go on holiday NOT to do!
It's now way down the list of places to look when thinking of a holiday, especially UK based.

So if the same place is listed on another holiday website it's OK but airbnb turns it into a scourge?

Why is that, what about the way it's advertised makes the difference?
I don't book often but would never occur to me that the website I choose somehow changes the nature of the place

That sounds very odd

Isn't all glamming luxury? That is the point of it.

My experience with Airbnb has never been great. I've used it twice for overnight stays in London. Once the room had the boiler in it and the noise made it impossible to sleep. The other time the room was nice but the area was horrible, and this was not clear from the pictures.

Finally, I used it once in Italy. The house was filthy and the owner's clothes were hanging in the wardrobes. The fight was full of her food, even though I was renting the entire place. It really felt like I was invading her space. I had to clean the bathroom to use it, and then pay the compulsory cleaning fee.

Never again!

No they don't. There is no registration for holiday lets in the UK, no-one checks anything. The problem only occurs if there is a problem, eg house burns down you had no fire risk assessment in place so your insurance doesn't pay out.

I was with an agency for 6 years and nobody ever checked I had anything! There should be checks I think and personally I adhere to all the rules but many don't.