Airbnb and Vrbo are going downhill like a hippo on a water slide
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Airbnb and Vrbo are going downhill like a hippo on a water slide
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Re: Airbnb and Vrbo are going downhill like a hippo on a water slide
#2> Now? I can’t remember when we were actually in somebody’s home. It’s always somebody’s side hustle. They own 10 of them and live six hours away and they don’t give a dead rodent about you. The decor is always Early Target. You got a complaint? Send an email and we’ll get back to you. Maybe by Thanksgiving.
> And while they’re penny-pinching on what you get, they’re dollar-grubbing on what you have to pay. You need a second job to pay for the maid service alone. Lately, they’ve stopped leaving soap. We’re paying for WiFi right now (20 euros a day). We stayed in a place in Rome once that gave us two towels for two weeks. No hand towels, no face towels, no bath towels. Just two in-between towels that looked like they’d been washed in the first aqueduct.
Why is the market failing here? Why is it that people with spare bedrooms or in-law suites aren’t beating the prices of professional - essentially mini-hotel owners? Or are they they just get booked to quickly.
Re: Airbnb and Vrbo are going downhill like a hippo on a water slide
#3> Now? I can’t remember when we were actually in somebody’s home. It’s always somebody’s side hustle. They own 10 of them and live six hours away and they don’t give a dead rodent about you. The decor is always Early Target. You got a complaint? Send an email and we’ll get back to you. Maybe by Thanksgiving. > And while they’re penny-pinching on what you get, they’re dollar-grubbing on what you have to pay. You need…
Because these platforms competed with hotels and other commercial lodging, not couch surfing. Cost of capital has gone up, short term renters don’t want to offer any amenities to renters (because lodging is both a real estate and services biz), and here we are. Another casualty of ZIRP ending, resulting in the stretch for returns through decline in quality provided. They see their customers as sponges to squeeze, because what are you going to do? Complain to AirBnB? Just like Spirit Airlines, a lot of folks will still use it and grumble.
Re: Airbnb and Vrbo are going downhill like a hippo on a water slide
#4> Now? I can’t remember when we were actually in somebody’s home. It’s always somebody’s side hustle. They own 10 of them and live six hours away and they don’t give a dead rodent about you. The decor is always Early Target. You got a complaint? Send an email and we’ll get back to you. Maybe by Thanksgiving. > And while they’re penny-pinching on what you get, they’re dollar-grubbing on what you have to pay. You need…
To be a genuinely good Airbnb host and offer your home at a fair price, two things are usually required:
1. A well-furnished, comfortable home — which often comes with a higher income bracket.
2. The time, energy, and motivation to handle hosting duties — managing logistics, cleaning, communication, etc.
The problem is, those two qualities rarely overlap. People with high-quality homes often have demanding careers or other priorities and don’t want the uncertainty or effort of renting to strangers — especially when guest quality can vary a lot.
That’s partly why platforms like Kindred are interesting. They focus on home exchanges, not rentals, so everyone involved is both a guest and a host. That creates better alignment in expectations and care. There’s no pricing involved, no taxes, and a built-in sense of trust — since it’s a mutual exchange.
It’s not a perfect solution, but it shifts the dynamic in a way that feels more human and less transactional.
If you’re curious, here’s a referral link with 5 free credits: https://livekindred.com?invite_code=MOH.AZI
Re: Airbnb and Vrbo are going downhill like a hippo on a water slide
#5Archive article
Re: Airbnb and Vrbo are going downhill like a hippo on a water slide
#6Archive article
Correct article:
Re: Airbnb and Vrbo are going downhill like a hippo on a water slide
#7> Now? I can’t remember when we were actually in somebody’s home. It’s always somebody’s side hustle. They own 10 of them and live six hours away and they don’t give a dead rodent about you. The decor is always Early Target. You got a complaint? Send an email and we’ll get back to you. Maybe by Thanksgiving. > And while they’re penny-pinching on what you get, they’re dollar-grubbing on what you have to pay. You need…
Because these platforms competed with hotels and other commercial lodging, not couch surfing. Cost of capital has gone up, short term renters don’t want to offer any amenities to renters (because lodging is both a real estate and services biz), and here we are. Another casualty of ZIRP ending, resulting in the stretch for returns through decline in quality provided. They see their customers as sponges to squeeze, bec…
No; because it's late-stage capitalism. People are looking to make a buck and you can't maximize your return unless you nickle and dime everyone, especially when you need to take on the risk of renting your place out to random assholes.
