Been banned in Madrid now as has been driving the rent up enormously for locals as well of cases of landlords kicking people out so they can rent it out to higher prices for tourists as well. Have also been lots of concerns about loud and rowdy behaviour in apartment blocks where the residents are trying to sleep.
Haven't used it myself and still might when I am holiday but it seems it can have quite a negative effect for locals.
I have only used it in the UK but I love it. So much nicer than saying in a hotel for work also it can be so much cheaper than a hotel. All my host have been so helpful.
Have stayed a couple of times in a room in a house at the top of Shooters Hill when I've been down at Charlton for games. At £23 per night, its a bargain and the room and house is spotless. Also taken out AirBnB rooms in Perth and Winchester. Those ones weren't spotless! However, as a manky bassa, that's not something that bothers me at all. I'd agree that the important thing is to read the reviews, particularly about the hosts - all of mine have been very agreeable.
Away from AirBnB, I've also spent a lot of nights at Crook Log Guest House in Bexleyheath (in fact, I think there's only 1 (triple) room in the house that I haven't slept in!). If you have friends or family visiting the area I can't recommend it enough - the only problem is that it is often fully occupied on weekdays, presumably workies?
Hit and miss for me. I've found one or two good ones, but I've been messed about a couple of times. I had a cleaning bill of £50 added because I didn't read the small print. It also seems that the owners can cancel a booking at any time. I had this is in the USA twice - once because I am over 55 (????) and once because the bloke found that he was contravening his lease.
I use AirBnB to rent out our holiday flat and house here in France and we have only had good experiences. We also use other booking sites, but they are well organized and easy to use. For hosts they take a flat fee of 3% of the fee the guest pays, but do take care of everything in case of problems/disputes. Other sites such as booking.com take 12% fee. My only critical point would be that you can only see the guests evaluation of you after you have submitted an evaluation of them and there is no possibility of a rebuttal if, for example, something was not true.
Never used it for a place in the UK, but have used in loads of places all over Europe and they have all been first class! Couldn't recommend them highly enough. From my experience any place with rating of above an 8 is lovely
Like anything it depends on the individual host, so as above read the reviews. Once had a bit so great one where the woman clearly lived there and let it out when she was away, bedding and linen wasn’t great, wife went to local supermarket to buy some pillows as hers were so bad.
Use it for my cottage in Norfolk when I can’t be there and it’s one of the better sites.. You would be amazed how much Cleaner’s and laundry cost, we pass our fees on but that’s 60 for the clean and same again for linen which I think is a lot, but there simply aren’t enough high quality and reliable cleaning services where we are - it’s a major pain.
One mistake people make is to treat it like a budget hotel, it isn’t. It’s more often than not someone’s home and that can a range of different standards. The places are often not set up like a hotel or purpose built holiday home is, like car parking etc. Another thing to note is cancellations, again this is most likely a sideline not a full on business so different rules apply. On the other hand you can find some real gems which modesty aside mine is if that’s your thing.
I’m off to Tuscany again this half term courtesy of Avios and Airbnb, nice little place overlooking Florence. Love Italy!
I use AirBnB to rent out our holiday flat and house here in France and we have only had good experiences. We also use other booking sites, but they are well organized and easy to use. For hosts they take a flat fee of 3% of the fee the guest pays, but do take care of everything in case of problems/disputes. Other sites such as booking.com take 12% fee. My only critical point would be that you can only see the guests evaluation of you after you have submitted an evaluation of them and there is no possibility of a rebuttal if, for example, something was not true.
Isn't this because people were scared to leave anything negative in case they got a "revenge review"?
I thought you could leave a response? I did after one host left a review saying I has left the place in a mess because I forgot my toiletries and despite charging £25 cleaning fee.
I tend to use Airbnb in cities where hotel rooms are expensive, especially travelling with a family. In Tokyo, for example, the cost of two tiny hotel rooms is extortionate and you can pick up an apartment at a big saving. But there are a number of downsides and you need to be careful:
1. Remember Airbnb is just a "middleman". There's no comeback against them if something goes wrong.
2. Cleaning fees and service charges can add quite a lot to the final bill.
3. Cancellation terms can be very strict. Often you're better off booking a hotel with free cancellation, just in case your plans change. Note that if a free cancellation is offered on Airbnb, you still have to pay the Airbnb service charge.
4. On the other hand, the homeowner can cancel your booking without penalty. This happened to me in Kuala Lumpur. All they get is a review stating that they cancelled the guest's booking. Watch out fo these notes as you read the reviews.
