Tell me about Air BnB

[Colleen27]

Can anyone who has used Air BnB give me a "for dummies" run down? I've never used them before but I found a really cute place that would be perfect for the Gulf Coast part of our winter getaway - much better than the motels I've looked at in the area, and with the same great location as the bed & breakfast we stayed at last time (which is unavailable for our dates this time). What should I be looking for to ensure a good experience, that we get what we paid for, etc? Any hidden fees/costs to watch out for? Tips and tricks, general advice, and any pointers y'all might have would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Alesia]

You mean people use it for other reasons than just hooking up with strangers? Who knew?

 

[Zim]

A friend of mine just got back from using this in London. It saved him half the cost of staying at a hotel. However, you get what you pay for. His term for it was 'flophouse'. You shared a hall bath with whomever was also staying there at the time. There was no phone on the premises. People were considerate about not eating other people's food in the fridge, but I'd bet that's not always the case. At least where they stayed, there was no host on site making sure that everything was kosher. There was no toilet paper for the first weekend because it took the owner that long to restock I presume based on his complaint. It also was located right along a major thoroughfare, I could hear the traffic horns from their room through the phone. The positives were all based on the savings: half the cost, they could make their own breakfast and not eat out... It didn't sound appealing to me at all and if you are used to real B&Bs, don't expect that level of service. But each location might be very different, if you are renting the entire house, you don't have to worry about other guests and I'm sure reviews will put you at ease for other things like noise, neighborhood and ambiance. And bring extra toilet paper.

 

[Manda_Lizabeth]

I have done AirBnB a few times. I am actually using another next weekend in San Francisco. It usually is cheaper to stay in one than a hotel, depending what you are looking for. We have loved it. I have never had a problem with check-in or check out. Once we were leaving on a later flight out of NYC and we were able to keep our bags at the apartment until we needed them. No hidden costs, it's all listed on the page before you make a reservation. One thing to know is, the "Deposit" is only what they would charge if you left the house in a mess or with items broken. You will have to pay your full trip up front. Otherwise I think it's a great idea and a way to experience the city as a local!

 

[Manda_Lizabeth]

Also, I only stay in apartments/homes that have reviews. I leave some of the negative comments on the floor as some can be overly picky, but I look for all positive reviews. If they don't have more than 5 reviews I will not bother.

 

[georgina]

I've used it in NYC and several places in California. We rented entire apartments of townhouses, the owner was there when we arrived to show us around/give us keys. They also responded to texts if we had questions. Reading the reviews of prior guests is important. As for as hidden fees, those will show up when you try to book - there is an airbnb fee and usually a cleaning fee.

 

[AlohaNow]

Don’t forget to check VRBO too. We’ve booked through this site numerous times and have yet to have a bad experience. In fact, I’m not sure we’ll ever go back to staying in hotels!

Someone please correct me if I’m wrong, but when renting through Air BNB, doesn’t it often mean the owner will also be occupying the premises at the same time? Like, they are just renting you their spare bedroom? Perhaps things have changed with that site. And if people are using it as a hook-up site, at least that’s safer than Ashley Madison!

 

[AlaskaMOM]

Don’t forget to check VRBO too. We’ve booked through this site numerous times and have yet to have a bad experience. In fact, I’m not sure we’ll ever go back to staying in hotels!

Someone please correct me if I’m wrong, but when renting through Air BNB, doesn’t it often mean the owner will also be occupying the premises at the same time? Like, they are just renting you their spare bedroom? Perhaps things have changed with that site. And if people are using it as a hook-up site, at least that’s safer than Ashley Madison!

Airbnb has the option of looking for whole house (or apartment / no shared spaces), private room w/ shared common spaces, and shared room (think hostel or camp).

We have used airbnb and vrbo many times, and do not hesitate to look there first for travel lodging. Actually I am in the process of planning a trip to Europe and the best value is using airbnb so I don't have to use a twin bed or share a double with my 21 y/o son, "family" rooms or suites (with multiple beds in one room) are so much more expensive!

 

[Colleen27]

Thanks everyone!

The property we're looking at is a whole house rental, no host on site, so I'm prepared to be on our own for toilet paper and such if we run out and I'm not worried that any one is looking for a hook-up. I'm familiar with the location and that's what is really perfect about this place - it is on a canal that connects to the river we kayak, with 2 kayaks and a canoe included in the rental. The price isn't bargain basement but it looks a lot nicer than the motels in the area and would give us more amenities than simply booking two rooms at one of those motels. This house only has a few reviews, all good, but the hosts have many more reviews on another property they own and those are all positive as well. I'm strongly leaning towards giving it a shot.

