4-Star Hotel Nightmare: Is This Post-COVID Hospitality? Why I'm Leaning Towards Airbnb!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know far too many people who have been robbed at their Airbnb that I’ve decided to never use an Airbnb again.

Going to need some data on this

My friend K and his wife had jewelry and a laptop stolen at their Airbnb in Seattle in a good building in a good neighborhood.

My friend J and his family were asleep in their luxury villa airbnb in Mexico when it was broken into. Wallets, purses, and cell phones were stolen.

I live in Seattle in a meh SFh neighborhood next to a fancy SFH neighborhood. My fancy neighbors have way more break-ins and home invasions.

Any multi family building in Seattle is going to have break ins in any neighborhood, full stop. Seattle has unique conditions that make property crime more likely than elsewhere, and anywhere zoned for multi family housing is especially susceptible.

Not taking anything away from the issues in Seattle, but SF has property crime issues just as bad if not worse, and for similar reasons, so Seattle isn’t unique in that regard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A relative who worked at a hotel chain always tended to stay at the Hampton Inn/ Hyatt place level properties, and when I asked why they said it was because they have so many more people staying they get cleaned and remodeled more consistently, and are actually a better experience. I’ve found this to be true. I’d rather be pleasantly surprised by the clean, inexpensive room with free parking than disappointed by the $400 room that I have to pay for breakfast and valet

I agree. We have to budget for travel, but these places usually provide a decent room with breakfast and parking included.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On Airbnb if the host doesn't rate you, your review isn't published. I had a broken fridge for a stay and had to throw out all food, along with the air mattress listed as a bed having a hole in it. The host offered to get me ice after it had been warm for hours and no other rectification and then never rated me so my review wasn't published. For a hotel you can review on trip advisor, multiple sites like booking.com, hotels.com and yelp. Not sure why you think Airbnb some sort of honesty review rate when the host can control not publishing when they know there were issues.

I live next door to a house that is (illegally) rented FT as an Air BnB and watching its reviews made me decide never to use an Air BnB. The reviews of the house next door are all 5-star, over the top about how charming and wonderful the place is. In reality it's a teardown that was in foreclosure and got a very cheap DIY makeover. It's not remotely charming! And even though the place is rented nonstop with a lot of turnover (and a lot of repair people in between) there are far less reviews than guests from what I can observe. So I know they must have a way to shield properties from bad reviews, which makes the whole system worthless as far as I'm concerned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This describes Marriott to a t

https://viewfromthewing.com/review-the-1-7-star-worst-marriott-hotel-in-north-america/

I disagree that that is a standard Marriott. I read the article, and it became part of the Marriott portfolio due to an acquisition. Also, it clearly has a 1.7 star rating so if you read the reviews before booking the room, you know what you were getting in for.

I have stayed at bad hotels, and I have stayed in good hotels. I don't write off the entire industry because of one bad experience. Before I book, I read reviews.

[Anonymous]

Hotels are terrible you need to stay at the Ritz to get a 3 star experience. Better off getting a high end Airbnb

[Anonymous]

Yeah, OP, I’ve been to CA Marriott hotels in the OC and LA County recently.

80s style & barf condition

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A relative who worked at a hotel chain always tended to stay at the Hampton Inn/ Hyatt place level properties, and when I asked why they said it was because they have so many more people staying they get cleaned and remodeled more consistently, and are actually a better experience. I’ve found this to be true. I’d rather be pleasantly surprised by the clean, inexpensive room with free parking than disappointed by the $400 room that I have to pay for breakfast and valet

I agree. We have to budget for travel, but these places usually provide a decent room with breakfast and parking included.

That's true. I've had very good experiences with simple Holiday Inn Expresses. No bella and whistles but I don't expect any. And efficient and clean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Leaving an honest (critical) review for an Airbnb is almost impossible.

But you can leave one for your hotel in Trip Advisor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like an AirBnB ad.

That’s exactly what I was thinking.

IME, hotel service suffered a bit during Covid, but everywhere I’ve been lately was back to normal.

And OP absolutely has multiple ways to complain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've had a couple of very bad Airbnb experiences though that just rarely happen in hotels. In France we had a host who had forgotten they had new people coming in (we had to wait hours for a changeover and to be let in). Another in Hawaii, we had a family walk into our beach condo during the middle of the afternoon because the host had given them the info for the incorrect unit (they managed 3 in the same building).

This has happened to me in a hotel as well. I have had people walk into my room, and I've been given a key to an occupied room.

Yup and hotel staff are like woops sorry not my fault talk to Corp, where as Airbnb you are like host You're fault make it right

And if the host doesn’t make it right, you have zero recourse. Ask me how I know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A relative who worked at a hotel chain always tended to stay at the Hampton Inn/ Hyatt place level properties, and when I asked why they said it was because they have so many more people staying they get cleaned and remodeled more consistently, and are actually a better experience. I’ve found this to be true. I’d rather be pleasantly surprised by the clean, inexpensive room with free parking than disappointed by the $400 room that I have to pay for breakfast and valet

Agree. Unless we’re purposefully booking a high end resort, the best bet is a brand new lower end properties.

[Anonymous]

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