[Closed] Airbnb anyone use it ?

Yep it's fine. You need to look at photos like you'd look at photos on any property/hotel website to see what they're hiding but mostly my experiences have been good.

We've used them to very good effect.

Went all over california using air bnb.

No issues met some awesome people and much better places than hotels for the price

Used it a couple of times to good effect. Worked for us, the bnb owners seemed happy with using it too

Used it all over the world for the last 3 years, all been great experiences

Works very well in the States, used all round Japan, Europe and UK

Approach with an open mind and always read the reviews, all good otherwise, if a little weird at times

Yarp I booked 2 different apartments in Bangkok in Nov first time I had used it. However it was brilliant. As already said be cautious, look at pics and read.reviews, but we got some insane bargains! Used them Again and booked a big apartment in Maastricht for a week in July for a bunch of mates for Ironman, pics look awesome. Go for it.

Used in Nashville last year and was really good. Will be using again later this year when we go back to the states.

Once, tried several times.

For the stuff I've looked at with admin and cleaning charges they got too close to proper hotel/apartment prices to bother risking it. So don't just assume a bargain

Yes - family hols this year in France and all over IK for work.

Not a bad experience so far.

Used in Canada and Finland, good experiences for me. Do your research, read reviews for the accommodation and check the neighborhood out on street view. No different from booking a hotel really.

Used for our holidays in various places in the States, Portland, Seattle, Sonoma, Pismo Beach, Santa Monica, Carmel etc.

All good experiences, some great. People have been awesome and often leave little things like bottles of wine in your room etc.

I feel the service is still in its infancy and people are taking pride in the experience they offer and also enjoying meeting new people. As soon as it starts getting abused then this might change.

Personally I always feel a little obliged to interact with the owners of the property, and one confessed that her only negative experiences had been with people treating it a little [i]too[/i] much like a hotel room and not like a room in someone's house. Thankfully we always enjoyed hanging out with the owners even if just for a drink when we got in at night or for coffee over breakfast.

Used in USA and France, all booked at short notice. very very good experiences so far.

Used it quite a bit. Stayed in some fantastic places for not a lot of money. Just go for places with good reviews and do your research and its fine.

Watch for scams as there Air bnb won't assist in getting money back

we use it for all our holidays and letting out beudybanc barn,
very good indeed, feedback system for guests and owners works well.

As a side issue..
http://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/uber-airbnb-reveal-they-send-profits-offshore-20151006-gk2v5z.html
Yes Aussie paper but it will still hold true, another who route all cash through the lighter tax bills of Ireland and don't pay tax in the country the revenue was generated so another blow for the UK economy (or any economy except Ireland or the Netherlands)

Question for those like dti - do you have to do any safety inspections etc. to set up with airbnb?

It is a little bit crazy in Hong Kong.

Check out [url= https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/8035581?s=DU33JB6o ]this lady[/url], who is seriously renting out the bunk bed, [u]in her bedroom[/u], to strangers. Which is fine because "[i]im also staying in the same room but im friendly,nice,kind and knows how to respect privacy...[/i]"

😯

Used it loads (at least once a month this year) as a guest only had to leave one bad review as property was not suitable and had to find a travelodge. No help from air bnb when I complained.

Friends let their properties sometimes and complain about guests not turning up. No help from air bnb.

So on the whole good from both guest and owner point of view, just no assistance when things don't work out.

No help from air bnb when I complained.

I went riding one weekend and turned up in the south of France on a Saturday evening to find the keys to the place I'd rented were locked in a closed restaurant. I called the owner, he said he was away which was why his studio was rented and had nobody who could liberate the keys. I called Airbnb and despite me being in a quiet French town which was already winding down wished me good luck in finding a place to stay.

As it turned out the owner booked me a hotel for the night at his cost until he could get me the keys, refunded me the entire stay and it was fine. Airbnb ultimately not only refunded me the entire stay but compensated me for the cost of the hotel and my dinner (I sent the hotel cost to the flat owner). Their initial reaction was shit. However I tend to judge companies by how it all washes out. That said, I'd have hated to be somewhere I didn't speak the language when it all goes wrong.

I'm thinking about using Airbnb to book accommodation for the USA 2017 eclipse (and holiday thereon).

I am nervous that nearer the time the host will cancel my booking and relet at much higher price leaving me without accommodation.

We use it almost weekly as hosts (simple double room in a 2 bed flat in swindon) and it seems to attract lots of interesting but definitely decent people- not had a bad experience in 2 years as a host. The key we have found is good communication before and during the stay- arrival times, a little tour of how stuff works etc. we now get a few return guests who travel a lot for work etc, so it's a good way to pay for shiny bike bits.

Used it as a guest in Canada and the UK, and will continue to do so. Met a huge range of people, and always been very welcoming and accommodating.

I agree that this type of thing is still in its infancy, and may be diluted/ abused more in the future- when booking I try to go for certain things and avoid others- sometimes people with multiple listings rings alarm bells, and as above if it's just a normal holiday let then it will be at least the same price as booked through other means.

Don't know if its still an issue, but we couldn't book through Airbnb 18 months ago when we tried as we didn't do facebook. I was a bit gobsmacked by that.

Used it a bunch of times all over the world, but have only had one poor experience where the owner was a bit expansive about the condition of the flat. For example, describing having a condenser in a room as "air conditioned flat" and charging us a cleaning fee when he'd not cleaned it in anticipation of our arrival.

Watch out for seasonal pricing when booking, because the price you see may vary and it is not reflected in the price on the image when you see the listing.

Complain immediately within the first 24 hours if there's anything not to your liking. The prices these days (especially in cities) is equal to or more than a decent hotel, but looking on some hosting forums there is a bit of an entitlement mentality amongst some of them.

I'd definitely use the service again, but I'd not discount hotels and I'd be a lot quicker to complain in the future given the prices.

My brother-in-law had the strangest Air BnB experience a few weeks ago - staying on the sofa bed in a student's living room, met them and dropped his stuff off, went to a party nearby, came back in the wee hours, went to bed and then got woken at 4am by the renter shouting "get the **** out of my house" with a couple of her housemates standing behind her looking threatening. Confused and still drunk he scarpered and slept in his car... He seemed really shaken up by the whole thing when he was recounting his experience over Xmas.