Pros and Cons of Airbnb: Is It the Right Choice?
Every time we plan a trip, we weigh the pros and cons of Airbnb to decide if it’s the right choice. Despite its drawbacks, Airbnb often remains a strong option within our travel plans.
One significant advantage of Airbnb is the value it can offer depending on the circumstances. Typically, Airbnb provides more space than hotel rooms, with amenities like full kitchens, living rooms, and even private pools. This becomes especially appealing when traveling with a group or to pricier destinations. For instance, during our week in Kauai, we paid half the price for an Airbnb in Princeville compared to nearby resorts. The rental included resort-style amenities like a community pool, stunning views, and free parking.
On the downside, Airbnb doesn’t offer daily cleaning services, and the cleaning fee at the end of your stay can sometimes be steep, which could influence your decision to book.
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In this article, we’ll explore Airbnb’s pros and cons to help you decide if it’s the right choice of accommodations for your next vacation.
Advantages of Airbnbs
Pro: Cost and Value
For budget-conscious travelers, Airbnb offers great value for your money. Whether you’re looking to save on costs or get more space than traditional hotels provide, Airbnb allows you to find the perfect balance between price and amenities that suit your needs. For example, during our week in Kauai, we paid half the price for an Airbnb in Princeville compared to nearby resorts. The rental included resort-style amenities like a community pool, stunning views, and free parking.
Pro: Accommodating Large Groups
Airbnb is an excellent option for large groups. If you’re traveling with family or friends, you’ll likely need multiple hotel rooms, which can add up quickly. Airbnb allows you to book an entire home with multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, and living spaces for a much lower price, making your group vacation more comfortable.
Pro: Local Experience
Airbnb offers the unique opportunity to stay in a destination as if you’re part of the local community. Sometimes, properties are located in the heart of a city, making it easy to explore the area and immerse yourself in the local culture. You’ll have the chance to dine with locals and experience the destination from a different perspective.
Pro: More Amenities
Airbnb rentals often provide more amenities than a hotel room, such as full kitchens, living rooms, laundry machines, free parking, and pool access. These are amenities you can filter and look for when researching Airbnb. Having a kitchen, for example, allows you to cook some meals and save money, while laundry facilities are a huge bonus during longer trips.
Pro: Unique Spaces
Airbnb offers unique and exciting spaces you won’t find in a standard hotel room. You can choose from studios, traditional homes, villas, lofts, airstreams, planes, and even treehouses. If you’re looking for something more off-the-beaten-path, Airbnb likely has options that hotels can’t match.
Pro: Hosts
A great Airbnb host can significantly improve your stay. Some hosts go the extra mile, providing local tips and advice. We once had a host in Florence who gave us a free cell phone so we could contact her anytime with questions. Others have left us local snacks and bottles of wine, making our stay even more special.
Pro: More Payment Options
Airbnb gives you the freedom to choose how to pay for your stay. With various payment options, including credit cards, PayPal, and Google Pay, Airbnb offers more flexibility than traditional hotels. Of course, we always recommend you book with a credit card in case you need to dispute the charge or use its travel insurance benefits.
Disadvantages of Airbnbs
Con: Additional Fees
Airbnb charges additional fees on top of the nightly rate, such as cleaning fees, late check-in fees, security deposits, and admin fees. You must compare your Airbnb options to nearby hotel options to determine if the total cost is cheaper than booking a hotel. The added fees might not be worth it for short stays (1-3 days).
Con: Lack of Standards
Unlike hotel chains, Airbnb doesn’t have standardized services. Some hosts may provide excellent service, while others may fall short. This inconsistency can affect your stay, and Airbnb may not be as reliable in ensuring quality across different properties. Because each listing is managed by individual hosts, the experience can vary widely, leaving you to deal with varying cleanliness levels, communication, and overall quality.
Con: Risky
Airbnb can be risky for several reasons. If you rent a room in someone’s home rather than an entire place, you might end up with less-than-ideal roommates. There have also been reports of scam properties that don’t actually exist—these are often new listings without any reviews. Additionally, there’s always a chance that the Airbnb you arrive at doesn’t match the photos in the listing, leading to a disappointing experience.
Con: No Hotel Services
Airbnb doesn’t offer hotel services like a concierge, room service, or daily housekeeping. You’ll need to handle things independently, like booking reservations and managing your stay. However, some Airbnb hosts are knowledgeable and kind enough to provide tips and point you in the right direction regarding their favorite things to do locally. Our last Airbnb host in Modena thoughtfully left us a handwritten list of her favorite restaurants in the city.
Con: Poor Customer Service
While hosts generally welcome you into their homes, if something goes wrong with your booking, Airbnb’s customer service may not be as responsive as you’d hope. Complaints online often highlight this issue. If a problem arises, be prepared to battle it out with Airbnb and potentially your credit card company to resolve the situation.
Con: Paying in Advance
Unlike booking directly with a hotel, where you can guarantee a room with a credit card and then pay upon checkout, Airbnb requires the entire payment in advance. You can pay a 50% deposit at booking, and then they’ll automatically charge the balance before your stay, or you can pay in full upfront. While payment plans are available for particular stays, the host doesn’t receive payment until after you check-in.
Con: Cancellation Policy
Airbnb’s cancellation policies vary by host. Some offer generous and flexible policies, while others have strict conditions. Before booking, read the cancellation policy carefully to avoid penalties if you need to cancel your trip.
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Kathy Ava
Meet Kathy Ava, a food, travel, and cruise writer based in Los Angeles/Pasadena, and the owner and main writer of Tasty Itinerary. With over 20 years of experience planning trips and logistics at her full-time job and for herself, she's become a pro at crafting unforgettable tasty itineraries. She's always on the hunt for delicious, fun travel destinations and cruise itineraries. She firmly believes that life is short and we must make the most of it, so always say yes to dessert.