The Pros and Cons of Using Airbnb as a Guest
Read my guide to discover the benefits and downsides of using Airbnb as a guest.
For those who are unaware, Airbnb is a web-based company that brings together people who are looking to rent out lodgings (hosts) with people who are looking for somewhere to stay (guests).
The lodgings can vary considerably, anything from a room in a regular house to an entire property, or even something unique, quirky, or exotic, for instance, a boathouse.
My wife and I have extensive experience with Airbnb as both hosts and guests. We've been hosts since 2015 and have been awarded "superhost" status by the site. We stay in Airbnb rentals when we travel around the USA and abroad.
I've used our experience of Airbnb to list what I believe to be the pros and cons of using the service as travelers, which you will find below.
13 Advantages of Using Airbnb as a Guest
Here are thirteen benefits:
1. Affordability
Price is often a big reason to choose Airbnb accommodation. You can get some excellent deals that beat the costs of more conventional alternatives such as hotels for value. Overall, you will generally get more bang for your buck with Airbnb, especially if your stay is medium length, say one or two weeks.
2. Usability
The Airbnb website is generally very easy to use and interact with, in my experience, whether using a computer or a phone app.
3. Communication
Unlike a hotel, where you often just speak with customer service when you book, you usually get to communicate directly with the host of your Airbnb. This can be very useful if have any specific questions.
4. Flexibility
Airbnb hosts can be more flexible than traditional hospitality businesses. We've had them buy things like corkscrews for us, as well as check in outside usual times.
5. Unique and authentic
Many Airbnb properties can offer unique and authentic experiences that you just don't get by staying in a hotel. Some of them are exotic, such as boathouses, tree houses and even castles that are available for short term stays.
6. Full house
A full house experience can be great for families and groups, or even just an individual or couple who require fully stocked kitchen facilities, laundry room, office, fenced yard, maybe even a swimming pool, or just more space. It goes without saying that a kitchen can help save money because you don't have to eat out all the time.
7. Pet and child-friendly
More pet and child-friendly options can generally be found than with conventional alternatives. You should always check in advance, however, what the house rules are for where you wish to stay.
8. Facilities
Hotels offer basic services, Airbnb properties often give guests access to things like cooking facilities, washing and drying facilities, and refrigeration for drinks and food. Hotels usually either don't offer this type of thing or can charge for a service such as laundry.
9. Culture
When traveling in another country, Airbnb offers an opportunity to stay with a local family and experience local customs, food, and culture.
10. Locations
Hotels tend to be clustered together in the main tourist areas of towns and cities. If you like to explore local neighborhoods, Airbnb is way better! You can live and eat with the locals, which is a more authentic experience and usually cheaper.
11. Ratings and reviews
Hosts and their properties are rated by previous guests. This gives you a lot of extra personalized information when making your decision about where to book. Because of the way that the Airbnb system works, you can be pretty confident that the guests, ratings, and reviews are genuine.
12. Safety and security
Your belongings and personal safety is usually greater with Airbnb. If you are staying in the host's home there aren't generally strangers coming and going, or low-paid workers coming into your room to clean when you are out.
13. Staff-less
Some stays are often deliberately set up so that the guest never has to deal in person with the host when checking in, staying, or checking out. That suits the people who don't like dealing with receptionists, or room service.
10 Negatives of Using Airbnb as a Guest
Here are ten downsides we've discovered:
1. Unpredictable
If you stay in one of the bigger brands of hotel, you generally know what you are likely to get. With Airbnb, there is larger element of risk that the property might not be as you imagined. It might not be quite described fully accurately, for instance, or there is some quirky thing not mentioned that spoils your stay. For that reason, you should always study the ratings and reviews carefully.
2. Unresponsive
Some hosts are more responsive than others in our experience. We've never had a truly awful one, but it's always a possibility. They can also vary a lot in terms of generosity and sociability. If you are looking for a host who is going to show you the local sites and help you explore the local culture, you may be disappointed.
3. House rules
Each Airbnb has its own house rules. These can vary considerably, both in levels of strictness and content. It's important to read them thoroughly, so that you can find the right place for your needs. Otherwise you can end up feeling restricted, or even receiving complaints from the host.
