AirBNB - Share your experiences here

[SYD]

Be mindful that some properties won't appear if you go through the QF website. I discovered this when I went to make my first ever AirBnB booking last year. I found where I wanted to stay, then logged in through QF and it was no longer listed (I checked this a couple of times using different brows and computers). So I had to book it without going through QF.

Was there any distinguishing mark or feature that would explain why?

We’ve never encountered that problem booking places around the world.

 

[dajop]

A lot of the properties on airbnb are also listed on stays, booking.com etc. Vacation rentals have been a thing for decades before airbnb; people who buy a holiday home will not want to rent it to a permanent resident because then they cant enjoy it the few times a years they themselves want to stay there, so makes sense to rent to other holiday makers on the weeks they arent there themselves.

We have a holiday house in town where, if you go back decades had a very high proportion of holidays homes. Traditionally at peak seasons these were occupied by owners or rented as holiday rental through local real estate agents (who have specific holiday rental services), and left vacant largely through the rest of the year.

If we didn't list our holiday house on airbnb, it would simply remain vacant for us an the family to use as we please, it would not go into the long term rental market. Same for many owners, I am sure.

Now with airbnb, the situation is creating long term rental stress that probably didn't exist before. My theory? People are renting these homes for weekends etc, throughout the year, which is bringing more money into the town, which is creating more jobs, which is in turn creating the need for more long term rental ..... although at least where we have the house it's within an easy commute from places which have more rental accommodation.

This is distinct from situations in larger cities, where regular long term rental accommodation is being diverted into Airbnb.

 

[Lynda2475]

We’ve never encountered that problem booking places around the world.

Me either. If I've done separate search first I just be sure to mark the property as a favourite so I can quickly find it when going back in via Qantas.

This is distinct from situations in larger cities, where regular long term rental accommodation is being diverted into Airbnb.

This does not appear to be so much of an issue post covid. A lot of owners ceased Airbnb during pandemic and not all have returned. There are certainly fewer properties in NY now than in 2019, hence my return to hotels there.

Again just because a property is in a a large city doesn't mean the owners would make it available for long term rental if not listed on Airbnb per the two examples I gave.

In Australia rental market is more of an issue in Byron Bay (not a big city) than it is in inner city Sydney.

It is very convenient for councils/state governments to blame airbnb for lack of affordable housing when in fact they have failed to implement requirements as they do overseas for developers to make a certain number of units in any new development low-income housing. And also failed to provide adequate public housing.

 

[FlyingFiona]

Was there any distinguishing mark or feature that would explain why?

We’ve never encountered that problem booking places around the world.

No. It was a traditional BnB style place on the island of Barra in Scotland. She didn't have any method of booking except through AirBnB.

Me either. If I've done separate search first I just be sure to mark the property as a favourite so I can quickly find it when going back in via Qantas.

It wasn't a matter of not being able to find it when I went back in (it's the only place in that town), it simply wasn't listed.

 

[SYD]

No. It was a traditional BnB style place on the island of Barra in Scotland. She didn't have any method of booking except through AirBnB.

It wasn't a matter of not being able to find it when I went back in (it's the only place in that town), it simply wasn't listed.

Odd. Going via QF still takes you to the AirBnB booking engine and your usual login credentials. That would have been frustrating if it was the only place in town.

 

[FlyingFiona]

Odd. Going via QF still takes you to the AirBnB booking engine and your usual login credentials. That would have been frustrating if it was the only place in town.

Yep, exactly my thoughts. I just booked it without going through Qantas.

(This has also happened when I've shopped with David Jones through the Qantas Mall, or whatever it's called now. Some things I wanted to buy simply weren't listed, but were there if I bought without tracking the shop through the Qantas Mall and just went direct to David Jones.)

 

[SYD]

(This has also happened when I've shopped with David Jones through the Qantas Mall, or whatever it's called now. Some things I wanted to buy simply weren't listed, but were there if I bought without tracking the shop through the Qantas Mall and just went direct to David Jones.)

That’s also odd. One thing to miss out on points when the tracking cookies are blocked but to not see the product or service at all is weird.

 

[laffer]

I just wanted to say thanks to all who have contributed since my post. Some very useful tips esp the QFF tip. I would prefer to stay hotels but given the prices where they are sitting (and for what is being offered) it is impossible to justify. So i will give Airbnb a go.

 

[Quickstatus]

This is distinct from situations in larger cities, where regular long term rental accommodation is being diverted into Airbnb.

My other office in rural Jindabyne has an acute long term rental problem as many places are converted to short term Airbnb for the 12-16 week winter season and vacant for the rest of the year .

For the same net return the properties have much less wear and tear than a long term rental

 

[Buzzard]

My other office in rural Jindabyne has an acute long term rental problem as many places are converted to short term Airbnb for the 12-16 week winter season and vacant for the rest of the year .

For the same net return the properties have much less wear and tear than a long term rental

Our holiday place on the coast, not that far from Jindy, returns about double what it would as a permanent rental plus we get to use it too. It's not Airbnb, it's managed. Sure it can sit empty during the off season, but I don't feel guilty about the government short comings.

 

[Quickstatus]

I reckon the owner/agent of owner of our Airbnb in Aarhus DL came to check mid rental.

Someone knocked on the door at 9pm purporting to be the grocery delivery guy. He asked is this the third floor?. There is a grocery store just around the corner. Yeah right

Luckily we were not having a party

 

[Quickstatus]

The same Airbnb in Aarhus DK.
An otherwise excellent Airbnb, but docked one star because of terrible shower curtain and owner did not provide shower soap or shampoo.

He said the bathroom vanity was private. Of course I opened it to get his bottle of shower gel and shampoo.


I took the photo of the vanity so when I replaced his shower gel and shampoo at the end of the stay, it went back exactly into the same position.

 

[Lost Redditor]

The same Airbnb in Aarhus DK.
An otherwise excellent Airbnb, but docked one star because of terrible shower curtain and owner did not provide shower soap or shampoo.

He said the bathroom vanity was private. Of course I opened it to get his bottle of shower gel and shampoo.
View attachment 331819

I took the photo of the vanity so when I replaced his shower gel and shampoo at the end of the stay, it went back exactly into the same position.

At first I didn’t see the problem, then I realised that that’s not a »gold trim» around the edges

 

[Pushka]

Two great recent Airbnb experiences. One in Athens near Plaka and other a three bedroom apartment in little Venice London . The latter was expensive but given location and facilities needed for us, son, DIL and her teenager it was perfect. Super clean and everything provided. Athens was more local version but again great location and suited us.