It is kind of crazy how Airbnb disrupted the industry by making things cheaper but now with all the fees they have , they are more expensive than regular hotels in many instances.
And in many instances, especially for long stays, Airbnb is far less expensive, especially when you factor in the cost of meals. I think any savvy traveler would take advantage of the full gamut of accommodation options when planning a trip. Different types of travel may dictate one option over another.
Airbnb was great in the beginning when it was about sharing someone's space and the personal interaction. As soon as existing commercial businesses jumped on, and then people started setting up houses / spaces purely to make money on Airbnb, the ethos and the experience changed. Thanks for this video, as I've been thinking of doing the same!
Bad owners/hosts have discovered a way to make money! There are great owners and hosts that sometimes struggle to profit because they care about their property and guests. Weed out the bad hosts Airbnb!!
Absolutely brilliant video. V v informative. Used Airbnb years ago in Europe without too much hassle. But progressively found that the cons outweighed the pros. And your comment regarding arriving at a location early and being able to stash your bags and hit the ground running was pure gold. Please continue exploring the accommodation questions - when traveling, the accommodation can make or break your trip. So it’s really really helpful to have your input. Thank you.
I switched to the platforms you mentioned after a horrible AirBNB experience in Argentina. I agree that AirBNB will need to change before I use them again. Thanks for the great video!
@@BrianandCarrie You can find longer stay discounts also on Booking, at least here in Europe where I mainly travel. I have used those when booking my yearly 'snowbird' trips to Spain in winter. Definitely cheaper than with Ab'nb with their high cleaning- and other fees.
Stayed in Aparthotel in Dublin and it was AWESOME! Such a great value and also being able to talk to the front desk but still have kitchen/cooking options and washing machine available was supberb (and super close to Trinity, etc.) - great option!
I quit Airbnb 2 years ago. The host messaged me that she had to cancel because she had Covid, did not cancel just sent message. Airbnb support did nothing, NOTHING, because the host didn’t cancel in the system. They could read the message but promised a call in 2 hours. 6 hours later zero messages. I was left stranded and Airbnb did nothing because the host failed. I took it all the way to head of customer service. Just offered me $100 off next use, it went unused as I won’t use them every again
Stopped using Airbnb years ago, these platforms are very disruptive to local residents and I’m not gonna pay a cleaning fee and then have them tell me to tidy up before I leave 😅. Hotels only from now on for me 😊
In USA the cleaning fee was 240 usd…. Like…what….and yes, there was a very specific and long cleaning instruction list for us including putting on the dish washer and taking out the trash (to a specific place in town, not out to the garden).
Exactly. It’s why I’ve never used AirBnB. A cleaning fee plus a cleaning list? Are you serious? Sounds like a scam to me. Plus, for just a bit more - you can actually get housekeeping every day with freshly laundered towels, sheets changed once a week, etc.
I have had negative experiences with Expedia. They are an intermediary, and if there is a problem they just push back. What we do is look on expedia and bookings to find a good place and then book directly. The places will give you discounts because you book with them directly. They also give you upgrades and nicer rooms because they appreciate you booking directly. Expedia left me stranded over the holidays on Lanzarote, an island, with no accommodation and no flight back for one week. It was not good, as you can imagine. My job was also not happy that I was delayed by a week.
Guys, I’m watching this video 30 minutes after it posted, and I see the views racking up every second. You’re superstars! This is great content, like all your vids. Thanks so much.
After multiple problems we abandoned Air BnB for all of the reasons that you have mentioned. Any issues are always resolved in favour of the property owner. Also, when Air BnB started out it was almost always way better value for money and that's simply not the case any longer.
Thank you for this. I stopped using AirBnB a couple of years ago. It became MORE expensive than a hotel and I had an entire list of chores I had to do or I'd be fined and that's in addition to the cleaning fee. It took the joy out of my vacation.
We just stayed in Sevilla, Spain for Christmas in a similar accommodation like an “aparthotel” and loved it. Whole apartment with a front desk (multiple floor building). I think different countries call it different things. We booked through Expedia (been customers for over 15 years and have seen great improvements over the years). They do have excellent rewards and great customer service.
I am shocked by how expensive Airbnb has become. The cancellation policy is the worst! I lost so much money on a few occasions due to unforseen circumstances.
As a full time traveler, I agree 100% about Expedia often being preferable to Airbnb. Expedia’s VIP status is golden. VIP status gets my upgrades from the cheapest room in a hotel to something more spacious or with a better view. In a lot of locales, hotels are cheaper that airbnbs now (except for longer month long stays).
Great episode guys. I'm glad life is possible without Airbnb. I'm an Airbnb host and frequent traveler and I've noticed many problems for both sides, including the ones you've mentioned. I'm glad there is legitimate competition. Thanks for sharing your experiences
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, we appreciate it! You are right, there is no perfect platform. We have figured out (for now) what works best for us. Hopefully that doesn't change anytime soon! 🤣 Thanks again, Graham!
I stayed in anAparthotel silver in Gracia, Barcelona. It had lockers to store items if you’re there early. It had an on premise cafeteria but the room didn’t have a kitchen. There was a front staff, guidebooks, umbrellas, sun hats, tea or coffee to make in the lobby. Maybe it was a step up from a hostal. I’ve stayed in an Apartment Suite in Sagunto, Valencia which was a full apartment, bedding, towels, dishes and there’s was a bar/restaurant in the lower floor.
As someone who both hosts and rents via Airbnb, I can say that issues can arise on both sides. On one occasion we had a guest (who may have been on drugs or had severe mental health issues) who need to be forced to leave the property, and as guests we have stayed in places that were NOT as advertised. Customer service left a lot to be desired when we were in need. Overall we have had good experiences hosting and staying, so we persist. Re the money paid in advance to Airbnb to rent a place, I want to point out that a booking locks up a listing once it is made, but the host does not receive funds until 24 hours after check in. As a renter, I like the idea of a flexible cancellation policy, but my hosting experience has made me aware that a late cancellation often means there is not enough time for a host to secure a new booking. Really different from a hotel with multiple rooms and an onsite staff. We still prefer hotels in certain situations.
I’m also an Airbnb host and I agree 100% with your comment. When a guest has a late cancellation it cost us more than it would cost a hotel. 1 house vs 100 rooms.
I was wondering if Airbnb holds onto the money once a reservation is made, before the stay. So neither the customer nor the host gets to earn interest on it, Airbnb does, and they get to improve their balance sheet with cash flow.
Airbnb check-in procedures have been a nightmare for me. This was in Barcelona Spain that took 30 minutes to check in, Bangkok Thailand no one could find this place not even a cab driver (gave up-only lost $10), and then Pattaya Thailand they wouldn't let me check in at all. This was a mess due to my locked phone, and their office in the Laguna Beach 2 was no help at all. Airbnb has no service number you can call or anything like that at all. I will only be staying at places that have a front desk for quite a while!
It is so frustrating when the check-in process is complicated. We have been through similar struggles. Sorry, you had to go through it. Thank you for watching and safe travels!
All these are my complaints as well. I can say tho that the corporate owners tend to be more organized and have staff required for check in. But the location information has almost always been dreadfully inadequate.
We have never used Airbnb and use and love booking! We don't do long term stays so that takes that discount element out if it. LOVE aparthotels!!! We never prepay and love booking for that!!
We have used booking for the last few years now and not had anything to complain about. Like you say you can book and pay just the day before use. Easy to cancel and they take on board any comments you may make, they are brilliant xx
The customer service is horrible, and they don't vet their hosts. The sad thing is that there are some amazing hosts that really care about the guest. Airbnb is doing them a disservice.
I used Airbnb’s quite a bit in the UK and Europe from 2014 until the end of 2018. After that, deposits, cleaning fees and other charges that weren’t there before, made me stop using them. I’ve stayed in serviced apartments a few times in Australia and New Zealand. No breakfasts included but washers and dryers, stove tops, microwaves, etc., were great.
