Question from newbie to VRBO and Airbnb

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]You have no guarantee and no recourse. If the place is a disaster, oh well. Cannot stress how bad an idea is is to rent through these sites. [/quote]

That’s ridiculous. I’ve stayed in some truly amazing Airbnbs. It is not categorically a bad idea.[/quote]

Doesn’t matter how amazing they are. There is ZERO recourse or protection against a shady owner. They can charge you for nonexistent damage, they’ll charge insane cleaning fees and then demand YOU fully clean before leaving. I’ve had AirBnbs say we couldn’t have the air on above 78 in Florida upon checkin. Add in that these properties aren’t even financially more reasonable than hotels and there is no reason any longer to take the risk. I’m gonna be at the hotel with room service, customer service, fresh towels I’m not washing, AC I can control, and no chance of an unhinged owner making my time there hell. [/quote]

This is absurd. If you're renting a whole house on AirBnB and using all the bedrooms you're always paying less than renting the equivalent amount of hotel rooms, especially if you want a direct comparison since you'd need to rent at least one suite to get a living room and kitchen. I frequently take group trips to AirBnBs and pay $400-$500 a night to rent a 4br house whereas getting 4 hotel rooms at a decent hotel would cost $800+.

[Anonymous]

I've rented a lot of airBnB's and I try to make sure to avoid the places with the smaller cleaning fees. Smaller cleaning fees usually mean owner-cleaned (not always, but frequently). The larger cleaning fees usually mean that after each stay the owner has a cleaning service come and clean the place. You can also send a message to the owner before renting and ask if they use a cleaning service between each rental.

Like others, I try to look for listings with larger numbers of positive reviews and I read most or all of the reviews. We just had to get a rental for later this summer. I had a choice of one with beautiful almost professional photos (the owner said she was a realtor, so they could easily have been professional photos). But the listing only had 3 reviews, all good, but the reviews were months apart (spread about 15 months apart from first to last). There was another option that had weaker photos but had 70 reviews, all positive, including 4-5 reviews for each of the last several months. This was an active rental with a lot of positive reviews.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've rented a lot of airBnB's and I try to make sure to avoid the places with the smaller cleaning fees. Smaller cleaning fees usually mean owner-cleaned (not always, but frequently). The larger cleaning fees usually mean that after each stay the owner has a cleaning service come and clean the place. You can also send a message to the owner before renting and ask if they use a cleaning service between each rental.

Like others, I try to look for listings with larger numbers of positive reviews and I read most or all of the reviews. We just had to get a rental for later this summer. I had a choice of one with beautiful almost professional photos (the owner said she was a realtor, so they could easily have been professional photos). But the listing only had 3 reviews, all good, but the reviews were months apart (spread about 15 months apart from first to last). There was another option that had weaker photos but had 70 reviews, all positive, including 4-5 reviews for each of the last several months. This was an active rental with a lot of positive reviews.

I forgot to say, I booked the latter rental rather than the former.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Airbnb host here --

First, reviews can't be "doctored." Period. So read them. Focus on the negative ones if you're fishing for problems. In most cases, you'll find the negative reviews involve guests wanting things the host wasn't willing to provide, like early check in, extra people or pets.

Second, in addition to spaces with a lot of reviews, look for properties with Superhosts. We have earned our status by fulfilling guests' expectations consistently.

Third, If you think hotels are cleaner than my Airbnb, you are out of your mind.

VRBO host here. Correct, reviews can’t be doctored. On VRBO, it would be premier hosts. These are the ones that consistently go above and beyond renters expectations.

[Anonymous]

I honestly will only
Book places that have reviews that say they are super / sparkling / etc clean. Never been disappointed. And LOL to thinking hotel rooms are super clean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Airbnb host here --

First, reviews can't be "doctored." Period. So read them. Focus on the negative ones if you're fishing for problems. In most cases, you'll find the negative reviews involve guests wanting things the host wasn't willing to provide, like early check in, extra people or pets.

Second, in addition to spaces with a lot of reviews, look for properties with Superhosts. We have earned our status by fulfilling guests' expectations consistently.

Third, If you think hotels are cleaner than my Airbnb, you are out of your mind.

