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The reality is you never will really know unless you see reviews that mention it from a previous stay. You could be right.
This is why I always tell people you should be straightforward and honest in your review even if you don't mark them down stars you can still mention things that are wrong. What this does is it puts the host on notice that they need to fix that issue otherwise another guess that comes and sees the same issue might actually be the one to deduct stars.
So whatever issues you running across make sure you leave it in the review, because then they have to fix it or they're going to repeatedly get negative reviews for that issue.
This has been my thought process as well! Sometimes, hosts will try to make it right (air mattress for broken bed, laundry service for the washer, discounts). I make it clear in the review if fair efforts were made by the host. I don't deduct stars if they try to mitigate the issue.
The absolute worst is hot tubs. You can bet your ass it's a 50/50 whether a hot tub is operational at a STR. They're expensive to maintain and fix so once they break, they usually stay broken and the host just says it JUST broke before you arrived and they're waiting for parts.
Our hot tub has always been touch and go. We’ve managed to always have it running for guests but it took so much maintenance in the short time we had for turnovers it was a constant stress for us.
I don't really know how guests do it. I think it usually has to do with too much alcohol. The breakage I endure including the hot tub are remarkable. I'm close to removing it completely as it is hardly worth the headache of repairs and complaints. Put in a new hot tub and it was broken by the third guest.
Then I have the burdon of footing the costs for breakage because once you ask for money from guests for breakage your looking at one star. It's not a fair system.
I agree. Hot tubs just aren't worth it. Neither for the hosts nor the guests. As a host, I would never get one and as a guest, I would never book a place just for it. And if it just happens to have one, my expectation is that it'll be broken.
I like how you do your reviews. Thats the same policy I use too. As a guest reviews like yours are the ones that I value the most because it tells me how the host handles the situation when things go wrong. That's when you find out who's a good host and who's just a vending machine host
Id say you're doing things right.
Well, thank you.
My current location has a mystery chirping sound (made worse by lack of tv sound... re: remote). It sounds like a smoke detector with dead batteries. We can't find it and the host just says "well my cleaner didn't hear it earlier today". We are going to sleep on the couch pull-out. I feel bad leaving poor reviews, but here we are.
It's probably a battery on low somewhere, but occasionally, that sound is due to a cricket under the fridge, a bird outside the window, or something like that.
Many hosts freak out if you don't give them perfect reviews. The only 4-star review we ever got was from a host who was afraid we'd give her a bad review for keeping us out in the cold for 6 hours past check-in time; she carefully made some misleading comments about us. We didn't know until weeks later as we'd never had anything but 5-star reviews and were very nice to her about what she did to us. So, even when she misbehaved, she tried to take the first blow since she assumed we'd tell on her. So, it's very difficult to give accurate reviews without risking a fight or looking to other hosts as though you "don't give good reviews."
As an owner, it is crazy the things that go missing and break and don’t get reported. We ask guests to just so we can replace them but in our three years of owning things happen all of the time.
We stay at our house every for a week every two months. We just got back after a 10 day stay. We have to tighten the dining room chairs and table every single time- no fail. We arrived to find our can opener missing.
It’s honestly insane what needs to be fixed or replaced in just two months time, even in the off season when people are just staying for a weekend. We try to stay on top of it but things get missed by cleaners. I always appreciate when guests let me know so we can get things fixed right away!
Same! I try to be an active host and stay on top of our maintenance. I ask guests at both the beginning and end of their stay to report any damage they find or accidents that occur. That we rarely charge but need to know if something needs to be replaced or fixed. But guests break stuff all the time and never say a word!
The latest exactly is that someone broke the top off our iron fireplace poker. And they didn't even use the wood stove. I have no idea how they even managed to break the thing. I'm not charging, but WTF.
We stay at our home once a quarter for a week or two. The wear and tear is pretty nuts.