You have found the right policy: Arrive at a destination, stay in a hotel for a few days, and then find accommodations while in-country. This way, you can INSPECT the property and neighborhood before you lay down any money. Yes - it may cost a few extra shekels, but you will experience fewer headaches. And remember - at your age, a headache = money.
Loved the video! You guys are killing it!!! Have you ever thought of playing the credit card/hotel points game? I have seen many videos from Americans that do this (as a Canadian I am kinda jealous of all the travel credit cards there are available to Americans😊) and they are getting soooo many perks like free nights, room upgrades and free meals. Not sure if this would suit you two but might be something to look into. Safe travels 😁
We do not because you need to spend money to get those points and perks. Being as budgeted as we are it isn't worth our time. Thank you for watching, Tracy! 😊
We have had good and bad experiences with both AirBnB and VRBO. Decided our travel and vacations were not worth risking having a terrible host. Even if hotels and resorts are a little more, it's worth it for us.
We’ve never had an issue with Airbnb cancellation. One time we even shortened a stay after we had moved in. The host had no problem with it and issued us a refund of the difference immediately.
I stay for a month and move neighborhoods every week. I walk a lot and get to see different parts of the city. It works out really well, and you get to know 4 or 5 different parts of town in a month.
That is something that we are considering while in Buenos Aires. We have a place for a couple of days and will see where we want to stay and go from there.
Great video and info. I really appreciate the fact as you talk you'll mention things that you realize that we might not know you know. For example how you mentioned knowing that the host might be on multiple platforms. That's great because then people know you're really thinking about things.
We are glad you found it helpful! We try to make sure we cover everything and try to predict what questions viewers may ask ahead of time. 😁 Thank you for watching and for the kind words! 😊
I used booking for accommodation while I walked the Camino Frances. It was a great search tool. The other tip is that most places have some rooms/apartments set aside, not on the platform. So contacting the owner directly can help you find a place and give a better deal. And never had to pay in advance. Thanks for your thoughts!
I had too many Airbnb experiences where the listings had been misleading or dishonest. The last one didn’t disclose that the street they were on was torn up and being repaved and the building had scaffolding up and work was being done right outside of the unit. At the time I was experiencing that at home and wanted to escape from that for some peace and quiet. Never had any problems using Expedia.
I'm so sorry! That sounds like a nightmare. We had an experience similar and were told that it wasn't an issue. 🙄 Thank you for sharing and for watching the channel! 😊
Again, because if you leave bad reviews of the aribnb property, the host will lie about you; so they feel compelled to say nice things. So it is a tit for tat sort of thing. terrible.
@@tral403HrytwI’m an Airbnb host and I don’t get to read the guests reviews until I have filled out and submit a review for them. I’m not sure when I get the chance to “lie” about them when I don’t get to see their reviews prior to posting mine.
@@BrianandCarrie We had same issue. We rented an Airbnb apartment in a building of three apartments - all being renovated (for eventual Airbnb) while we were there. The host never mentioned this to us when we were booking and we had drilling and banging the whole time. Plus the cleaning fee. And dealing with even a friendly host is tiring. I won't use them again.
Thank you for this video! Your planning and your experiences are valuable for many of us. I really like the flexibility of your new chosen options. We hope to see you in B'ham again.
It's always good to be back in B'ham! We may be doing another meet and great this spring or later this summer. Hopefully we can get some nice weather this time!!
That’s how I travel. Even if I stay longer in one place, I still make separate bookings so you can change plans if needed. Also I like my room serviced daily so Airbnb just doesn’t cut it.
Thank you very much for this. We have had minor issues with Airbnb in the past and will absolutely use your methods to avoid Airbnb in future. Additionally, I shared this with a friend who constantly travels and she already had very bad experience with Airbnb so she will really utilizethis method you provided.
Nice overview -- apart-hotels are really good options! Even in the US, these style properties such as Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites, Springhill Suites can be really advantageous as one does have the services and security of a hotel (meaning an owner doesn't cancel out on 'ya) as well as sometimes earning points too :-) --- as a short term owner as well, appreciate acknowledging there really are multiple different platforms out there, not just the one -- and even local/boutique places for a given city. Our specific short term is in Nice and the agency representing the property does NO marketing on any other platforms -- thus very much one of those local-only agency/websites.
If we can find apart-hotels at an affordable price we will choose one every time. Thank you for watching and commenting, Paul! Safe travels and Happy New Year!!
Thank you for your insights, and I totally agree! I do not use Airbnb‘s any longer, and I prefer front desk options so I can receive Amazon packages. I finally reached Mexico City, and no longer sign leases for long-term accommodations, and the ongoing potential problems associated. Mexico is a saturated market for furnished accommodations, for short term stays, so I’m taking advantage. I’m very pleased with Bookings and the rebates they offer, and I enjoy traveling from hotel to hotel, for one week stays, discovering new neighborhoods, while making notes on each accommodation, for potential longer stays, if the accommodations prove satisfactory. I’m very glad the hassles of renting, long-term are over, as well as the potential hassles from Airbnb‘s. I can change my mind in terms of locations, receive free cancellations, on most stays, and when I leave the country for travels, I’m not paying extra for rent, while traveling abroad. I just switch suitcases, organize my belongings for travel, from my storage unit.
Thanks for this video! I start my full-time travel in May. I was planning to use apart-hotels AMAP and possibly AirBnB but now I’ll just stay with Booking and Expedia or a local listing service. I have really enjoyed your Mexico videos. I’m glad you’ve been able to see quite a bit of the top cities and towns.
I'm super excited to hear about your Argentina trip and the cruise you're doing after BA...I'll definitely be using your experience as a guide as I plan my trip. When are you going?
We too stepped away from Airbnb, not happy with there lack of support of those of us renting the unit. And for a second time our negative review wasn't posted. So we don't trust their listings.
We get hosts that tell us that it is imposable to get negative reviews deleted yet, it happened to us, and we get comments from others that it has happened to as well. You are correct, you can't trust the reviews! Thank you, Eliza for all the comments on the channel!! ❤️
We have had good experience with Expedia, including service with problems. We are fans of aparthotels, having stayed in several Citadines locations (Ascott group). Consider direct booking as well as Expedia, availability and price may differ.
I have used all of the companies mentioned and Booking is my favorite thus far. However, I am always researching to find the best deal. Thanks for the excellent advice. :)
We have always used Expedia, Booking and Airbnb, not loyal to just one service. We still will use Airbnb, but we are mindful that of the three, this one is the least receptive to troubleshooting problems. Expedia and Booking take the lead in resolving issues, while Airbnb takes its time to respond, thus we fly solo. We are not shrinking violets and will do the grunt work necessary to take care of a problem, but it is nice knowing that Expedia and Booking will lend a helping hand. We, however, have never had an apartment problem like you guys experienced, thus we still consider Airbnb. We want apartments for the extra space and ability to cook, thus we don’t book hotel rooms. That’s us. We are currently in Taiwan. There are very few options offered by Airbnb etc.on long term rentals in cities here, and the few options, given the lack of availability,are rip off prices. We used a rental company and have been able to secure gorgeous apartments for one month stays for pretty much half the price. Be flexible. It will work out!
Sorry, just noticed two people asked a question. Normally just Brian and Carrie have commented on my posts. The rental company that helped us made it clear that they don’t want to be used as an alternative to Airbnb. The industry would frown on it. So I am hesitant to name it. I suggest doing what we did, which is roll up your sleeves, google rental companies in Taiwan and ask if they know of any clients would be interested in renting for a month. Be prepared for a “no.” Sometimes you will get, “we will ask”. We lucked out and someone said “yes.”
Great video guys! You’re experiences made us be very cautious with Airbnb and we are back to using hotels more. We’ve also dabbled with Expedia. Haven’t tried Booking, but we will now. Thanks for the fabulous advice.
Im so sorry to hear so many have had problems with Airbnb . We have had 2 bad experiences with Airbnb and several excellent stays also. I guess it really is luck of the draw. I do agree with the paying up front and some of the cancellation policy oh and also some of the ridiculous rules some hosts expect. Cheers and happy travels
Good video on your experiences. I've been using Booking a lot more lately for apartments, since I prefer apartments over hotels for long stays. But I've been fortunate to not have any bad experiences with AirBnB, like you have. So I continue to use AirBnB from time to time. Glad the other options are working for you. Always a great idea to mix it up!
Thank you for this. For the past year my wife and I have lived full time in Airbnbs. We have been burnt by paying a full month in advance only to have to change our travel plans through no fault of our own. And then not being able to get a refund. That hurt. A couple of times we arrived at the Airbnb and could not get access to the unit and then having to try and find the host. Next time we are going to try one of the platforms you are now using. It has to be less stressful. Love your channel 🍺
We have been in that same situation! Arriving and having the keypad not work and the host not answering his phone. Or a broken lock on the front door just to have the host tell us that it couldn't be fixed for 4 to 5 hours. 🙄 Thanks for watching, Joe!!
Stopped using Airbnb this year after a horrible experience with a dishonest host. Airbnb played the middle like you say and it was incredibly frustrating and disappointing. I’m done!! It’s more satisfying and often cheaper to stay in a nice hotel.
I've been using Booking for years and had only a couple of minor issues in that whole time. Now I'm a Genius Level 3 it often sends good deals my way. I love the cancellable option - I've rarely used it, but it's peace of mind because you never know. And like you, I prefer the option to pay on site or closer to the date, and keep my money in my own bank account. I'm a solo traveller who stopped looking at AirBnB when their cleaning fees got ridiculous - hotels made way more sense at that stage and I didn't have to do chores like a schoolkid either. (Seriously, who wants to spend half a day cleaning on vacation?) I used Booking for my Patagonia trip in April and had zero issues, and found some great places to stay ... you'll have fun in South America for sure!
Thanks for sharing your experience with Booking! It's great to hear it works for you! We have a hard time cleaning a place before we leave knowing that we already paid for cleaning!! 🙄
Thanks guys. Totally get how a bad AirB stay would have you looking at alternatives. I've used booking a bit but I still find AirB pretty good on the whole in Asia mostly. They're all a compromise to some degree with AirB. Blunt knives, shoddy couches, smelly bathrooms sometimes! I guess it's all part of the travel experience.
Great follow-up! I’ve been lifelong on AirBnB. I have noticed increased pricing and nickel & dime menu items… it kinda lost its original soul… the interpersonal connection like an ACTUAL friendly person greet you as a host! I will try out your recommendations!
I only book direct with the hotel. I don’t use any third-party sites, because if something goes wrong, it’s really hard to get the matter resolved. Plus, I like dealing with an actual human being and speaking to them in person.
Agreed with you about Airbnb, I find it just as expensive as hotels. So We go with hotels always. Also we got hotel points. By the way if you ever go to Nha Trang Vietnam, let me know you can stay at my mom’s place for free, as long as you want. For real. She lives alone in a big house with many rooms.
Thanks for the insight on ABnB. I will switch to Hilton for our trip in the spring. Btw, Safety Wing doesn’t cover people over 70. They cut off at 69. Bummer.
This was interesting to watch. I've never used AirB&B. I've been using Booking for .... well, forever. And never had bad experience (traveling Europe, Austria, Denmark, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Hungaria, Croatia, SLovenia). Never paid anything in advance, always book places with free cancellation, highest level, so get upgraded rooms, breakfast included (I always book with breakfast and parking) etc. If I plan to visit Denmark next year I can make all reservations in advance, get best places, best rooms and still have free cancellation option. So no worries. I do sometimes check the host for their offer and sometimes they give additional discount but often they don't offer free cancellation. I'm just so used to Booking now, it is so easy and practical.
Great informative video and AirBnB does need to get its act together. As full time travelers for quite a few years now, we are pretty fed up with them. It’s always a crap shoot so I, being the “booker”, always feel anxiety about choosing a place. The usual deception is that places are much smaller than they appear in the photos. Also, if you don’t see photos of say what the windows look out towards, you can bet on having zero view and chances are the place has very little natural light. We have had some fantastic places that were airy, clean and felt like a real home but for the most part, they’ve been ok/so-so. We’ve also had more than a few duds. Often, they are cheap renovations of apartments that I suspect nobody would either want to buy nor rent long term to stay in. I haven’t writing a review in the last 5+ months because I think they are meaningless. I used to leave suggestions ( directly to the host, not publicly ) on how to improve their place but nobody really cares. On 2 occasions, I let the hosts know that they had water leaks in their apartment and they basically brushed me off. Now, their cancellation rules are horrible. Some do offer free cancellation on a sliding scale, just like Booking which I appreciate, but it’s rather rare. Saying that a cancellation is free except the 1st 30 days is an insult. We never rent more than a month out, preferring to get into the apartment before deciding to extend. Also the other fees, cleaning and service, should be directly included in the initial price, just like a hotel. Saying the cleaning fee is always refundable when it is $15 while the service fee isn’t, at $250, feels scammy to me. I will say that Customer Service was good a few years back when we had an unresponsive host in Brazil and we got a prompt full refund and I believe an extra $125 as compensation for being left stranded mere hours before check in. I am now looking at other platforms. Thank you.
Great video! In the past you mentioned using trusted house sitters , i believe it’s called, and was wondering if you still do or not? If not curious why because I’ve thought of that as an option.
We do and have had great experiences. We just finished one here in our hometown that had the best dog ever!! We didn't include Trustedhousesitter in this video because we haven't used them outside of the states yet. We plan to this summer and will keep the channel posted. 😊 Thank you for watching the channel, Jeff!
Found booking great for hotels but had real problems with an apartment and no was to directly contact bookings… won’t use for apt again but yes for hotel. Airbnb was at least partly receptive.
Also, the other thing about doing all the bookings via the one site means they then give you your entire itinerary and flag to you if you have accidentally overlapped some days - it does happen when you are planning moving around a bit and rearranging your itinerary and if you don't realise you can lose a fair bit of money.
I was glad to see this!! Retired recently and we plan to start our full time travels in 2025. Watched your previous videos and liked the idea of a discount for long term stays, but did not like the fact you could not enjoy spontaneity so looking forward to hearing more on your change in accommodation strategy!
We are excited to have the flexibility! We hope it all works out like we think ot will. Thank you for watching and good luck with your full-time travels!! 😊
We're a couple of world travelers and 40 consecutive time Superhosts. We've used Airbnb, Booking, VRBO, Glamping Hub, you name it, from both ends. We can't agree more how Airbnb (and the others) has been consistently going downhill. Poor service, erratic search results, non-existent customer support, sadly nothing remains as lovely as when we started sharing our property. On the flip side, in 10 years of hosting, we've proven no one gets poor by giving. Even one-nighters get a bottle of wine, fresh eggs, homemade butter and kombucha, beer, whiskey, chocolates... Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater, but pick your hosts wisely avoiding the corporate mayhem. 🏡Peaceful Treetop Cottage 🌿Magic Tipi Retreat ⛺Reviews say it all 🌟
B&C longtime viewer here and fellow FULL time traveling couple. Our accomodation budget is larger than most. We check the spoiled traveler boxes on AirBnb and sometimes pay five figures per month. We have had the same issues as you with their services. So don't feel guilty about dumping the b***yards. Because we have an attorney that can write a good letter we find them to be cowards when it may effect the bottom line.
Thanks for sharing your experience! We have been told that we get what we pay for which we disagree. No matter your budget you should get what you are told you are paying for, and Airbnb should back the customer. Thank you again for sharing your experience! 😊
@BrianandCarrie That has been our precise issue. They promise a swimming pool and you get a bird bath with no water in it and you cannot get new accomodations. Then a negotiation begins.
Its always better to shop around. Airbnb is not always the cheapest. And as a long time user I have noticed those no cancellation policies are a turn off for me. Thanks for the info.