5. Watch the locations. Maps are often not accurate.
6. Airbnb type renting is illegal in certain cities, it flouts the law in other places a number of ways: breaking condominium/apartment terms and conditions and tax avoidance by the property owners, even local hotel laws; there are issues here in Thailand right now as to the legality or otherwise of letting a house or room on a short term (not short time!) basis. Of course, Airbnb as a mere agent don't care about this and if users get any hassle as an illegal occupant in a condominium room then it's nothing to do with them.
As a guesthouse owner the competition doesn't bother me, but it does some people.
Anyone wanting to use Airbnb for income needs to check out the local rules and pay taxes or you could run into problems.
Been banned in Madrid now as has been driving the rent up enormously for locals as well of cases of landlords kicking people out so they can rent it out to higher prices for tourists as well. Have also been lots of concerns about loud and rowdy behaviour in apartment blocks where the residents are trying to sleep.
Haven't used it myself and still might when I am holiday but it seems it can have quite a negative effect for locals.
As people know, I lives down 'ere in Cornwall. Even though my village is a proper working community and off-track for the popular resorts, the coast is nearby and so we do get a few visitors.
Back of my row cottages, someone's recently built themselves a 3-storey house which they don't live in but rent out to holiday makers. Of course people on holiday naturally want to have a good time and often party late, night after night.
Which is all very well for them - but we live here and have to get up in the morning to go to work, get the kids off to school, etc. Imagine what it would be like if the holiday house was next to you in your street?
Only tried booking Airbnb once and my first and only application for an apartment in Sheffield was rejected by the owner, I can only assume because I said the reason for the stay was to see a football match. So fuck em, never bothered since.
I think they work out well/good value for families but would never use one if travelling on my own or just with the wife. Have generally had good experiences although prefer hotels all other things being equal.
I strongly prefer the ones which are permanently rented out (effectively a hotel apartment) not those that are used by the owners for some of the year given I can't stand staying at anyone's home at the best of times, even people I know.
I went to Cannes in March for a conference and had an Airbnb in Antibes. Great value for money but so drained my duvet with ink and the charge was €275 for replacement.
Hidden charges must be looked out for
I have read and reread quite a few times but still have no idea what you did to your duvet. is that some kind of euphemism?
little heads up anyone interested in stocks and shares, these guy's are going to ipo soon, if you have a bit of cash to invest pump it into them. you will earn 100%
little heads up anyone interested in stocks and shares, these guy's are going to ipo soon, if you have a bit of cash to invest pump it into them. you will earn 100%
I can't see the typical Charlton Life punter getting much of an allocation at the IPO :-)
Used Airbnb couple of times. Stays have been pretty good. Did get caught out last year when I booked a ski chalet in morzine. Booked in June. Owner cancelled the booking in December. Had to pay twice the amount to find somewhere else at short notice. Owner claimed he was no longer renting it out. I assume he got a better offer from someone going direct. But that's the risk you take.
Used Airbnb couple of times. Stays have been pretty good. Did get caught out last year when I booked a ski chalet in morzine. Booked in June. Owner cancelled the booking in December. Had to pay twice the amount to find somewhere else at short notice. Owner claimed he was no longer renting it out. I assume he got a better offer from someone going direct. But that's the risk you take.
I mentioned before that this was an issue with Airbnb properties. If the guest cancels at short notice then he or she is likely to have to pay a hefty charge. If the property cancels then there's nothing but a post in their reviews.
I believe a two-way cancellation system would be much fairer and would stop Airbnb landlords from doing this.
Hotels rarely cancel a guest, though double-bookings can be a problem even with the technology now used by hotels and some guesthouses to control their bookings and allocations and if you do show at a hotel and they haven't got a room, the hotel is obliged to find you a similar property and pay any difference if they send you to a more expensive place. That just can't happen on Airbnb.
So here is my thing. 3 years ago I was browsing AirBnB for a place in Arcachon near Bordeaux, but also the rival, HomeAway. We selected a place on HomeAway and used them again for the German Baltic a couple of times. All with good results, btw. Now when I try AirBnb, it asks me for all kinds of proof of identity shit, before I can see what they are offering. Seems I am the only one getting this?
Now when I try AirBnb, it asks me for all kinds of proof of identity shit, before I can see what they are offering. Seems I am the only one getting this?
And yet you post this hiding behind an anonymous user name?
So here is my thing. 3 years ago I was browsing AirBnB for a place in Arcachon near Bordeaux, but also the rival, HomeAway. We selected a place on HomeAway and used them again for the German Baltic a couple of times. All with good results, btw. Now when I try AirBnb, it asks me for all kinds of proof of identity shit, before I can see what they are offering. Seems I am the only one getting this?
