Airbnb vs Hotel
If you had the option to stay in an Airbnb or a hotel, which would you choose and why? Would it depend on who you are traveling with? How long your stay is in that location? The cost of the trip?
I’ve stayed in an Airbnb two times. My first experience was in 2016 at Essence Festival in New Orleans. My friend and I searched for hotels but since this was a last-minute decision, hotels were booked and if you did find a vacancy, the prices were through the roof. So we both stepped out on faith (or stupidity) and searched the “new” craze, Airbnb. I found one Airbnb that seemed perfect, we would rent the whole house, it was close to all the areas we were trying to go and the price was palatable. I got down to the step of confirming and placing the deposit, then the host asked to see my ID. I was new to the venture but still thought it was strange. Not even 15 minutes later, “the reservation was no longer available”. I didn’t know how to take that so I continued to search. We eventually rented a ROOM with a private bathroom that had scalding water. We had a feeling that we probably shouldn’t be doing this because we didn’t tell our parents (or at least I didn’t tell mine) exactly where we staying. I didn’t need the worrying and lectures. And keep in mind we are in our 30s and still feared letting people know we were staying in someone’s house. I guess it was just like the start of Uber, which I took for the first time in January of that year. You just didn’t get in strangers’ cars, let alone someone’s house. Boy how things have changed.
Even though my friend drove down to NOLA, we did take Uber to a couple of the locations. Every time the driver saw our destination, they asked us several times “are you sure?” So from their hesitancy, we put together that we weren’t in the best of neighborhoods. But seriously, we felt safe and no one bothered us. Now at this wise age, would I stay in an Airbnb that wasn’t a full house rental, no! But at that time in my life, options were slim.
My next Airbnb experience was last May. I was traveling with my dog so that is the main reason I opted for the Airbnb, he has refrigerated food. My sister’s family and I just so happened to find Airbnbs owned/ operated by the same person a couple of blocks from each other. The wonders that people do with a camera. This rental was a “full house” however, it was a house that they split into two and had an apartment in the back. The bedrooms were spacious and had full bathrooms, but there was no common space. How the pictures were angled, it looked like a living room area but it was just couches/ futons in the bedroom with tables. There was a fridge and microwave, but no sink or stove in the kitchenette. The area to wash any dishes was in the main bathroom.
I could be wrong but I thought the concept of Airbnb was to be competitive pricing with hotels. That might have been the case in 2016 but now in 2023, an Airbnb can cost just as much. All the additional fees that are tacked on to the “per night” cost seem extreme to me. You are charging me a cleaning fee but yet I have to put sheets and towels in the washer before I check out, make sure trash is taken out, and wash dishes. Yes, those things sound like good home training skills, but I don’t have to do that at a hotel. Hotel staff will come to the room daily and make up the bed, straighten out the bathroom, give new towels and take out the trash.
Yes, there was a list of house rules and contact numbers if there were any issues. But I know of some hosts that have Airbnbs and live in a different city sometimes even state. If the plumbing becomes an issue, will the host Airbnb put me in a different room like a hotel? If I need extra towels, who will bring them by?
This is why unless it is my last option (or traveling with my dog), I do not rent Airbnbs.
I’ve had a few potential clients ask me if I made reservations through Airbnb. My answer has been, no!
Yes, the setup can be appealing when you have a large group and you all want to stay together. I think that is great…especially if everyone knows each other. But all rooms are not created equal. Are you expecting each guest to pay the same price, while one may end up in a bunk bed and another person gets the king bed and private bathroom? That’s a no for me. What if it’s a trip and the only person you know is the “birthday” person? Does that mean I’m sharing private space with strangers? What if they snore? Or a messy person? Now you are asking your guest to make concessions for things outside of their comfort zone. Yes, flexibility is needed when traveling in a group, but there are some things I don’t want to compromise on and number one is my lodging.
I’m not knocking the Airbnb life for those that love it, just know DCBTE, will offer you options of villas, large suites, or anything else before I book you an Airbnb.