[Vicious]

Zoom, by misrepresentation I mean a place not looking like in the pictures or missing amenities. Checking the adress I'd what I say goes under your due diligence.

JamesRodri, you mentioned the service fee not I. You aren't claiming that you did not get your money back for the actual stay, no?

[Felix 5000]

samurai power

[Pokerbaby]

Just to add, for Poland use this site instead of AirBnb if staying for a while..

oferty.net

[Teekay]

Having used AirBnB for over three years, I can offer this experience with what to avoid:

- photos should capture everything important: the bed (as mentioned above and especially when traveling with a chic or planning to bang), kitchen and appliances, the couch and the living room, and the bathroom (shower or bathtub? are they separated from the toilet?) The fewer photos a property has, the less inclined I am to book it, especially if some of the items important to me are missing. What is the host hiding?
- with reviews, read between the lines; once I stayed with a guy who had impeccable reviews only to have the weirdest experience ever (he smoked pot a lot and had a live-in boyfriend). The reviews did hint at him being a slightly extravagant character - take every hint and multiply it by a factor of 10 (as mentioned above with the example of noisiness)
- zero reviews are OK for new hosts, provided that there are no other red flags, and you could even get a better deal price-wise, but try to communicate with the host first to get a feel for who they are
- some people like to save on AirBnB fees but I avoid hosts who reach out to me and suggest we deal in cash outside of AirBnB. The fact is that the majority of fees are paid by guests, so hosts do not have legitimate reasons to game the system. To me this says that the host may have reasons to believe my review would not be 100% positive.
- beware if the host mentions they live next door or nearby; that might mean that the apartment is just part of their house with a separate entrance, in which case this feels more likely renting a room than an apartment (could be fine for business trips though)
- I avoid properties where the host mentions too many rules and penalties for breaking them, not worth the hassle. The host is likely anal-retentive and will have arguments with you on check-out

As for the context of my experience, I have only rented throughout Western Europe (mostly Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain) and some Central European and Balkan countries.

[mogsy]

Having used the site a few times and claimed successfully when a place was misrepresented with random pictures and let in a mess.

I think it's important to read the reviews but ensure the person has experience hosting and not just staying at other peoples places. Preferably the listing will have reviews that are seem to cover what is important to you. I would look for 10 reviews plus to be safe but this may mean the prices are higher than other listings with lower reviews, it depends on how much risk your willing to accept.

Airbnb support has been ok in dealing with issues apparently phone is the best for emergency issues. I emailed them and took over a week to get a decent response to my enquiry.

[Onto]

One thing that helped me in Manila was booking with someone that had a lot of other rentals on AirBnB. I booked an apt for a month. Two weeks in I couldn't stand the noise, told the owner I was leaving, and I didn't demand money back. He graciously moved me to another apt of his in a better building/location while he sorted out the noisy neighbor issue. Even helped me move. A really great guy. AirBnB was his business and he treated it as such.

[Orson]

(07-15-2015 12:46 PM)Teekay Wrote:  

Having used AirBnB for over three years, I can offer this experience with what to avoid:
_ _ _
- I avoid properties where the host mentions too many rules and penalties for breaking them, not worth the hassle. The host is likely anal-retentive and will have arguments with you on check-out
_ _ _

TOO MANY RULES? CONDITONS?
Avoiding this on Airbnb is not the only context to apply the rule. I use this with commercial motels, hotels, ANYTHING.

Even apartment rentals in America!

For example, once I applied for this nice high rise, only to find that even READING the lease - with the leasing agent - was a 12 or 18 page ordeal! After 30 minutes, I threw in the towel and even let them keep my deposit just to be let out on the "iron clad" every conceivable possibility lease agreement.

I was much happier a couple weeks later to take a place with only two or three pages in the lease. Much simpler, more conceptual, and not so arduously concrete in its rules.

Thus, my point? AVOIDING verbosity is a fine rule in any and EVERY living situation.

[Malo]

(07-15-2015 12:46 PM)Teekay Wrote:  

- with reviews, read between the lines;

(07-14-2015 08:32 AM)iknowexactly Wrote:  

Read between the lines of the reviews. People are hesitant to include bad info.

