Any experience with Airbnb?

Old Mar 29, 2015, 5:12 am
  #301  
 
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Question experience with airbnb

My experience with airbnb has been pretty mixed.

Last month, I had a fantastic stay near Manila Airport (Pasay City). Picked up at the int'l terminal, great breakfast, for $50!

I am now dealing with their Customer Service Department, and it sucks! They seem to operate Mon-Friday, which makes no sense?

Previously,I tried to find a place to stay near HNL and I had to do their authentication procedure (scan gov't ID). Fair enough, esp. given the problems they have had. But I was not asked to authenticate for my MNL stay.......is that because they can't be sued overseas?

Recent media reports have suggested there are a large # of NYC residents with multiple properties, and its really true. New gen hi tech landlords!
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Old Apr 20, 2015, 2:10 pm
  #302  
 
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Airbnb Experiences

My boyfriend and I have stayed at 1 Airbnb together and was an overall good experience. He has stayed at a few others with great reviews of each property. We will only stay at experienced hosts that have good reviews from a decent amount of guests.
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Old Apr 21, 2015, 4:47 am
  #303  
 
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Originally Posted by JohnnyAwesome23
We will only stay at experienced hosts that have good reviews from a decent amount of guests.
Agreed. The only time I've booked places without reviews was when a friend lived in the area and could check the property out before the travelers got there. Hosts tend to be pretty open to that, too -- they know they're running something like a hotel.
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Old Apr 21, 2015, 2:41 pm
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Singapore reqs- only bad experience

Originally Posted by specialeffects
Any recommendation for Singapore? Need to put a family of 5.
We returned from a stay in Singapore with Airbandb. My friends made the condo reservation for the 7 of us and did the booking (their first time as guests).
The house rules were really long and pretty weird....
  • Don't touch this.. or that.. or anything with a pink sticker dot on it (dishwasher, curtains.. etc)
  • If anyone asks tell them you are visiting someone.
  • No photos of the condo.

Since I have had numerous rentals, it sent up flags big time.

Awkward moment came as we walked the grounds and we ran into people they knew from a former city who now owned a condo here. They asked who we were visiting.... ummm "Andy" and we prayed all weekend that we would get to keep the condo and not get kicked out.
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Old Apr 23, 2015, 2:17 am
  #305  
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Originally Posted by forgiveomatic
We returned from a stay in Singapore with Airbandb. My friends made the condo reservation for the 7 of us and did the booking (their first time as guests).
The house rules were really long and pretty weird....
  • Don't touch this.. or that.. or anything with a pink sticker dot on it (dishwasher, curtains.. etc)
  • If anyone asks tell them you are visiting someone.
  • No photos of the condo.

Since I have had numerous rentals, it sent up flags big time.

Awkward moment came as we walked the grounds and we ran into people they knew from a former city who now owned a condo here. They asked who we were visiting.... ummm "Andy" and we prayed all weekend that we would get to keep the condo and not get kicked out.
Sounds like an unauthorised sublet.
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Old Apr 29, 2015, 1:08 pm
  #306  
 
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A family in Calgary renting out their home on airbnb gets more than they bargained for:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...shed-1.3053555

I like renting on airbnb and vrbo as I've had good experiences and saved money, but I have to admit there is Not. A. Chance. that I would ever put my entire house up for rent.
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Old Apr 30, 2015, 3:29 am
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Of course this makes news and the 99,99999% successful rentals do not.
Online papers adore riding this; is like when a plane crashes and suddenly the average Joe admonishes how dangerous is to fly.

Carry on, at least they didn't have guests changing locks and squatting like another squeal months ago.
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Old Apr 30, 2015, 8:25 am
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As with plane crashes, the stats are cold comfort for the people who find themselves on the wrong side of that 99.9% line. And there are probably plenty of nuisance guests who cause small-scale havoc that never make the news.

I'm grateful that there are people willing to rent out their homes and properties for these purposes, but I won't be one of them.
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Old Apr 30, 2015, 9:42 am
  #309  
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Originally Posted by Forrest Bump
Of course this makes news and the 99,99999% successful rentals do not.
Online papers adore riding this; is like when a plane crashes and suddenly the average Joe admonishes how dangerous is to fly.
I can assure you that CBC is a very respected news organization. I watch the 10 p.m. National news every time I visit Canada.
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Old Apr 30, 2015, 10:59 am
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Originally Posted by EmailKid
I can assure you that CBC is a very respected news organization. I watch the 10 p.m. National news every time I visit Canada.
CBC has very biased views on the political spectrum but for news like this, it's legit.

'Tis a shame, really. Bunch of bad apples ruining it for everyone.