The big problem I have with Airbnb is that it is host centric and the guest get's the short end of the stick, if a host cancels last minute they get a slap on the wrist, by contrast a guest most often loses everything because most places are non-refundable. In my opinion if the guest is going to lose everything by cancelling last minute then so should the host. The money collected from the host should be given as compensation to the guest because often they are left high and dry looking for significantly more expensive options. Also, I think Airbnb does not have it's priorities straight, it is the guest that is bringing money to the table and is the customer here, not the host.
Many hosts have commented that if they cancel, they can't re-book for that period of time. Great, but it still happens and costs the rental hundreds of dollars more on a last-minute rental. The consequences of canceling should be severe enough to where it doesn't happen at all.
@@BrianandCarrieWhat about situations where the previous guest(s) caused extensive damage or water pipes burst and there’s extra cleanup and repairs to do? The host is already losing money because they may have to cancel and you wanting to punish them further. Somethings are out of the hosts control.
another hack I use is to google earth street view to see the actual location of the hotel. I wanna know if it's across the street from the city dump or the town zocolo! AirBnB doesn't disclose the precise location until the booking..deal breaker for us! Dan and Nancy Okanagan Valley BC
We have been using Booking pretty much exclusively for the last 10 years for our European vacations. I always filter for a generous cancellation policy and I no longer feel the need to purchase travel insurance due to this.
That's great to hear that you've had such success with Booking.com and its cancellation policies! Booking is becoming our go-to although we search a lot on Expedia as well.
In an Airbnb apartment in Portland, Oregon the weather turned hot - 38 degrees centigrade and there was no air conditioning in the place. The host brought us two fans - wholly inadequate... it was a bad experience.
I have used Airbnb 3 times over the past 5 years. Experience was ok with two but last property had a gas leak and the owners tried to ignore it with a flimsy excuse. We agree the cancelation policy is non existent. My favorite type hotel to stay in is the extended stay or residence/apartment type hotels. They usually have small kitchens and some even have breakfast included. Depending on where we travel and how long we also get travel insurance.
Thanks for the great info! I travel quite a bit but never heard of the aparthotel. Nice option! Also any tips of the best clothes when living out of a carry on?
Glad it was helpful! We did a packing video last month that may give you some ideas. Here is the link. ruclips.net/video/R_BP45yKq4U/видео.html Thank you for watching and safe travels! 😊
Expedia is also easy to use and super easy to contact service reps to help. I usually use the live chat. And besides free wine or discounts on accomodations, perks include discounts for food or some free service at the hotel. I found Airbnb really difficult to navigate and half the time trouble to get inside the accomodations. Hotels often have restaurant or are located much closer to things travelers want to see and as mentioned, checking in and getting in your room is easy because staff takes care of all rooms
I Have booked many many trips with expedia. One downside is the problem of cancellation; yes they offer some hotels with free cancelations; but most require a fee.
100% agree with Air BnB not wanting to get between renters and landlords, even when it's obvious that they should take a simple stand: While working (high school teacher) in CA, someone hacked my account and paid for a fun weekend in Miami. While I appreciate that AirBnB sent me a note to tell me that someone had changed my email (this is how I found out!), the lack of support from AirBnB in terms of not removing the negative comment the home owner left about me cancelling my reservation on the day of the rental was ridiculous! When I first received the email from AirBnB about my email address change, I called the homeowner and left two messages, I called the local police there, I called the local police here, I called Air BnB (who refunded the charges on my card), and my card issuer. The owner still left a negative review on my account. Air BnB refused to delete the owner's comments even though they gave me a refund for this fraud! They felt that I could write "my side of the story," if I wanted. My SIDE of the story? WTAF? Done with them.
It is kind of crazy how Airbnb disrupted the industry by making things cheaper but now with all the fees they have , they are more expensive than regular hotels in many instances.
That's why I stay in hotels and I know what to expect with certain brands.
Yes that’s true. Agree…!
And in many instances, especially for long stays, Airbnb is far less expensive, especially when you factor in the cost of meals. I think any savvy traveler would take advantage of the full gamut of accommodation options when planning a trip. Different types of travel may dictate one option over another.
Just replied with another point of view re: affordability, and my comment was deleted. Trying again to see if I've been blocked for some reason?
Exactly!!!!
Airbnb was great in the beginning when it was about sharing someone's space and the personal interaction. As soon as existing commercial businesses jumped on, and then people started setting up houses / spaces purely to make money on Airbnb, the ethos and the experience changed. Thanks for this video, as I've been thinking of doing the same!
Bad owners/hosts have discovered a way to make money! There are great owners and hosts that sometimes struggle to profit because they care about their property and guests. Weed out the bad hosts Airbnb!!
This is so true!
Absolutely brilliant video. V v informative. Used Airbnb years ago in Europe without too much hassle. But progressively found that the cons outweighed the pros. And your comment regarding arriving at a location early and being able to stash your bags and hit the ground running was pure gold.
Please continue exploring the accommodation questions - when traveling, the accommodation can make or break your trip. So it’s really really helpful to have your input. Thank you.
Thank you so much for the kind words, we appreciate your support! 😊
I switched to the platforms you mentioned after a horrible AirBNB experience in Argentina. I agree that AirBNB will need to change before I use them again. Thanks for the great video!
It is so frustrating when things don't go as planned while traveling! If something can be avoided to make travel better then why not?
@@BrianandCarrie You can find longer stay discounts also on Booking, at least here in Europe where I mainly travel. I have used those when booking my yearly 'snowbird' trips to Spain in winter. Definitely cheaper than with Ab'nb with their high cleaning- and other fees.
Stayed in Aparthotel in Dublin and it was AWESOME! Such a great value and also being able to talk to the front desk but still have kitchen/cooking options and washing machine available was supberb (and super close to Trinity, etc.) - great option!
If we could find an aparthotel in each location, we would book them every time. Thank you for commenting!!
I quit Airbnb 2 years ago. The host messaged me that she had to cancel because she had Covid, did not cancel just sent message. Airbnb support did nothing, NOTHING, because the host didn’t cancel in the system. They could read the message but promised a call in 2 hours. 6 hours later zero messages. I was left stranded and Airbnb did nothing because the host failed. I took it all the way to head of customer service. Just offered me $100 off next use, it went unused as I won’t use them every again
That sounds like a typical story unfortunately. Thank you for sharing your experience and for watching the channel. ❤️
I forgot to add, as I was Peking way up the customer service kept closing my complaint as solved, even though I was never satisfied, I kept reopening.
I've rented about 14 airbnb's, all but 1 were good or great. I think I've just been lucky though.
Stopped using Airbnb years ago, these platforms are very disruptive to local residents and I’m not gonna pay a cleaning fee and then have them tell me to tidy up before I leave 😅. Hotels only from now on for me 😊
Totally agree, we’ve had a few that have required an extensive cleaning before leaving. 🙄
In USA the cleaning fee was 240 usd…. Like…what….and yes, there was a very specific and long cleaning instruction list for us including putting on the dish washer and taking out the trash (to a specific place in town, not out to the garden).
There are local sites advertising mom and pop places at least in Ireland. Probably others
Exactly.
It’s why I’ve never used AirBnB. A cleaning fee plus a cleaning list? Are you serious?
Sounds like a scam to me.
Plus, for just a bit more - you can actually get housekeeping every day with freshly laundered towels, sheets changed once a week, etc.
With some aparthotels you can get cleaning every day!!
I have had negative experiences with Expedia. They are an intermediary, and if there is a problem they just push back.
What we do is look on expedia and bookings to find a good place and then book directly. The places will give you discounts because you book with them directly. They also give you upgrades and nicer rooms because they appreciate you booking directly.
Expedia left me stranded over the holidays on Lanzarote, an island, with no accommodation and no flight back for one week. It was not good, as you can imagine. My job was also not happy that I was delayed by a week.
Totally agree! I’ve had similar experiences. Booking directly is much better
I have heard Expedia does this!
