@brianandcarrie Just downloaded your checklist!! Thank you! How about building a community on your website where all of us slow travellers share the airbnb links where we stay - we’d know there are reliable reviews.
We do have a community that we are building, Julie and would love to have you a part of it. Great idea on sharing links to accommodations!! Here is the link: www.patreon.com/brianandcarrie?Link&
Just found your channel. A lot of really good information. I have to say though, she dominates the conversation and almost seems irritated when her husband comments. Her talking continuously was really annoying. Let the guy talk! OMG!! It takes him forever to get to the point but, even when he finally does get a chance to say something, she constantly cuts him off. Not a good idea saying it was all your fault if you want your money back. If he ever sued you, you've just admitted it was all your fault. 🤔 Won't watch again. She can't stop talking and talks fast and, he doesn't get a chance to talk and when he does, he talks sooooo slow!
The whole AirBNB thing never sat well with me. It feels like putting all of your eggs in one basket. At a hotel you can get a new room and even maybe an upgrade if you have the slightest problem with the initial room. There’s safety in numbers. If you are an AirBNB renter and do anything to upset the owner/host they know where you are staying. I also get super freaked out by the fact that there isn’t anything to prevent previous renters from making a copy of the keys and randomly walking in without ‘breaking in’.
@infinitelyblessed1778 the Airbnb I stayed at there is a keypad to enter with a code that's sent to my phone. Once you enter there is a digital concierge that tells you about the password for the internet.
How do you know if the AirBNB host ever changes the code? I watched an interview of an AirBNB host that was asked if she ever changed the locks or access codes and she said no. She didn’t seem the least bit concerned about the safety of her guests. It didn’t sit well with me.
@@infinitelyblessed1778 My sisters and I took a trip recently to a very high-traffic part of a popular tourist city. The host at our Airbnb set of the door code to Unit 1 to "1111", Unit 2 to "2222", etc. You'd better believe we had something to say about that! I sincerely doubt he'll ever change them, though.
As a solo female traveler, this is why I rarely use AirBnbs. I'm a strong, resourceful woman but this sort of situation would feel extremely vulnerable and unsafe if faced alone.
@@ShaneRobinsonArtist Facebook groups has great recommendation, sometimes friends mouth to mouth and randomly travel websites.but I asked you if he same question since you stated you are solo traveler already
@@ShaneRobinsonArtist - depends on where I am. I often use points for cheap hotel stays. Or hostels. I prefer places where other people are nearby rather than private homes where you're at the owner's mercy.
My wife just had to try this. The place was filthy, freezing cold with no heat, no soap in the bathroom, AND the owners lived downstairs and got into an argument at 2 in the morning. We had to move into a hotel the next morning. She learned her lesson, I'll say that much. I think a lot of these "hosts" are broke and not able to do even simple repairs on their dilapidated homes.
I love how they finish each other's sentences and agree on what the other person says, even when interrupted. Seems like a wonderful marriage - they're friends.
My wife and I are using hotels for both short and long stays. Homewood Suites by Hilton offers a bedroom, a living room and a kitchen with a full sized refrigerator. Long term stay (4 nights or more) discounts and Hilton honors points earned are substantial. There is no long contract.
I stopped using air bnb as a solo female traveller…..there’s no real security if god forbid anything unpleasant /scary happened. Not travelling for the foreseeable future but that’s due to grandchildren!
This is why I don't like air bnb. As a solo traveler, I would rather stay in a hotel. More people around, better security. Air bnb to me is for families. Plus, it is someone else's home and THEY have the keys to their OWN home. Even though they aren't supposed to come in when they have guests staying there. It just makes me uneasy. And I have stayed in a few airbnb with my daughter who loves them.
Air B & B should have a check list of items like light bulbs, hot water, wifi that must be submitted by a host back to them as a sign-off to say it's all good before every tenant and if you get there and any of it is out of order, they're held accountable, fined, or dismissed over time from the platform. There should be a higher bar as a minimum standard.
My last Airbnb stay, in Melaque Mexico never had hot water. The pots and pans scratched and warped and no dish soap. The bathroom faucet was hanging down into the sink. Even I could fix that with the right tool. The most disgusting thing was when I took off the sheets on my last day and saw the absolutely filthy mattress, I lost it. The host asked if I’d like to stay longer. I really told her off and how disgusting the entire home was. 3 nights for 1000 pesos a night (about $60 x 3 = $180.) I didn’t even fight it, just get out. Hey… I live in Mexico, so I know how it is here.
I completely agree!!! Airbnb really needs to do that. I am a Super host and I would be fine with that! Some hosts are Bad and should not be in the game.
@@denisefitzgerald7653 Read my comment above. Our HORRIBLE experience was with a "SUPER HOST" too. This title means nothing to us now. Fake reviews is all we can think happened in our situation.
As a travel nurse, I’ve used AirBnB, Furnished Finders, etc. They all have pluses and minuses; I’m always amazed when I walk into a place that clearly needs help. I understand that most owners rarely visit their rentals, but that is a fatal flaw. They have some grand expectation that their cleaning crew will notice errors and make them aware: THEY DON’T! I’m in an AirBnB right now that did not meet initial expectations. Thankfully, this is the exception. My husband and I have used AirBnB’s around the world, from Brazil to Estonia. We have an excellent track record because we follow the rules, and leave a place the way we’d want to find it. You do get what you pay for most of the time, and my host was grateful for my communication. Hosts need to do walk-throughs a lot more often than they think. I appreciate that you’ve shared your experience. It helps 100%.
Totally agree, a walk through (thourogh) would solve many issues. The reliance on having housekeeping report everything is silly as it's really not their job. Thanks so much for watching 😊
I just started taking care of Airbnb in late February, the owner lives on another coast and the occupants have been both traveling nurses, my present nurse is my total responsibility, we meet and greet an do a walk through!
When as a host you solely view your property as a source of income without taking into account the care and comfort of your guests, then you don't need to be in the business and ought to seriously consider getting out.
Thank you for sharing. We just went through similar situation with the Airbnb host in Italy. It was our first time contacting Airbnb and complained about the host and we didn’t know we could get our money back. We were too trusting with our host telling us everyday that the jackhammering above us would stop and when we moved in he told us they are just painting the building. By the 4th day after hearing the host telling us the noises would stop today but we still hearing the jackhammer and felling the vibration we decided to contact Airbnb, which later on we learned we should’ve contacted Airbnb from day one. So not only the host denied all the lying but he wrote a nasty review about me. Lesson learned!
Our worst Airbnb had no water for 36 hours…. no refund/discount. The next worse one a piece of the ceiling fell on me. Another one the BBQ was filthy, the patio doors were broken, there was no cutlery at all! The HO blamed her husband and son…. another place had cameras. That was the last time for us…
Airbnb host since 2016 and my guests are treated as VIP guests… 1. Basket of fruit, candies, and bottles of water on arrival 2. An entire linen closet filled with towels, blankets, pillowcases, blankets and throws and multiple rolls (24-pack) toilet paper. 3. New or updated…and working appliances 4. Keurig coffee maker with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, etc 5. White glove cleaned house…habit from spending 10 years in the USMC 6. Basket in bathroom filled with soaps, Kleenex, shampoo, shaving cream and disposable razors, lotions, wipes, body wash, toothbrush and tooth paste…just in case guests forgot their own. 7. All linen, pillows, mattress pads, blankets and comforters are pulled and washed after each guest stay is complete. 8. I NEVER book a guest within 24 hours of prior guest leaving…this gives me time to thoroughly clean, prepare, inspect and replenish necessary supplies or equipment. 9. Each guest/family has a code to enter. Each code is DELETED after checkout. 10. My motto…”Give guest MORE than they pay for!!!” ***As a result, I’m able to give excellent reviews…and I receive excellent reviews*** HOWEVER…I rarely book Airbnb as a guest anymore because the cost, the inconsistent cleanliness and the cost prohibitive “cleaning” fee makes it more cost effective to book a hotel. Furthermore, when I book hotels, I don’t have to sleep sitting up because little Mickey Mouse and family are playing “tag” under my bed…nor do I have to shower with my socks on because there are Petrie dish experiments taking place in the bathroom and shower😅
@@CherylthPearl thank you for proving my point, when Airbnb hosts themselves aren’t booking accommodation due to the variability it says something, and is I feel a tipping point. I expect you personally have a lot of repeat customers so well done and thank you for being at the top of the pile! A rare ‘pearl’ amongst mostly stony grit these days.
@@imnitguy we’d booked ahead on an 8 week trip and in between we had good places…. but afterwards we assessed the ratio of good to bad and decided the bad ones had spoilt those parts of the trip in a way stealing our peace of mind as we became trepidatious each time we arrived at a new place, it was dammed stressful. 😥
I’m so glad I saw this. My husband works for a company who often rents Airbnbs for their employees when work takes them out of town. To make a long story short we made the 2.5 hour drive over to pick up the keys a couple days before the guys all came to stay. My husband asked a few questions but we didn’t look in the kitchen cabinets or anything . There’s usually 6-7 guys staying at this beautiful home. Here’s SOME of the things that were missing. There was only ONE bed!! No pots & pans or silverware, NO FURNITURE! It’s an empty house!! Mind you the company paid them $30k for the guys to stay for 6 months. I told my husband that this is more like a rental not an airbnb!! Anyway, they are staying there still. I won’t get into details but all is fine but for anyone who reads this please do your due diligence unlike we did.
This kinda hosts despise me. I myself is a superhost and I take it seriously. I appreciate the guests chose to stay at my place while they’re away from heir homes. I ensure their stay worthwhile. Like they mentioned in the video, I often stay in my airbnb to make sure everything is working as expected, regularly check any missing items, etc. I’m happy when guests are happy. Reading their positive reviews always make my day.
I once stayed in an airbnb where the toilet was in the kitchen. Not in an enclosed space within the kitchen, but IN the kitchen. You could sit there and fry eggs at the same time. And the amazing thing was that the place had about 35 reviews and nobody had mentioned it. There was even a review from a couple who said they had stayed there for a month!! Not only was there no privacy in the apartment - if you forgot to close the curtain whilst you were doing your business, the neighbours could see in too and it overlooked a busy neighbourhood. Of course I made sure I mentioned it in my review, but some people had already booked the place before my review came out (I guess) and they were appalled too. So yes, check the pictures carefully and if there is no toilet in the bathroom maybe ask where it is.
My uncle had a home where the commode was separated from the shower & 2nd sink. It was a strange setup in a traditional brick home 🏡, but I would never have thought 💭 of a kitchen. Oh my!
The corporate world lost some amazing critical thinking solution oriented talent when you retired. Grateful to be on the receiving end. Super helpful content. Thank you.
We had a place that was shared with friends, at night our room smelled like dog poo, we couldn't find the source, we had to assume it was on the underside of our mattress. Another place had water leaking all over the floor at night. Another, got in late at night and no toilet paper or any paper products! I'm a hotel person now!
As an AirBNB host, pillows are my nemesis. It is not always that easy. My house is on a small island in the Bahamas. There is only one “department store” that is more like a dollar store. They only sell cheap pillows. I can get pillows shipped to the island but it is very expensive and they still need to be replaced every few months and you’re expected to have at least four pillows per bed. Also, 90% of my guests ask for early check in. I try to accommodate them as much as possible, but it might mean that the cleaner doesn’t have time to check every light bulb - they should in a small place but mine is on the larger side. We will certainly provide as soon as we become aware, but it is very difficult to find every tiny problem in a short time. That said, communication and follow up is the key. I’ve never had a review less than a five star even though there are sometimes small problems. Also, there are many things we don’t any any control over. If the city turns the water off for repairs or whatever, we don’t have any control over that.
could you maybe invest in some higher quality washable pillows, that way they can be cleaned instead of replaced. it may cost more upfront but it will make a world of difference to the guests
I've only just started watching this .I wonder if this pair are the ones who demand early check in AND late check out.Expecting an extra eight hours use of facilities?Booking 4 guests,14 go in.Breaking stuff and hiding it?
I also check the window glass (cracks) and screens for cuts. I take photos of everything as soon as we walk in the door - they are time stamped, so are a good resource for disputs. I always, even in hotels and traditional B&B's, flush toilets and run the tub and sinks right away, to check for proper function. I also check over the furniture for stains and broken feet or arms - I don't want to be charged for damage. And on leaving, I document by doing a video walk through, even to the point where we are locking up and departing. I am not paying a single penny for something I am not responsible for. :)
@@tamarasmith1023 Only I do it in hotels also. I have read horror stories of people who left less than positive reviews - and then were charged for made-up things after the fact. It only takes two or three minutes of my time, and protects me. It's worth the few minutes.
@@LadyG. You cannot trust the reviews bc they have their friends and family give them false ratings. The guys we stayed with in NYC several years ago tried to accuse my teenage grandson of peeing on an already stained, icy mattress!
My husband and I have been traveling full-time for more than 6 years. We’ve had a few bad experiences with Airbnb (including with Superhosts 🙄). If we decide to stay one month or more somewhere, we book a hotel room and take the time to visit apartments. This allows us to not only visit the place but also have a look at the neighbourhood/street/surroundings/transportation. Granted it can be time-consuming but it’s worth the effort to find a place we’re comfortable with especially if we’ll be staying for several weeks. Also, it’s easier to deal with “problems” in a hotel during those few days than to stay in a “bad” Airbnb. In short, staying in a hotel has saved us a lot of hassle! 😬 Unfortunately, most Airbnb’s aren’t set-up for long-term stays. 🤷🏻♀️ Also, we’ve learned not to trust 5-star reviews (for any accommodation) or Superhosts in certain countries. 😉 Happy travels!
It unfortunate that this would be necessary, but it seems many do what you do as well. We've been quite fortunate with many of our stays so we feel fortunate. And the concern is always arriving and then not finding a place for a month as most are booked up, easier in off season though. We may start looking at doing something similar in off season and still book in advance during high season. Cheers!!
I’d never stay in an Airbnb , their app was deleted . Had a holiday booked and they cancelled it 2 days before we were due to leave , blaming a burst pipe . Yet found the property re-advertised at a higher rate. I kicked off that much the refunded immediately and not the 30 day refund they stated . Problem is they can cancel with no repercussions yet if we’d have cancelled we’d have lost money
I had an owner do the same thing like a day before we were leaving. We were traveling to a rocket launch so there was not much wiggle room time wise. The owner/ host canceled b/c I had asked a couple of questions about the area! Glad it worked out in the end though but still soured on the experience.
How there can be no repercussions, idk. As a superhost of 7 years, I’m well aware that cancelling a reservation it is the kiss of death losing your superhost status. I’ve only once had to do it due to a serious plumbing issue and I had to prove it with a copy of the bill from my plumber on business receipt.
My husband and I are Airbnb Super hosts 10 yrs multiple properties in Idaho. We check everything constantly to make sure it works great. As an Airbnb frequent traveler I check everything the minute I arrive and I videotape and photograph everything just to be diligent. I have only had a few bad experiences many, many years ago due to in experience.
It's so important for host to have a checklist after each guests leave. I've arrived at Airbnb's where the battery to the remote control was dead, lamps did not work, then there's the bathroom grime, and other minor annoyances.
