I’ve never used it for travel in the US. I’ve noticed most places here don’t seem to be cheaper or a very good deal. Pay attention to the reviews, read between the lines and don’t rent from someone without many reviews or limited pictures. Traveling on your own shouldn’t have much effect. Most places I’ve looked are are the same for 1 or 2 people.
I think you are missing it JM. Airbnb is an adventure. Holiday Inn is boring.
These are my feelings too.
In regards to point 1, I used to work for a firm that booked us into such places on business (“it’s cheaper!”). I hated such places; I hated the fact that this was somebody else’s place, their bed, and their bathroom. At least once, I looked around, didn’t like what I saw, and promptly called the local Comfort Inn. The firm paid for what I gave up (I never told them I didn’t stay there), and I looked after my own Comfort Inn tab myself.
As for point 2, there was a news report recently about somebody who rented their house through Airbnb for a weekend. They returned to police reports about an out-of-control party, where hazmat teams had to clean before they were allowed back in. (Cite.)
No thanks.
My sons whole hockey team stayed at one in Colorado Springs. It worked out well because they had a basketball court they could work out on and a big game room son 10 teenagers could hang out.
I should add that the outdoor areas had cameras so they could make sure what was going on outside.
I’ve used it several times for vacations. Cheaper can be part of it, but for me a lot of times it’s location as well as amenities. We had a great apartment in Asheville NC right off a beautiful park, all the comforts of home plus fresh eggs from the owner. It’s more like staying in a friend’s house than in some sterile box hotel. I love having a living area and kitchen when I’m traveling too.
This weekend we’ll be in Middletown RI a short walk from Second Beach. You won’t find a hotel in Newport (or Middletown, for that matter) for less than $150/night at this time of year, and that’s for the bottom of the barrel, 2-star or less craphole motels. With AirBnB, we have a nice little private studio for $118/night.
False dichotomy. 
I was actually responding to a number of posters who commented on what a great deal it was, but I’m thinking that only works with larger groups. And that would make sense, since you’d be talking about renting 3 or 4 rooms at Holiday Inn vs. one house in Airbnb.
My husband did it whilst he was travelling in the US recently. He felt pretty uncomfortable throughout his short stay - the owner was also in the house and sleeping on the couch as it was only a one-bedroom place. He said when he arrived there was a heap of dirty dishes in the sink, and the bathroom hadn’t been cleaned. It’s not something he’d do again.
I used airbnb to rent out two different places in Brooklyn, and it was great. Both were in better locations and slightly cheaper than the closest hotel I could have stayed in. One provided some food and booze for free.
I agree I wouldn’t want to be in either situation. But, that hasn’t been my experience with Airbnb. I always skip over the apartments that look like someone lives there full time and go with the properties that are pretty clearly vacation homes or places meant to be rented out, not lived in. I’ve stayed in several places like this on Airbnb, VRBO and Flipkey and would recommend them highly.
There is something similar for single travellers only looking for a place to crash where basically you rent someones couch. Not sure what its called.
do you leave walnuts everywhere when you stay?
Done it three times with my wife in Puerto Rico, Florida, and London. Each time it was considerably (30% or more) cheaper than a decent hotel room. Twice we stayed in someone’s extra room and once we had the whole apartment. In general it was decent accommodations. If luxury, comfort, and perfect cleanliness is very important to you than AirBnB probably isn’t for you. If you just want a decent place to stay for less money then there are lots of good options.
CouchSurfing.com, et al.
Braggart.
Thanks for bumping the thread, I remembered about the website and signed up. I may use it later this year when I go to a conference. Since I’ll be by myself, the hotel room rate, even conference price, is very expensive, and I found a place nearby for a fraction of the cost. And considering all I do is sleep and shower at the hotel room, paying that much for so little seems absurd.
I do have a question. This will be a partially covered trip (my employer will fund some of it). For those who have done AirBnB, do you get a receipt you can use as reimbursement for the stay? As to why not stay at a hotel if it is covered the answer is that the ticket price is pushing the limit of what my allowance will cover, so if I want my allowance to cover more, I should spend less were I can.
Probably in the form of an email. My most recent experience they sent an email showing the transaction info. CC# blocked except last 4 digits, etc. Another time my card was run at the rental office when we stopped in to pick up the keys so there was that receipt.
If renting a room in a private home I would imagine the Airbnb website email confirmation would act as a receipt but I don’t really know.
Lets examine the business side of airbnb.
So is anyone been in the business? Is this basically just like a normal bed and breakfast?
Would it be regulated and would a person need a business license?
If you serve food would you need the same health inspections as a restaurant?
Would your normal homeowners insurance cover this?
Most important, how much money do you think the hosts were making off this?
Thanks for the response!
I’m talking a system that had trouble accepting a receipt from an online Adobe Photoshop transaction. :smack:
I’ve found both price (for just my family of three, who can share one hotel room) and location to be better than anything I’d find in a hotel, plus I love the homey, personalized aspect of it.
We stayed in a whole house in Indianapolis through TripAdvisor, walking distance from downtown, two bedrooms, living room, kitchen, laundry, bathroom, front porch and back garden, for $100 per night. The hostess had a cool and funky aesthetic, and furnishings and decorations were really fun. She left a note asking us to help ourselves to anything in the house, and left local beer and chocolates in the fridge, wine and glasses in the master bedroom, etc. That house was totally furnished - spices in the cabinets, DVDs by the TV. The hostess lives elsewhere in the city and bought the second house as an “artist’s retreat.”
This September we’re staying in the third floor of a home in downtown Pittsburgh through airbnb. The whole floor is ours, sloped ceilings and exposed brick, two double beds and a bathroom. Walking distance from stadiums and downtown, all for $89 per night. The cheapest hotel actually located within walking distance of downtown is $209 per night.
Apropos of nothing, we’ve had people in my area try to be Airbnb hosts and were shut down by the town because we’re zoned as only a residential area. We also have nosy neighbors who will call Town Hall if there’s “more traffic than usual” in front of a particular house. Heck, they called Town Hall on me back when our houseguests moved in because they had a U-Haul out in front :rolleyes: