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Ahead of IPO, Airbnb achieves profitability for second year in a row

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Re: Ahead of IPO, Airbnb achieves profitability for second year in a row

#181

Post by radicality »

atombender wrote: post #132
warp_factor wrote: post #113

I'm a regular user of Airbnbs AND hotels. I usually prefer staying in hotels and will look for Airbnb only as a second choice. Reasons are: - Price is usually higher on Airbnb. - Airbnb crazy fees for multiple people, cleaning scam, outrageous service fees etc. - Inconvenience to not have a 24H reception where I can get my keys. The real genius of Airbnb is that they convinced a lot of people that they shouldn't look…

They are different experiences. AirBnB can give you an entire place to yourself, complete with a fully equipped kitchen, multiple rooms, facilities such as a pool, balcony, and so on. An AirBnB is often located where people actually live, not in the middle of a busy downtown. With a hotel, you get... a hotel room. There are some great hotels out there that stand out in many ways, especially if you're very wealthy, bu…

I think you’re just staying at boring hotels? If I’m travelling somewhere I’ll actually try and find a unique hotel/property - I consider it part of the experience itself. I never get the “we can go for cheap option because we’ll be visiting the city/area”. After all the fees the nicer AirBnbs usually end up more expensive than nice hotel. (Two sites I sometimes use for hotels that are still in the relatively affordable category and not just for ultra wealthy - slh.com and Relais&Chateaux)

Re: Ahead of IPO, Airbnb achieves profitability for second year in a row

#182

Post by baddox »

yarone wrote: post #172
warp_factor wrote: post #113

I'm a regular user of Airbnbs AND hotels. I usually prefer staying in hotels and will look for Airbnb only as a second choice. Reasons are: - Price is usually higher on Airbnb. - Airbnb crazy fees for multiple people, cleaning scam, outrageous service fees etc. - Inconvenience to not have a 24H reception where I can get my keys. The real genius of Airbnb is that they convinced a lot of people that they shouldn't look…

My (newly substantiated) reason for choosing a hotel room: - Security Just stayed in an AirBnb that was broken-into during our stay. Window smashed, laptops stolen when we were gone for a couple hours. It feels like we were watched when we arrived, were observed to leave, and then robbed. We were shaken and ran-off to a hotel. Really appreciated the hotel staff, secured elevator, anonymity of it all (lots of undiffer…

That sounds like an awful experience, but I would guess that you’re much likelier to be a victim of theft at a hotel than at a residential home.

Re: Ahead of IPO, Airbnb achieves profitability for second year in a row

#183

Post by CaptainZapp »

warp_factor wrote: post #113

I'm a regular user of Airbnbs AND hotels. I usually prefer staying in hotels and will look for Airbnb only as a second choice. Reasons are: - Price is usually higher on Airbnb. - Airbnb crazy fees for multiple people, cleaning scam, outrageous service fees etc. - Inconvenience to not have a 24H reception where I can get my keys. The real genius of Airbnb is that they convinced a lot of people that they shouldn't look…

After having a couple of neighbors straight across the hall that illegally (meaning without knowledge of them being there by the landlord or the authorities) sub leased the place for 4 month thought it's a good idea to turn their sublease into an illegal hotel I will never, ever again stay in an AirBnb.

Unless you have experienced this personally you can't imagine the impact on your quality of life of such action in a multi party dwelling.

Re: Ahead of IPO, Airbnb achieves profitability for second year in a row

#184

Post by CaptainZapp »

magnetic wrote: post #160
warp_factor wrote: post #113

I'm a regular user of Airbnbs AND hotels. I usually prefer staying in hotels and will look for Airbnb only as a second choice. Reasons are: - Price is usually higher on Airbnb. - Airbnb crazy fees for multiple people, cleaning scam, outrageous service fees etc. - Inconvenience to not have a 24H reception where I can get my keys. The real genius of Airbnb is that they convinced a lot of people that they shouldn't look…

Do you have kids? There's something really nice about being able to cook in an AirBnB, after the kids have taken their showers and are in their PJs, and all sit around the table as a family, and then have them do the bed routine shortly after, perhaps after watching a bit of TV. At a hotel, you generally have to at least exit your room to go to the restaurant in the hotel... which breaks the whole "family groove" and…

There's a solution for that and it's called room service.