VRBO host here. Correct, reviews can’t be doctored. On VRBO, it would be premier hosts. These are the ones that consistently go above and beyond renters expectations.

I rated a vrbo in rehoboth as 4 out of 5 stars and the owner called me and berated me saying my expectations were unreasonable and I should change my review. I never rented from him again and found another place near by that we have gone to for several years now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Airbnb host here --

First, reviews can't be "doctored." Period. So read them. Focus on the negative ones if you're fishing for problems. In most cases, you'll find the negative reviews involve guests wanting things the host wasn't willing to provide, like early check in, extra people or pets.

Second, in addition to spaces with a lot of reviews, look for properties with Superhosts. We have earned our status by fulfilling guests' expectations consistently.

Third, If you think hotels are cleaner than my Airbnb, you are out of your mind.

I’ll take the hotel over you hoarding affordable housing for profit. Kisses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Airbnb host here --

First, reviews can't be "doctored." Period. So read them. Focus on the negative ones if you're fishing for problems. In most cases, you'll find the negative reviews involve guests wanting things the host wasn't willing to provide, like early check in, extra people or pets.

Second, in addition to spaces with a lot of reviews, look for properties with Superhosts. We have earned our status by fulfilling guests' expectations consistently.

Third, If you think hotels are cleaner than my Airbnb, you are out of your mind.

I’ll take the hotel over you hoarding affordable housing for profit. Kisses.

Why isn't the hotel also "hoarding affordable housing for profit"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Airbnb host here --

First, reviews can't be "doctored." Period. So read them. Focus on the negative ones if you're fishing for problems. In most cases, you'll find the negative reviews involve guests wanting things the host wasn't willing to provide, like early check in, extra people or pets.

Second, in addition to spaces with a lot of reviews, look for properties with Superhosts. We have earned our status by fulfilling guests' expectations consistently.

Third, If you think hotels are cleaner than my Airbnb, you are out of your mind.

I’ll take the hotel over you hoarding affordable housing for profit. Kisses.

Why isn't the hotel also "hoarding affordable housing for profit"?

Because they aren’t in residential neighborhoods?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Airbnb host here --

First, reviews can't be "doctored." Period. So read them. Focus on the negative ones if you're fishing for problems. In most cases, you'll find the negative reviews involve guests wanting things the host wasn't willing to provide, like early check in, extra people or pets.

Second, in addition to spaces with a lot of reviews, look for properties with Superhosts. We have earned our status by fulfilling guests' expectations consistently.

Third, If you think hotels are cleaner than my Airbnb, you are out of your mind.

I’ll take the hotel over you hoarding affordable housing for profit. Kisses.

Why isn't the hotel also "hoarding affordable housing for profit"?

Because they aren’t in residential neighborhoods?

No, they're in the middle of cities and have lots of lovely units that could be rented at affordable rates to local workers.

I don't see the difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Airbnb host here --

First, reviews can't be "doctored." Period. So read them. Focus on the negative ones if you're fishing for problems. In most cases, you'll find the negative reviews involve guests wanting things the host wasn't willing to provide, like early check in, extra people or pets.

Second, in addition to spaces with a lot of reviews, look for properties with Superhosts. We have earned our status by fulfilling guests' expectations consistently.

Third, If you think hotels are cleaner than my Airbnb, you are out of your mind.

I’ll take the hotel over you hoarding affordable housing for profit. Kisses.

Why isn't the hotel also "hoarding affordable housing for profit"?

Because they aren’t in residential neighborhoods?

No, they're in the middle of cities and have lots of lovely units that could be rented at affordable rates to local workers.

I don't see the difference.

Hotels aren’t designed to be homes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Airbnb host here --

First, reviews can't be "doctored." Period. So read them. Focus on the negative ones if you're fishing for problems. In most cases, you'll find the negative reviews involve guests wanting things the host wasn't willing to provide, like early check in, extra people or pets.

Second, in addition to spaces with a lot of reviews, look for properties with Superhosts. We have earned our status by fulfilling guests' expectations consistently.

Third, If you think hotels are cleaner than my Airbnb, you are out of your mind.