Thank you so much for this info. We have not tried Airbnb, but we’ll try the Apartment Hotels for our trip in France.
Thank you so much, Pamela! We appreciate the support. Safe travels, and have a Happy New Year! 🤎
Guys, I’m watching this video 30 minutes after it posted, and I see the views racking up every second. You’re superstars! This is great content, like all your vids. Thanks so much.
Thank you! We are pleased with the channel and the support that we have received from viewers like yourself. We couldn't do it without you!! ❤️😊
Agree!
I find Airbnb rarely posts negative reviews. They leaned toward helping customers for years, now they seem to protect landlords regardless.
We know that our negative review was deleted and we really don't know why.
Yeah, because if you say anything negative, then the landlord lies about you; and others are reluctant to rent.
So true about the negative reviews. Some of the hosts ask you to give then 5 stars as well.
I remember seeing that hosts have to approve the review. So if negative good luck
@@birdsinparadise3113 I am a host. We don't approve reviews.
we stopped using Airbnb 5 years ago, for MANY REASONS, never again, no regrets whatsoever
Thanks for all the comments on the channel! We appreciate your support all this time! 😁❤️ Have a happy New Year!!
After multiple problems we abandoned Air BnB for all of the reasons that you have mentioned. Any issues are always resolved in favour of the property owner. Also, when Air BnB started out it was almost always way better value for money and that's simply not the case any longer.
It's become big business. The industry is not what it used to be.
Continue to find your channel the best one for travelers! Appreciate you guys!
We're so glad you think so!! 😊 Thank you so much for watching and supporting the channel!
Thank you for this. I stopped using AirBnB a couple of years ago. It became MORE expensive than a hotel and I had an entire list of chores I had to do or I'd be fined and that's in addition to the cleaning fee. It took the joy out of my vacation.
We just stayed in Sevilla, Spain for Christmas in a similar accommodation like an “aparthotel” and loved it. Whole apartment with a front desk (multiple floor building). I think different countries call it different things. We booked through Expedia (been customers for over 15 years and have seen great improvements over the years). They do have excellent rewards and great customer service.
I am shocked by how expensive Airbnb has become. The cancellation policy is the worst! I lost so much money on a few occasions due to unforseen circumstances.
Thanks!
Thank you so much!! We appreciate you!!! ❤️❤️
As a full time traveler, I agree 100% about Expedia often being preferable to Airbnb. Expedia’s VIP status is golden. VIP status gets my upgrades from the cheapest room in a hotel to something more spacious or with a better view. In a lot of locales, hotels are cheaper that airbnbs now (except for longer month long stays).
Thank you, Mike! Safe travels and Happy New Year!
Great episode guys. I'm glad life is possible without Airbnb. I'm an Airbnb host and frequent traveler and I've noticed many problems for both sides, including the ones you've mentioned. I'm glad there is legitimate competition. Thanks for sharing your experiences
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, we appreciate it! You are right, there is no perfect platform. We have figured out (for now) what works best for us. Hopefully that doesn't change anytime soon! 🤣 Thanks again, Graham!
Before Airbnb existed there were plenty of alternatives, and there still are. Airbnb IS the competition not the other way around!
I stayed in anAparthotel silver in Gracia, Barcelona. It had lockers to store items if you’re there early. It had an on premise cafeteria but the room didn’t have a kitchen. There was a front staff, guidebooks, umbrellas, sun hats, tea or coffee to make in the lobby. Maybe it was a step up from a hostal. I’ve stayed in an Apartment Suite in Sagunto, Valencia which was a full apartment, bedding, towels, dishes and there’s was a bar/restaurant in the lower floor.
We are so glad you are finding great places to stay. There are so many great options out there if you know where to look. Thanks for sharing! 😊
Awesome channel. Thanks for a great year of content packed with travel information and ideas, very helpful. Happy New Year and 2025 Travels!
We're so glad you are enjoying our channel! Thank you so much for the support, Gary! Happy New Year!!
As someone who both hosts and rents via Airbnb, I can say that issues can arise on both sides. On one occasion we had a guest (who may have been on drugs or had severe mental health issues) who need to be forced to leave the property, and as guests we have stayed in places that were NOT as advertised. Customer service left a lot to be desired when we were in need. Overall we have had good experiences hosting and staying, so we persist.
Re the money paid in advance to Airbnb to rent a place, I want to point out that a booking locks up a listing once it is made, but the host does not receive funds until 24 hours after check in. As a renter, I like the idea of a flexible cancellation policy, but my hosting experience has made me aware that a late cancellation often means there is not enough time for a host to secure a new booking. Really different from a hotel with multiple rooms and an onsite staff. We still prefer hotels in certain situations.
Thank you, Kat! It is always nice to hear from a host perspective!! ❤️
I’m also an Airbnb host and I agree 100% with your comment.
When a guest has a late cancellation it cost us more than it would cost a hotel. 1 house vs 100 rooms.
I was wondering if Airbnb holds onto the money once a reservation is made, before the stay. So neither the customer nor the host gets to earn interest on it, Airbnb does, and they get to improve their balance sheet with cash flow.
Airbnb check-in procedures have been a nightmare for me. This was in Barcelona Spain that took 30 minutes to check in, Bangkok Thailand no one could find this place not even a cab driver (gave up-only lost $10), and then Pattaya Thailand they wouldn't let me check in at all. This was a mess due to my locked phone, and their office in the Laguna Beach 2 was no help at all. Airbnb has no service number you can call or anything like that at all. I will only be staying at places that have a front desk for quite a while!
It is so frustrating when the check-in process is complicated. We have been through similar struggles. Sorry, you had to go through it. Thank you for watching and safe travels!
All these are my complaints as well. I can say tho that the corporate owners tend to be more organized and have staff required for check in. But the location information has almost always been dreadfully inadequate.
We have never used Airbnb and use and love booking! We don't do long term stays so that takes that discount element out if it. LOVE aparthotels!!! We never prepay and love booking for that!!
We will stay in aparthotels whenever possible. With everything equal why would you? Thank you for watching and commenting, Tamara!! 😊
Wish there was a site that listed Property management companies all around the world so I could cut out ABB ... I love 1 month stays.
We have used booking for the last few years now and not had anything to complain about. Like you say you can book and pay just the day before use. Easy to cancel and they take on board any comments you may make, they are brilliant xx
Thank you, Lynn for sharing! ❤️
We’ve stopped using Airbnb ages ago. We find their customer service crap and some hosts are absolutely nightmares
The customer service is horrible, and they don't vet their hosts. The sad thing is that there are some amazing hosts that really care about the guest. Airbnb is doing them a disservice.
Ironically, when I clicked to watch this video, the 1st ad to pop up was for AirBNB 😵
That's funny! They pay for all those ads by adding fees to your payment.
@@BrianandCarrie, same advertisement for me, lol.
I got an advert for stayz
Nothin ironic about it. That’s how it works.
Same here! So ironic.
I used Airbnb’s quite a bit in the UK and Europe from 2014 until the end of 2018. After that, deposits, cleaning fees and other charges that weren’t there before, made me stop using them. I’ve stayed in serviced apartments a few times in Australia and New Zealand. No breakfasts included but washers and dryers, stove tops, microwaves, etc., were great.
Serviced apartments are a great option! We look forward to exploring Australia and NZ soon!!
You have found the right policy: Arrive at a destination, stay in a hotel for a few days, and then find accommodations while in-country. This way, you can INSPECT the property and neighborhood before you lay down any money. Yes - it may cost a few extra shekels, but you will experience fewer headaches. And remember - at your age, a headache = money.
Very true!! We would rather avoid the headache!! Thank you for watching and commenting!!
Loved the video! You guys are killing it!!! Have you ever thought of playing the credit card/hotel points game? I have seen many videos from Americans that do this (as a Canadian I am kinda jealous of all the travel credit cards there are available to Americans😊) and they are getting soooo many perks like free nights, room upgrades and free meals. Not sure if this would suit you two but might be something to look into. Safe travels 😁
We do not because you need to spend money to get those points and perks. Being as budgeted as we are it isn't worth our time. Thank you for watching, Tracy! 😊
We have had good and bad experiences with both AirBnB and VRBO. Decided our travel and vacations were not worth risking having a terrible host. Even if hotels and resorts are a little more, it's worth it for us.