Re: Ahead of IPO, Airbnb achieves profitability for second year in a row

#185

Post by speedplane »

CaptainZapp wrote: post #183
warp_factor wrote: post #113

I'm a regular user of Airbnbs AND hotels. I usually prefer staying in hotels and will look for Airbnb only as a second choice. Reasons are: - Price is usually higher on Airbnb. - Airbnb crazy fees for multiple people, cleaning scam, outrageous service fees etc. - Inconvenience to not have a 24H reception where I can get my keys. The real genius of Airbnb is that they convinced a lot of people that they shouldn't look…

After having a couple of neighbors straight across the hall that illegally (meaning without knowledge of them being there by the landlord or the authorities) sub leased the place for 4 month thought it's a good idea to turn their sublease into an illegal hotel I will never, ever again stay in an AirBnb. Unless you have experienced this personally you can't imagine the impact on your quality of life of such action in…

The original "idea" of AirBnB was to offer travelers a much more unique and personal travel experience, staying in someone's home, rather than a generic and bland hotel. That still exists on AirBnb, but it doesn't scale to the level AirBnB needs to become a publicly traded accommodation accompany.

To scale up, the focus changed to inexpensive low-service accommodations with little character, or regard for the surrounding community. AirBnB is eating itself in the name of growth. In theory, it was a great idea, and I have no doubt it'll continue to make money in its current incarnation, but it's not building what it set out to create.

Re: Ahead of IPO, Airbnb achieves profitability for second year in a row

#186

Post by nafey »

baddox wrote: post #182
yarone wrote: post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My (newly substantiated) reason for choosing a hotel room: - Security Just stayed in an AirBnb that was broken-into during our stay. Window smashed, laptops stolen when we were gone for a couple hours. It feels like we were watched when we arrived, were observed to leave, and then robbed. We were shaken and ran-off to a hotel. Really appreciated the hotel staff, secured elevator, anonymity of it all (lots of undiffer…

That sounds like an awful experience, but I would guess that you’re much likelier to be a victim of theft at a hotel than at a residential home.

What causes that impression? The average hotel is more secure than average house.

Re: Ahead of IPO, Airbnb achieves profitability for second year in a row

#187

Post by speedplane »

baddox wrote: post #182
yarone wrote: post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My (newly substantiated) reason for choosing a hotel room: - Security Just stayed in an AirBnb that was broken-into during our stay. Window smashed, laptops stolen when we were gone for a couple hours. It feels like we were watched when we arrived, were observed to leave, and then robbed. We were shaken and ran-off to a hotel. Really appreciated the hotel staff, secured elevator, anonymity of it all (lots of undiffer…

That sounds like an awful experience, but I would guess that you’re much likelier to be a victim of theft at a hotel than at a residential home.

> I would guess that you’re much likelier to be a victim of theft at a hotel than at a residential [AirBnB] home

This seems like a made up guess, hotels have security and 24x7 surveillance and staffing. Further, at a hotel, there are folks you can turn to. AirBnB's service department is invisible. AirBnB's online complaint process feels more like a trial which places the burden of proof on the customer, rather than a hotel, whose employee's often go out of their way to make things right.

For example, if you're harmed at a decent hotel, the staff will call the cops on your behalf and do their own investigation. AirBnB will more likely require you to submit a completed police report to their online portal before they start to look into it.

Re: Ahead of IPO, Airbnb achieves profitability for second year in a row

#188

Post by baddox »

speedplane wrote: post #187
baddox wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That sounds like an awful experience, but I would guess that you’re much likelier to be a victim of theft at a hotel than at a residential home.

> I would guess that you’re much likelier to be a victim of theft at a hotel than at a residential [AirBnB] home This seems like a made up guess, hotels have security and 24x7 surveillance and staffing. Further, at a hotel, there are folks you can turn to. AirBnB's service department is invisible. AirBnB's online complaint process feels more like a trial which places the burden of proof on the customer, rather than a…

It is absolutely a guess. I can’t find any statistics. Hotels feel less safe to me because by definition there are many parties who have access to your room.

Re: Ahead of IPO, Airbnb achieves profitability for second year in a row

#189

Post by baddox »

nafey wrote: post #186
baddox wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That sounds like an awful experience, but I would guess that you’re much likelier to be a victim of theft at a hotel than at a residential home.

What causes that impression? The average hotel is more secure than average house.

What makes you think that? By definition, there are several parties who have access to the rooms in a hotel.

Re: Ahead of IPO, Airbnb achieves profitability for second year in a row

#190

Post by nafey »

baddox wrote: post #189
nafey wrote: post #186

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What causes that impression? The average hotel is more secure than average house.

What makes you think that? By definition, there are several parties who have access to the rooms in a hotel.

Point taken, but hotel will almost always have a paid security person as opposed to a home which will not.
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