For hating Airbnb

[Userhey983]

We are moving in April (our tenancy agreement already ended last month) and in the meantime are staying at an Airbnb for the month and will have to find accommodation for the next month as well. I opted against this as I think they are unsuitable for young kids we have 3 under the age of 7. It’s been a nightmare so far as it’s in a quiet area and I try to be considerate of the neighbours but naturally we have a noisy bunch as they are young. They also have broken stuff already. I have found that Airbnb’s are not kid friendly. It’s also in the countryside and as DH takes the car to work at a cafe there is nothing in walking distance. I have told DH there is no way I can look after them here next month; I am working overtime trying to prevent them from wrecking the place, the host regularly visits as she lives next door and I feel terrible when she sees her precious home with toys scattered everyone and not to mention there is no playground or soft play nearby that I can take them to during the day. They have been playing outside but have ruined many of the host’s plants. I will pay for her to replace them but that’s not the point. They are her possessions. I feel so embarrassed but it’s very hard to control such young kids. DH wants to stay here as it’s cheaper but a hotel close to amenities would be way better. We can afford it but I understand what he is saying. And we will probably spend the same amount after cleaning fees or damage fees that will certainly be incurred by the kids staying here.

Could you drive hubby to work them have use of the car to go to a sports centre or soft play or just a park?. Remove all breakable objects out of reach and use the TV as much as possible. Not ideal but you didn't do your homework on picking this one. I expect owner is tearing her hair out too. But everything can be cleaned once you depart. Obviously you pay for damages. Good luck.

You do understand that Airbnb is just a platform and all the properties are as different as their hosts ? It sounds like you haven't properly researched this at all. Surely you chose this location so I don't understand how it can be wrong ?

If there's stuff they're going to break just move it. Put it out of reach.

So your children have broken things but it's the Airbnb's fault. Right.

It's not Air BnB that's the problem it's your bad choice & your kids that are the problem. It's not AB&Bs fault your kids are breaking things.

If this one isn't working for you find somewhere that is

To say you hate the entire Air B&B platform is just ridiculous

Find a child friendly AirBnb or Book into a CentreParcs or something, hubby can work in the accommodation and you can take kids out doing fun stuff all day and have access to the car.

Sure, but what does any of that have to do with Airbnb? You chose one that wasn't suited to your needs. That's on you, or whichever of you booked it.

No, my toddlers didn't get up to "all sorts of mischief" or trash a garden because I was closely supervising them and guiding them how to behave?!

And this is the garden's fault somehow? 😂

I’m addressing the comments saying “I have feral kids” and “they are out of control.” That’s a personal attack on “my parenting style.” They are 2 year olds calling them feral is a bit excessive. What if I had started this thread saying my toddlers are feral and out of control. Then people would attack me for saying that and tell me it’s normal
behaviour. I know because I’ve seen it done to other posters.

What? People have taken it too literal. I’m not saying I hate Airbnb platform. DH wants to stay in this one so I’m saying am I being unreasonable for not wanting to stay in this particular one even though it’s cheaper. Sit down watch a toddler like a hawk. And somehow they will still find a way to break something. I know.

Your parenting style is to bloody blame. Your children are damaging things, that isn't children just being feisty, that is children being destructive.

Did they break everything in your last house? I can’t really see what Airbnb has to do with it. We’ve used them on holiday with young DC lots - it’s great to have cooking facilities and a place to sit while they sleep in the evenings.

DC have never trashed or broken anything

I don’t get it, are you planning to get a large suite at a hotel or just a room which will get cramped very quickly? How is that better? And are you saying your kids will not damage things at a hotel?

I like airbnbs because I can get more space, relax better and have more useful things like washing machines, dishwashers, microwaves etc.

Your kids damaging things has little to do with Airbnb and more to do with you and your kids. You can also be more selective with the type of Airbnb you choose that is more suitable for families and kids.

Having nothing around is due to the Airbnb and location you chose right? You have airbnbs in city centers, in busy areas and remote areas same as hotels so I don’t even get your point.

It looms like you need to work on being less destructive and noisy as a family instead of blaming Airbnb.

Yeah, this. Wow. It's hardly the property's fault you can't control your children.

Also, you must have seen photos so you must have known there were breakables. Choose somewhere where there aren't!

I hate airbnbs - we never stay in them anymore. Always filthy and full of other peoples grubby stuff.

@Userhey983 on yesterday’s thread about your DH giving too much screen time, you had one DD aged 3 and one DS aged 1. So which is true?

🤔 Oops. Savemefromwetdog has rumbled you, OP. 😂

Your thread title is 'AIBU for hating Airbnb' but now you're claiming you don't hate the Airbnb platform? Eh? You and your DH chose a place badly and this is all on you. Didn't either of you look at a map and see that it's out in the countryside with nothing around it? 'I have found that Airbnb’s are not kid friendly'. Well, this one isn't particularly, no, but that's on you again, isn't it? Why didn't you look for one that is? Find a more suitable place for next month. There are countless thousands of Airbnbs, surely to goodness you can find one that's child-friendly and nearer amenities. YABU.

I don't understand why your children are breaking things inside and out. My children are now adults but when they were small they didn't break things, I was never worried about taking them to anyone's house and them breaking anything.
Gardening has always been my hobby and when they were small I had a beautiful garden full of plants, they played outside on the swing, slide, kicked a ball round etc, nothing got broken.
It's a combination of you needing to supervise them properly and teaching them how to play whilst also being careful. The way you let your children behave sounds like they'll cause a problem anywhere.

No, you're just contradicting yourself. Your title suggests you have an issue with the platform, you say 'they' are unsuitable for young kids (not just the one you are staying in) and that 'Airbnbs are not kid-friendly', as though this is a valid generalisation. Your issue is with you for some reason going along with your DH in choosing an unsuitable Airbnb. We've stayed in Airbnbs with DS since he was a toddler, and always found them fine, because we choose them carefully. I mean, they're exactly the same as any other form of temporary accommodation.

Are you actually saying a hotel room would be better with three children under seven? How would you feed them?

I'll cut the OP a bit of slack here - 22mo twins is tough. Managing 22mo twins in a home that's not your own or childproofed in the way your own home would be is extra tough.

And I know from experience it's hard to find an ideal short-term let anywhere, AirBnB or otherwise.

I will say though that the idea of being in a hotel being preferable is absolute madness. You either need to stay and find ways to make it work as best you can, or see if you can find another short-term let that better meets your needs.

I don't think anyone would think for a second it was easy looking after children in an insufficiently childproofed temporary space! But if it's necessary for a couple of months between houses, surely there are better options that would be close to playgrounds or somewhere the children could blow off a bit of steam?

We had to move into an AirBnB with a baby and toddler for a while whilst our main home was renovated and (as we're not in a tourist hotspot) we had very, very little choice. We were lucky to find somewhere that worked for us but it was literally the only option we had, if it hadn't have been available I don't know what we would have done.

OP is daft to write off AirBnB as a whole because of one experience but "just find somewhere better" can be easier said than done.

Then you move breakable things out of reach and supervise them better in the garden. Or take them out for a walk to burn off energy instead