We agree! Sometimes it's better to go with a sure thing and spend a little more. Thank you for watching and commenting!! 😊
We’ve never had an issue with Airbnb cancellation. One time we even shortened a stay after we had moved in. The host had no problem with it and issued us a refund of the difference immediately.
There are some amazing hosts for sure!! The issue is with Airbnb and its customer service and policy. Thank you for watching and commenting, Chris!
Great video. Excellent advice.
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching, Peter!
I stay for a month and move neighborhoods every week. I walk a lot and get to see different parts of the city. It works out really well, and you get to know 4 or 5 different parts of town in a month.
That is something that we are considering while in Buenos Aires. We have a place for a couple of days and will see where we want to stay and go from there.
Great strategy!
BnC,
Thank you for the inputs. Interesting.
😉
Great video and info. I really appreciate the fact as you talk you'll mention things that you realize that we might not know you know. For example how you mentioned knowing that the host might be on multiple platforms. That's great because then people know you're really thinking about things.
We are glad you found it helpful! We try to make sure we cover everything and try to predict what questions viewers may ask ahead of time. 😁 Thank you for watching and for the kind words! 😊
I used booking for accommodation while I walked the Camino Frances. It was a great search tool. The other tip is that most places have some rooms/apartments set aside, not on the platform. So contacting the owner directly can help you find a place and give a better deal. And never had to pay in advance. Thanks for your thoughts!
Great tips! Thank you for sharing your experience! 🙏
I had too many Airbnb experiences where the listings had been misleading or dishonest. The last one didn’t disclose that the street they were on was torn up and being repaved and the building had scaffolding up and work was being done right outside of the unit. At the time I was experiencing that at home and wanted to escape from that for some peace and quiet. Never had any problems using Expedia.
I'm so sorry! That sounds like a nightmare. We had an experience similar and were told that it wasn't an issue. 🙄 Thank you for sharing and for watching the channel! 😊
Again, because if you leave bad reviews of the aribnb property, the host will lie about you; so they feel compelled to say nice things. So it is a tit for tat sort of thing. terrible.
@@tral403HrytwI’m an Airbnb host and I don’t get to read the guests reviews until I have filled out and submit a review for them.
I’m not sure when I get the chance to “lie” about them when I don’t get to see their reviews prior to posting mine.
@@BrianandCarrie We had same issue. We rented an Airbnb apartment in a building of three apartments - all being renovated (for eventual Airbnb) while we were there. The host never mentioned this to us when we were booking and we had drilling and banging the whole time. Plus the cleaning fee. And dealing with even a friendly host is tiring. I won't use them again.
Thank you for this video! Your planning and your experiences are valuable for many of us. I really like the flexibility of your new chosen options.
We hope to see you in B'ham again.
It's always good to be back in B'ham! We may be doing another meet and great this spring or later this summer. Hopefully we can get some nice weather this time!!
We used Booking and Expedia, both good. Also Homelike, had good experience.
Thank you for sharing your experience. We have not used Homelike. Thanks for the tip!
Great info as usual. We too are starting to use other platforms and it's opened up things quite a bit.
We are glad we are not the only ones!
You guys are great. Watch you all the time. Great travel tips. Thanks
Thank you so much for your support, Rick! 😊
Such great info that I haven't heard anywhere else! I can easily see this video going viral!
We appreciate that you think so! Thank you for watching!! ❤️
That’s how I travel. Even if I stay longer in one place, I still make separate bookings so you can change plans if needed. Also I like my room serviced daily so Airbnb just doesn’t cut it.
It’s definitely nice to have that flexibility when traveling! We are looking forward to a new way of travel! Thanks for watching, Philip!
Thank you very much for this. We have had minor issues with Airbnb in the past and will absolutely use your methods to avoid Airbnb in future. Additionally, I shared this with a friend who constantly travels and she already had very bad experience with Airbnb so she will really utilizethis method you provided.
Thank you for watching and sharing our video! We are so glad it was helpful!😊
Nice overview -- apart-hotels are really good options! Even in the US, these style properties such as Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites, Springhill Suites can be really advantageous as one does have the services and security of a hotel (meaning an owner doesn't cancel out on 'ya) as well as sometimes earning points too :-) --- as a short term owner as well, appreciate acknowledging there really are multiple different platforms out there, not just the one -- and even local/boutique places for a given city. Our specific short term is in Nice and the agency representing the property does NO marketing on any other platforms -- thus very much one of those local-only agency/websites.
If we can find apart-hotels at an affordable price we will choose one every time. Thank you for watching and commenting, Paul! Safe travels and Happy New Year!!
Aparthotel front desk person is also local who can help with direction or language barrier or best places to eat locally not touristy so cheaper.
That is a great point, Maria! Thank you for adding!! 😊
Thank you for your insights, and I totally agree! I do not use Airbnb‘s any longer, and I prefer front desk options so I can receive Amazon packages. I finally reached Mexico City, and no longer sign leases for long-term accommodations, and the ongoing potential problems associated. Mexico is a saturated market for furnished accommodations, for short term stays, so I’m taking advantage. I’m very pleased with Bookings and the rebates they offer, and I enjoy traveling from hotel to hotel, for one week stays, discovering new neighborhoods, while making notes on each accommodation, for potential longer stays, if the accommodations prove satisfactory. I’m very glad the hassles of renting, long-term are over, as well as the potential hassles from Airbnb‘s. I can change my mind in terms of locations, receive free cancellations, on most stays, and when I leave the country for travels, I’m not paying extra for rent, while traveling abroad. I just switch suitcases, organize my belongings for travel, from my storage unit.
That sounds like a wonderful plan! Mexico City is a great place to start. Thank you for watching and adding your insights!! 😊
Thanks for this video! I start my full-time travel in May. I was planning to use apart-hotels AMAP and possibly AirBnB but now I’ll just stay with Booking and Expedia or a local listing service. I have really enjoyed your Mexico videos. I’m glad you’ve been able to see quite a bit of the top cities and towns.
We’re so glad you’re finding the videos helpful!! Enjoy your travels and let us know how it goes, Ken!!
We LOVE Aibnb. Always have protected.
I'm super excited to hear about your Argentina trip and the cruise you're doing after BA...I'll definitely be using your experience as a guide as I plan my trip. When are you going?
Thank you! After the cruise we plan to explore more of Argentina before we go to Chile and Peru. Thank you for watching!! ❤️
Great stuff, as always…and really appreciate the Timestamps!
Thanks, we're so glad you find the timestamps helpful! We are trying to be better about that! 😁
We too stepped away from Airbnb, not happy with there lack of support of those of us renting the unit. And for a second time our negative review wasn't posted. So we don't trust their listings.
We get hosts that tell us that it is imposable to get negative reviews deleted yet, it happened to us, and we get comments from others that it has happened to as well. You are correct, you can't trust the reviews! Thank you, Eliza for all the comments on the channel!! ❤️
This was very helpful information thanks. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you as well! ❤️
We have had good experience with Expedia, including service with problems. We are fans of aparthotels, having stayed in several Citadines locations (Ascott group). Consider direct booking as well as Expedia, availability and price may differ.
Thank you for your insights!! 😁🍻
I have used all of the companies mentioned and Booking is my favorite thus far. However, I am always researching to find the best deal. Thanks for the excellent advice. :)
Thanks for sharing and great advice! Thank you!!
@@BrianandCarrie HEHhee, I consider yall to be the "Master" advice giver :)
We have always used Expedia, Booking and Airbnb, not loyal to just one service. We still will use Airbnb, but we are mindful that of the three, this one is the least receptive to troubleshooting problems. Expedia and Booking take the lead in resolving issues, while Airbnb takes its time to respond, thus we fly solo. We are not shrinking violets and will do the grunt work necessary to take care of a problem, but it is nice knowing that Expedia and Booking will lend a helping hand. We, however, have never had an apartment problem like you guys experienced, thus we still consider Airbnb.
