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Old Sep 27, 2022, 10:35 am
  #16  
Kalboz
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: SNA/LAX
Programs: Hertz PC, Hilton DMD, IHG Spire Amb, Bonvoy Titanium Elite & WoH Globalist
Posts: 8,076
Originally Posted by cwoo
Thank you for the airbnb tip!! I have been a loyal airbnb customer for many years and apparently I have missed lots of Avios points until now! Does the airbnb booking has to go thru from the BA site? I asked because I've already booked 2 upcoming trips with airbnb site directly.
You are very welcome. To best of my knowledge I found out about this BA/Airbnb connection in a BA email dated June 1st, 2022. So I'd assume it is a fairly new 'alliance'. So, yes, I followed the link in the email and the first thing they ask is the BA membership number. As for your 2 future bookings, I'm not sure how this can be done as even contacting Airbnb worthless staff is very difficult (more on this below).

I also have been a loyal Airbnb customer for many years and have defended them on the blogs. We have had 12 Airbnb stays and they were all good on the most part:
3 in Rome Italy
1 in Florence
1 in Venice
1 in Bangkok (review later)
1 in Barcelona (review later)
1 in Donostia-San Sebastian (review later)
1 in Madrid (review later)
1 in Seville (this was actually with Marriott Homes & Villas - review later)
2 in Lisbon (review later & see below)

We have saved a bundle as we travel as a family of 4, and always need 2 hotel rooms – not to mention convenience, space, and fabulous prime locations. Hotel rooms in most of these cities are on the smaller size, and if the location is nice a bundle of $$$. Having said this, please be aware that Airbnb is neither a high-tech company nor a hospitality one – case in points: our first prepaid rental in Lisbon ($1,500) was a fake listing – a shocking discovery when we arrived at the address at 4PM! SO, this tells us that Airbnb does not vet their properties as they should or doesn’t have a system to do so despite of the fact that they claim to be a high-tech firm. The second point is that after the initial shock and then call to Airbnb that we were stranded without accommodations, we were promised a response and a resolution in an hour. NEVER happened! We waited on the street (Paul’s Pastry Shop in downtown Lisbon) until 9PM (Sunday night Lisbon time) to absolutely no response from Airbnb. Started to get dark and our kids were getting tired so I got on my IHG app and booked 2 rooms at the holiday Inn Lisbon on points (20K IHG points per room per night). Not bad for mid-July high season. Two days later, saw an apartment opens up on Airbnb with 10-15 minutes walk to downtown, and I booked it. Staff at Airbnb did not offer any assistance or alternative accommodations – absolutely nothing! Just lip service! Refund for the original amount showed up 7 days later in my checking account (we have no credit cards). We lucked out! Imagine if I didn’t have any hotel points and the only money was the spend on the original prepaid booking! So vet your rented property and make sure there are reviews to consider – do your homework to get a successful Airbnb!


Last edited by Kalboz; Sep 28, 2022 at 8:58 am
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