This is so true, I noticed time and time again that people are just too kind when they leave reviews.

I guess after a personal interaction with the host they just feel bad to badmouth about the place, unless it was truly horrible.

So just read between the lines.

Examples:

- "It's a great place for a short stay" = not great at all for staying longer.

- "The place is kept clean" = despite its low standard (pictures can be VERY deceiving).

- "The neighborhood felt safe" = despite it being ghetto. Nobody mentions that about a high class neighborhood, it's a given.

Reviewers on airbnb are almost the complete opposite to reviewers on sites like booking.com, where you see stuff like "this is a horrible hotel, I asked for strawberry jam at breakfast and they had only apricot! And the waitress had a fake smile! I will never visit here again!".

[AneroidOcean]

(07-15-2015 12:46 PM)Teekay Wrote:  

- some people like to save on AirBnB fees but I avoid hosts who reach out to me and suggest we deal in cash outside of AirBnB. The fact is that the majority of fees are paid by guests, so hosts do not have legitimate reasons to game the system. To me this says that the host may have reasons to believe my review would not be 100% positive.

While I agree that hosts initiating negotiation outside of AirBnB is something to be wary of, there IS a legitimate reason to avoid AirBnB that I can think of. They report your income so you'll have to pay taxes on it (at least in the USA).

[Handsome Creepy Eel]

On a related note, what the fuck is wrong with guests on Airbnb? I am fed up with people being happy and writing nice stuff about me, yet giving me a terrible (or even totally random) star rating:

Look at these examples:

Quote:

"Amazing location, very close to everything"
Location: 3/5
(all other ratings 5/5)

Quote:

"Incredibly kind host who came to pick us up, greeted us with dinner and was very helpful at all times. We had a lovely stay."
Communication: 2/5
(all other ratings either 1/5 or 5/5)

Are people writing reviews while drunk or playing darts with them? I could understand someone being quietly unsatisfied and expressing it later, but these people are simultaneously saying one thing and rating another.

[Irish]

dont even get me started with the dumb ass shit guests ask for when staying.

Highlights I've experienced include:

- Guests with zero reviews, zero rep, rude communication, need their hand held through the entire booking process, and then say "can we expect some consideration/discount on the price?"

- Being asked 2 days before arrival if I could put an extra single bed in one of the rooms

- After it clearly being stated parking is not available, being asked 1 day before arrival where they can park their minibus

- After it clearly being stated not suitable for children, asking for two cots, as 2 of the 5 children they are bringing are babies. Of course they never included any of them in the guest count (which would have also exceeded the maximum occupancy) and also not backing down when I suggested perhaps they should find somewhere else.

- Dude with zero reviews, zero rep trying to do an off the airbnb platform cash deal, while proceeding to use the airbnb messaging app the entire time to communicate

- Being asked if instead of renting the entire flat if they can just rent the two bedrooms (Its a 2 bedroom apartment). Oh and of course looking a discount...

- Getting a text from a guest complaining that it was dusty underneath the couch

- Another guest writes in the feedback that it was bright in the morning and it made them wake up earlier than they wanted (WTF?!)

- Being asked to recommend an airline for the guests to fly to Italy with

- Numerous guests expecting you to plan out their entire stay with a full schedule of tourist activities for each day

- Group of jewish guests making my colleague go to the apartment to open the door for them despite having already picked up the keys. Because it was a Sunday and their faith forbids them to use electronic doors. (I'm not making this up)

[worldtraveler3]

Why people are afraid to write a bad review ?

Is it because the host will then write a Bad review about them for revenge?
Sounds like a dishonest system Airbnb is having.

[Malo]

^ No because the host can't see your review before he writes his.

Also I wouldn't care if someone writes a bad review about me. First, I wouldn't give him a reason to in the first place. Then, you can also reply to the review. And you can also just open a new account. Unless it's a flat that's booked months in advance most hosts will approve you even if you're a fresh user. Remember airbnb insures them against damage.

[El Chinito loco]

(07-15-2015 12:46 PM)Teekay Wrote:  

- beware if the host mentions they live next door or nearby; that might mean that the apartment is just part of their house with a separate entrance, in which case this feels more likely renting a room than an apartment (could be fine for business trips though)
- I avoid properties where the host mentions too many rules and penalties for breaking them, not worth the hassle. The host is likely anal-retentive and will have arguments with you on check-out

These two things to watch out for are golden.

The live next door host can be a control freak of sorts and will nose in your activities. It's almost guaranteed. This is especially annoying if they act a bit too buddy buddy with you right off the bat and have a limited social life. This means you're the focal point of their attention. Only encountered this once during a short stay.

The rules person is a huge red flag. I noticed that a disproportionate number of rules and 2 page long house guideline landlords/owners are middle aged women (no surprise.) If the rules insist on negotiating and nickle and diming you over every electric unit spent or inconsequential thing then do not stay there. You can immediately tell how much of an ass someone is by their house rules. Read the reviews carefully for people like this, i'm sure one or more people have complained of "mystery" fees at the end of their stay or some retarded hassle.

The best owners are the guys who work abroad and own several units. They generally have relatives take care of their units and are only concerned with % return on their investment. They couldn't give a fuck if you are having daily orgies or something.

[Pendejo41]

I used AirBNB in Peru last year, I paid the asking price - Mistake #1! Never, ever pay the asking price. If they ask for $100 per night, offer them $60, they will usually tell you "the bank doesn't allow it" or even come back with a "special offer" at $80. They will also ask for a $100 cleaning fee or something ridiculous, they got me for that in Peru, took me for a sucker. I'm sure they paid someone $5 bucks to clean the entire apartment when I left. The porter at this apartment complex where I stayed worked 12 hours per day, 7 days a week. Two men, each worked 84 hours a week and each took home $325 per month, before taxes! Labor is dirt cheap in South America and these people want to charge you $100 for cleaning an apartment, make sure you get this waived.

How to proceeed on AirBNB:
1. Offer 30% less, if they say "no" then move on, chances are they will come back with an offer of at least %15 less. I learned this after using AirBNB once. I am going to Rio next month and the person listing the 3 Bedroom Penthouse (Copacabana) was aking $1850 when we started negotiating. Me and my two buddies got the place for $1250 and that's with an airport transfer.

2. Get them to waive all those dumb fees.

3. Read the bad reviews very closely.

4. Be weary of apartments that have only 5 star reviews - no one apartment is appealing to everyone, if it sounds too good to be true it's BS.

Why all the good reviews, you ask??
Back to my experience in Lima. This lady who I rented from in Lima advertised her apartment as "Brand New Duplex in MiraFlores." This apartment was brand new 10 years ago. The bathroom was missing a window and had a piece of cardboard instead. The washer went for hours without stopping, the dryer took 5 hours to dry a pair of socks. The internet worked only when I didn't use it. A lot of hype, a lot of good reviews, but in reality a lot of money for what I got. The apartment walls had mold and the paint was peeling. I got sick in Peru and I wonder if it was the apartment and not the water I drank.

Anyways - I gave this apartment a 5 star review - want to know why, because the lady who listed the apartment let me keep my bags in the apartment a few extra hours on my last day. She told me she wanted to "hook me up" since I had so many problems with the wifi. In reality, she didn't have another sucker renting the apartment that day, if she did, you better believe she would have kicked me out. So I kept my bags in the apartment for about 3 extra hours and she got a 5 star review.

Btw: I later learned that the woman listing the apartment on AirBNB was not even the owner, she was listing the apartment on AirBNB and other persons were listing the same place on other mediums.

Boys, there are a ton of other websites and they all charge fees, do your homework and sometimes getting the apartment at the last second is the best way to go, when these fools are desperate. Save your loot and spend it do fun stuff. Remember, you are the consumer, you have the power, stick those hefty fees and prices up their you know what. Everything in life is negotiable.

[the-dream]

I got scammed in New York by the host telling me the apartment was being refurbished but she had an "identical apartment in the same apartment building" which I could have instead. I agreed and it turned out to be a tiny, dingy bedroom in a shared apartment with shared bathroom and no kitchen instead of a big, luxurious one bedroom apartment as advertised and photoed.

I took photos and got a refund from Airbnb so in the end, I got a free night's stay in New York which was better than paying for the nice place anyway.

[scotian]

I came across this article featuring an Airbnb horror story, this young guy rented a room in Madrid and ended up getting sexually assaulted by his tranny host, who then accused him of being transphobic, what a crazy story!

Quote:

Early in the evening of July 4, Micaela Giles’s mobile phone started sounding alerts, and a series of messages straight out of a horror movie began scrolling down her screen.

Her 19-year-old son told her that his Airbnb host in Madrid had locked him in the fourth-floor apartment where he was supposed to be staying and removed the key. The host was still there, he said, rattling knives around in the kitchen drawer and pressing him to submit to a sexual act. He begged his mother for help. When she called Airbnb, its employees would not give her the address and would not call the police. Instead, they gave her a number for the Madrid police and told her to ask the police to call the company for the address. But the number led to a recording in Spanish that kept disconnecting her, she said, and when she repeatedly called back her Airbnb contact, the calls went straight to voice mail.

According to her son, Jacob Lopez, he was sexually assaulted that night. Eventually, he persuaded his host to free him. He returned home to Massachusetts and is in trauma therapy. His host, who was born male but is living as a woman, denied Mr. Lopez’s accusations. She denied threatening him and said that the sex act was consensual and that he is transphobic. If she is right, filing a false police report and telling the story publicly would be an unlikely way to bury a regrettable experience.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/15/your-m....html?_r=0

[zoom]

I recently rented an apartment from Expedia and it was better than any Airbnb option. It was rented by the owner, so there was no middleman which is common with Airbnb.

[Brodiaga]

(08-18-2015 05:15 PM)Pendejo41 Wrote:  

1. Offer 30% less, if they say "no" then move on, chances are they will come back with an offer of at least %15 less. I learned this after using AirBNB once. I am going to Rio next month and the person listing the 3 Bedroom Penthouse (Copacabana) was aking $1850 when we started negotiating. Me and my two buddies got the place for $1250 and that's with an airport transfer.

What is the best way to ask for a discount on airbnb?

Let's say you introduce yourself, tell the host that you've been on the web site since ___ and have a lot of good reviews, then ask about availability for certain dates... then how do you ask for a discount so that you don't look too weak or too rude/demanding?

[Pendejo41]

(08-18-2015 08:23 PM)Brodiaga Wrote:  

(08-18-2015 05:15 PM)Pendejo41 Wrote:  

1. Offer 30% less, if they say "no" then move on, chances are they will come back with an offer of at least %15 less. I learned this after using AirBNB once. I am going to Rio next month and the person listing the 3 Bedroom Penthouse (Copacabana) was aking $1850 when we started negotiating. Me and my two buddies got the place for $1250 and that's with an airport transfer.

What is the best way to ask for a discount on airbnb?

Let's say you introduce yourself, tell the host that you've been on the web site since ___ and have a lot of good reviews, then ask about availability for certain dates... then how do you ask for a discount so that you don't look too weak or too rude/demanding?

Be direct, no BS. I tell them exactly this " I am willing to rent your apartment on these date,s for $X dollars, let me know so I can book immediately".

When they come to you with their BS excuses, you tell them, "look, it's not peak season, or I have lots of options, etc etc." Be creative and don't worry about offending them, they are scamming you but you just don't know it during the booking process, wait until you see the actual unit.

An incentive to rent for less. Imagine yourself owning a place, wouldn't you rather make a little money than no money? A lot of places go vacant because they're advertised too high. Demand is what drives the price and you can lower the demand if you just remember that you have lots of options when traveling, hotels, hostels and bed and breakfasts (all of which are sometimes much safer than staying at an AirBNB unit). Kind of like women, if you have lot's of options each individual woman would not demand so much of your thoughts, but that's another topic, lol.

Like I stated earlier, a lot of these people listing apartments on AirBNB are not the owners so they can't go lower than a certain amount, that's another reason why AirBNB is not that good and that's also a reason why you have to talk those suckers down to their lowest point.

[Rocha]

(08-18-2015 05:35 PM)the-dream Wrote:  

I got scammed in New York by the host telling me the apartment was being refurbished but she had an "identical apartment in the same apartment building" which I could have instead. I agreed and it turned out to be a tiny, dingy bedroom in a shared apartment with shared bathroom and no kitchen instead of a big, luxurious one bedroom apartment as advertised and photoed.

I took photos and got a refund from Airbnb so in the end, I got a free night's stay in New York which was better than paying for the nice place anyway.

Yeah, you say that because probably you did not had any girl to bring back home. More than a refund, you should be compensated for the scam.

I am starting to feel proud of never having used airbnb services. Still, I was scammed once in booking.com, booked apt. for two nights and when I got to the adress (in Kharkov center), it was an office, with Lenin portrait, and a big Soviet Union map on the wall, 2 guys and 2 cute girls in there. It was heavy raining and I was so tired that I did not even argued when they said that it was not there, just asked if it was far, wich they replied not, asked them to get me a taxi there and it was all. The taxi ride was longer than I expected, but the apartment was good...Still I just rested and slept, luckily there was a babushka Kiosk down the street to buy some food and water, the only commercial place in a Km raion. Next day I stormed the office guns ablazing and demanded a full refund, wich they politely declined because I had used the apt.(I think the 2 cute girls played their part in softening me), but we agreed in a total refund of the second night wich I did not stay, and a 50% discount in a future stay.
Next I just wrote this in the comments section of the site, but if it was today, I would make at least a more formal complaint by email.

To this day I still receive from this agency email postcards for the Orthodox Christmas, and Soviet Victory day...

[worldtraveler3]

(08-18-2015 02:33 PM)Malo Wrote:  

^ No because the host can't see your review before he writes his.

Also I wouldn't care if someone writes a bad review about me. First, I wouldn't give him a reason to in the first place. Then, you can also reply to the review. And you can also just open a new account. Unless it's a flat that's booked months in advance most hosts will approve you even if you're a fresh user. Remember airbnb insures them against damage.

So your review will not be published before the period ends which the host can write a review?

I think there is something like a 14 day period which both parties can write a review and so during this period both reviews are not published.

I think the host review obviously matters as no one wants to change to a new account every time.

If what you are saying is true, then WHY are there not that many people writing bad reviews about the host and you gotta read between the Lines?

[AneroidOcean]

Those of you who have had bad experiences getting a place through this site, have you read over every detail of the listing as well as pored over the pictures?

If you're not doing your due diligence and having a conversation with the host, you're fucking yourself.

I requested a stay through the site and pointed to my numerous references as evidence of my solidness as an individual (reflecting on my large group of friends who are booking) and asked respectfully for just under a 30% discount (on what is actually a pretty reasonably priced place) and received it no questions asked.

I have had only minor quibbles with the people that I've rented my place to through various services because I list it high so it's not booked all the time and I only book people who send me a decently worded message as a follow up to their inquiry.

It's not to say that things have been perfect, but if you pay attention and spend the time/effort to suss out the situation, it's more than likely that your experience will be good, as a host or as a guest.

[Armogan]

@Irish - haha that's some of the most outrageous stuff I've heard about any guests. Too far-fetched to make up for sure.

[Handsome Creepy Eel]

Quote:

So your review will not be published before the period ends which the host can write a review?

I think there is something like a 14 day period which both parties can write a review and so during this period both reviews are not published.

I think the host review obviously matters as no one wants to change to a new account every time.

If what you are saying is true, then WHY are there not that many people writing bad reviews about the host and you gotta read between the Lines?

If both people write a review for each other, they are published immediately.

If only one person writes a review, it is published 14 days after end end of stay.

It is not possible to see another's review before either posting your own or losing your right to post one.

That said, I have no idea why you are saying that bad reviews are rare and reading between the lines is required. I am finding many guests to be extremely nitpicky and really savage with their reviews (if not in the written part, then definitely in the rating part).

Many forum members have stayed at my apartment before I had started renting it (when it was a bit of a mess compared to its current pristine state) and could sing you praises about it. Yet I never seem able to satisfy these insane people coming in.

I am finding most Airbnb guests to be ok, but a significant part (let's say 10%) seem to be delusional and expecting a cheap 5-star hotel with your own personal concierge that you can act rudely to.