 

[jls886]

I know people who have used Air BNB with no problems, but will throw out just one word of caution. The person renting to you can cancel your reservation without warning and you're left without much recourse. This just happened to my boyfriend for an apartment he and a couple of friends rented in Denver to attend a beer festival. The guy cancelled on them and actually had the nerve to ask my bf to cancel so he wouldn't have to pay the cancellation fee. My bf said no, and the guy cancelled anyway, and now my bf is left with nowhere to stay and everywhere else is now sold out or has sky high prices. So, definitely pay attention to reviews. I'm pretty sure this guy was new and had no reviews yet. I know everyone needs to start somewhere, but I would just look for someone with a reputation built already.

 

[georgina]

I know people who have used Air BNB with no problems, but will throw out just one word of caution. The person renting to you can cancel your reservation without warning and you're left without much recourse. This just happened to my boyfriend for an apartment he and a couple of friends rented in Denver to attend a beer festival. The guy cancelled on them and actually had the nerve to ask my bf to cancel so he wouldn't have to pay the cancellation fee. My bf said no, and the guy cancelled anyway, and now my bf is left with nowhere to stay and everywhere else is now sold out or has sky high prices. So, definitely pay attention to reviews. I'm pretty sure this guy was new and had no reviews yet. I know everyone needs to start somewhere, but I would just look for someone with a reputation built already.

I've heard the same type of thing with VRBO. I'm looking for places in Hawaii and have been looking at both sites but have hesitated to book yet. I think good reviews are key.

 

[rigs32]

I've had some great stays w AirBNB. I always message the owner directly before booking and will say that the level of response is typically correlated to the experience of staying at their property.

 

[Moomduck1]

We've used airbnb for a trip to Hawaii and Chicago and were very pleased. Very nice places, no issues of running out of toilet paper or anything like that. We also look for places with lots of reviews.

 

[AlohaNow]

Colleen – The place sounds fabulous! I’m so glad you asked the original question because now I am more educated on Air BNB too! Perhaps we’ll look into it the next time we travel. Yes, when you add up hotel costs and realize you could get a whole house for your family, it really makes you think. We have used VRBO and my kids sometimes ask me, “When will we be renting our next awesome house?”

 

[tink9702]

I know people who have used Air BNB with no problems, but will throw out just one word of caution. The person renting to you can cancel your reservation without warning and you're left without much recourse. This just happened to my boyfriend for an apartment he and a couple of friends rented in Denver to attend a beer festival. The guy cancelled on them and actually had the nerve to ask my bf to cancel so he wouldn't have to pay the cancellation fee. My bf said no, and the guy cancelled anyway, and now my bf is left with nowhere to stay and everywhere else is now sold out or has sky high prices. So, definitely pay attention to reviews. I'm pretty sure this guy was new and had no reviews yet. I know everyone needs to start somewhere, but I would just look for someone with a reputation built already.

I absolutely agree this can be an issue. We always book a hotel room as a backup and cancel at the 48/72 hour mark when there is no penalty at the hotel after confirming one more time with the rental house.

I've had some great stays w AirBNB. I always message the owner directly before booking and will say that the level of response is typically correlated to the experience of staying at their property.

I also agree with this statement. If you email a simple question before booking and they respond quickly that's typically a good sign that they are on top of things!


We've used AirBnB & HomeAway. I haven't used VBRO yet. We always do an entire house/condo rental and it's been great! I've used HomeAway for trip to NH & Orlando. I used AirBnB for a weekend trip in Boston & a mansion rental in Newport, RI.

 

[Judyat]

We started using airbnb earlier this year. We like it. It is very user friendly and as many have said the reviews help a lot. There is a list of what is included and often the host tells about the area and themselves. Also checking off whole house if you don't want to share. You can add other filters like certain neighborhoods too if you want to be in a certain area. We have found it to be good value for the money and it's fun to look at the different places available.We have never had a host cancel on us. We usually check off whole house although once in a while a b and b is nice if it has it's own bathroom. We stayed at a lovely one in Portland, Or with great breakfasts that was right around the corner from our son. That's where it helps to see the neighborhood and they do show you the area the place is in. Checking the calendar they have too shows how busy they are and when the place is available. There are no hidden fees. It is all spelled out and once you book your cc is charged if the host approves and that's it. Oh they also have flexible, moderate and strict policies and that has to do with being able to cancel so it's important to read. Once you have an account you are set. Often renting for a week will be cheaper than by the night and some offer monthly too. We have also looked at VBRO but for us they are not as user friendly.

 

[brazzledazzler]

I don't know about AirBnB...however I've used VRBO & Homeaway and enjoyed both.