That's so great to hear that you do that not only at your own property, but when you travel as well. You sound like wonderful hosts that totally deserve the superhost title 😊
No one does customer service like the USA. I have lived and traveled all over the world and it really doesn’t matter the country; expectations need to be much lower. Ask anyone from another country and they will tell you, Americans provide the best service because they care about service and repeat business. Other countries just don’t get sales, marketing and building a reputation that brings more customers and therefore greater profits. 🤷🏼♀️
Excellent video. I can relate. I have booked one Airbnb in my life and that experience alone swore me off Airbnb ever again. I might reconsider by being more careful in my own due diligence for my next trip but "buyer beware." Thanks for the checklist.
I have another tip for reviews......................if the reviews all mention how wonderful the host is and what an amazing person they are, but DON'T really mention the listing at all, then stay away. Big red flag. The host is then usually a lovely person and guests don't want to offend them, so if they don't have something nice to say, they say nothing at all. Learn from my experiences as this has happened to me twice.
So true! I booked an air bnb for 3 nights in a small town in Hawaii. There were huge cockroaches in the sink, in the microwave, on the bedroom walls, in the floor in the bathroom...! I laid awake all night with the light on because they come out less with light on. At 530 am I packed up and left. I drove to the main town, got a nice hotel room for just a little more money than the air bnb was. I didn't even try to get my money back for the nights I didn't stay. I also just did not leave a review because.... nobody wants to insult a human who isn't a horribly mean person... and sure enough the reviews for the place all talked about how nice the owner was... Not a word about the place itself. I didn't stay in another air bnb for about 15 years after that. When I finally did- another bad experience... booked an entire month and the mattress was so flexible/soft you sank down into a hole... I ended up buying 2 camping pads and sleeping on the floor! Kitchen was not stocked well so I had to buy some utensils, cup, drying rack... I learned a lot and will stick to hotels again. I'm sorry to say - but I didn't leave a bad review for two reasons: the way air bnb is set up - potential future hosts can read your reviews and if you leave a negative review (even if said politely) - I suspect a lot of hosts wouldn't choose you for their place if they have a choice to take someone who never says anything negative. and second - because I do find it hard to say anything negative when it involves a human... If it's a hotel- then it's usually a big corporation so you aren't going to hurt anyone's feelings. for this reason- I think hotels are a safer bet- you can trust the reviews.
Not leaving an honest review is a main reason why Airbnb has issues. It’s important to leave one. It als gives the owner or manager the opportunity to correct things that are not right. It’s not fair to other customers to see “Superhost” listed, when in reality the place has problems that need to be fixed, or it has a rude Manager or host,
@@AndreasS.-mh8ti If you leave an honest review, the host can leave a terrible review about you as a guest, that is why guests are reluctant. Airbnb has successfully found a way to pit hosts against guests and vice versa to their advantage....greed.
I had only one bad air bnb experience. Host was out of town when arrived. Substitute host had wrong check in date. Finally one hour later got host on phone, got checked in. No light in foray, carpet stains everywhere, exit door was blocked by a scaffolding. Bed sheets not clean. Air bnb like your experience took two days to get back to me. I immediate left and found another place. I did get full refund, host was banned for three months. I've never experience such experience since. As a world traveller using air bnb regularly you would think the response to help would be immediate and prioritize us. Learning experience for us all. Enjoy your stay! Love your videos.😊
Thank you for this video! I am staying in a beautiful AirBnb that costs $2000 per month in Recoleta Buenos Aires. This is the start of my long term travel for 3 months. I followed your advice from your previous video. I talked with the host and found him super responsive. I read all reviews. My host had a lady meet me upon arrival. Very responsive host but nothing is perfect. I appreciate everything you have taught me Carrie and Brian!! Thanks for the advice.
@@elcubanito2442 Yes it must be a huge luxurious place as BA is cheap! I rented a 1 bedroom in a great part of Palermo Soho for $500/ mo for 5 months. USD cash of course.
Another great video! - We recently stayed a few nights at a very disappointing and inaccurately represented Airbnb where, upon departure, the host texted me requesting that I either 1) rate her with "5 stars" or 2) text her directly with any "recommendations for improvement," but definitely DON'T rate her less than 5 stars. I urge people not to fall for this. We need to support each other and leave fair and honest reviews.
That is another good reason to not use WhatsApp and communicate through the Airbnb platform. She would not have been able to ask that question on the platform!! If we all leave honest reviews and all get negative responses, we are all good!!
You are so right about Karma - good choice to stay quiet. A shame you had to go through this, but thank you for using your experience to help others. As soon as I send this I am going back to my 3 airbnb's I have booked for June/July and scrutinize like crazy. Stay well and be safe.😊😊😊😊
We no longer stay in an AirBB bc of a HORRIBLE experience in Hell's Kitchen (ironic!) in NYC. Dirty apt., no clean sheets, cockroach in the light fixture, massive hairballs on the floor, filthy oven with food in it, filthy refrigerator. Urine stained and smelly couch/bed (host tried to blame my 12 y/o grandson for wetting the bed!). Disgusting!
How much did they charge for that? A family member stayed in one in LA with mould, but in a nice area and was on cheaper side so they tolerated it - mould should be cleaned up; even if cheap accommodation.
@@SByoutube123 They refunded our money, but we had to cut our trip short and that cost $$. Not the only bad experience with Air BB and we've only stayed with them 2x! Both were awful.
i had to stop renting my airbnb to families w kids. too many peed in the beds and furniture! even with pads and waterproof covers provided, and didn't want to replace my expensive quality mattresses and furniture! folks should be responsible for their untrained kids who ruin it for families who appreciate staying in a nice home and unique location. then there are those visiting a foreign country, paying $70 a night for 6 people expecting $300 a night 5 star hotel experiences and amenities of modern cities... stay in hotels in the city please- you don't belong in a secluded natural environment with sweeping territorial views overlooking the north sea and a private beach, children's playhouse and ball yard, game/media room, a dad teaching his sons how to fish for the first time and catching dinner for their fam, deer in the yard, etc. i only rent exclusively to approved return guests now who respect and enjoy staying in a fine private home and its idiosyncrasies, and book a year in advance, and leave my home as nicely as they found it.
I did AirBnB twice on a trip to the UK a few years ago. NEVER AGAIN!!!!!! I stick with our two hotel chains…IHG and Hilton…and I’ve never had issues. And we get points, status, and upgrades! We may pay more but it’s more comfortable, services are better, and issues are resolved quickly.
Yep...'8 different representatives at Airbnb' is our experience also and on more than one occasion! It's beyond frustrating. I 'hear' everything Carrie is saying about dealing with Airbnb. I also like the point Carrie makes about waiting for Airbnb's approval before you move or take further action. It's imperative or you lose your rights. Also, never, EVER, cancel your reservation as the guest. You lose all of your rights and thus your money...expensive lesson learned.
Just like you, we’ve been to many airbnbs. Some were good and some were bad, but this time we packed our bags and moved to a foreign country, all alone. The guy we booked the Airbnb from, cancelled on us two weeks prior to our flight. I had to then choose between limited options for the dates we needed the Airbnb for. So, I ended up booking an overpriced one that we didn’t love because the furniture in the photos looked old and outdated, but we had to. We arrived late at night and met the hostess, who was sweet. The next day, we didn’t have internet. This was a huge issue for us. They tried to fix it. It came back, but the day after it disappeared for a full day. The list of sh*t in this place that we’re still in goes on: Dirty cutlery, old scratched-up pots and pans, stiff, uncomfortable sofas and chairs, dirty pillows, no drying rack for clothes, only a very short dirty rope that you can hang 3 T-shirts on, broken toilet seats, and the list continues. We booked this place for a long-term stay because I wasn’t sure whether we could find a nice, reasonable-priced Airbnb during the hot season here. I couldn’t risk it, but after seeing the shithole we landed in, I decided to contact Airbnb via text, never the phone, so that I could cancel the rest of our long stay. I asked because this was the only host that had set up the cancellation so that you had to stay the entire time or you’d get no refund. I asked the Airbnb about their cancellation policy, and they told me that it’s better to contact the host, let them know, then change the dates and send for approval. I did that, and the hostess came back to me with a list of “Expenses” she faced to “Make our stay comfortable,” 🤣 such as buying a few apples, new bed sheets, and a small bag of green onions.🤣 I wonder how the old sheets looked 🤢 Sorry, but I can’t even get into the ridiculousness of it all. I hate confrontation, and I don’t like to slap people with the hideousness of their existence, so I didn’t really get into the shit pile of her place with her. I just told her that we’re going to look for long-term rent, and I need the refund for the next two months. Thankfully, after changing dates and sending it back for approval, we got the next months refund back, but that was by pure luck because according to the hostess, she never received the request and it was approved automatically. Thank goodness for that. Anyway, I’m Sorry for the long comment. I just needed to get this nightmare into writing. I’ve learned my lessons too.
Great story, thank you for sharing! Airbnb has had some resent policy change to protect the renter, but it really shouldn't be so difficult to convince them that the issues are real, and the refund is appropriate. Why are we dealing with the host and not Airbnb? 🤔
We're done with AirB&B; so many owners are lazy, they fail to check their own properties--we've had a broken microwave that was not working prior to our stay that was never replaced after owner said they'd bring us a new one; failure to leave appliance instructions; the hot water switch issue; no mention of construction taking place right outside the street door; lamps not working, no light bulbs, the list goes on--not to mention crummy hallways & dark stairwells; difficulty entering gates with codes, etc.; uncomfortable & broken furniture...plus you never receive any loyslty points or benefits for being a good tenant! We stay in hotels only now🤠🦋
I agree ---we've given up with Airbnb as well. We had no hot water on our last stay---and then the boiler leaking . We aren't 'picky people ' but you've got to draw the line.
My airbnb experience has been generally favorable, but two frequent issues are shortage of towels and no bathroom floor mat (or a low quality, inadequate one). Regarding the towels, often owners will tell you there’s a washer and dryer, just wash them. This actually is way more expensive for the owner when you consider costs of water, electricity, wear and tear on your appliances,etc Unfortunately, just like having a drivers license doesn’t make you a good driver, owning an Airbnb does not make you a good host. I’ve found that often times if the host was willing to spend just a few dollars, like for towels or bathroom floor mat, it could make a huge difference in the quality of the stay for your guest.
I just discovered you a couple of weeks ago and having been binging ever since! You have so much good information that I have not seen on other people's videos, and this one is especially helpful. Could have used it myself a couple of years ago when I had an Airbnb fiasco myself. But it also turned out well eventually so live and learn. Thanks so much for all the information and happy travels!
I've only used Airbnb once, and it went well, but I actually can't believe we were so trusting of our host who was only starting out as a host. I prefer hotels really, especially for breakfast and the use of a bar.... And pools, etc. Thank you for sharing, not only the details of your bad experience but what to do and how to deal with issues as they arise. From Dublin Ireland 🇮🇪.
Definitely take a run through when you arrive to your Air BnB. We've been using them for the last 10-ish years, and always make sure to take a walk through of every room and appliance. Coffee makers are a pet peeve of ours. They need to have been cleaned prior to our arrival and at least have 1 or 2 days of coffee provided by the host. Most places we've stayed also provide one or two laundry soap pods, a sponge and some dish soap. We always book with a kitchen because we enjoy family time in the mornings and being able to start our days with a meal together and not having to leave the unit. Love your videos. Keep them up! I'm a Patreon Supporter 💖
Hi, Jen! The place we are in now is perfect with everything that you described on arrival! We have not had one reason to contact the host! Thank you so much for joining the Patreon community! Watch for the Q & A video for our members coming out later today! 😊❤️
Good checklist advice. I can tell you when I had a problem with a sit in Mexico & called Air B&B they were very sympathetic & said they would help. After 5 different people passed the buck in a space of 2 wks I lost my money. Now I'm very cautious about renting with them. And some people don't show photos of what the place really looks like now.
Excellent topic! Sorry to hear this happened to you! As an avid traveler, property owner & manager for over 30yrs, I think it’s unconscionable that an Airbnb Host not have a punch-list to prepare the property in advance for their guests. Seems that hosts are more focused on collecting payment instead of delivering a clean property where everything is functioning. Relying on guests to tell you what’s wrong is being lazy. The best tip you gave is to challenge hosts to stay in their own property for a couple days to discover what’s not working or what’s missing. Would they tolerate a broken toilet seat, no hot water & a missing light bulb? It’s sad that folks have low or no standards of minimal service but are eager to get paid in full. Totally unacceptable. Airbnb also needs to up their standards for ALL hosts because these issues shouldn’t even be happening to guests. All around a huge waste of time & energy for all parties involved. If people followed The Golden Rule life would be so much better. Safe travels!
AirBnB could also require hosts to keep a guest book on site to help guests with useful information and anything unique to the apartment: local emergency contact info (911 is not standard around the world), trash and recycling rules for the building or community, access instructions for common area amenities (pool, gym, spa), copies of owners manuals for major appliances, nearby services (local laundromat, grocery, general store), a stash of bits of hardware (spare lightbulbs, chair glides, a few small tools). It would save owners and renters a lot of aggravation.
Love this idea! We have stayed in places before where they do have a guest book with all that you mention and more. This place did not have such a guest book, something you would think a 5-star super host would have.
@@BrianandCarrie Thank you,. Love Your Posts. Always valuable. I wonder if anyone in Airbnb is smart enough to read threads like this to learn how they can improve their operations and that of their hosts. This thread alone is a goldmine of intelligence. Cheers!
One tip I can add is about the mattress, we have turn the mattress head to toe many times and found it made for a comfortable mattress. I can pretty much guarantee that hosts do not ever do this. Great video, thanks.
I joined (incognito) one of the Airbnb host Facebook groups and I was shocked at the constant disdain all these hosts had for their “renters”. They truly felt they were doing us peasant guests a huge favor and that they are all so superior to hotels. And the majority of them felt fully justified having CAMERAS outside and inside the property.
My husband and i have a house in the South of France as a second home. I told him what if we rent it when we are not using it and he said NEVER!!!! My point is NOBODY will let other people live in smth NICE they would love to enjoy themselves
We spent 6 weeks in Crete in 3 different airbnb's. All of them had hot water heated by solar heating panels on the roof. If it was cloudy then we had to switch on the tank heater via the breaker panel because the solar panels weren't effective. We put it down to it being the local construction standard. The welcome pack did mention it though, so no complaints. and all our hosts were very friendly
Great video...we booked a 3 bedroom Air BNB and the 3rd bedroom was in the undercover carport, completely open to the elements on our last day, I was down there doing laundry and a family member was having a shower upstairs and the shower drain pipe leaked straight onto an outdoor chair, we had been there for a week before we saw that, luckily no-one sat on that upholstered chair. It was fully water logged. There was a keypad entry but we didn't realize until the last day that it didn't actually lock when you pulled the door shut. It was basically an open door to our belongings. (we were lucky nothing was stolen)
This was an awesome video full of useful information. I’m sorry you two had such a terrible experience, but thank you for turning it into a learning experience to share. I’ve stayed in more Airbnbs than I can count, and thankfully my experiences have been mostly great, but one thing I never thought about was the importance of making sure all accommodation-related communications with the host occur via the Airbnb platform for documentation purposes. That was really great advice. Thanks!
Thank you for watching, Debbie. Most of our Airbnb stays have been good some just ok, this one was bad! It seems like prices are going up and accommodations are going down.
