AirBnB, what do you look for

[FunnysInLaJardin]

Not really an AIBU, but we have stayed in many AirBnb's and have been discussing tonight what our must haves are.

For me it is a comfy bed, somewhere nice to sit down, a decent kitchen but most of all a personal touch from the owners.

So milk in the fridge, local produce, maybe a bottle of wine. I also like it if they have coffee and tea as standard and also toiletries for the bathroom.

Any who don't have the personal touches are mentally marked down in my mind

I haven't booked with AirBnb for a few years now. We have done several trips - mainland Europe is always good, UK was always much worse and way more expensive.

I've got to book a couple of trips for next year in Italy, so I will probably use the site again for that, but I wouldn't use for the UK again.

I look for spotlessly clean; decently-equipped kitchen, quiet, private and car parking. Good towels, plenty of loo roll and nice bedding is alway good.

In Italy, we've been given local olive oil and wine, which is lovely, but it's not a dealbreaker!

2 towels per person
Enough basics (tea + coffee, toilet roll) for the duration of the stay.
Comfortable bed
No excessive expectations about the amount of cleaning you will be required to do.

Have stopped staying at AirBnBs as they have become a very expensive option in comparison to hotels.

Mine are very different depending on why I'm going, how long I'm there for & who I'm with.

Comfy bed
Actual bath sheets, not bath towels that barely wrap around me.
More than one tea towel
Dishwasher tablets/kitchen products
Decent WiFi/smart tv
Well equipped kitchen as we don't want to eat out every night
Good shower
Enough comfy seating for the size of the household
A welcome pack is a lovely bonus

Clean, modern, free from clutter, doesn't look like a jumble of old furniture and upholstery the owner didn't want in their own house anymore, well stocked- towels, utensils etc.

I'm not bothered about local produce or wine being provided. I think its a nice touch but I don't expect any food or drink to be there.

This is absolute bollocks. When a bottle of wine is included, it is a gift. You need no licence to give a gift.

I think I've been incredibly unlucky with AirBnBs ... only tried to use them twice but both times the host cancelled at very short notice leaving me to scrabble around to find alternative accommodation.

I won't use them again.

A way of drying clothes properly - clothes horse or line, not just a washer-dryer.

We only seem to use them when we travel for weddings! They saved us in rural Norfolk when we were struggling to book rooms and co ordinate travel with a friend we gave lifts to as we all left it a bit late, it worked out cheaper and more convenient than paying £££ in York and we were able to stay comparatively cheaply and very near a really hidden away venue in Somerset - invites went out quite late in terms of booking stuff.

The first key factor for us when booking them is location. We usually check that they're pretty close to the venue- we're usually within a 10 minute drive or a few minutes walk.

In terms of the place itself I check the reviews to see that the bed and place itself appears to have been generally agreed to be comfy and that the place is clean and quiet as a basic before I book. I also check that it's got a decent looking kitchen of sorts as well as we often bring something we made earlier or pasta and sauce for dinner the first night - saves money and making decisions when we are tired after driving.

Our other musts are parking, decent wifi, a hairdryer (although I usually pack my own just incase as I need a good one) and a decent mirror- as we're invariably getting ready for a wedding. I can live without naice stuff in the fridge as we always bring a cold bag with stuff inc milk & our own tea bags, but salt, pepper & oil are handy. Anything else is a bonus. I have to say we've actually always had milk and nice extras included although I never expect it.

Enough lounge seating for the total occupancy

Able to turn heating and hot water on/off/up/down myself

Enough loo rolls, washing up liquid, dishwasher tablets, tea towels etc for the stay

Properly fitting and working curtains and blinds

All lights and lamps working

Somewhere to hang towels and dressing gowns in the bathroom - hooks on the back of the door really help

Enough crockery and cutlery to be able to serve meals but also to eat (ie not just 8 plates provided for 8 people)

A decent sized mug

Sharp knives and several chopping boards.

But I prefer hotels as I think their safety and hygiene is better.

A proper draining board, dishcloths and dishwasher tablets sufficient for one per day provided.

I hate it when they provide a washing machine but no space or clothes airer to actually dry washing on.

A king size bed is a must but last time I used AirBnB annoyingly there was no filter for that and I just had to trawl through all the bedroom info. A comfy mattress, decent bed linen ( cotton as a bare minimum) and proper window dressing so that the rooms you sleep in are dark. Good WiFi and a kitchen equipped with oil, salt and pepper. Bonus points if they leave a little milk in the fridge, I’ll bring my own coffee but it’s not always practical to travel with fresh milk. Off road Parking is appealing too. Don’t bother leaving me alcohol I’d rather choose my own. A small amount of a local specialty whatever that might be would be appreciated but not necessary. Plenty of bin bags and cleaning equipment/ liquids means I’m a lot more likely to efficiently clean up after myself.

I don’t want to be stripping beds or taking out the rubbish. That is what the cleaning fee is for.

Cleanliness is my big thing.

No pet hair or cigarette smoke.

Properly laundered towels. One Airbnb had towels and bedding they’d clearly washed but not properly and they had that sour dried-on-a-radiator smell. We slept in our clothes and had to use our own t shirts to dry ourselves until we could buy new towels the next day. Rank.

A few bits in like toilet rolls/kitchen roll/ washing up liquid etc.

Clean
King sized bed
Bathroom on the same floor as bedroom
washing machine
dishwasher
DOG FREE

Detached unless absolutely bloody necessary. We had awful noisy neighbours years ago and hearing more than a little bit of neighbour noise is triggering.
Also dog friendly as we usually bring our dog.
Extra points if they have EV charging available.

Cleanliness, comfy bed, welcome pack is nice but not essential but it’s nice to at least have tea/coffee items to make a hot drink. I also appreciate the welcome info which tells ipu have to access the WiFi, use heating etc

I said King bed up thread, but ALSO- not one pushed against a wall to fit in the room! Neither of us want want to climb across each other, or crawl from the foot of the bed to get into it!

I look for Air bnb and similar to end in the UK. So local people have an increased chance of an affordable home.

When using them abroad for a week at a time, being in walking distance to a nice supermarket is a must. Also 10-15 mins max walking distance from public transport to the city centre (unless it is in a central location anyway).

Other than that, wifi is a must (but not seen any without for years) and I like quirky buildings. I like to stay somewhere nice/special - not high end as such but somewhere I'll enjoy being. I have no specific requirements really but I have a good look through the reviews to check people have a good experience. I wouldn't stay anywhere with no/very few reviews, or no recent ones.

Love Airbnbs. Not bothered too much about towels and tea towels as long as sufficient, and never had one that has been stingy on supplies of dishwasher tablets etc.

I like it when they specify the make and model of the coffee machine so I can come equipped with the right coffee. We always shop on our way to the property and I hate arriving to find the coffee can't be used in the machine.

Views. I also always go out of my way to find somewhere a bit interesting looking if I can, too. Stayed in some absolutely gorgeous places over the past ten years - tree houses, converted barns, really old buildings all done up to look of the period, stunning cottages.

Technicalities - good WiFi, a large bed, decent parking. Clean, obviously. Decent sized bathrooms, not just a shower cubicle. Garden if possible or at least a balcony. Somewhere nice to sit of an evening, and a kitchen with proper room to cook! I don't like the places that look like they've just been thrown together to rent out, I want somewhere I can pretend I live in while I'm there!

Somewhere safe for toddler