I do Rover on the side; largely because I went through a divorce and I can't really afford a dog of my own--I might as well get paid to watch someone else's, right? The good thing about Rover is that I do a 'meet and greet' before I agree to host the animal and I know that the owner has to pay in advance, even with the platform taking a massive cut. This gives me great peace of mind that I will get along w/the dog; they will get along with me; and I will get paid at the end of it.
In the case of Airbnb, you don't have that luxury. You are handing over your, likely, biggest financial asset, to a stranger. While you know you're going to get paid, you're likely going to be missing things, have things broken/destroyed, and/or have to deal with nitpicky assholes about every little thing (on both sides).
I have never had a ENTIRELY poor experience with Airbnb (or Vrbo for that matter) but I have been disappointed a bit at times. Take, for example, the off-the-grid cabin I rented over the winter w/my gf. We knew there was going to be an outhouse; what we didn't expect was that it was going to be VERY full, to the point that I chose not to use it for anything but to take a piss, as I was worried I'd touch the pile w/my ass. When I told the owner that, they didn't even reply--as if my expectations were too high that I didn't want to have my ass or junk touch a pile of someone else's shit. My poor gf didn't have the same luxury I did; however, at least she didn't have something hanging down into the very full tank.
I go out of my way when I watch dogs on Rover to be kind, empathetic, thoughtful, and to care for the dogs like I would care for my own. I'm certain there are Airbnb owners that are like me on Rover, but you get lost in the mix with those who do it and are late, incommunicado, and return your dog with bite and other red marks--as I've been told by owners who thought I was going above and beyond while I thought I was just following the golden rule.
YMMV.
Re: Airbnb and Vrbo are going downhill like a hippo on a water slide
#8> Now? I can’t remember when we were actually in somebody’s home. It’s always somebody’s side hustle. They own 10 of them and live six hours away and they don’t give a dead rodent about you. The decor is always Early Target. You got a complaint? Send an email and we’ll get back to you. Maybe by Thanksgiving. > And while they’re penny-pinching on what you get, they’re dollar-grubbing on what you have to pay. You need…
This is why I have always just gotten a hotel.
Everyone I know who AirBNBs has horror stories. I've never had a hotel horror story. I've had minor disappointments but always the hotel went out of their accommodate me or my credit card company would have if they failed to meet their obligations.
Even for the niche reasons some people AirBNB for (large groups, extended stays), I've always found niche hotels offering the same. Even before AirBNB existed I could do things like book out an apartment-style hotel in Reykjavik to house 40 people for a week. That place is still operating now even.
Re: Airbnb and Vrbo are going downhill like a hippo on a water slide
#9The problem is owners rent out their space and try to do all the work from afar. Cleaners are rented and just do what their told. No one really inspects the place between guests. No one maintains anything. It's just maximal profit extraction which turns everything into crap.
I would never rent out my home or extra dwelling without greeting the guests in person, being available for assistance, and maybe even showing up at checkout time.
Re: Airbnb and Vrbo are going downhill like a hippo on a water slide
#10> Now? I can’t remember when we were actually in somebody’s home. It’s always somebody’s side hustle. They own 10 of them and live six hours away and they don’t give a dead rodent about you. The decor is always Early Target. You got a complaint? Send an email and we’ll get back to you. Maybe by Thanksgiving. > And while they’re penny-pinching on what you get, they’re dollar-grubbing on what you have to pay. You need…
This is why I have always just gotten a hotel. Everyone I know who AirBNBs has horror stories. I've never had a hotel horror story. I've had minor disappointments but always the hotel went out of their accommodate me or my credit card company would have if they failed to meet their obligations. Even for the niche reasons some people AirBNB for (large groups, extended stays), I've always found niche hotels offering th…
I mostly agree. But I have a couple of horror stories about staying in hotels too.
The main thing about hotels is that you rarely book them for a week or a month. So if it's bad, it's usually easy to leave. Also, it's a business, so sometimes they care about their reputation.
Airbnb used to be good, but it's been awful for a while now. I'm not saying it's all bad, but it's mostly bad. If property rating is plummeting, they can simply reset and relist the property - Airbnb doesn't punish such behaviour. Unfortunately, if you need to stay somewhere long term, there are no global alternatives to Airbnb.