4. Time pressure
The best places always book up quickly, in my experience. You have to plan ahead if you want to get maximum value.
5. Additional charges
Often there are extra charges on top of the nightly rate. Firstly, Airbnb charges the guest a service fee, which is how they make their money. Secondly, the host can charge a cleaning fee, the amount of which they determine, which can vary considerably. Thirdly, some locations require guests to pay a hospitality tax, just like a hotel.
6. Perks
If you enjoy all the extras that you get at a big hotel, such as a food service, gym, spa, pool, daily cleaning, and a front desk receptionist, then Airbnb might not be the right fit for you. You may find a host and property with all of these, of course, but there's no guarantee.
7. Cancellations
The host can cancel on you. It is relatively rare, as the host gets sanctioned by Airbnb, plus they don't want to get bad reviews which will deter future potential guests from booking. It has never happened to us, but it is always a possibility, however remote.
8. Minimum stays
These are common and can be annoying. Some hosts insist that you book two days or more, which might not fit with your travel plans.
9. Different dynamic
With Airbnb, you can often be staying in a private room within the host's home. This creates a completely dynamic to being in a hotel. You may not have as much privacy, for instance, as the host will know when you are coming and going. You may also have to put up with some noise from the host and their family.
10. You are rated and reviewed
It's important to note that the Airbnb ratings and review system runs both ways. When you are new to Airbnb, some hosts will be wary of you because you have no ratings and reviews from previous hosts. One or two bad reviews can ruin your reputation as a guest.
Airbnb's HQ in San Francisco. The idea for the company came when Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia were struggling to pay the rent for their loft apartment and they decided to put an air mattress in their living room and rent it out as a bed and breakfast.
Airbnb Timeline
Time Period | Events and Actions |
October 2007 – January 2009 | Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia come up with the idea for Airbnb. They create and launch the website. Money is raised through the sale of cereal boxes for Barack Obama and John McCain, the main candidates in the 2008 US presidential election. |
January 2009 – December 2010 | Airbnb joins the Y Combinator, receiving receive seed money, advice, and connections in exchange for 7% equity. The business steadily expands. Brian Chesky leaves his apartment and lives in Airbnb properties for three months. Airbnb raises $7.2 million in venture funding in November 2010. |
January 2011 – April 2014 | Airbnb expands its operations to cities around the world. The number of Airbnb users continues to rise. |
January 2014 – present | The company redesigns its logo. New apps are launched, part of a wider plan to provide an improved user experience. Deals are struck with with many cities, including San Francisco, giving Airbnb legal recognition in return for a rental tax. Airbnb starts its $1 million insurance, offering it to both hosts and guests. By Summer of 2015, the total money raised by the company is $2.3 billion. Business partnerships are formed with Concur, Handy, and Deutsche Telekom. |
What Does Airbnb Mean by Guests and Visitors?
In the world of Airbnb:
- Guests are the people who use the booked space for things like sleeping, showering, cooking, and storing their clothes and other traveling possessions.
- Visitors are people who come to the booked space to socialize. They are expected to have their own separate space for sleeping, showering, cooking, etc.
Each Airbnb has its own house rules, which are set by the host, and these should always be referred to by guests. Often visitors are not allowed, or they are restricted in certain ways, such as only being allowed to drop by during the daytime.
What Are Airbnb Quiet Hours?
Quiet hours are specific time periods designated by Airbnb hosts, during which guests are required to refrain from noisy or rowdy behavior. Typically, they occur at nighttime when people would normally sleep, but they can be in the afternoon, or any other time of day.
Can I Smoke in an Airbnb?
Unless the host specifies otherwise, you should always assume that smoking is not allowed anywhere on the property. This includes cannabis and e-cigarettes, as well as tobacco.
Can Airbnbs Be Used for Parties?
No. Airbnb introduced a temporary ban on parties in August 2020 to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In June 2022, they announced that they were making the ban on parties permanent. The ban applies worldwide.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2018 Paul Goodman
