My Recent Airbnb Experience: Lessons Learned

I prided myself at picking decent Airbnbs for our trips. After booking a dozen locations over the past five years, I thought I had it all figured out. This current trip to Texas had me agreeing, “We need to figure out how to choose better places.”

Here’s a description of the two homes we stayed at this current trip to visit my son and his family.

It was cold!

We arrived on the coldest February day of the season, with lows dipping into the teens. When I walked into the first home, the heat wasn’t on and the thermostat reported an indoor temperature of 38 degrees! I turned it on, but it took an entire day to get the home up to the mid-sixties. The checkout instructions read, “Turn off the thermostat before you leave.” I texted my host, “Are you sure?” and set it down to 60.

Because we drove out a few days earlier than planned, we only stayed in that home a couple of nights. When we arrived at the second home, where we would spend the next week, guess what? The heat was off. It was 47 in this home. I turned on the heat and we went to a coffee shop. My host replied to my text about this, “Some of our guests get claustrophobic when we leave the heat on.” What’s that supposed to mean?

A minimalist’s dream

Both places looked just as pictured and were very clean. But both were very spartan. Not a dish towel to be found in the kitchen. No hand towels or washcloths in the bathrooms, just bath towels. No side table lamps in any of the rooms, only bright overhead lighting. No ironing board or iron. No instructions for the television and no binder with information about local places to eat or shop.

To the hosts’ credit, each place was exactly as pictured in the listing. They were clean and the beds were comfortable. However, each was located in neighborhoods with older homes, some in disrepair. Since I don’t get the location until I book, I had no way of evaluating that community. Both looked a little sketchy when we pulled in, but turned out to be safe.

A flawed review system

What about the reviews from others who stayed there? They were almost all five (out of five) stars. Everyone found them clean, comfortable, and convenient. Who wouldn’t want to stay there?

By the same token, I usually give a place five stars, four at the very least. If I have suggestions for improvement, I send them privately to the host rather than griping in the public review. Why? I don’t to jeopardize getting a good review from them. I guess that makes the reviews pretty much useless.

I’ve resolved to be a little more honest in my reviews. I am going to express the realties of a place in the best way I can, helping others who might be considering staying here in the future.

I’m going to expand my price range, too. Lately I’ve been searching for places to stay that cost less than $100 per night. I get what I pay for. It’s a good deal, but I’m not going to get as many amenities as a $150 or $200 dollar-a-night home.

So here’s a few tips and tricks for picking or passing on your next Airbnb.

• While the insides of the homes have been nicely remodeled, the outsides will usually be a little worn. Don’t be overly concerned when you pull up for the first time. Go inside and give it a chance.

• Most of the pictures will make the insides look much bigger than they are in real life. It’s all about the camera angles.

• I don’t spend a lot of time in the Airbnb. We use it mostly for relaxing in the evening, sleeping at night, and breakfast the next morning. I can overlook a lot of shortcomings when I’m not there much of the day.

• Scour the pictures of the kitchen to learn what kind of coffee maker is in the kitchen, and then bring the appropriate coffee with you, along with filters. A host might give you a few pods or a few pots worth of ground coffee, but I always need more. And it’s usually one of the cheapest ones you can buy, so don’t expect too much.

• If you plan on doing any cooking, bring cooking spray and seasonings. Sometimes you’ll find salt and pepper in the cupboard, but not always.

• Generally, the ice makers in an Airbnb do not work. But they always have ice trays to make your own.

• Bring a sponge pouf along with your own soap, shampoo, and conditioner. Those pretty wall pumps generally don’t work well.

• As soon as you book a place and get a street address, check out the street view on Google Maps. If it looks a little too sketchy, you should be within the cancellation window.

• Check the cleaning fee before booking. A cheap daily rate is often accompanied by a hefty fee for cleaning. That, plus Airbnb fees and taxes can double the price of your great deal.

• If you follow the check-out instructions, you’ll get a good review. Take out the trash, don’t leave anything behind, and don’t break anything, you’ll be in good shape.

On this most recent trip, I’ve wanted to ask each host, “Have you actually ever spent a night here?” I suspect not. I truly believe someone else manages the property for them, which means they don’t necessarily know what’s lacking. So I’ll be more honest in my reviews to help them improve.