Great video! When I stay at an AirBnB, I like to go ‘Mom and Pop,’ but at a distance, and use the AirBnB app for all remote communications. Once there, I treat it like my own. The last time I did, within the first hour, I realized we had to jiggle the toilet handle to stop the flush from running. Worse yet, it would spontaneously start running on its own, and we’d have to jiggle it again. Having done my own toilet diagnostics and repairs as a homeowner, I immediately recognized the issue as bad seating of the flapper stopper. I knew firsthand how expensive the AirBnB’s water bill could be if it was ignored. I immediately informed the host of the issue (which was news to her), and we agreed I could just keep jiggling the handle until my stay was over to make the repair. Also, same AirBnB stay, I planned to cook a lot of from-scratch “Martha Stewart” meals for my daughter’s family, whom were having their first baby and I was visiting. Knowing what I’d need, I asked detailed kitchen questions before my stay. The unit was rather primitively equipped, so I had to bring my own or plan workarounds. When I arrived, I was delighted to discover the host had just bought a brand new fancy Ninja blender, really a food processor! I think it probably cost her close to $300. That Ninja saved me a lot of time, and made my Tiger shrimp Chile Relleno sauce and other recipes the best ever! The only downside to the unit was its bizarre bathtub, which we used to shower. The tub’s base was rounded, not flat or flat with a gentle slope to the drain. Never in my life had I seen such a thing! So no matter how far apart you put your feet to start, both would slide down to the midline. It was incredibly dangerous, especially once slippery soap or conditioner coated it.
Sorry you guys went through this. AirBnB is so hit or miss, especially with the long term stays. I really think that with the rate you paid and what AirBnBs in general are (over)charging, there needs to be a minimum standard that AirBnB requires from their hosts. It's a very uncomfortable position to be put in when you still have weeks left of your stay but there are so many things you need addressed and the host may turn hostile so you feel intimidated to stay silent.
My daughter moved from NYC to LA and had a month long stay booked in an Airbnb - was given the door code and arrived at about 11.30pm with all her worldly possessions and her dog to find that the apartment complex also had a security door which required a different code from the apartment code, that had not been provided. The Airbnb apartment is within a complex totally managed by a company that were not online or answering any messages at that time of night, contacted Airbnb who were unable to find her anywhere to stay and was also unable to hear from the 'host" long story short she had to sleep in a rental car on the street for the night until the host responded in the morning. Airbnb refunded just the one night and offered no other compensation, the host offered her a month of free parking in writing (valued at $150) then attempted to reneg and said they'd have her rental car towed unless she paid the money (seriously !!), which she ultimately did not do when she replied in a not so lady like manner.
We just shifted to our second Airbnb in Budapest couple of days ago, we did our due deligence, the property is very new, but had lot of surprises. They listed they have Dishwasher, microwave, but shockingly neither of them available, we never imagined new properties not having the very basic Dishwasher, microwave. Another surprising part they listed ‘Air Conditioning’ , but after we moved came to know they have something called ecosystem, but it is not working and the property has been warm. We did have all communication through Airbnb messaging luckily. We were disappointed as well, of course don’t want to complain but a learning experience. Thought of sharing with you folks. Currently we are still in the same property of course not as worse as your’s, we don’t have any hot water issues.
That's so frustrating! When items are listed and not there, I just don't understand that. Why misrepresent, it benefits no one. Hope the remainder of your stay goes well. Cheers!!
We rented an Air B&B in Kitsalino Vancouver B.C. We arrived and the door code did not open, called owner twice no response, called Air B&B they asked us to give them one hour to contact the host and sent us to get a coffee or drink on them while they tried. One hour passed and they could not find the host, they refunded our money and were very sorry. First and last time for us, no thanks!
Thanks so much for sharing. As long term airbnb renters, we can appreciate the fact based information you provided. From an outside perspective, it sounds like the real issue was an aggressive host when things were not working out. I suspect that he was “managing the property” and wanted to cover himself. From my read, you did everything right and there really was no way to avoid the train wreck. Good tips.
Yes, I do agree with that. I immediately felt like his defensiveness was because he knew he was wrong and should have been taking care of all this. Or the hit water and claiming he told us this, which obviously he didn't... Totally trying to cover his mistake. Frustrating.
Iv stayed in Air BnB's when traveling with friends and there's been some hiccups, but not anything unmanageable. I will be traveling solo in the near future so naturally proceeded to search for an AirBnB. Booking one this time around was such a nightmare that I went to hotel instead. Much more expensive, but a lot more peace of mind and much less stress. I now live in community that is over run with air BnB's that sit vacant during the winter months meanwhile we have a crises of housing. Working fsmilies are stuck in hotels or end up moving to another city. Very unfortunate. Your check list for the renter is spot on, and completely necessary but daunting for a traveler. Great vid thanks.
Bravo that you choose NOT to provide info about the location of this difficult situation. It demonstrates you are solution-focused. My brother is an owner/host of two beautiful historic homes that he rents out on two different platforms. He takes pride in their preservation efforts and asks to be notified immediately if things are missing or broken. I shared your video and resource with him. We live in the Netherlands and travel throughout Europe. Because our stays are about a week, we went back to staying in family budget hotels with 24/7 staff, refrig, fast wifi, public transit nearby. The problems get addressed faster at the hotel. The best answer is to weigh your needs, time of year, and lodging options. Cancellation, deposits, and early departure with the properties on platforms can turn into unexpected financial losses. Your advice to communicate and document if a property doesn’t match advertised expectations is a healthy reminder. Hosts who allow a property to fail advertised expectations should be pulled from the platform. It will be interesting to learn how the platform addresses this host to reinforce their standards. Thank you for this video and resource.
Thank you! We didn't think twice about disclosing the location. We are big believers in karma and felt that it wouldn't be right. We will leave a review but feel it is necessary. Thank you for your comments and insights. ❤️
I’m with you about not disclosing the location and it is absolutely necessary that a review is left, and thank you for doing it! Airbnb needs to up their hosts’ standards. Have you rented with VRBO and if so, would love to learn about your experience and why you opted for Airbnb instead.
I'm so sorry this happened to you, what a horrible bully host! You did Nothing wrong, you learned from a bad experience and I thank you for sharing those valuable tips. Sadly, many hosts don't even live in the city of their AirBNB so there's no walk through happening. For the knives I picked up a tip from another couple travelling full time, they carry a portable knife sharpener. Others who check in their baggage carry a legit chef knife! One thing I look at in the pictures are the curtains... If they're all shut, chances are that the view is horrible. As for the bed, some like it really hard, others really bouncy, so that's a tough one to please everyone.
The bed issue is always something that we just deal with. One likes a hard bed and the other not so much. Thank you for all of your recent comments!! 😊
Our AirBnB experiences were good, well kind of. One unit smelled, one unit had a heater that boiled the shelf above the heater, one unit had cabinet doors and closet doors that popped off the hinges, and one unit had an old washer that did not spin correctly so clothes were soaked- I had to ring out the clothes for the drying rack. But, the hosts were all pleasant and accommodating. Most importantly, cheaper than a hotel.
Yes, cheaper than a hotel for sure. It's just unfortunate that we should have to deal with any of these issues when renting a place - if they rent it out, it should be ready!
@@BrianandCarrie Absolutely! But, the owners we dealt with were new at short-term rentals. One owner (in Tallinn) offered several times to wash our clothes, but we declined. Our current 6-month furnished rental (in Portland) has a great owner, and a real estate lawyer, who is attentive and responsive to any issues. These scenarios are like co-workers; some are great and some aren't.
Thank you Carrie and Brian for this very helpful video. My husband and I watch your channel every week and have learned so much through your TH-cam platform. You have opened up a list of new adventures we want to discover. Thank you for all you do !!❤️
Thank you for another great video cautioning us of potential AirBnB pitfalls. Maybe you can make another video where you walk & talk through your AirBnB booking process...showing the AirBnB screen while you search and perform your due diligence, talking about why you reject some, and choose others for the final review and selection. Maybe refer to (and show) your AirBnB checklist and how to use it as you search. Once you make your selection, summarize why you selected it over other finalists reviewed. Then, perform the walk through of the actual unit, referring back to your search criteria, due diligence, and your checklist Finally, bring it home by showing actions you take to protect yourself, as you mentioned in this video. A video as I just described would be super useful for your subscribers. Thank you for a great channel!
Great tips! Thank you for bringing up the comfort of furniture. This is huge pet peeve of mine. We’ve stayed in too many that have uncomfortable furniture, which is easily preventable.
It is easily preventable. The issue is that the owners of these Airbnb's don't use them their selves. Uncomfortable furniture is cheap, something they wouldn't have in their own homes.
One of the things we have discovered in traveling full time for almost a year now is that more and more airbnb hosts are just investors. They not only don’t live near the airbnb, they don’t even live in the same country! It’s frustrating. I agree with your assessment of what makes a comfortable stay and add one more that means a lot to us. A lot of the bedrooms don’t even come with nightstands or outlets anywhere near the bed. I won’t even rent places if I don’t see those in the pics. Sorry I haven’t commented in a while. We’ve been pretty busy in Albania and I was sick for a couple of weeks with a terrible cold. We are currently in Italy for two weeks, but we are staying in Sarandë for two months. We took the ferry to Corfu, Greece a couple of weeks ago, too. We still have 8 more months in Albania. We are really enjoying it there. It’s a stunningly beautiful country. Safe travels! Btw…my husband agrees with your idea of having the frig stocked with some local craft beers. 😉
AirBnB has allowed more people to live their dream of owning a destination holiday home, and to defray expenses by renting it out while they are back working. Specialized wings of the real estate and property management industries sprung up to make it possible. In the last 15+ years, the costs of the system, especially in higher real estate prices to locals, have begun to appear. And not everyone is cut out to be a host.
Sorry that you haven't been feeling well and welcome back!! I agree with all of this. We have friends and one of my daughters have short term rentals and they are diligent about their properties. They actually use them as vacation homes and in one case their residence most of the year. Thank you two for the conversation!! Cheers!!🍻
Thank you so much for this excellent video on what to do before arriving at an airbnb and during your stay. You both are very good at explaining with calming voices and you both cover anything possible. We had a bad experience with a host who had some anger management issues and just went crazy attacking me on the airbnb site. Many problems as soon as we arrived to Big Bear in CA during the cold season with snow. The company who maintained this house for the nasty host seemed nice and were there already shoveling snow as we pulled up. That night the jacuzzi hot tub was not working, no hot water, so the next day they came out to fix it but it still did not work for the hot water was barely warm. Then problems with the very dirty grill was not working and when I contacted them that night I got no answer till the next day late in the afternoon telling me there was a switch in the house for the gas but they didn’t clean the grill which looked like it was NEVER cleaned, so digusting. Dish washing liquid bottle had like 2 tablespoons of liquid and there was only one very small dish towel that looked dirty for drying dishes and a broken plastic spatula. The final thing that was the icing on the cake was the garbage disposal stopped working after I put down the SKINS of a butternut squash in the disposal. I called them about this and the HOST posted on Airbnb that I put down a WHOLE butternut squash down the disposal and broke it myself. UNBELIEVABLE. Lights were not working in the kitchen. This is when we said we were done and leaving 3 days early. Then the host wrote all this nasty stuff about me on the airbnb site, attacking me and lying about stuff. I should of got my money back and didn’t realize I could for this place. Airbnb were nice enough to give me 200.00 one time in a year but I was so mad by what the host said that I will never stay at another airbnb again. The host said how nice I was, “as sweet as apple pie” at first but watch out for her because she is not and wants many things fixed. I answered him with how he was lying and how he attacked me. My son who was with me and his wife also said this host was crazy and we should just leave early. Airbnb saw what he wrote and agreed. Never again!! I don’t trust people now with Airbnb’s. They act kind and then blame you for everything that is not your fault. Airbnb should just never let these people work with them ever again. Thank you for all your good information! Oh, and this nasty host was so mad to get a bad review from me saying how I ruined his good reviews. Surely others just didn’t review the bad knowing this guy’s personality. And when I complained about the garbage disposal the Management company never responded only the host with his anger problem.
I remember when you guys embraced Airbn a few months ago.. I already stop using Airbnb at that time, I guess it’s just about timing when you get the negative experience.. I am glad you guys ok..
We are just happy that in the end Airbnb did protect us. We just don't understand how they come up with the "Super host" or why it was so difficult to finally get everything worked out. 🙄
@@BrianandCarrie I agree and that’s my point. If you get good costumer service problem resolved . I had two terrible experiences and Airbn literally I was asked look for a new place and I got refund through my credit card only . 1. Place moldy , dirty and shower drain plugged . 2. Old dirty bedding sheets, ( host admitted the cleaning lady is on vacation!)
“Superhost” is merely a marketing gimmick for Airbnb to attempt to keep as many guests laces booked as possible to maximize their profits. Nearly everyone seems to be a “Super host,” which is a red flag.
Great video, thanks for sharing. It’s scary to think there are people out in the world that operate like that. And then they tried to screw you over. Sickening. And with your frustrations with AirBnB, I can relate. We had an awful similar experience with Expedia once.
I have had two stays at Airbnb which were shockingly terrible. I was refunded on both accounts so good on Airbnb for that. However I will never take the risk again.
I’m over staying at any Air BnB properties. With all the added fees now, It’s not really much less than a hotel room. One of the things I encountered was hosts who used stinky fragrance laden laundry products scented candles and those electric scent diffusers. I’m extremely sensitive to fragrance so I started asking, before booking, what type of laundry/bathroom products they use. My son and his family stayed in an Air BnB when they visited awhile ago. The day after they arrived, the temps dropped into the teens. They woke up to frozen water pipes. They contacted the host and she got nasty with them for not leaving faucets dripping. How were they to know they needed to do that? She had to send a plumber over. After they checked out (I think they stayed three nights), the host started claiming all this “damage” to the house. Fortunately, my daughter-in-law took video when they checked out that showed there was no damage. We all figured she was trying to claim damage so she could recoup the money she spent on the plumber. The key takeaway is always note problems and take video or photos when you first check in and when you check out.
Wow. Faucets dripping???? Wow! I have a house , own, individually standing, in Finland where winters are cold. Never ever did i hear that anyone would have dripping faucets. I also have a house in the south of France where there is technically no winter but sometimes in winter temperatures can go below zero - also never heard of leaving dripping faucets. What is that? Like WHY????? Isn’t that expensive to have dripping water?
I had the worst possible travel experience. I wanted to stay in an apartment in Portugal for a month so I went to a real estate agent. I knew something was wrong when she insisted I sign a paper that did not represent the apartment correctly. I did not sign. She called me daily to sign so finially I told her I didn't really think this apartment was for me. When she learned I was leaving, she sent two men to the apartment. They stole my telephone, cash and a few other things were missing. This is the good part of it. I won't go into the nightmare issues. The agent was married to a policemant. It appears in some areas of Portugal, the police are pretty corrupt and are in on thefts or so it would seem. Portugal has the system set up so you cannot go to court. The locals criminals are protected.
Oh no i love all nationalities but portroguese have been the most troublesome when travelling. One a slumdog landlord in london and once in portugal filing a police report when car was broken into. Most corrupt ever
Awful. We did visit Portugal as my husband’s brother retired there, we stayed with him and then in a hotel in Lisbon. Hotel was nice but we did not like Portugal at all, we will not be returning ever
We stay at the B&B in St. Louis. We booked it for a month. It had mold in the basement. It had plug-ins in every socket. The place reiked of cherry air freshener. I put my own sheets on and used my own pillow within one night my face was the size of a balloon. My mouth was swollen. My tongue was swollen. I was allergic to mold. We left and called Airbnb for a refund. They said it was up to the owner. The owner said I’ll only give you a refund if you give me a good review. So those that’s the end of my B&B.Days at least at a hotel you can check out.
I think a big part of the problem is that there are few honest reviews on the units. Renters are reluctant to criticize because they can be negatively reviewed themselves and then not be able to find owners willing to rent to them. I don’t trust the reviews anymore.
I recently had a very similar experience. AIR BNB SUCKS at customer service. After the same run around, I just told air bnb that i am going to dispute the charges with my visa card company. This really got them to respond.
Brian, we all appreciate your "stock the fridge with local beer" double take 🤣 Great vlog, this is such a huge part of accommodations and making or breaking any trip, DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE! AIRBNB needs to get back to customer service & holding hosts accountable like back 4-5 years ago. Stay safe 🌏
I tend to use Booking as well. I have to say that when we had a problem with an apartment in Granada (roaches). We contacted Booking and they refunded the entire amount within the hour and told us we were free to leave. Which we did. We were so impressed. They asked no further questions either.
Hi Brian and Carrie. First of all, nice to meet you, and I am glad I found your channel. I just subscribed. 😊 I appreciate your willingness to be vulnerable and give such valuable help to prevent others from going through what you did. I'm a fan!
Love many of your suggestions for the host. Especially the one “to live there”. I live in my Airbnb at least once a year. Many years, two-three times a year. Without those stays in my own Airbnb, I wouldn’t be aware of small things and:or things that are about to break.
I think that's the most important thing. If you are a good host, you want things to be in order. How are you to know if you don't actually spend time in the rental? Thank you for watching and adding to the conversation!
Oh my gosh, you guys! I’m so sorry that happened to you but seriously you are way more patient than the average person. At least the average American! I think you did a great job and I’m so glad you found new accommodation. That looks really really great! I hope all goes well for the rest of the month! Let us know what happens and if you get your money back.
We rented an Airbnb last weekend and it was very nice. Clean,everything worked, host was responsive to questions. Pool and jacuzzi were clean and well maintained. Great value for the money
I'm also an old AirBNB pro. Only twice have I had issues and both times Airbnb helped us and we got full refunds (2 x within 24 hours in Mexico). Something for folks to be aware of...if the owner says they have something and it's important to you, get that in writing...if it's posted on the advert then screen shot the advert. unscrupulous hosts will change their Advert to make it YOUR fault or "I never said I had that..." ugh. watch out for yourself everyone...film when you arrive and film when you leave.... i"m not sure if Brian and Carrie's AirBNB fiasco was in the US or another country. Water is often an Issue in Mexico (where I live for 4 months a year) which is why I ask. Good that you all stood up for yourself.
you guys are an inspiration! I had my own Airbnb fiasco in Malaysia, and it was very uncomfortable , but i made sure to make all correspondance through the Airbnb app and was refunded right away. I started traveling in March and have found that I tend to buy things that are missing from the Airbnb, like knives and such. I think some hosts may leave old or broken items in place so that guests will just replace them. So now ive made a pact with myself NOT to buy missing items like utensils and throw blankets.
If we can't take items we buy with us, we don't buy them. It is good to know you were refunded but it still leaves you uncomfortable and wondering about next time. Thank you for watching and safe travels!❤️
I had an a Airbnb host once who responded an hour late to check in only to be told their bathroom wasn’t working and we would have to find a hotel for the night until it was fixed the next day. Upon that news I also started a game of phone tag with Airbnb. Two airbnb representatives later I got a full refund (after a lot of persuasion). Documented communication within the platform is key as you said. Sorry to hear your experience but thank you for sharing and the great info!
You guys are young. At my age, this is too much hassle to go somewhere in order to relax, enjoy, have peace, and happiness!! I will go to a nice resort, thank you. I am too old for this crap.
Amen l second that motion! Hotel/Resort all the way. Understanding a month stay would require a “air BNB” Set up BUT maybe this channel could do a cheap vs expensive video in different destinations.
Thanks for the list! The last point you talked about was a big dilemma for us - we decided to not get a place for a whole month. Sacrificing the bigger choice, but get 3-5 nights and spend the first days looking for a place for a month or two. Seems better for us, this way I can also understand a little about locations, how good the metro is etc.
So sorry you had this experience. It's so helpful you sharing your experience, how you dealt with it and what you learned from it. My husband and I are travellers and we usually stay at hotels. We stayed at an AirBNB in Paris and it wasn't the way it appeared in the write up or photos. It was disappointing but we were only there for 7 nights. Whish I knew then what I know now. Love watching your travels!
If we were only staying for a few nights, we could do hotels or suits. Needing someplace for a month with a kitchen can make things a bit more difficult! Thank you, Shirley for watching and commenting. ❤️
I also had an awfull experience in Switzerland and Indon'tbuse AirBnb anymore since then. I was acussed of many broken things, as you said, I just adapted to them and didn't think about being extremely vigilent and protecting myself.
We recently rented an apartment in Italy and did not realize until after the host left that there was no toilet paper or hand towels in any of the bathrooms. No fun when you arrive in a new city at night after 16 hours of travel.
It’s so frustrating that things like this are still happening on Airbnb rentals, with all the additional fees that we have to pay. Airbnb as a company should be more strict with hosts to make sure that this unfortunate situation doesn’t continue to happen. Best of luck to you guys!
Thanks for this! Great advice on running all issues through AirBnB. In the past we have not done this for fear of creating a confrontation with the host. But you are absolutely right!
This is the first time we have used WhatsApp with a host and never again. He seemed friendly in the beginning, so we agreed. He's a salesman not a host.
At this point, I have had more bad Airbnb experiences than bad hotel experiences, and I've stayed at way more hotels. Sketchy day-of cancellations with spurious reasons, facilities not as claimed, uncomfortable situations like apartments where I'm pretty sure the AirBNB wasn't allowed, etc. This despite glowing reviews for all of them. I now only consider them when the advantage is too great over a hotel, like if I'm staying there a long time and need a kitchen or there is a group of us where one multi-room building is way cheaper than 2+ hotel rooms. And only then when the host seems very established.
It’s unfortunate that one cannot rely on the reviews to be 100% factual. Airbnb is a huge part of the problem. How could the host and/or the key person/manager of whom you spoke be so lackluster & disrespectful & unfair, yet still be rated five stars?! That is very misleading. It gives Airbnb a bad reputation. They seem to mostly care about profits, thus they might allegedly delete bad reviews. They want the places booked!
I am a single woman that sometimes travels solo and stays at AirBnb's. I have stayed in several at this point and for the most part have felt safe, and had a good stay. I did have one nightmare stay that I ended up leaving in Santa Fe,NM..it had all 5 stars as well and she is also a "super host". You have to do as you say and study the pictures, the reviews.. read between the lines..even if they are 5 stars. If I ever feel unsafe or unlivable conditions.. I will leave whether I get money back or not. The Host in Santa Fe surprisingly refunded my money...however... I am intimidated to give a bad review at Airbnb. I have all good ratings from hosts...and I travel with my dog so that is worth something. Thanks for your suggestions!
This. I recently had to tussle with airbnb support team to get a partial refund. What a terrible, mean spirited host and had the nerve to have no refund policy. I can write a chapter on my first experience which will be my last, i will stick to hotels.
If a host has a “No Refunds” policy, that is a red flag. If they are honest and their place is in great condition, it should be rare that someone asks for any type of a refund, unless it’s a family emergency, etc. and many they can change their reservation dates. When I see hosts post, “No refunds for any reason,” I cross them off the list. I never expect to need to ask for one, but what if legitimately something at the place is egregiously wrong & you don’t feel comfortable staying there?? For instance no hot water or WiFi not working?
@@AndreasS.-mh8ti Exactly. His door had issues to lock, the bathtub water flows slowly; I had to stand in the dirty bath water until I turned off the pipe, and so much other problem, and the space just wasn’t good for my needs. The photos were not exactly as posted. As soon as I checked in I messaged right away about unable to stay there and why. You don’t want to know what transpired after. What a terrible human being. He basically said I’ll have to suck it up because he won’t be losing money over his place not meeting my needs. I transfer the issue to Airbnb and I got spun in a circle until Airbnb finally decided to give me a partial refund. Thank you for the pay attention to no refund policy advice.
In your review, I’d be sure to state that Airbnb refunded you, to support your side of the story. Because he’s certainly going to review the two of you & future hosts will see what he has to say about you!
Absolutely we will. The last conversation I had with the host I pointed out that very thing. It is disappointing that we will get a negative review, but we also know that there are other options. Thank you! ❤️
@BrianandCarrie If you've only had one negative review and you give a negative review and document what happened, although they limit the word count, you should be fine. In fact, I would argue that it may keep shady hosts from renting to you and good hosts would probably understand what really happened. Hopefully, you were able to get that all in the review😮😊
Great video - sorry you had this experience and thanks for sharing the advice. Like you if the price is right we can roll with the punches. However, we always go out and spend a small amount to overcome anything that would really bug us. Resulting in we always seem to leave place better than when we arrive. Any sort of rental I ALWAYS do a walk thru video on arrival and check out.
Thank you so much for your thorough video! My husband and I are super hosts and we have multiple short-term rentals. We make sure that we stay in all of ours and provide the amenities that we would want. Like a throw blanket like you said and extra towels. And a fully stocked kitchen. We have stayed in other Airbnbs and have totally experienced what you're talking about. It's very frustrating! Anna
The reason that you are a super host is because you take the time to stay in your rentals. The place we are currently in, the owner uses it for holiday. She has everything in order. We need more hosts like you!!! 😁 Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment!! ❤️
Ive had 50 fab Airbnbs. Then one that was a nightmare. The pictures lied and he was a superhost. I wanted to leave immediately and contacted Airbnb. Unbelievably Airbnb contacted the host who then gave me an insulting review after 50 excellent ones. Airbnb wouldn't take his review down and did nothing. He's still on there. So disgusted with their customer service. They are making a fortune but do nothing for it. Just lip service or worse. Allow bad hosts to put good guests down without consequence.
We have decided that we don't care about a negative review. We will be leaving an honest, professional review and see what Airbnb decides to do with it. It would be sad if they take it down.
I've been very fortunate with all my ABB experiences (just a few!) That said, you two now join other YT world traveler couples who have, after long ABB experiences, reached a point of exasperation. Some have completely switched back to hotels, and now include tips on accumulating points, using hotel brand credit cards and etc. I'm really sorry you experienced this dismal failure of service. Thank you for sharing your tips for dealing with such situations, and for avoiding them to begin with.
It drives us nuts when AirBNB hosts switch over to WhatsApp. Seems to be the norm in Europe. My advice is to document issues via AirBnB chat. We had very good experiences with our accommodations in Crete. 🤷🏼♂️ Looking forward to your video on Crete. Bet you rented a car! 🚗
Click here for your FREE Airbnb Checklist (mentioned in the video): brianandcarrie.myflodesk.com/airbnbchecklist
I find answers to questions before renting can be very evasive.
@@juliez777LASthanks for for the heads up, it's been fixed 😊
@brianandcarrie Just downloaded your checklist!! Thank you!
How about building a community on your website where all of us slow travellers share the airbnb links where we stay - we’d know there are reliable reviews.
We do have a community that we are building, Julie and would love to have you a part of it. Great idea on sharing links to accommodations!!
Here is the link:
www.patreon.com/brianandcarrie?Link&
Just found your channel. A lot of really good information. I have to say though, she dominates the conversation and almost seems irritated when her husband comments. Her talking continuously was really annoying. Let the guy talk! OMG!! It takes him forever to get to the point but, even when he finally does get a chance to say something, she constantly cuts him off. Not a good idea saying it was all your fault if you want your money back. If he ever sued you, you've just admitted it was all your fault. 🤔 Won't watch again. She can't stop talking and talks fast and, he doesn't get a chance to talk and when he does, he talks sooooo slow!
The whole AirBNB thing never sat well with me. It feels like putting all of your eggs in one basket. At a hotel you can get a new room and even maybe an upgrade if you have the slightest problem with the initial room. There’s safety in numbers. If you are an AirBNB renter and do anything to upset the owner/host they know where you are staying. I also get super freaked out by the fact that there isn’t anything to prevent previous renters from making a copy of the keys and randomly walking in without ‘breaking in’.
@infinitelyblessed1778 the Airbnb I stayed at there is a keypad to enter with a code that's sent to my phone. Once you enter there is a digital concierge that tells you about the password for the internet.
How do you know if the AirBNB host ever changes the code? I watched an interview of an AirBNB host that was asked if she ever changed the locks or access codes and she said no. She didn’t seem the least bit concerned about the safety of her guests. It didn’t sit well with me.
@@infinitelyblessed1778 I know because the last four digits of my phone number were used as the code. And there is a sign you're on camera.
@@ontheroad5555 That’s good to hear.
@@infinitelyblessed1778 My sisters and I took a trip recently to a very high-traffic part of a popular tourist city. The host at our Airbnb set of the door code to Unit 1 to "1111", Unit 2 to "2222", etc. You'd better believe we had something to say about that! I sincerely doubt he'll ever change them, though.
As a solo female traveler, this is why I rarely use AirBnbs. I'm a strong, resourceful woman but this sort of situation would feel extremely vulnerable and unsafe if faced alone.
Understandable, Angela. It was quit the ordeal!!
So what are you using?
Hi @Angela-ne9cy. I'll be Solo Slow Traveling starting in 2025 and like @anna_m59 asked, I’m curious what you use instead of AirBnB? 🙏🏼
@@ShaneRobinsonArtist Facebook groups has great recommendation, sometimes friends mouth to mouth and randomly travel websites.but I asked you if he same question since you stated you are solo traveler already
@@ShaneRobinsonArtist - depends on where I am. I often use points for cheap hotel stays. Or hostels. I prefer places where other people are nearby rather than private homes where you're at the owner's mercy.
My wife just had to try this. The place was filthy, freezing cold with no heat, no soap in the bathroom, AND the owners lived downstairs and got into an argument at 2 in the morning. We had to move into a hotel the next morning. She learned her lesson, I'll say that much. I think a lot of these "hosts" are broke and not able to do even simple repairs on their dilapidated homes.
lol. ok boomer.
@@imnitguy He's got 47 likes. You- nada
You need to warn others of the location and name.
@@lily_m3538 to many!! Looks like Airbnb are happy to disappoint the 20% to get money from the rest.
@@imnitguyYeah, only boomers expect hot water. Gen-X and millennials don’t care?
I love how they finish each other's sentences and agree on what the other person says, even when interrupted. Seems like a wonderful marriage - they're friends.
Thank you, Judith, we are very happy!! 😁
My wife and I are using hotels for both short and long stays. Homewood Suites by Hilton offers a bedroom, a living room and a kitchen with a full sized refrigerator. Long term stay (4 nights or more) discounts and Hilton honors points earned are substantial. There is no long contract.
We love the apart hotels that are becoming more common. It's a great way to go!
Check out The Modernist in Long Island, it's absolutely perfect for a NY city trip.