I’ll take the hotel over you hoarding affordable housing for profit. Kisses.

Why isn't the hotel also "hoarding affordable housing for profit"?

Because they aren’t in residential neighborhoods?

No, they're in the middle of cities and have lots of lovely units that could be rented at affordable rates to local workers.

I don't see the difference.

Hotels aren’t designed to be homes.

Neither is my 280 sf guest house, which is 50 yards from my home and which I rent on Airbnb when I don't have family or friends visiting. Are you saying I should be instead renting it long term at "affordable rates" to some family? So they can live in my back yard? In one room with a microwave and a mini-fridge?

The whole idea that every Airbnb takes a long term rental unit off the market is absurd. The vast majority of Airbnbs would never be rented out long term. And the ones that could be would NOT be "affordable."

Come back and complain when you make your guest room available to Ukrainian refugees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Airbnb host here --

First, reviews can't be "doctored." Period. So read them. Focus on the negative ones if you're fishing for problems. In most cases, you'll find the negative reviews involve guests wanting things the host wasn't willing to provide, like early check in, extra people or pets.

Second, in addition to spaces with a lot of reviews, look for properties with Superhosts. We have earned our status by fulfilling guests' expectations consistently.

Third, If you think hotels are cleaner than my Airbnb, you are out of your mind.

I’ll take the hotel over you hoarding affordable housing for profit. Kisses.

Why isn't the hotel also "hoarding affordable housing for profit"?

Because they aren’t in residential neighborhoods?

No, they're in the middle of cities and have lots of lovely units that could be rented at affordable rates to local workers.

I don't see the difference.

Hotels aren’t designed to be homes.

Neither is my 280 sf guest house, which is 50 yards from my home and which I rent on Airbnb when I don't have family or friends visiting. Are you saying I should be instead renting it long term at "affordable rates" to some family? So they can live in my back yard? In one room with a microwave and a mini-fridge?

The whole idea that every Airbnb takes a long term rental unit off the market is absurd. The vast majority of Airbnbs would never be rented out long term. And the ones that could be would NOT be "affordable."

Come back and complain when you make your guest room available to Ukrainian refugees.

That’s not the type of Airbnb people are referring to as taking affordable housing from neighborhoods and you know it.
Also, I don’t have a guest room, I live in a two bedroom condo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Airbnb host here --

First, reviews can't be "doctored." Period. So read them. Focus on the negative ones if you're fishing for problems. In most cases, you'll find the negative reviews involve guests wanting things the host wasn't willing to provide, like early check in, extra people or pets.

Second, in addition to spaces with a lot of reviews, look for properties with Superhosts. We have earned our status by fulfilling guests' expectations consistently.

Third, If you think hotels are cleaner than my Airbnb, you are out of your mind.

I’ll take the hotel over you hoarding affordable housing for profit. Kisses.

Why isn't the hotel also "hoarding affordable housing for profit"?

Because they aren’t in residential neighborhoods?

No, they're in the middle of cities and have lots of lovely units that could be rented at affordable rates to local workers.

I don't see the difference.

Hotels aren’t designed to be homes.

Neither is my 280 sf guest house, which is 50 yards from my home and which I rent on Airbnb when I don't have family or friends visiting. Are you saying I should be instead renting it long term at "affordable rates" to some family? So they can live in my back yard? In one room with a microwave and a mini-fridge?

The whole idea that every Airbnb takes a long term rental unit off the market is absurd. The vast majority of Airbnbs would never be rented out long term. And the ones that could be would NOT be "affordable."

Come back and complain when you make your guest room available to Ukrainian refugees.

You are delusional. Most Airbnb’s ARE residential homes and apartments. HOTELS don’t hoard affordable housing because they are not long term housing. Airbnb takes a home that could have been rented or purchased for someone to live in and makes it a commodity to generate income for someone else.

[Anonymous]

We've done probably a dozen Airbnb stays; all were good and a few were fabulous. IME, you have to start early to look for accommodations; rent only from Supherhosts; and read every word of every review. For us, it works because we like to spread out, be able to eat breakfast in our pj's, have some outside space to hang out in, and get to know a neighborhood. It's hard to do that at a hotel.