In this case, coke-fiend apples.
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Old May 21, 2015, 12:36 am
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I have been to Europe for vacation and all accomodations (except in Barcelona) were made using airbnb. All those hosts were nice and friendly, except the last one in Stockholm (you can check on listing 2337965, the property run by husband and wife). In this case, wife seems takes major role compared to her husband.

1. I am accused to use strong menthol smell perfume but later the couple indicated that it was a smell of "hygiene product". Hygiene product is different with perfume and this happened after I checked out. I guess the host tried to have a good review from me then they could write something bad on my profile, if they complaint me at their place directly, I would write something bad to them - which is they are afraid of.

2. Host let me stayed out of their main door until 30 minutes because they forgot to give me key number to unlock the main door and they did not apologize to me because of that. Stockholm was a bit chill at the time I arrived, around 4 degree celcius and they kept me waiting outside until I borrowed a phone from nearby barbershop to call the host to open the door. How was I supposed to know they had key number on the main gate and I had to ask them? There was a doorbell but it did not work at all. Sigh.

3. I could not sleep in the night, too much noises on neighbourhood. People were on party and they kept doing until dawn. I report this to host immediately in the morning directly, not write down on their airbnb profile so I won't ruin their reputation in this business.

4. Host told me not to use her towels/linens, in people common sense sharing towels is not such a thing to do so. And you don't have to remind others not to use your towel, but this host writes on her house rules book and remind you again while she meets you. It's the same like you ask people not to wear your underwear.

5. Host separates your toilet with hers/her husband's. Theirs is integrated with bathroom, bathroom is shared. You can only use bathroom when you're taking bath, if you need to having sh*t or p*ss you have to go to other toilets. Some guests think it was a privilege to have "private toilet" but I don't think so.

Your experience may vary, depends on your luck. When you try to make a booking, good reviews are not a warranty. You have to experience it by yourself.
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Old May 21, 2015, 7:21 am
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I've used Airbnb many times. Like it because you can find decent places to stay at hostel prices. For the most part Airbnb is quite helpful. Once the host had no wifi despite saying on their listing they did. Airbnb gave me $50 USD to go buy a data plan for my phone and I picked up a 6GB plan. No idea if Airbnb took that money out of the Host's money but it certainly did the trick.

Though I will admit I had one nasty encounter with a seemingly nice couple in eastern europe. Had great reviews and seemed nice but when we arrived they had left a msg they were out and left a key. Weird decorations, lots of anti-american stuff around too... We were sitting on the couch when the guy of the couple walks in and starts yelling at us, clearly drunk. I was with my sister at the time and it seemed like he was gonna get physical, so when he left for a minute we high-tailed it out of there. Ended up checking into a hotel at a not-so-cheap rate. Airbnb called us up and said that not only would they refund but they would pay all the costs for hotel as well. Gotta hand it to them for that and so I keep using them.

We actually never left a review for them, and I must point out though they are still actively hosting...
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Old May 22, 2015, 3:31 pm
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airbnb does not have a complaint procedure

I am fascinated to watch how airbnb deals with any complaints. The CBC news story does not surprise me. Its not the 1st and it won't be the last. Airbnb says we have insurance and that's it. What if the insurance does not cover? So sad, too bad, as long as airbnb is not in the news.

I read an account of how the CEO got directly involved in crisis management when this happened. This seems to suggest its a company w/o clear guidelines roles and responsibilities. I also read recently they have decided not to do an IPO. Again, this suggests Mr. Chesky is not ready for prime time.

How can a company offer 1 million rooms per year, and not have processes for dealing with issues?
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Old May 30, 2015, 4:41 pm
  #314  
 
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Originally Posted by forgiveomatic
We returned from a stay in Singapore with Airbandb. My friends made the condo reservation for the 7 of us and did the booking (their first time as guests).
The house rules were really long and pretty weird....
  • Don't touch this.. or that.. or anything with a pink sticker dot on it (dishwasher, curtains.. etc)
  • If anyone asks tell them you are visiting someone.
  • No photos of the condo.

Since I have had numerous rentals, it sent up flags big time.

Awkward moment came as we walked the grounds and we ran into people they knew from a former city who now owned a condo here. They asked who we were visiting.... ummm "Andy" and we prayed all weekend that we would get to keep the condo and not get kicked out.
IF I remember correctly, it is technically illegal for householders in Singapore to use their house as short term rentals.

Then again in Singapore, people do say that "do anything but don't get caught"....
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Old May 31, 2015, 10:03 pm
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AirB&B would not let me join.....

because I don't have any "online presence". I don't have a smart phone. I don't Skype. I don't Tweet. I'm not on Facebook. I'm retired so I'm not on LinkedIn. I don't have a GPS because I actually use a paper map! Oh, and I was not willing to give up my Delta PRN, DOB or SS # either. So it's hostels and the KOA for this old fogey.
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