I stopped using air bnb as a solo female traveller…..there’s no real security if god forbid anything unpleasant /scary happened. Not travelling for the foreseeable future but that’s due to grandchildren!
This is why I don't like air bnb. As a solo traveler, I would rather stay in a hotel. More people around, better security. Air bnb to me is for families. Plus, it is someone else's home and THEY have the keys to their OWN home. Even though they aren't supposed to come in when they have guests staying there. It just makes me uneasy. And I have stayed in a few airbnb with my daughter who loves them.
I agree, when I found out they had their own forensic and clean up crew for crimes. I thought them to be suspected criminals.
Air B & B should have a check list of items like light bulbs, hot water, wifi that must be submitted by a host back to them as a sign-off to say it's all good before every tenant and if you get there and any of it is out of order, they're held accountable, fined, or dismissed over time from the platform. There should be a higher bar as a minimum standard.
100% agree!! The hosts should just take it upon themselves to make sure things are all working, it's a job and they need to treat it that way.
My last Airbnb stay, in Melaque Mexico never had hot water. The pots and pans scratched and warped and no dish soap. The bathroom faucet was hanging down into the sink. Even I could fix that with the right tool. The most disgusting thing was when I took off the sheets on my last day and saw the absolutely filthy mattress, I lost it. The host asked if I’d like to stay longer. I really told her off and how disgusting the entire home was. 3 nights for 1000 pesos a night (about $60 x 3 = $180.) I didn’t even fight it, just get out. Hey… I live in Mexico, so I know how it is here.
I completely agree!!! Airbnb really needs to do that. I am a Super host and I would be fine with that! Some hosts are Bad and should not be in the game.
@@denisefitzgerald7653 Read my comment above. Our HORRIBLE experience was with a "SUPER HOST" too. This title means nothing to us now. Fake reviews is all we can think happened in our situation.
I would add mold to the checklist. Seems more common than it should be.
As a travel nurse, I’ve used AirBnB, Furnished Finders, etc. They all have pluses and minuses; I’m always amazed when I walk into a place that clearly needs help. I understand that most owners rarely visit their rentals, but that is a fatal flaw. They have some grand expectation that their cleaning crew will notice errors and make them aware: THEY DON’T! I’m in an AirBnB right now that did not meet initial expectations. Thankfully, this is the exception. My husband and I have used AirBnB’s around the world, from Brazil to Estonia. We have an excellent track record because we follow the rules, and leave a place the way we’d want to find it. You do get what you pay for most of the time, and my host was grateful for my communication. Hosts need to do walk-throughs a lot more often than they think. I appreciate that you’ve shared your experience. It helps 100%.
Totally agree, a walk through (thourogh) would solve many issues. The reliance on having housekeeping report everything is silly as it's really not their job. Thanks so much for watching 😊
Boicot airbnb
I just started taking care of Airbnb in late February, the owner lives on another coast and the occupants have been both traveling nurses, my present nurse is my total responsibility, we meet and greet an do a walk through!
When as a host you solely view your property as a source of income without taking into account the care and comfort of your guests, then you don't need to be in the business and ought to seriously consider getting out.
After hearing your story and many others. I will never use an airbnb
Me either.
Thank you for sharing. We just went through similar situation with the Airbnb host in Italy. It was our first time contacting Airbnb and complained about the host and we didn’t know we could get our money back. We were too trusting with our host telling us everyday that the jackhammering above us would stop and when we moved in he told us they are just painting the building. By the 4th day after hearing the host telling us the noises would stop today but we still hearing the jackhammer and felling the vibration we decided to contact Airbnb, which later on we learned we should’ve contacted Airbnb from day one. So not only the host denied all the lying but he wrote a nasty review about me. Lesson learned!
Our worst Airbnb had no water for 36 hours…. no refund/discount. The next worse one a piece of the ceiling fell on me. Another one the BBQ was filthy, the patio doors were broken, there was no cutlery at all! The HO blamed her husband and son…. another place had cameras. That was the last time for us…
wow, so the roof fell in, you had a BBQ mishap, a 36 hour water problem, and you continue to rent them. wow.
Airbnb host since 2016 and my guests are treated as VIP guests…
1. Basket of fruit, candies, and bottles of water on arrival
2. An entire linen closet filled with towels, blankets, pillowcases, blankets and throws and multiple rolls (24-pack) toilet paper.
3. New or updated…and working appliances
4. Keurig coffee maker with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, etc
5. White glove cleaned house…habit from spending 10 years in the USMC
6. Basket in bathroom filled with soaps, Kleenex, shampoo, shaving cream and disposable razors, lotions, wipes, body wash, toothbrush and tooth paste…just in case guests forgot their own.
7. All linen, pillows, mattress pads, blankets and comforters are pulled and washed after each guest stay is complete.
8. I NEVER book a guest within 24 hours of prior guest leaving…this gives me time to thoroughly clean, prepare, inspect and replenish necessary supplies or equipment.
9. Each guest/family has a code to enter. Each code is DELETED after checkout.
10. My motto…”Give guest MORE than they pay for!!!”
***As a result, I’m able to give excellent reviews…and I receive excellent reviews***
HOWEVER…I rarely book Airbnb as a guest anymore because the cost, the inconsistent cleanliness and the cost prohibitive “cleaning” fee makes it more cost effective to book a hotel.
Furthermore, when I book hotels, I don’t have to sleep sitting up because little Mickey Mouse and family are playing “tag” under my bed…nor do I have to shower with my socks on because there are Petrie dish experiments taking place in the bathroom and shower😅
@@CherylthPearl thank you for proving my point, when Airbnb hosts themselves aren’t booking accommodation due to the variability it says something, and is I feel a tipping point. I expect you personally have a lot of repeat customers so well done and thank you for being at the top of the pile! A rare ‘pearl’ amongst mostly stony grit these days.
@@imnitguy we’d booked ahead on an 8 week trip and in between we had good places…. but afterwards we assessed the ratio of good to bad and decided the bad ones had spoilt those parts of the trip in a way stealing our peace of mind as we became trepidatious each time we arrived at a new place, it was dammed stressful. 😥
I’m so glad I saw this. My husband works for a company who often rents Airbnbs for their employees when work takes them out of town. To make a long story short we made the 2.5 hour drive over to pick up the keys a couple days before the guys all came to stay. My husband asked a few questions but we didn’t look in the kitchen cabinets or anything . There’s usually 6-7 guys staying at this beautiful home. Here’s SOME of the things that were missing. There was only ONE bed!! No pots & pans or silverware, NO FURNITURE! It’s an empty house!! Mind you the company paid them $30k for the guys to stay for 6 months. I told my husband that this is more like a rental not an airbnb!! Anyway, they are staying there still. I won’t get into details but all is fine but for anyone who reads this please do your due diligence unlike we did.
This kinda hosts despise me. I myself is a superhost and I take it seriously. I appreciate the guests chose to stay at my place while they’re away from heir homes. I ensure their stay worthwhile. Like they mentioned in the video, I often stay in my airbnb to make sure everything is working as expected, regularly check any missing items, etc. I’m happy when guests are happy. Reading their positive reviews always make my day.
We need more hosts like you!! Thank you for commenting!! 😊
I once stayed in an airbnb where the toilet was in the kitchen. Not in an enclosed space within the kitchen, but IN the kitchen. You could sit there and fry eggs at the same time. And the amazing thing was that the place had about 35 reviews and nobody had mentioned it. There was even a review from a couple who said they had stayed there for a month!! Not only was there no privacy in the apartment - if you forgot to close the curtain whilst you were doing your business, the neighbours could see in too and it overlooked a busy neighbourhood. Of course I made sure I mentioned it in my review, but some people had already booked the place before my review came out (I guess) and they were appalled too. So yes, check the pictures carefully and if there is no toilet in the bathroom maybe ask where it is.
We would leave immediately!! 🤣🤣
@@BrianandCarrie I was only there for 2 nights and on my own ... but you're right I should have done.
horrible! yikes!! sounds like scam reviews on that place
My uncle had a home where the commode was separated from the shower & 2nd sink. It was a strange setup in a traditional brick home 🏡, but I would never have thought 💭 of a kitchen. Oh my!
The corporate world lost some amazing critical thinking solution oriented talent when you retired. Grateful to be on the receiving end. Super helpful content. Thank you.
Thank you so much for the kind words and for watching our channel. ❤️
We had a place that was shared with friends, at night our room smelled like dog poo, we couldn't find the source, we had to assume it was on the underside of our mattress. Another place had water leaking all over the floor at night. Another, got in late at night and no toilet paper or any paper products! I'm a hotel person now!
Yikes, it only takes a few of those situations to make it just not worth it. Hotels it is!
You are so cheap, maybe paid 50 dollars a night or 20 depend in which country.
Me too
As an AirBNB host, pillows are my nemesis. It is not always that easy. My house is on a small island in the Bahamas. There is only one “department store” that is more like a dollar store. They only sell cheap pillows. I can get pillows shipped to the island but it is very expensive and they still need to be replaced every few months and you’re expected to have at least four pillows per bed. Also, 90% of my guests ask for early check in. I try to accommodate them as much as possible, but it might mean that the cleaner doesn’t have time to check every light bulb - they should in a small place but mine is on the larger side. We will certainly provide as soon as we become aware, but it is very difficult to find every tiny problem in a short time. That said, communication and follow up is the key. I’ve never had a review less than a five star even though there are sometimes small problems. Also, there are many things we don’t any any control over. If the city turns the water off for repairs or whatever, we don’t have any control over that.
If it were just the light bulbs, we may have been okey. You sound like a great host!! Thank you for adding to the conversation.
Cheers!!🍻
Bravo and Ditto. These always contain more nooks and crannies than we know. You sound amazing as a Host.
could you maybe invest in some higher quality washable pillows, that way they can be cleaned instead of replaced. it may cost more upfront but it will make a world of difference to the guests
I've only just started watching this .I wonder if this pair are the ones who demand early check in AND late check out.Expecting an extra eight hours use of facilities?Booking 4 guests,14 go in.Breaking stuff and hiding it?
I cannot imagine why anyone would choose to live in somebody else’s home. Impersonal hotel rooms for me, always.
I also check the window glass (cracks) and screens for cuts. I take photos of everything as soon as we walk in the door - they are time stamped, so are a good resource for disputs. I always, even in hotels and traditional B&B's, flush toilets and run the tub and sinks right away, to check for proper function. I also check over the furniture for stains and broken feet or arms - I don't want to be charged for damage. And on leaving, I document by doing a video walk through, even to the point where we are locking up and departing. I am not paying a single penny for something I am not responsible for. :)
It’s a shame that you have to waste so much time to cya for this kind of stuff. You wouldn’t think of doing this in a hotel.
@@tamarasmith1023 Only I do it in hotels also. I have read horror stories of people who left less than positive reviews - and then were charged for made-up things after the fact. It only takes two or three minutes of my time, and protects me. It's worth the few minutes.
@@LadyG. You cannot trust the reviews bc they have their friends and family give them false ratings. The guys we stayed with in NYC several years ago tried to accuse my teenage grandson of peeing on an already stained, icy mattress!
When I leave, I take a photo of the keys I left on the counter. So no disputes about leaving too late or walking off with the keys.
My husband and I have been traveling full-time for more than 6 years. We’ve had a few bad experiences with Airbnb (including with Superhosts 🙄).
If we decide to stay one month or more somewhere, we book a hotel room and take the time to visit apartments. This allows us to not only visit the place but also have a look at the neighbourhood/street/surroundings/transportation. Granted it can be time-consuming but it’s worth the effort to find a place we’re comfortable with especially if we’ll be staying for several weeks. Also, it’s easier to deal with “problems” in a hotel during those few days than to stay in a “bad” Airbnb. In short, staying in a hotel has saved us a lot of hassle! 😬
Unfortunately, most Airbnb’s aren’t set-up for long-term stays. 🤷🏻♀️
Also, we’ve learned not to trust 5-star reviews (for any accommodation) or Superhosts in certain countries. 😉
Happy travels!
It unfortunate that this would be necessary, but it seems many do what you do as well. We've been quite fortunate with many of our stays so we feel fortunate. And the concern is always arriving and then not finding a place for a month as most are booked up, easier in off season though. We may start looking at doing something similar in off season and still book in advance during high season.
Cheers!!
Fully agree.
You should tell us which countries 😂
Great suggestion. We have been afraid to do this. My being over critical and bummed out is a real drag.
Do you have a blog?
I’d never stay in an Airbnb , their app was deleted . Had a holiday booked and they cancelled it 2 days before we were due to leave , blaming a burst pipe . Yet found the property re-advertised at a higher rate. I kicked off that much the refunded immediately and not the 30 day refund they stated .
Problem is they can cancel with no repercussions yet if we’d have cancelled we’d have lost money
I had an owner do the same thing like a day before we were leaving. We were traveling to a rocket launch so there was not much wiggle room time wise. The owner/ host canceled b/c I had asked a couple of questions about the area! Glad it worked out in the end though but still soured on the experience.
How there can be no repercussions, idk. As a superhost of 7 years, I’m well aware that cancelling a reservation it is the kiss of death losing your superhost status. I’ve only once had to do it due to a serious plumbing issue and I had to prove it with a copy of the bill from my plumber on business receipt.
My husband and I are Airbnb Super hosts 10 yrs multiple properties in Idaho. We check everything constantly to make sure it works great. As an Airbnb frequent traveler I check everything the minute I arrive and I videotape and photograph everything just to be diligent. I have only had a few bad experiences many, many years ago due to in experience.
It's so important for host to have a checklist after each guests leave. I've arrived at Airbnb's where the battery to the remote control was dead, lamps did not work, then there's the bathroom grime, and other minor annoyances.
That's so great to hear that you do that not only at your own property, but when you travel as well. You sound like wonderful hosts that totally deserve the superhost title 😊
Boicot airbnb
No one does customer service like the USA. I have lived and traveled all over the world and it really doesn’t matter the country; expectations need to be much lower. Ask anyone from another country and they will tell you, Americans provide the best service because they care about service and repeat business. Other countries just don’t get sales, marketing and building a reputation that brings more customers and therefore greater profits. 🤷🏼♀️
Excellent video. I can relate. I have booked one Airbnb in my life and that experience alone swore me off Airbnb ever again. I might reconsider by being more careful in my own due diligence for my next trip but "buyer beware." Thanks for the checklist.
We will continue to use Airbnb, but you are correct. Proceed with caution and buyer beware!
I have another tip for reviews......................if the reviews all mention how wonderful the host is and what an amazing person they are, but DON'T really mention the listing at all, then stay away. Big red flag. The host is then usually a lovely person and guests don't want to offend them, so if they don't have something nice to say, they say nothing at all. Learn from my experiences as this has happened to me twice.
That's a great tip!! Those reviews would be to get a good one in return. Thank you for adding!!
Cheers!!🍻
This! ☝☝☝☝ Read between the lines. Reviews are great but they don't tell the whole story.
