The “Airbnbust” is at our doorstep. After more than a decade as first choice for vacation rentals, Airbnb is rapidly falling out of favor with travelers around the world, and the change has hosts asking “what’s going on?” In a screenshot now viral from the Airbnb Superhosts Facebook group, some hosts have complained about a recent drastic drop in bookings that has them wondering why.
Naturally, the Internet has all the answers to their question. From Twitter to Reddit, people are coming up with their own reasons why they don’t like the platform — and truth be told, they’re making a lot of good points. Keep reading to find out some of the biggest Airbnb pain points for travelers.
Hidden fees
Hidden fees are one of the main reasons travelers are turning their backs on Airbnb. As a Reddit user elastory he says, “sometimes the daily rate doesn’t seem so bad, until you try to book it and realize there are hundreds of dollars in extra extras that are hardly worth a short travel.”
According to a personal Redditor account RockyPerson, “I was going to rent one for two nights with friends in Atlanta recently. The rate was around $1,600 a night for a six-bedroom, four-bathroom apartment. When I went to pay they had added over $2000 in various extra charges.
Unreasonable expectations
Many on the platform have also complained about unrealistic host expectations. Cleaning rules were among the most common and outrageous Airbnb issues mentioned by users.
“I once got a negative review from a host because they said I left the place ‘messy’. We followed all of their cleaning instructions to the letter, TWO PAGES IS WORTH. And paid a three figure cleaning fee. They were angry that there were ‘crumbs’ and some of the pillows weren’t being put back in the right rooms,” Redditor shared. Ancient-Animal3116. As JustJessJ_Art aptly jokes, “Why should I pay to clean someone else’s house on my vacation?”
No amenities
When it comes to amenities, hotels having Airbnbs beaten every time. Even basic hotel services can be hard to find in short-term rentals. In response to the tweet that started it all, @Jani__Gee perfectly lays bare the differences between hotels and Airbnbs.
She writes: “The hotel has a concierge, housekeeper, rooftop, bar, restaurant, security, swimming pool, air conditioning station. taxis and room upgrades for loyalty. Airbnb has hidden cameras, cleaning fees, discriminatory hosts + they ask you to take out the trash, strip your laundry and scrub the tub before you leave lmao.” And with 14.4K retweets and 65.7K likes, it’s clear she’s not the only one feeling this.
More expensive than hotels
When it launched, Airbnb was touted as a low-cost alternative to hotels. But as its popularity grew, more and more owners began to see the platform as an easy way to increase their income, at the expense of travellers. “Before, they were cheaper than a hotel. Now they are more expensive. Owners are getting greedy,” says a Reddit user cfisch08.
Editor Service_suspect_653 note: “The only time I’ve found Airbnb to be cheaper than a hotel is when shopping for monthly stays.” And according to a recent analysis of the platform by NerdWallet, they are right. The June 2022 survey found that Airbnbs are generally cheaper for longer trips or large groups.
Scams, dirty terms and hidden cameras
Stories about fake hosts and the guests find hidden cameras in their rooms are well documented (and even caused legal problems for the company). But if you scroll through the Reddit thread, you’ll find even more complaints about last-minute cancellations, dirty properties, and other unsavory situations.
Editor MyTwoTothrees recounted their partner’s recent nightmare experience with Airbnb. When the guests arrived at the property they discovered that “towels were still damp in the washing machine, random food in the fridge, the house had bed bugs (they found out later) and at some point, when they were all out, someone came to do… something.”
This could well be the beginning of the end for Airbnb. While there are still some great hosts on the platform and certain types of stays where a home rental is best, from sky-high fees to dirty (and sometimes illegal) properties, it’s easy to see why so many travelers are canceling the platform. So do yourself a favor; the next time you are planning a vacation, book a hotel room.
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