Think they've changed it recently where they want the customer to have a profile to give to the renter. Either that or they think you're dodgy
I’m thinking of using this too book a room in tunbridge it say £48 a night but goes up to £68 for cleaning and admin fee is this right
Yes. I travel quite a lot for work, and though my air bnb experiences have been excellent, i dont use it for one night stays as the service and cleaning fees take the price above hotel rates. They are fixed so the price per night reduces the longer you stay.
Comments
Have used it for myself and with family I think it’s great
Haven't used it myself and still might when I am holiday but it seems it can have quite a negative effect for locals.
Away from AirBnB, I've also spent a lot of nights at Crook Log Guest House in Bexleyheath (in fact, I think there's only 1 (triple) room in the house that I haven't slept in!). If you have friends or family visiting the area I can't recommend it enough - the only problem is that it is often fully occupied on weekdays, presumably workies?
We also use other booking sites, but they are well organized and easy to use.
For hosts they take a flat fee of 3% of the fee the guest pays, but do take care of everything in case of problems/disputes.
Other sites such as booking.com take 12% fee.
My only critical point would be that you can only see the guests evaluation of you after you have submitted an evaluation of them and there is no possibility of a rebuttal if, for example, something was not true.
Use it for my cottage in Norfolk when I can’t be there and it’s one of the better sites.. You would be amazed how much Cleaner’s and laundry cost, we pass our fees on but that’s 60 for the clean and same again for linen which I think is a lot, but there simply aren’t enough high quality and reliable cleaning services where we are - it’s a major pain.
One mistake people make is to treat it like a budget hotel, it isn’t. It’s more often than not someone’s home and that can a range of different standards. The places are often not set up like a hotel or purpose built holiday home is, like car parking etc. Another thing to note is cancellations, again this is most likely a sideline not a full on business so different rules apply. On the other hand you can find some real gems which modesty aside mine is if that’s your thing.
I’m off to Tuscany again this half term courtesy of Avios and Airbnb, nice little place overlooking Florence. Love Italy!
I thought you could leave a response? I did after one host left a review saying I has left the place in a mess because I forgot my toiletries and despite charging £25 cleaning fee.
1. Remember Airbnb is just a "middleman". There's no comeback against them if something goes wrong.
2. Cleaning fees and service charges can add quite a lot to the final bill.
3. Cancellation terms can be very strict. Often you're better off booking a hotel with free cancellation, just in case your plans change. Note that if a free cancellation is offered on Airbnb, you still have to pay the Airbnb service charge.
4. On the other hand, the homeowner can cancel your booking without penalty. This happened to me in Kuala Lumpur. All they get is a review stating that they cancelled the guest's booking. Watch out fo these notes as you read the reviews.
5. Watch the locations. Maps are often not accurate.
6. Airbnb type renting is illegal in certain cities, it flouts the law in other places a number of ways: breaking condominium/apartment terms and conditions and tax avoidance by the property owners, even local hotel laws; there are issues here in Thailand right now as to the legality or otherwise of letting a house or room on a short term (not short time!) basis. Of course, Airbnb as a mere agent don't care about this and if users get any hassle as an illegal occupant in a condominium room then it's nothing to do with them.
As a guesthouse owner the competition doesn't bother me, but it does some people.
Anyone wanting to use Airbnb for income needs to check out the local rules and pay taxes or you could run into problems.
Back of my row cottages, someone's recently built themselves a 3-storey house which they don't live in but rent out to holiday makers.
Of course people on holiday naturally want to have a good time and often party late, night after night.
Which is all very well for them - but we live here and have to get up in the morning to go to work, get the kids off to school, etc.
Imagine what it would be like if the holiday house was next to you in your street?
PS: Cor, that was proper moan!
I'd strongly recommend it.
Over the last 12 months or so I've found Agoda to be much cheaper, all my experience is China/South East Asia based though.
I strongly prefer the ones which are permanently rented out (effectively a hotel apartment) not those that are used by the owners for some of the year given I can't stand staying at anyone's home at the best of times, even people I know.
I believe a two-way cancellation system would be much fairer and would stop Airbnb landlords from doing this.
Hotels rarely cancel a guest, though double-bookings can be a problem even with the technology now used by hotels and some guesthouses to control their bookings and allocations and if you do show at a hotel and they haven't got a room, the hotel is obliged to find you a similar property and pay any difference if they send you to a more expensive place. That just can't happen on Airbnb.