So true! I booked an air bnb for 3 nights in a small town in Hawaii. There were huge cockroaches in the sink, in the microwave, on the bedroom walls, in the floor in the bathroom...! I laid awake all night with the light on because they come out less with light on. At 530 am I packed up and left. I drove to the main town, got a nice hotel room for just a little more money than the air bnb was. I didn't even try to get my money back for the nights I didn't stay. I also just did not leave a review because.... nobody wants to insult a human who isn't a horribly mean person... and sure enough the reviews for the place all talked about how nice the owner was... Not a word about the place itself. I didn't stay in another air bnb for about 15 years after that. When I finally did- another bad experience... booked an entire month and the mattress was so flexible/soft you sank down into a hole... I ended up buying 2 camping pads and sleeping on the floor! Kitchen was not stocked well so I had to buy some utensils, cup, drying rack... I learned a lot and will stick to hotels again. I'm sorry to say - but I didn't leave a bad review for two reasons: the way air bnb is set up - potential future hosts can read your reviews and if you leave a negative review (even if said politely) - I suspect a lot of hosts wouldn't choose you for their place if they have a choice to take someone who never says anything negative. and second - because I do find it hard to say anything negative when it involves a human... If it's a hotel- then it's usually a big corporation so you aren't going to hurt anyone's feelings. for this reason- I think hotels are a safer bet- you can trust the reviews.
Not leaving an honest review is a main reason why Airbnb has issues. It’s important to leave one. It als gives the owner or manager the opportunity to correct things that are not right.
It’s not fair to other customers to see “Superhost” listed, when in reality the place has problems that need to be fixed, or it has a rude Manager or host,
@@AndreasS.-mh8ti If you leave an honest review, the host can leave a terrible review about you as a guest, that is why guests are reluctant. Airbnb has successfully found a way to pit hosts against guests and vice versa to their advantage....greed.
I had only one bad air bnb experience. Host was out of town when arrived. Substitute host had wrong check in date. Finally one hour later got host on phone, got checked in. No light in foray, carpet stains everywhere, exit door was blocked by a scaffolding. Bed sheets not clean. Air bnb like your experience took two days to get back to me. I immediate left and found another place. I did get full refund, host was banned for three months. I've never experience such experience since. As a world traveller using air bnb regularly you would think the response to help would be immediate and prioritize us. Learning experience for us all.
Enjoy your stay! Love your videos.😊
This guy should be banned for at least 3 months!! 🤣 It all worked out and like you say, learning experience.
Thank you for this video! I am staying in a beautiful AirBnb that costs $2000 per month in Recoleta Buenos Aires. This is the start of my long term travel for 3 months. I followed your advice from your previous video. I talked with the host and found him super responsive. I read all reviews. My host had a lady meet me upon arrival. Very responsive host but nothing is perfect. I appreciate everything you have taught me Carrie and Brian!! Thanks for the advice.
Thank you for watching and commenting!! We will be in Buenos Aires in January!! ❤️
You're paying $2000 a month in Buenos Aires? LMAO..is it at the Casa Rosada? Good Lord.
@@elcubanito2442 Yes it must be a huge luxurious place as BA is cheap! I rented a 1 bedroom in a great part of Palermo Soho for $500/ mo for 5 months. USD cash of course.
Another great video! - We recently stayed a few nights at a very disappointing and inaccurately represented Airbnb where, upon departure, the host texted me requesting that I either 1) rate her with "5 stars" or 2) text her directly with any "recommendations for improvement," but definitely DON'T rate her less than 5 stars. I urge people not to fall for this. We need to support each other and leave fair and honest reviews.
That is another good reason to not use WhatsApp and communicate through the Airbnb platform. She would not have been able to ask that question on the platform!! If we all leave honest reviews and all get negative responses, we are all good!!
@@BrianandCarrie I've gotten a message like this through the AirBnB platform.
Then it is documented.
You are so right about Karma - good choice to stay quiet. A shame you had to go through this, but thank you for using your experience to help others. As soon as I send this I am going back to my 3 airbnb's I have booked for June/July and scrutinize like crazy. Stay well and be safe.😊😊😊😊
Yes, Karma is a real thing for sure ☺. Happy travels in June/July and I hope your Airbnb experiences go seamlessly. Cheers!!
We no longer stay in an AirBB bc of a HORRIBLE experience in Hell's Kitchen (ironic!) in NYC. Dirty apt., no clean sheets, cockroach in the light fixture, massive hairballs on the floor, filthy oven with food in it, filthy refrigerator. Urine stained and smelly couch/bed (host tried to blame my 12 y/o grandson for wetting the bed!). Disgusting!
How much did they charge for that? A family member stayed in one in LA with mould, but in a nice area and was on cheaper side so they tolerated it - mould should be cleaned up; even if cheap accommodation.
@@SByoutube123 They refunded our money, but we had to cut our trip short and that cost $$. Not the only bad experience with Air BB and we've only stayed with them 2x! Both were awful.
Well I guess NYC banned airBB so no longer a problem 😅
@@iKumala Wow! I didn’t know that! Good! Thanks.
i had to stop renting my airbnb to families w kids. too many peed in the beds and furniture! even with pads and waterproof covers provided, and didn't want to replace my expensive quality mattresses and furniture! folks should be responsible for their untrained kids who ruin it for families who appreciate staying in a nice home and unique location. then there are those visiting a foreign country, paying $70 a night for 6 people expecting $300 a night 5 star hotel experiences and amenities of modern cities... stay in hotels in the city please- you don't belong in a secluded natural environment with sweeping territorial views overlooking the north sea and a private beach, children's playhouse and ball yard, game/media room, a dad teaching his sons how to fish for the first time and catching dinner for their fam, deer in the yard, etc. i only rent exclusively to approved return guests now who respect and enjoy staying in a fine private home and its idiosyncrasies, and book a year in advance, and leave my home as nicely as they found it.
I did AirBnB twice on a trip to the UK a few years ago. NEVER AGAIN!!!!!! I stick with our two hotel chains…IHG and Hilton…and I’ve never had issues. And we get points, status, and upgrades! We may pay more but it’s more comfortable, services are better, and issues are resolved quickly.
That's a great way to go. Unfortunately, living in a hotel won't work for us, but the apart hotels are a great option. Cheers!!
How did you deal with your laundry?
I also like Hilton
@@jackbaldwin3649there are laundromats in cities and laundry service in hotels
im a hilton fan ...
Yep...'8 different representatives at Airbnb' is our experience also and on more than one occasion! It's beyond frustrating. I 'hear' everything Carrie is saying about dealing with Airbnb. I also like the point Carrie makes about waiting for Airbnb's approval before you move or take further action. It's imperative or you lose your rights. Also, never, EVER, cancel your reservation as the guest. You lose all of your rights and thus your money...expensive lesson learned.
Just like you, we’ve been to many airbnbs. Some were good and some were bad, but this time we packed our bags and moved to a foreign country, all alone. The guy we booked the Airbnb from, cancelled on us two weeks prior to our flight. I had to then choose between limited options for the dates we needed the Airbnb for. So, I ended up booking an overpriced one that we didn’t love because the furniture in the photos looked old and outdated, but we had to.
We arrived late at night and met the hostess, who was sweet. The next day, we didn’t have internet. This was a huge issue for us. They tried to fix it. It came back, but the day after it disappeared for a full day. The list of sh*t in this place that we’re still in goes on: Dirty cutlery, old scratched-up pots and pans, stiff, uncomfortable sofas and chairs, dirty pillows, no drying rack for clothes, only a very short dirty rope that you can hang 3 T-shirts on, broken toilet seats, and the list continues.
We booked this place for a long-term stay because I wasn’t sure whether we could find a nice, reasonable-priced Airbnb during the hot season here. I couldn’t risk it, but after seeing the shithole we landed in, I decided to contact Airbnb via text, never the phone, so that I could cancel the rest of our long stay. I asked because this was the only host that had set up the cancellation so that you had to stay the entire time or you’d get no refund.
I asked the Airbnb about their cancellation policy, and they told me that it’s better to contact the host, let them know, then change the dates and send for approval. I did that, and the hostess came back to me with a list of “Expenses” she faced to “Make our stay comfortable,” 🤣 such as buying a few apples, new bed sheets, and a small bag of green onions.🤣 I wonder how the old sheets looked 🤢
Sorry, but I can’t even get into the ridiculousness of it all. I hate confrontation, and I don’t like to slap people with the hideousness of their existence, so I didn’t really get into the shit pile of her place with her. I just told her that we’re going to look for long-term rent, and I need the refund for the next two months. Thankfully, after changing dates and sending it back for approval, we got the next months refund back, but that was by pure luck because according to the hostess, she never received the request and it was approved automatically. Thank goodness for that.
Anyway, I’m Sorry for the long comment. I just needed to get this nightmare into writing. I’ve learned my lessons too.
Great story, thank you for sharing! Airbnb has had some resent policy change to protect the renter, but it really shouldn't be so difficult to convince them that the issues are real, and the refund is appropriate. Why are we dealing with the host and not Airbnb? 🤔
We're done with AirB&B; so many owners are lazy, they fail to check their own properties--we've had a broken microwave that was not working prior to our stay that was never replaced after owner said they'd bring us a new one; failure to leave appliance instructions; the hot water switch issue; no mention of construction taking place right outside the street door; lamps not working, no light bulbs, the list goes on--not to mention crummy hallways & dark stairwells; difficulty entering gates with codes, etc.; uncomfortable & broken furniture...plus you never receive any loyslty points or benefits for being a good tenant! We stay in hotels only now🤠🦋
I agree ---we've given up with Airbnb as well. We had no hot water on our last stay---and then the boiler leaking . We aren't 'picky people ' but you've got to draw the line.
My airbnb experience has been generally favorable, but two frequent issues are shortage of towels and no bathroom floor mat (or a low quality, inadequate one). Regarding the towels, often owners will tell you there’s a washer and dryer, just wash them. This actually is way more expensive for the owner when you consider costs of water, electricity, wear and tear on your appliances,etc
Unfortunately, just like having a drivers license doesn’t make you a good driver, owning an Airbnb does not make you a good host. I’ve found that often times if the host was willing to spend just a few dollars, like for towels or bathroom floor mat, it could make a huge difference in the quality of the stay for your guest.
Isn't that the truth, a few simple, not expensive additions can make all the difference. Thanks so much for watching 😊
I just discovered you a couple of weeks ago and having been binging ever since! You have so much good information that I have not seen on other people's videos, and this one is especially helpful. Could have used it myself a couple of years ago when I had an Airbnb fiasco myself. But it also turned out well eventually so live and learn. Thanks so much for all the information and happy travels!
Thank you so much ❤️. We're so happy you found our channel and find the info we share helpful. Cheers!!
I've only used Airbnb once, and it went well, but I actually can't believe we were so trusting of our host who was only starting out as a host. I prefer hotels really, especially for breakfast and the use of a bar....
And pools, etc. Thank you for sharing, not only the details of your bad experience but what to do and how to deal with issues as they arise. From Dublin Ireland 🇮🇪.
Definitely take a run through when you arrive to your Air BnB. We've been using them for the last 10-ish years, and always make sure to take a walk through of every room and appliance. Coffee makers are a pet peeve of ours. They need to have been cleaned prior to our arrival and at least have 1 or 2 days of coffee provided by the host. Most places we've stayed also provide one or two laundry soap pods, a sponge and some dish soap. We always book with a kitchen because we enjoy family time in the mornings and being able to start our days with a meal together and not having to leave the unit. Love your videos. Keep them up! I'm a Patreon Supporter 💖
Hi, Jen! The place we are in now is perfect with everything that you described on arrival! We have not had one reason to contact the host! Thank you so much for joining the Patreon community! Watch for the Q & A video for our members coming out later today! 😊❤️
Good checklist advice. I can tell you when I had a problem with a sit in Mexico & called Air B&B they were very sympathetic & said they would help. After 5 different people passed the buck in a space of 2 wks I lost my money. Now I'm very cautious about renting with them. And some people don't show photos of what the place really looks like now.
Excellent topic! Sorry to hear this happened to you!
As an avid traveler, property owner & manager for over 30yrs, I think it’s unconscionable that an Airbnb Host not have a punch-list to prepare the property in advance for their guests.
Seems that hosts are more focused on collecting payment instead of delivering a clean property where everything is functioning.
Relying on guests to tell you what’s wrong is being lazy.
The best tip you gave is to challenge hosts to stay in their own property for a couple days to discover what’s not working or what’s missing. Would they tolerate a broken toilet seat, no hot water & a missing light bulb?
It’s sad that folks have low or no standards of minimal service but are eager to get paid in full. Totally unacceptable.
Airbnb also needs to up their standards for ALL hosts because these issues shouldn’t even be happening to guests.
All around a huge waste of time & energy for all parties involved.
If people followed The Golden Rule life would be so much better. Safe travels!
AirBnB could also require hosts to keep a guest book on site to help guests with useful information and anything unique to the apartment: local emergency contact info (911 is not standard around the world), trash and recycling rules for the building or community, access instructions for common area amenities (pool, gym, spa), copies of owners manuals for major appliances, nearby services (local laundromat, grocery, general store), a stash of bits of hardware (spare lightbulbs, chair glides, a few small tools). It would save owners and renters a lot of aggravation.
Love this idea! We have stayed in places before where they do have a guest book with all that you mention and more. This place did not have such a guest book, something you would think a 5-star super host would have.
"If people would followed the Golden Rule life would be much better" So true!! Thank you for adding your comments!!
@@BrianandCarrie Thank you,. Love Your Posts. Always valuable. I wonder if anyone in Airbnb is smart enough to read threads like this to learn how they can improve their operations and that of their hosts. This thread alone is a goldmine of intelligence. Cheers!
One tip I can add is about the mattress, we have turn the mattress head to toe many times and found it made for a comfortable mattress. I can pretty much guarantee that hosts do not ever do this. Great video, thanks.
I joined (incognito) one of the Airbnb host Facebook groups and I was shocked at the constant disdain all these hosts had for their “renters”. They truly felt they were doing us peasant guests a huge favor and that they are all so superior to hotels. And the majority of them felt fully justified having CAMERAS outside and inside the property.
That would be an interesting read for sure!! So frustrating!!
My husband and i have a house in the South of France as a second home. I told him what if we rent it when we are not using it and he said NEVER!!!! My point is NOBODY will let other people live in smth NICE they would love to enjoy themselves
Cameras are not allowed inside the property.
We spent 6 weeks in Crete in 3 different airbnb's. All of them had hot water heated by solar heating panels on the roof. If it was cloudy then we had to switch on the tank heater via the breaker panel because the solar panels weren't effective. We put it down to it being the local construction standard. The welcome pack did mention it though, so no complaints. and all our hosts were very friendly
That's great to have a back up source and info on how the system operates. Those are good hosts 😊
Great video...we booked a 3 bedroom Air BNB and the 3rd bedroom was in the undercover carport, completely open to the elements on our last day, I was down there doing laundry and a family member was having a shower upstairs and the shower drain pipe leaked straight onto an outdoor chair, we had been there for a week before we saw that, luckily no-one sat on that upholstered chair. It was fully water logged. There was a keypad entry but we didn't realize until the last day that it didn't actually lock when you pulled the door shut. It was basically an open door to our belongings. (we were lucky nothing was stolen)
This was an awesome video full of useful information. I’m sorry you two had such a terrible experience, but thank you for turning it into a learning experience to share. I’ve stayed in more Airbnbs than I can count, and thankfully my experiences have been mostly great, but one thing I never thought about was the importance of making sure all accommodation-related communications with the host occur via the Airbnb platform for documentation purposes. That was really great advice. Thanks!