We want apartments for the extra space and ability to cook, thus we don’t book hotel rooms. That’s us. We are currently in Taiwan. There are very few options offered by Airbnb etc.on long term rentals in cities here, and the few options, given the lack of availability,are rip off prices. We used a rental company and have been able to secure gorgeous apartments for one month stays for pretty much half the price.
Be flexible. It will work out!
Thank you for sharing, Jim!
Which rental company did you use in Taiwan please?
Wondering how you identified your rental companies in Taiwan.
Sorry, just noticed two people asked a question. Normally just Brian and Carrie have commented on my posts.
The rental company that helped us made it clear that they don’t want to be used as an alternative to Airbnb. The industry would frown on it. So I am hesitant to name it. I suggest doing what we did, which is roll up your sleeves, google rental companies in Taiwan and ask if they know of any clients would be interested in renting for a month. Be prepared for a “no.” Sometimes you will get, “we will ask”. We lucked out and someone said “yes.”
@@JimK1020 thanks for explaining
Thanks for sharing your experience…sounds like I will try Booking and expand my use of Expedia.
You will be very happy with your decision! Thank you for watching!
Great video guys! You’re experiences made us be very cautious with Airbnb and we are back to using hotels more. We’ve also dabbled with Expedia. Haven’t tried Booking, but we will now. Thanks for the fabulous advice.
Thank you! We are glad to help!
Im so sorry to hear so many have had problems with Airbnb . We have had 2 bad experiences with Airbnb and several excellent stays also. I guess it really is luck of the draw. I do agree with the paying up front and some of the cancellation policy oh and also some of the ridiculous rules some hosts expect. Cheers and happy travels
Thank you, Maureen and Happy New Year!! 😊
Good video on your experiences. I've been using Booking a lot more lately for apartments, since I prefer apartments over hotels for long stays. But I've been fortunate to not have any bad experiences with AirBnB, like you have. So I continue to use AirBnB from time to time. Glad the other options are working for you. Always a great idea to mix it up!
Thank you, Jim and safe travels in 2025!! 😊
Love your videos. Thank you!
We really appreciate your support!! 😊 Thank you for watching, and Happy New Year!
Thank you for this. For the past year my wife and I have lived full time in Airbnbs. We have been burnt by paying a full month in advance only to have to change our travel plans through no fault of our own. And then not being able to get a refund. That hurt. A couple of times we arrived at the Airbnb and could not get access to the unit and then having to try and find the host. Next time we are going to try one of the platforms you are now using. It has to be less stressful. Love your channel 🍺
We have been in that same situation! Arriving and having the keypad not work and the host not answering his phone. Or a broken lock on the front door just to have the host tell us that it couldn't be fixed for 4 to 5 hours. 🙄 Thanks for watching, Joe!!
Stopped using Airbnb this year after a horrible experience with a dishonest host. Airbnb played the middle like you say and it was incredibly frustrating and disappointing. I’m done!! It’s more satisfying and often cheaper to stay in a nice hotel.
Its satisfying even if it costs slightly more!! 😁 Sorry that you had this experience, it is easy to move on! Thank you for watching!! 😊
I've been using Booking for years and had only a couple of minor issues in that whole time. Now I'm a Genius Level 3 it often sends good deals my way. I love the cancellable option - I've rarely used it, but it's peace of mind because you never know. And like you, I prefer the option to pay on site or closer to the date, and keep my money in my own bank account. I'm a solo traveller who stopped looking at AirBnB when their cleaning fees got ridiculous - hotels made way more sense at that stage and I didn't have to do chores like a schoolkid either. (Seriously, who wants to spend half a day cleaning on vacation?)
I used Booking for my Patagonia trip in April and had zero issues, and found some great places to stay ... you'll have fun in South America for sure!
Thanks for sharing your experience with Booking! It's great to hear it works for you! We have a hard time cleaning a place before we leave knowing that we already paid for cleaning!! 🙄
Such helpful information. Thank you
Glad it was helpful and thank you for watching!
Thanks guys. Totally get how a bad AirB stay would have you looking at alternatives. I've used booking a bit but I still find AirB pretty good on the whole in Asia mostly. They're all a compromise to some degree with AirB. Blunt knives, shoddy couches, smelly bathrooms sometimes! I guess it's all part of the travel experience.
For us, it's as much the customer service when something does go wrong then anything. Airbnb has been difficult to deal with on a few occasions.
I book most of my hotels on Priceline for deep discounts (unless there is a professional sports game or special event in town).
I saw some talks where hotel industry said they weren't worried about AirB&B competition. Almost like they knew where things would go.
And they were right! People will pay more for customer service!
Great video, I am looking forward to your Argentine cruise
Thank you so much for watching! ❤️😁
Great follow-up! I’ve been lifelong on AirBnB. I have noticed increased pricing and nickel & dime menu items… it kinda lost its original soul… the interpersonal connection like an ACTUAL friendly person greet you as a host! I will try out your recommendations!
It really has changed, we agree! There are a lot of great options out there. 👍 Thank you, David!
I only book direct with the hotel. I don’t use any third-party sites, because if something goes wrong, it’s really hard to get the matter resolved.
Plus, I like dealing with an actual human being and speaking to them in person.
Agreed with you about Airbnb, I find it just as expensive as hotels. So We go with hotels always. Also we got hotel points. By the way if you ever go to Nha Trang Vietnam, let me know you can stay at my mom’s place for free, as long as you want. For real. She lives alone in a big house with many rooms.
Thank you! We may be back in SE Asia in 2026.
Thanks for the insight on ABnB. I will switch to Hilton for our trip in the spring. Btw, Safety Wing doesn’t cover people over 70. They cut off at 69. Bummer.
That’s a bummer! Insurance will become more of an expense for us every year. 😔😒
I'm 72 and have been using "Faye" insurance. They've been great so far....
Thank you, Stevie! This is good to know!
This was interesting to watch. I've never used AirB&B. I've been using Booking for .... well, forever. And never had bad experience (traveling Europe, Austria, Denmark, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Hungaria, Croatia, SLovenia). Never paid anything in advance, always book places with free cancellation, highest level, so get upgraded rooms, breakfast included (I always book with breakfast and parking) etc. If I plan to visit Denmark next year I can make all reservations in advance, get best places, best rooms and still have free cancellation option. So no worries. I do sometimes check the host for their offer and sometimes they give additional discount but often they don't offer free cancellation. I'm just so used to Booking now, it is so easy and practical.
Easy and practical is sometimes worth the extra cost if any. Thank you for watching and adding to the channel!
Great informative video and AirBnB does need to get its act together. As full time travelers for quite a few years now, we are pretty fed up with them. It’s always a crap shoot so I, being the “booker”, always feel anxiety about choosing a place. The usual deception is that places are much smaller than they appear in the photos. Also, if you don’t see photos of say what the windows look out towards, you can bet on having zero view and chances are the place has very little natural light. We have had some fantastic places that were airy, clean and felt like a real home but for the most part, they’ve been ok/so-so. We’ve also had more than a few duds. Often, they are cheap renovations of apartments that I suspect nobody would either want to buy nor rent long term to stay in.
I haven’t writing a review in the last 5+ months because I think they are meaningless. I used to leave suggestions ( directly to the host, not publicly ) on how to improve their place but nobody really cares. On 2 occasions, I let the hosts know that they had water leaks in their apartment and they basically brushed me off. Now, their cancellation rules are horrible. Some do offer free cancellation on a sliding scale, just like Booking which I appreciate, but it’s rather rare. Saying that a cancellation is free except the 1st 30 days is an insult. We never rent more than a month out, preferring to get into the apartment before deciding to extend. Also the other fees, cleaning and service, should be directly included in the initial price, just like a hotel. Saying the cleaning fee is always refundable when it is $15 while the service fee isn’t, at $250, feels scammy to me. I will say that Customer Service was good a few years back when we had an unresponsive host in Brazil and we got a prompt full refund and I believe an extra $125 as compensation for being left stranded mere hours before check in. I am now looking at other platforms. Thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and thoughts! ❤️😊
Great video! In the past you mentioned using trusted house sitters , i believe it’s called, and was wondering if you still do or not? If not curious why because I’ve thought of that as an option.
