I'm an Airbnb host, AMA.
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Anonymous
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The "Airbnb freaks me out" thread prompted me to post. As an Airbnb host, I feel compelled to set the record straight.
I list the guest house on my property on Airbnb. I also have friends who Airbnb rooms in their homes, and one who runs a multi-unit property as a hotel mainly through Airbnb. AMA. |
Anonymous
| Since the crazies have already asked, can you please comfort them and assure them that no, you don't have hidden cameras everywhere watching their every move? |
Anonymous
| Where do you own? |
Anonymous
| How do you give and get back the key? How do people do it for remote properties that they do not live close to? |
Anonymous
| How hard are people on your property? |
Anonymous
| There are no hidden cameras. Seriously, get a grip. |
Anonymous
| My Airbnb is in the Southwest. |
Anonymous
| The door has a coded lock -- guests are told the code before they arrive and we change it regularly. |
Anonymous
| We've never had any damage or problems. Most people make the bed before they leave. It helps if you create a nice environment -- people respect that. |
Anonymous
| Have you ever had to cancel one of your reservations? If yes, why? If no, what kind of issues might lead you to do so? |
Anonymous
| Would you feel comfortable doing an air bnb if it was inside your main home? If so, do you have kids at home? |
Anonymous
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Yes, I had to cancel a reservation once because of a sewer issue that made the place uninhabitable. We arranged alternative accommodations for the guest and refunded their payment entirely. They actually gave us a great review.
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Anonymous
| I wouldn't Airbnb rooms in my home, but I have friends who do it. One makes her living renting two rooms in her house in Seattle. She doesn't have kids. I would think that would change things unless the home was set up to ensure that Airbnb guests had minimal contact with the family. |
Anonymous
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Do you pay the same taxes that hotels are required to pay? If you don't, do you feel like you are freeloading on the infrastructure for tourism in your state? And undercutting the wages of people who depend on the hospitality sector for income?
This is the main reason I'm not thrilled by airbnb -- it's the uber-like model of deregulating things that the state has typically regulated for safety and for taxes to support the industries. |
Anonymous
| Do you ever avoid renting to certain ethnic groups or nationalities? |