Thank you for watching, Debbie. Most of our Airbnb stays have been good some just ok, this one was bad! It seems like prices are going up and accommodations are going down.
Great video! When I stay at an AirBnB, I like to go ‘Mom and Pop,’ but at a distance, and use the AirBnB app for all remote communications. Once there, I treat it like my own.
The last time I did, within the first hour, I realized we had to jiggle the toilet handle to stop the flush from running. Worse yet, it would spontaneously start running on its own, and we’d have to jiggle it again. Having done my own toilet diagnostics and repairs as a homeowner, I immediately recognized the issue as bad seating of the flapper stopper. I knew firsthand how expensive the AirBnB’s water bill could be if it was ignored. I immediately informed the host of the issue (which was news to her), and we agreed I could just keep jiggling the handle until my stay was over to make the repair.
Also, same AirBnB stay, I planned to cook a lot of from-scratch “Martha Stewart” meals for my daughter’s family, whom were having their first baby and I was visiting. Knowing what I’d need, I asked detailed kitchen questions before my stay. The unit was rather primitively equipped, so I had to bring my own or plan workarounds. When I arrived, I was delighted to discover the host had just bought a brand new fancy Ninja blender, really a food processor! I think it probably cost her close to $300. That Ninja saved me a lot of time, and made my Tiger shrimp Chile Relleno sauce and other recipes the best ever!
The only downside to the unit was its bizarre bathtub, which we used to shower. The tub’s base was rounded, not flat or flat with a gentle slope to the drain. Never in my life had I seen such a thing! So no matter how far apart you put your feet to start, both would slide down to the midline. It was incredibly dangerous, especially once slippery soap or conditioner coated it.
Sorry you guys went through this. AirBnB is so hit or miss, especially with the long term stays. I really think that with the rate you paid and what AirBnBs in general are (over)charging, there needs to be a minimum standard that AirBnB requires from their hosts. It's a very uncomfortable position to be put in when you still have weeks left of your stay but there are so many things you need addressed and the host may turn hostile so you feel intimidated to stay silent.
You are correct on all counts! Thank you RSR for watching and adding to the conversation!!
Cheers!!🍻
I agree. We try to be near beach and overpay I think. Hosts say .. it was stolen as excuse for missing items. 😢
"minimum standards" would be a start. ☝☝☝
My daughter moved from NYC to LA and had a month long stay booked in an Airbnb - was given the door code and arrived at about 11.30pm with all her worldly possessions and her dog to find that the apartment complex also had a security door which required a different code from the apartment code, that had not been provided.
The Airbnb apartment is within a complex totally managed by a company that were not online or answering any messages at that time of night, contacted Airbnb who were unable to find her anywhere to stay and was also unable to hear from the 'host" long story short she had to sleep in a rental car on the street for the night until the host responded in the morning.
Airbnb refunded just the one night and offered no other compensation, the host offered her a month of free parking in writing (valued at $150) then attempted to reneg and said they'd have her rental car towed unless she paid the money (seriously !!), which she ultimately did not do when she replied in a not so lady like manner.
Such a sad story! We don't know how people can do this and get away with it! 😡 Thank you for sharing!!
Airbnb is how!!
We just shifted to our second Airbnb in Budapest couple of days ago, we did our due deligence, the property is very new, but had lot of surprises. They listed they have Dishwasher, microwave, but shockingly neither of them available, we never imagined new properties not having the very basic Dishwasher, microwave. Another surprising part they listed ‘Air Conditioning’ , but after we moved came to know they have something called ecosystem, but it is not working and the property has been warm. We did have all communication through Airbnb messaging luckily. We were disappointed as well, of course don’t want to complain but a learning experience. Thought of sharing with you folks. Currently we are still in the same property of course not as worse as your’s, we don’t have any hot water issues.
That's so frustrating! When items are listed and not there, I just don't understand that. Why misrepresent, it benefits no one. Hope the remainder of your stay goes well. Cheers!!
did you review them negatively?
We will be!!
We rented an Air B&B in Kitsalino Vancouver B.C. We arrived and the door code did not open, called owner twice no response, called Air B&B they asked us to give them one hour to contact the host and sent us to get a coffee or drink on them while they tried. One hour passed and they could not find the host, they refunded our money and were very sorry. First and last time for us, no thanks!
Nicely done in sharing about a challenging situation! Thanks for the info and helpful tips for both travelers and hosts!👌🏽
Thank you so much, we appreciate you watching ❤️
I'm so sorry you went through such a stressful experience. Thank you so much for sharing what you have learned from this. This is an excellent video.
Thank you, Diana. ❤️
Thanks so much for sharing. As long term airbnb renters, we can appreciate the fact based information you provided. From an outside perspective, it sounds like the real issue was an aggressive host when things were not working out. I suspect that he was “managing the property” and wanted to cover himself. From my read, you did everything right and there really was no way to avoid the train wreck. Good tips.
Yes, I do agree with that. I immediately felt like his defensiveness was because he knew he was wrong and should have been taking care of all this. Or the hit water and claiming he told us this, which obviously he didn't... Totally trying to cover his mistake. Frustrating.
Iv stayed in Air BnB's when traveling with friends and there's been some hiccups, but not anything unmanageable. I will be traveling solo in the near future so naturally proceeded to search for an AirBnB. Booking one this time around was such a nightmare that I went to hotel instead. Much more expensive, but a lot more peace of mind and much less stress.
I now live in community that is over run with air BnB's that sit vacant during the winter months meanwhile we have a crises of housing. Working fsmilies are stuck in hotels or end up moving to another city. Very unfortunate.
Your check list for the renter is spot on, and completely necessary but daunting for a traveler.
Great vid thanks.
Thank you, Cheryl! ❤️
Bravo that you choose NOT to provide info about the location of this difficult situation. It demonstrates you are solution-focused. My brother is an owner/host of two beautiful historic homes that he rents out on two different platforms. He takes pride in their preservation efforts and asks to be notified immediately if things are missing or broken. I shared your video and resource with him. We live in the Netherlands and travel throughout Europe. Because our stays are about a week, we went back to staying in family budget hotels with 24/7 staff, refrig, fast wifi, public transit nearby. The problems get addressed faster at the hotel. The best answer is to weigh your needs, time of year, and lodging options. Cancellation, deposits, and early departure with the properties on platforms can turn into unexpected financial losses. Your advice to communicate and document if a property doesn’t match advertised expectations is a healthy reminder. Hosts who allow a property to fail advertised expectations should be pulled from the platform. It will be interesting to learn how the platform addresses this host to reinforce their standards. Thank you for this video and resource.
Thank you! We didn't think twice about disclosing the location. We are big believers in karma and felt that it wouldn't be right. We will leave a review but feel it is necessary. Thank you for your comments and insights. ❤️
I’m with you about not disclosing the location and it is absolutely necessary that a review is left, and thank you for doing it!
Airbnb needs to up their hosts’ standards.
Have you rented with VRBO and if so, would love to learn about your experience and why you opted for Airbnb instead.
VRBO doesn't have many listing to choose from worldwide. Airbnb still has the most to rentals at the lowest prices from what we have found.
I'm so sorry this happened to you, what a horrible bully host! You did Nothing wrong, you learned from a bad experience and I thank you for sharing those valuable tips. Sadly, many hosts don't even live in the city of their AirBNB so there's no walk through happening. For the knives I picked up a tip from another couple travelling full time, they carry a portable knife sharpener. Others who check in their baggage carry a legit chef knife! One thing I look at in the pictures are the curtains... If they're all shut, chances are that the view is horrible. As for the bed, some like it really hard, others really bouncy, so that's a tough one to please everyone.
The bed issue is always something that we just deal with. One likes a hard bed and the other not so much. Thank you for all of your recent comments!! 😊
Our AirBnB experiences were good, well kind of. One unit smelled, one unit had a heater that boiled the shelf above the heater, one unit had cabinet doors and closet doors that popped off the hinges, and one unit had an old washer that did not spin correctly so clothes were soaked- I had to ring out the clothes for the drying rack. But, the hosts were all pleasant and accommodating. Most importantly, cheaper than a hotel.
Yes, cheaper than a hotel for sure. It's just unfortunate that we should have to deal with any of these issues when renting a place - if they rent it out, it should be ready!
None of these issues are acceptable in my opinion, particularly the smell and broken washer. Were you able to at least get a credit for those things?
@@BrianandCarrie Absolutely! But, the owners we dealt with were new at short-term rentals. One owner (in Tallinn) offered several times to wash our clothes, but we declined. Our current 6-month furnished rental (in Portland) has a great owner, and a real estate lawyer, who is attentive and responsive to any issues. These scenarios are like co-workers; some are great and some aren't.
My convenience and peace of mind are much more important than money. So hotels only
Thank you Carrie and Brian for this very helpful video. My husband and I watch your channel every week and have learned so much through your TH-cam platform. You have opened up a list of new adventures we want to discover. Thank you for all you do !!❤️
Thank you so much, Krista! We appreciate the weekly support! 😊❤️
Thank you for another great video cautioning us of potential AirBnB pitfalls.
Maybe you can make another video where you walk & talk through your AirBnB booking process...showing the AirBnB screen while you search and perform your due diligence, talking about why you reject some, and choose others for the final review and selection.
Maybe refer to (and show) your AirBnB checklist and how to use it as you search.
Once you make your selection, summarize why you selected it over other finalists reviewed.
Then, perform the walk through of the actual unit, referring back to your search criteria, due diligence, and your checklist
Finally, bring it home by showing actions you take to protect yourself, as you mentioned in this video.
A video as I just described would be super useful for your subscribers.
Thank you for a great channel!
I second this request!
Great tips! Thank you for bringing up the comfort of furniture. This is huge pet peeve of mine. We’ve stayed in too many that have uncomfortable furniture, which is easily preventable.
It is easily preventable. The issue is that the owners of these Airbnb's don't use them their selves. Uncomfortable furniture is cheap, something they wouldn't have in their own homes.
One of the things we have discovered in traveling full time for almost a year now is that more and more airbnb hosts are just investors. They not only don’t live near the airbnb, they don’t even live in the same country! It’s frustrating. I agree with your assessment of what makes a comfortable stay and add one more that means a lot to us. A lot of the bedrooms don’t even come with nightstands or outlets anywhere near the bed. I won’t even rent places if I don’t see those in the pics.
Sorry I haven’t commented in a while. We’ve been pretty busy in Albania and I was sick for a couple of weeks with a terrible cold. We are currently in Italy for two weeks, but we are staying in Sarandë for two months. We took the ferry to Corfu, Greece a couple of weeks ago, too. We still have 8 more months in Albania. We are really enjoying it there. It’s a stunningly beautiful country.
Safe travels! Btw…my husband agrees with your idea of having the frig stocked with some local craft beers. 😉
AirBnB has allowed more people to live their dream of owning a destination holiday home, and to defray expenses by renting it out while they are back working. Specialized wings of the real estate and property management industries sprung up to make it possible. In the last 15+ years, the costs of the system, especially in higher real estate prices to locals, have begun to appear. And not everyone is cut out to be a host.
Sorry that you haven't been feeling well and welcome back!! I agree with all of this. We have friends and one of my daughters have short term rentals and they are diligent about their properties. They actually use them as vacation homes and in one case their residence most of the year. Thank you two for the conversation!!
Cheers!!🍻
Great information! Love hearing the personal stories included with tips on dealing with hosts and airbandb.
Thank you, so happy you found it helpful! Thanks for watching 😊
Sounds like you've got an abuser on your hands. They're awful. I'm glad you're making a video about it since these people need to be held accountable.
Thank you so much for this excellent video on what to do before arriving at an airbnb and during your stay. You both are very good at explaining with calming voices and you both cover anything possible. We had a bad experience with a host who had some anger management issues and just went crazy attacking me on the airbnb site. Many problems as soon as we arrived to Big Bear in CA during the cold season with snow. The company who maintained this house for the nasty host seemed nice and were there already shoveling snow as we pulled up. That night the jacuzzi hot tub was not working, no hot water, so the next day they came out to fix it but it still did not work for the hot water was barely warm. Then problems with the very dirty grill was not working and when I contacted them that night I got no answer till the next day late in the afternoon telling me there was a switch in the house for the gas but they didn’t clean the grill which looked like it was NEVER cleaned, so digusting. Dish washing liquid bottle had like 2 tablespoons of liquid and there was only one very small dish towel that looked dirty for drying dishes and a broken plastic spatula. The final thing that was the icing on the cake was the garbage disposal stopped working after I put down the SKINS of a butternut squash in the disposal. I called them about this and the HOST posted on Airbnb that I put down a WHOLE butternut squash down the disposal and broke it myself. UNBELIEVABLE. Lights were not working in the kitchen. This is when we said we were done and leaving 3 days early. Then the host wrote all this nasty stuff about me on the airbnb site, attacking me and lying about stuff. I should of got my money back and didn’t realize I could for this place. Airbnb were nice enough to give me 200.00 one time in a year but I was so mad by what the host said that I will never stay at another airbnb again. The host said how nice I was, “as sweet as apple pie” at first but watch out for her because she is not and wants many things fixed. I answered him with how he was lying and how he attacked me. My son who was with me and his wife also said this host was crazy and we should just leave early. Airbnb saw what he wrote and agreed. Never again!! I don’t trust people now with Airbnb’s. They act kind and then blame you for everything that is not your fault. Airbnb should just never let these people work with them ever again. Thank you for all your good information! Oh, and this nasty host was so mad to get a bad review from me saying how I ruined his good reviews. Surely others just didn’t review the bad knowing this guy’s personality. And when I complained about the garbage disposal the Management company never responded only the host with his anger problem.
It's tough to navigate and you just never really know what you're going to get with a host or rental. So many lessons learned though.
Remove your Airbnb bad review within 24 hours, let me know if interested.
I remember when you guys embraced Airbn a few months ago.. I already stop using Airbnb at that time, I guess it’s just about timing when you get the negative experience.. I am glad you guys ok..
We are just happy that in the end Airbnb did protect us. We just don't understand how they come up with the "Super host" or why it was so difficult to finally get everything worked out. 🙄
@@BrianandCarrie I agree and that’s my point. If you get good costumer service problem resolved . I had two terrible experiences and Airbn literally I was asked look for a new place and I got refund through my credit card only . 1. Place moldy , dirty and shower drain plugged . 2. Old dirty bedding sheets, ( host admitted the cleaning lady is on vacation!)
“Superhost” is merely a marketing gimmick for Airbnb to attempt to keep as many guests laces booked as possible to maximize their profits. Nearly everyone seems to be a “Super host,” which is a red flag.
Great video, thanks for sharing. It’s scary to think there are people out in the world that operate like that. And then they tried to screw you over. Sickening.
And with your frustrations with AirBnB, I can relate. We had an awful similar experience with Expedia once.
It's sad that he in a 5-star super host!!
That proves to not trust the reviews!
I have had two stays at Airbnb which were shockingly terrible. I was refunded on both accounts so good on Airbnb for that. However I will never take the risk again.
It's really a tough one. They have the best selection, but is it worth the risk and stress.
I’m over staying at any Air BnB properties. With all the added fees now, It’s not really much less than a hotel room. One of the things I encountered was hosts who used stinky fragrance laden laundry products scented candles and those electric scent diffusers. I’m extremely sensitive to fragrance so I started asking, before booking, what type of laundry/bathroom products they use.