We do and have had great experiences. We just finished one here in our hometown that had the best dog ever!! We didn't include Trustedhousesitter in this video because we haven't used them outside of the states yet. We plan to this summer and will keep the channel posted. 😊 Thank you for watching the channel, Jeff!
Found booking great for hotels but had real problems with an apartment and no was to directly contact bookings… won’t use for apt again but yes for hotel. Airbnb was at least partly receptive.
Also, the other thing about doing all the bookings via the one site means they then give you your entire itinerary and flag to you if you have accidentally overlapped some days - it does happen when you are planning moving around a bit and rearranging your itinerary and if you don't realise you can lose a fair bit of money.
I was glad to see this!! Retired recently and we plan to start our full time travels in 2025. Watched your previous videos and liked the idea of a discount for long term stays, but did not like the fact you could not enjoy spontaneity so looking forward to hearing more on your change in accommodation strategy!
We are excited to have the flexibility! We hope it all works out like we think ot will. Thank you for watching and good luck with your full-time travels!! 😊
Great strategy!
We're a couple of world travelers and 40 consecutive time Superhosts. We've used Airbnb, Booking, VRBO, Glamping Hub, you name it, from both ends. We can't agree more how Airbnb (and the others) has been consistently going downhill. Poor service, erratic search results, non-existent customer support, sadly nothing remains as lovely as when we started sharing our property. On the flip side, in 10 years of hosting, we've proven no one gets poor by giving. Even one-nighters get a bottle of wine, fresh eggs, homemade butter and kombucha, beer, whiskey, chocolates... Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater, but pick your hosts wisely avoiding the corporate mayhem.
🏡Peaceful Treetop Cottage 🌿Magic Tipi Retreat ⛺Reviews say it all 🌟
Thank you for sharing your insights and for watching! 😊
B&C longtime viewer here and fellow FULL time traveling couple. Our accomodation budget is larger than most. We check the spoiled traveler boxes on AirBnb and sometimes pay five figures per month. We have had the same issues as you with their services. So don't feel guilty about dumping the b***yards. Because we have an attorney that can write a good letter we find them to be cowards when it may effect the bottom line.
Thanks for sharing your experience! We have been told that we get what we pay for which we disagree. No matter your budget you should get what you are told you are paying for, and Airbnb should back the customer. Thank you again for sharing your experience! 😊
@BrianandCarrie That has been our precise issue. They promise a swimming pool and you get a bird bath with no water in it and you cannot get new accomodations. Then a negotiation begins.
As a bookings stockholder, this is really great news for me. BTW they’re incredibly popular & huge internationally.
Its always better to shop around. Airbnb is not always the cheapest. And as a long time user I have noticed those no cancellation policies are a turn off for me.
Thanks for the info.
The big problem I have with Airbnb is that it is host centric and the guest get's the short end of the stick, if a host cancels last minute they get a slap on the wrist, by contrast a guest most often loses everything because most places are non-refundable. In my opinion if the guest is going to lose everything by cancelling last minute then so should the host. The money collected from the host should be given as compensation to the guest because often they are left high and dry looking for significantly more expensive options.
Also, I think Airbnb does not have it's priorities straight, it is the guest that is bringing money to the table and is the customer here, not the host.
Many hosts have commented that if they cancel, they can't re-book for that period of time. Great, but it still happens and costs the rental hundreds of dollars more on a last-minute rental. The consequences of canceling should be severe enough to where it doesn't happen at all.
I had that problem with VRBO! Three times my lodging was canceled by a host! They must have no consequences to canceling
@@BrianandCarrieWhat about situations where the previous guest(s) caused extensive damage or water pipes burst and there’s extra cleanup and repairs to do? The host is already losing money because they may have to cancel and you wanting to punish them further. Somethings are out of the hosts control.
That may be and is unfortunate. Every business has costs.
Great. FULLY AGREE WITH YOU. THANK YOU!!!!!!
Thank you for watching! We are so glad you agree!! 😊
Flatio is also worth considering as an AirBnB alternative.
Thank you!!
another hack I use is to google earth street view to see the actual location of the hotel. I wanna know if it's across the street from the city dump or the town zocolo! AirBnB doesn't disclose the precise location until the booking..deal breaker for us! Dan and Nancy Okanagan Valley BC
That's a great tip! Thank you for sharing, Dan and Nancy!!😊
I found ways to find the home or apt, on google earth so you can see what’s around. I little research goes a long way!!
We have been using Booking pretty much exclusively for the last 10 years for our European vacations. I always filter for a generous cancellation policy and I no longer feel the need to purchase travel insurance due to this.
That's great to hear that you've had such success with Booking.com and its cancellation policies! Booking is becoming our go-to although we search a lot on Expedia as well.
I agree with you. I use booking the most but expedia is very similiar.
Thank you for, watching Steve!
In an Airbnb apartment in Portland, Oregon the weather turned hot - 38 degrees centigrade and there was no air conditioning in the place. The host brought us two fans - wholly inadequate... it was a bad experience.
I have used Airbnb 3 times over the past 5 years. Experience was ok with two but last property had a gas leak and the owners tried to ignore it with a flimsy excuse. We agree the cancelation policy is non existent. My favorite type hotel to stay in is the extended stay or residence/apartment type hotels. They usually have small kitchens and some even have breakfast included. Depending on where we travel and how long we also get travel insurance.
Thanks for the great info! I travel quite a bit but never heard of the aparthotel. Nice option! Also any tips of the best clothes when living out of a carry on?
Glad it was helpful! We did a packing video last month that may give you some ideas. Here is the link. ruclips.net/video/R_BP45yKq4U/видео.html
Thank you for watching and safe travels! 😊
GREAT Tips!! Thanks!!
Thank you for watching, Michael!
I really like booking I've had great experiences and easy resolution to a few problems over the years!
Thanks for sharing, that's great to know.
I’ve stopped using Airbnb and I’m back using established hotels and hostels.
Expedia is also easy to use and super easy to contact service reps to help. I usually use the live chat. And besides free wine or discounts on accomodations, perks include discounts for food or some free service at the hotel. I found Airbnb really difficult to navigate and half the time trouble to get inside the accomodations. Hotels often have restaurant or are located much closer to things travelers want to see and as mentioned, checking in and getting in your room is easy because staff takes care of all rooms
Thank you for all of your insights and for watching the channel. We appreciate the support!! Happy New Year!! 😊
I Have booked many many trips with expedia. One downside is the problem of cancellation; yes they offer some hotels with free cancelations; but most require a fee.
100% agree with Air BnB not wanting to get between renters and landlords, even when it's obvious that they should take a simple stand:
While working (high school teacher) in CA, someone hacked my account and paid for a fun weekend in Miami. While I appreciate that AirBnB sent me a note to tell me that someone had changed my email (this is how I found out!), the lack of support from AirBnB in terms of not removing the negative comment the home owner left about me cancelling my reservation on the day of the rental was ridiculous! When I first received the email from AirBnB about my email address change, I called the homeowner and left two messages, I called the local police there, I called the local police here, I called Air BnB (who refunded the charges on my card), and my card issuer. The owner still left a negative review on my account. Air BnB refused to delete the owner's comments even though they gave me a refund for this fraud! They felt that I could write "my side of the story," if I wanted. My SIDE of the story? WTAF? Done with them.
That is crazy!! We would have left a review saying that the host is so un- attentive and un-a where that he didn't even realize it wasn't you!! 🤣