Remember the days when Air BnB swept through the travel scene, as shiny and bejeweled as Taylor Swift in her latest music video? Yeah, me too, it was ✨magical✨. Suddenly you could rent out an entire home for long stays. I even had a friend rent a home through Air BnB for her 3-month summer internship in a different state. She had an great time and saved a ton of money compared to an actual short term lease or a hotel stay.
While Air BnB/VRBO may still be viable for long term rentals, properties on Air BnB and VRBO are spiraling out of control quickly. Not only have cleaning fees increased exponentially (I remember the days where the average was about $35), but they basically want you to clean the entire place before you leave. Make it make sense. Therein lies the issue: it doesn’t make sense anymore. Now when I rent an Air BnB I have strict quiet hours, I might not get to park at the actual accommodation, I’m left with not only a chore list but sometimes lengthy instructions on just being allowed to stay there, and I’m paying exorbitant fees to top it all off. I do want to add that most times I’m seeing the service fee be the highest of all, and it seems to me that is set by Air BnB themselves.
The funny thing is we all abandoned hotels for Air BnB but, correct me if I’m wrong, I don’t remember hotels ever getting this far out of control. Sure, there were probably some outliers, but on a whole Hotels have allowed you to check in as late at night as you need to, asked you to be generally quiet after the normal time of 11pm, provided a pool, and they don’t make you check out any earlier than Air BnB will. The tables are certainly turning and hotels are coming out on top. You can get entire hotel suites for less than an Air BnB and you don’t have to clean up anything before you leave. (Don’t be a jerk and leave your room trashed, not cool).
The bottom line is sometimes Air BnB’s can workout better for a long term stay, but for a 3-5 day trip you will likely end up paying more fees, be at risk of having a high maintenance host, and potentially be less secure than you would in a hotel. Plus, with hotel chain rewards systems, most of which are free, you are racking up points towards free nights or discounts on future stays. I’m always a fan of getting more bang for my buck.
After having to stock my last air BnB with toilet paper and wash cloths I’m over it. Not to mention that when you have an issue you’re still dealing with Air BnB customer service and my experiences there have always gone poorly. In fact, I’ve gone so far as to delete the app off my phone. To bring this post full circle I will close with words from Taylor Swift: Sorry Air BnB, we are never getting back together. Like ever.
If you still prefer Air BnB or VRBO rentals, please let me know why they’re still redeemable in the comments.
Just and FYI, I’m a deal hunter first and foremost, so if I’m planning your road trip and Air BnB’s don’t irritate you, I will absolutely book or recommend ones to help you get where you want on the budget you need. Start here if you’d like me to plan your next road trip.
-Taysia