My son and his family stayed in an Air BnB when they visited awhile ago. The day after they arrived, the temps dropped into the teens. They woke up to frozen water pipes. They contacted the host and she got nasty with them for not leaving faucets dripping. How were they to know they needed to do that? She had to send a plumber over. After they checked out (I think they stayed three nights), the host started claiming all this “damage” to the house. Fortunately, my daughter-in-law took video when they checked out that showed there was no damage. We all figured she was trying to claim damage so she could recoup the money she spent on the plumber. The key takeaway is always note problems and take video or photos when you first check in and when you check out.
Wow. Faucets dripping???? Wow! I have a house , own, individually standing, in Finland where winters are cold. Never ever did i hear that anyone would have dripping faucets. I also have a house in the south of France where there is technically no winter but sometimes in winter temperatures can go below zero - also never heard of leaving dripping faucets. What is that? Like WHY????? Isn’t that expensive to have dripping water?
@@bambinaforever1402- It’s something that sometimes needs to be done with older and/or poorly insulated homes.
I had the worst possible travel experience. I wanted to stay in an apartment in Portugal for a month so I went to a real estate agent. I knew something was wrong when she insisted I sign a paper that did not represent the apartment correctly. I did not sign. She called me daily to sign so finially I told her I didn't really think this apartment was for me. When she learned I was leaving, she sent two men to the apartment. They stole my telephone, cash and a few other things were missing. This is the good part of it. I won't go into the nightmare issues. The agent was married to a policemant. It appears in some areas of Portugal, the police are pretty corrupt and are in on thefts or so it would seem. Portugal has the system set up so you cannot go to court. The locals criminals are protected.
Oh no i love all nationalities but portroguese have been the most troublesome when travelling. One a slumdog landlord in london and once in portugal filing a police report when car was broken into. Most corrupt ever
Wow!
Awful. We did visit Portugal as my husband’s brother retired there, we stayed with him and then in a hotel in Lisbon. Hotel was nice but we did not like Portugal at all, we will not be returning ever
😮😮😮
We stay at the B&B in St. Louis. We booked it for a month. It had mold in the basement. It had plug-ins in every socket. The place reiked of cherry air freshener. I put my own sheets on and used my own pillow within one night my face was the size of a balloon. My mouth was swollen. My tongue was swollen. I was allergic to mold. We left and called Airbnb for a refund. They said it was up to the owner. The owner said I’ll only give you a refund if you give me a good review. So those that’s the end of my B&B.Days at least at a hotel you can check out.
Thats crazy!! Thank you for sharing your experience and for watching our channel! 😊
This type of blackmail should be reported to Airbnb and not be allowed. It’s also why you cannot rely on reviews!
I think a big part of the problem is that there are few honest reviews on the units. Renters are reluctant to criticize because they can be negatively reviewed themselves and then not be able to find owners willing to rent to them. I don’t trust the reviews anymore.
I think that you are right. People don't leave honest reviews in fear of retaliation. What point are reviews if there not honest?
It's an all around corrupt situation. Not good on any level. 👎
I recently had a very similar experience. AIR BNB SUCKS at customer service. After the same run around, I just told air bnb that i am going to dispute the charges with my visa card company. This really got them to respond.
Brian, we all appreciate your "stock the fridge with local beer" double take 🤣 Great vlog, this is such a huge part of accommodations and making or breaking any trip, DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE! AIRBNB needs to get back to customer service & holding hosts accountable like back 4-5 years ago. Stay safe 🌏
Agreed! Airbnb is simply too big for them to manage. And yes, stock the fridge!! 😁
They just want their profits!
I tend to use Booking as well. I have to say that when we had a problem with an apartment in Granada (roaches). We contacted Booking and they refunded the entire amount within the hour and told us we were free to leave. Which we did. We were so impressed. They asked no further questions either.
That's great to hear about your experience with booking.
Hi Brian and Carrie. First of all, nice to meet you, and I am glad I found your channel. I just subscribed. 😊 I appreciate your willingness to be vulnerable and give such valuable help to prevent others from going through what you did. I'm a fan!
Thank you so much❤️. So happy you found us. Cheers!!
Love many of your suggestions for the host. Especially the one “to live there”. I live in my Airbnb at least once a year. Many years, two-three times a year. Without those stays in my own Airbnb, I wouldn’t be aware of small things and:or things that are about to break.
I think that's the most important thing. If you are a good host, you want things to be in order. How are you to know if you don't actually spend time in the rental? Thank you for watching and adding to the conversation!
Oh my gosh, you guys! I’m so sorry that happened to you but seriously you are way more patient than the average person. At least the average American! I think you did a great job and I’m so glad you found new accommodation. That looks really really great! I hope all goes well for the rest of the month! Let us know what happens and if you get your money back.
We did get a 30% discount on the nights stayed and a full refund on the remaining nights.
We rented an Airbnb last weekend and it was very nice. Clean,everything worked, host was responsive to questions. Pool and jacuzzi were clean and well maintained. Great value for the money
That's awesome!! Thank you for sharing your positive experiences, Sharlene!
I'm also an old AirBNB pro. Only twice have I had issues and both times Airbnb helped us and we got full refunds (2 x within 24 hours in Mexico). Something for folks to be aware of...if the owner says they have something and it's important to you, get that in writing...if it's posted on the advert then screen shot the advert. unscrupulous hosts will change their Advert to make it YOUR fault or "I never said I had that..." ugh. watch out for yourself everyone...film when you arrive and film when you leave.... i"m not sure if Brian and Carrie's AirBNB fiasco was in the US or another country. Water is often an Issue in Mexico (where I live for 4 months a year) which is why I ask. Good that you all stood up for yourself.
Thank you for the advice! We were in Chania, Greece when this happened.
you guys are an inspiration! I had my own Airbnb fiasco in Malaysia, and it was very uncomfortable , but i made sure to make all correspondance through the Airbnb app and was refunded right away. I started traveling in March and have found that I tend to buy things that are missing from the Airbnb, like knives and such. I think some hosts may leave old or broken items in place so that guests will just replace them. So now ive made a pact with myself NOT to buy missing items like utensils and throw blankets.
If we can't take items we buy with us, we don't buy them. It is good to know you were refunded but it still leaves you uncomfortable and wondering about next time. Thank you for watching and safe travels!❤️
Thanks for the checklist. Very cool. Sorry about the crummy experience. You handled it with remarkable patience.
We think that check list will really help people out!!
I had an a Airbnb host once who responded an hour late to check in only to be told their bathroom wasn’t working and we would have to find a hotel for the night until it was fixed the next day. Upon that news I also started a game of phone tag with Airbnb. Two airbnb representatives later I got a full refund (after a lot of persuasion). Documented communication within the platform is key as you said. Sorry to hear your experience but thank you for sharing and the great info!
We are starting to think that Airbnb makes you work for a refund. It really shouldn't be difficult!! Thank you for sharing and watching our channel!
You guys are young. At my age, this is too much hassle to go somewhere in order to relax, enjoy, have peace, and happiness!! I will go to a nice resort, thank you. I am too old for this crap.
Amen l second that motion! Hotel/Resort all the way. Understanding a month stay would require a “air BNB” Set up BUT maybe this channel could do a cheap vs expensive video in different destinations.
Thanks for the list! The last point you talked about was a big dilemma for us - we decided to not get a place for a whole month. Sacrificing the bigger choice, but get 3-5 nights and spend the first days looking for a place for a month or two. Seems better for us, this way I can also understand a little about locations, how good the metro is etc.
Thats not a bad idea at all. Our only problem with that is will there be anything available last minute for a month long stay?
So sorry you had this experience. It's so helpful you sharing your experience, how you dealt with it and what you learned from it. My husband and I are travellers and we usually stay at hotels. We stayed at an AirBNB in Paris and it wasn't the way it appeared in the write up or photos. It was disappointing but we were only there for 7 nights. Whish I knew then what I know now. Love watching your travels!
If we were only staying for a few nights, we could do hotels or suits. Needing someplace for a month with a kitchen can make things a bit more difficult! Thank you, Shirley for watching and commenting. ❤️
@BrianandCarrie Definitely you need a place with a kitchen if you are staying for a month. What country are you visiting now?
We are currently in Greece.
I also had an awfull experience in Switzerland and Indon'tbuse AirBnb anymore since then. I was acussed of many broken things, as you said, I just adapted to them and didn't think about being extremely vigilent and protecting myself.
We recently rented an apartment in Italy and did not realize until after the host left that there was no toilet paper or hand towels in any of the bathrooms. No fun when you arrive in a new city at night after 16 hours of travel.
Yeah, normal in Italy. U arrive late at night and find NOTHING. no toilet paper, no soap, no tea, NOTHING.
The video is very informative, thanks Brian and Carrie for sharing your experience!
Thank you for watching!! ❤️
It’s so frustrating that things like this are still happening on Airbnb rentals, with all the additional fees that we have to pay. Airbnb as a company should be more strict with hosts to make sure that this unfortunate situation doesn’t continue to happen.
Best of luck to you guys!
Thank you! ❤️
There is too little oversight. They rely on customers to infirm them of issues. They should be working to prevent these issues!
Thanks for this! Great advice on running all issues through AirBnB. In the past we have not done this for fear of creating a confrontation with the host. But you are absolutely right!
This is the first time we have used WhatsApp with a host and never again. He seemed friendly in the beginning, so we agreed. He's a salesman not a host.
At this point, I have had more bad Airbnb experiences than bad hotel experiences, and I've stayed at way more hotels. Sketchy day-of cancellations with spurious reasons, facilities not as claimed, uncomfortable situations like apartments where I'm pretty sure the AirBNB wasn't allowed, etc. This despite glowing reviews for all of them.
I now only consider them when the advantage is too great over a hotel, like if I'm staying there a long time and need a kitchen or there is a group of us where one multi-room building is way cheaper than 2+ hotel rooms. And only then when the host seems very established.
Not a bad way of thinking. We do stay long term and use a kitchen on a regular basis. We need to do a better job of vetting.
It’s unfortunate that one cannot rely on the reviews to be 100% factual. Airbnb is a huge part of the problem. How could the host and/or the key person/manager of whom you spoke be so lackluster & disrespectful & unfair, yet still be rated five stars?! That is very misleading. It gives Airbnb a bad reputation. They seem to mostly care about profits, thus they might allegedly delete bad reviews. They want the places booked!
I am a single woman that sometimes travels solo and stays at AirBnb's. I have stayed in several at this point and for the most part have felt safe, and had a good stay. I did have one nightmare stay that I ended up leaving in Santa Fe,NM..it had all 5 stars as well and she is also a "super host". You have to do as you say and study the pictures, the reviews.. read between the lines..even if they are 5 stars. If I ever feel unsafe or unlivable conditions.. I will leave whether I get money back or not. The Host in Santa Fe surprisingly refunded my money...however... I am intimidated to give a bad review at Airbnb. I have all good ratings from hosts...and I travel with my dog so that is worth something. Thanks for your suggestions!
This. I recently had to tussle with airbnb support team to get a partial refund. What a terrible, mean spirited host and had the nerve to have no refund policy. I can write a chapter on my first experience which will be my last, i will stick to hotels.
If a host has a “No Refunds” policy, that is a red flag. If they are honest and their place is in great condition, it should be rare that someone asks for any type of a refund, unless it’s a family emergency, etc. and many they can change their reservation dates.
When I see hosts post, “No refunds for any reason,” I cross them off the list.
I never expect to need to ask for one, but what if legitimately something at the place is egregiously wrong & you don’t feel comfortable staying there?? For instance no hot water or WiFi not working?
If it’s fixed right away, that is fine.
Yet I keep reading about places that aren’t kept up in rentable condition. That is inexcusable.
@@AndreasS.-mh8ti Exactly. His door had issues to lock, the bathtub water flows slowly; I had to stand in the dirty bath water until I turned off the pipe, and so much other problem, and the space just wasn’t good for my needs. The photos were not exactly as posted. As soon as I checked in I messaged right away about unable to stay there and why. You don’t want to know what transpired after. What a terrible human being. He basically said I’ll have to suck it up because he won’t be losing money over his place not meeting my needs. I transfer the issue to Airbnb and I got spun in a circle until Airbnb finally decided to give me a partial refund.
Thank you for the pay attention to no refund policy advice.
Thanks for posting. this is very useful information.
In your review, I’d be sure to state that Airbnb refunded you, to support your side of the story. Because he’s certainly going to review the two of you & future hosts will see what he has to say about you!
Absolutely we will. The last conversation I had with the host I pointed out that very thing. It is disappointing that we will get a negative review, but we also know that there are other options. Thank you! ❤️
@BrianandCarrie If you've only had one negative review and you give a negative review and document what happened, although they limit the word count, you should be fine. In fact, I would argue that it may keep shady hosts from renting to you and good hosts would probably understand what really happened. Hopefully, you were able to get that all in the review😮😊
That is a great point!! Something that we didn't think about.
Thanks so much for the great info and the checklist! Really appreciate it and we love your videos!
We appreciate you watching, Tim!!
Cheers!!🍻
Great video - sorry you had this experience and thanks for sharing the advice. Like you if the price is right we can roll with the punches. However, we always go out and spend a small amount to overcome anything that would really bug us. Resulting in we always seem to leave place better than when we arrive. Any sort of rental I ALWAYS do a walk thru video on arrival and check out.
In the past we have purchased a bottle opener or a spatula, small items like that. Never again!! 🙄 As always, thank you for watching!
Thank you so much for your thorough video! My husband and I are super hosts and we have multiple short-term rentals. We make sure that we stay in all of ours and provide the amenities that we would want. Like a throw blanket like you said and extra towels. And a fully stocked kitchen. We have stayed in other Airbnbs and have totally experienced what you're talking about. It's very frustrating! Anna
The reason that you are a super host is because you take the time to stay in your rentals. The place we are currently in, the owner uses it for holiday. She has everything in order. We need more hosts like you!!! 😁 Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment!! ❤️
Ive had 50 fab Airbnbs. Then one that was a nightmare. The pictures lied and he was a superhost. I wanted to leave immediately and contacted Airbnb. Unbelievably Airbnb contacted the host who then gave me an insulting review after 50 excellent ones. Airbnb wouldn't take his review down and did nothing. He's still on there. So disgusted with their customer service. They are making a fortune but do nothing for it. Just lip service or worse. Allow bad hosts to put good guests down without consequence.
We have decided that we don't care about a negative review. We will be leaving an honest, professional review and see what Airbnb decides to do with it. It would be sad if they take it down.
I've been very fortunate with all my ABB experiences (just a few!)
That said, you two now join other YT world traveler couples who have, after long ABB experiences, reached a point of exasperation.
Some have completely switched back to hotels, and now include tips on accumulating points, using hotel brand credit cards and etc.
I'm really sorry you experienced this dismal failure of service.
Thank you for sharing your tips for dealing with such situations, and for avoiding them to begin with.
It drives us nuts when AirBNB hosts switch over to WhatsApp. Seems to be the norm in Europe. My advice is to document issues via AirBnB chat.
We had very good experiences with our accommodations in Crete. 🤷🏼♂️
Looking forward to your video on Crete. Bet you rented a car! 🚗
Yes, all communication goes through Airbnb platform from now on. We are loving the place we are in now. This host is amazing!