Airbnb

North Lower Neil

Many of you used it? What are your experiences of it?

Seems a cheap alternative to B&Bs but wanted to find out what a few peole thought of it.

Couldn't work out from the site, if you book one room of a two bed place, or 3 rooms of a 4 bed place etc, will the other room be let out to someone else?

Siv_in_Norfolk

Yes, if they can. That type of property is pretty rare, tho

Addictedoldgit

Last summer booked a 2 bed flat in Naples via Airbnb. Everything fine, cant help you though as we rented the whole flat.

Siv_in_Norfolk

I use it all the time for both leisure and business travel. In looking to buy a place, we are even considering how Airbnbable the place (or part of the place) would be.

Usually works out same price as a hotel to book 'entire home' (rather than a room in a house)

Also very good when planning foreign holidays

Plus you can find mansions in there for parties
Boat houses
All sorts

Siv_in_Norfolk

If you join using the below, then you get 12 quid credit and I do, too

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/c/ssears22

colthe3rd

Used it a few times and it's been excellent. You can select entire property or shared property when you search. If you're still unsure just email the owner.

Leuth

A cheap alternative to B&Bs?

Most of the B&Bs use it now. It's The Way. Adapt or die overspend, mofo!

Siv_in_Norfolk

Yeah... hosts are usually very good re: questions about parking or whatever

North Lower Neil

Siv_in_Norfolk said:

If you join using the below, then you get 12 quid credit and I do, too

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/c/ssears22

I'll keep that in mind mate!

SporadicAddick

Have used it for an overnight in Devon when attending a wedding. We have three kids, so two rooms in a hotel, without guarantees of connecting rooms, is always expensive / a problem. A two bed apartment through airbnb was little more than a single hotel room. The community nature of the site means that the reviews will be accurate, and it's not in the vendors interest to provide a poor experience but - like uber, you ultimately take that risk. Unlikely, I would imagine, that you would be sharing although the original concept was exactly that...airbnb is a corruption of "air bed and breakfast" ie you stayed on an air bed in someone's spare space. It's moved on since then...

se9addick

Used it lots, never had an issue but only ever booked an entire apartment (which is still cheaper than booking a hotel room normally)

BDL

Use it for my annual trip to Fairford, stay in a lovely house in Shrivenham. Works out much cheaper than a hotel.

Fumbluff

Missus got us a pucka place in Portugal on it a couple of years ago and she's used it for another couple of holidays with her mum and sister since. She likes to ask a million questions prior to booking anything so she loves it.

Addick93

Used it quite a lot whilst in America, it's a good option if you don't want to stay in a hostel, but the price of hotels in the area are ridiculous.

moutuakilla

Used it in UK, Iceland and Denmark so far. It's fantastic, so much cheaper than a hotel and you can usually get self-catered so you don't have to eat out (more savings).

I've never stayed in a shared property.

Cordoban Addick

We have used it in several countries and sometimes rent out our place in Spain through it and both have been positive.

sam3110

Yah boo, won't someone please think of the black cab drivers innkeepers?

Fanny Fanackapan

sam3110 said:

Yah boo, won't someone please think of the black cab drivers innkeepers?

Bad press reports, I'm afraid, @sam3110.

Never should have turned Mary & Joseph away.

Bow_Addick

As many have said its good and it's also good value too.

Perosnally I'd always select 'entire place' and Make sure the reviews are decent.

TellyTubby

I let via airb&b as well as book accommodation for holidays etc.

We have had nothing but good experiences having booked b&b with families and whole homes. Even booked on the move with an hours notice for a place in the Haig as we toured Europe.

I pick the accommodation carefully and always come up trumps at great value. The guests we have had stay in our apartment have all been lovely too.

It maybe that people tend to be nice because the owners and the guests are rated.

IA

I used it in Iceland (a little cheaper than hotel but still expensive - real saving was the kitchen) and in Ireland (stayed in a B&B)

I would use it again for a B&B or hotel but I would never use Airbnb to stay in an apartment in any city with a homelessness problem. Each to their own though.

Shrew

I've used it a lot in San Fran, Barcelona, Glasgow, Brighton, Ireland and London, mostly a really good experience.Its getting more common though for landlords to make a property look like a family home and to arrive and find out its all been separated into individual air bnb rooms. Booking entire property is good advice.

Siv_in_Norfolk

@shrew - reviews should soon weed that out for anybody browsing. That's the beauty- you can't get away with any dodginess as it's all reviewed. It's in both parties interests to be open and honest and respectful to each other.

Siv_in_Norfolk

Again... for anybody wishing to sign up, use this link and we both get 12 quid:

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/c/ssears22

colthe3rd

Well I'm shocked. CL fairly unanimous in being positive about a service that's progressive and breaks from the norm at the expense of an established industry.

Alwaysneil

My ex has not been able to rent her flat out in a long term leg and has done airbnb lets over Christmas/ New Year, has made some money but people do have a bit of tendency to treat the place badly and cleaning costs eat into it a bit.

Not used it myself but considering doing so for a stopover in New York in February as likely to get a much better place than a hotel, going to look into it.

robroy

Used it for my trip for a week in Toronto, was superb and half the cost of a hotel. Also stayed down at whistable in a house and that was also great.

I only search for private, so not sure what it's like to share.

Enjoy

Huskaris

colthe3rd said:

Well I'm shocked. CL fairly unanimous in being positive about a service that's progressive and breaks from the norm at the expense of an established industry.

If only traditional B&B owners were as loud mouthed and entitled/used to ripping off the public as black taxi drivers and I am sure that the case would be different.

C.Walsh'sLoveChild

Used it for whole 1/2 bed apartments in Paris, Rome, Brussels, Bruge, Venice and Florence as well as 10 days in a 5 bed house in the Loire last year.
Not a problem with any of them. Just use some common sense when dealing with the property owner. If it seems odd then don't go there.

MrOneLung

Used it for a great 6 bed villa in Sri Lanka in 2015

kimbo

Used a few times for holidays - whole place and shared on work trip in Sydney Great value and experiences.