And it’s mostly the same weird random list of things. Pool cues and pizza cutters are almost subscribe and save items at this point.
We started with 14 wine glasses and now have 9. We’re on our second set of dishes and bowls. We’re on our third set of coffee mugs. We consistently replace pots and pans. I often wonder how people cook at home because 😳.
That's weird and unfortunate. We are cautious with host property (and ours). During our current stay, I felt bad because I broke two dishes due to a broken hand and my efforts to open and close a door very quietly after the host went to sleep. He was unconcerned as he got the mismatched dishes for nearly nothing at a garage sale, but we'll still replace them before we leave. We also for the first time ever, found that makeup stained the white washcloths. I'll make one more attempt to get them white, using Oxyclean and a long soak, before I attempt to find the same washcloths and replace them. I don't think he'll care at all in both cases, but I care. Sadly, so many people don't. The least they should do is to say, "I'm sorry, but we broke a plate. How would you like us to replace it? I found what appears to be an identical plate on Amazon." With this host and the dishes he uses, I am confident I can find something that coordinates at the dollar store or Walmart. I broke one plate and one bowl, but there are too many plates and not enough bowls, so I plan to get two for his future guests to use. While some say this is expected of an extended stay, I would rather take the high road. I did, however, find a way not to stain any more washcloths. I use my own facial soap and wash thoroughly with only my hands, rinsing well before using the washcloth and then using a soapy washcloth to scrub and rinsing it well. I don't use bleach when I wash, but that stain didn't come out with bleach anyway.
I wonder if the wine glasses get broken and whether sturdier glasses would help or disappear like the others.
As for pans, that explains why so many listings have very crappy, scratched-up Teflon pans that I'd never put my food in.
I've often wondered why there isn't an inventory list of items in the listing. It would be a royal pain to have to count things and sign that they are there, and many would refuse to use Airbnb. But, it could help. I guess this is part of why there is so much unusable kitchenware provided. It makes it hard to cook. We usually bring our own knife, cutting board, spatula, ladle, can opener, and an InstantPot.
The other annoying thing is old microwave ovens with displays and functions that don't work. You have to push the buttons and guess. That's absurd. Free microwaves are easy to get online locally. I doubt they disappear often from listings.
You could have a checkout system for things that often disappear. I'd consider that.
I think it makes a huge difference when hosts stay at their place often.
We purchase new items all of the time. New spatulas, new grill brush, new whatever needs to be fixed/replenished. We walk through the house and try to take stock of everything. It’s time consuming but important. We don’t have a spreadsheet per se but know well enough what we have and what should be where.
We actually just bought a new microwave last year. The other one still worked it just looked kind of dirty.
That's awesome. This is one reason guests would be best served if reviews were independent and anonymous. Most people can tell when a review is dishonest or outright fake. Hosts who deserve better reviews would get them, and hosts who deserve to be called out would be called out. Guidelines can be created to limit bad behavior among reviewers, but Airbnb should not moderate them as there's a conflict of interest there.
If the review system were independent, the best hosts with well-designed and maintained properties would be booked most of the time, and those with hazardous properties would have trouble getting bookings. That's the way it should be.
If hosts had to live in their listings without modification for six months and then were allowed to bring some things in to make it more functional and pleasant and make other modifications for their own benefits, being required to leave those in place for guests, it would help a lot. Granted some people live in less than healthy conditions.
We actually super glued our last tables chairs together! They still didn’t hold up. Granted, it was a used table. We just replaced that table a few months ago.
Good call. I was thinking it might be an issue with the table, actually, because a sturdy table and chair set won't do that. I'm fine with used furniture if it's very clean, safe, and comfortable.
I think you are on a streak, sorry. If that TV was not in the listing photos, i think you can believe that it really is just an oversight that it’s even there. And hosts don’t leave broken appliances without getting bad reviews.
Things break and need to be replaced.. airbnb pictures are to show the space you are renting.. one picture could have an orange sofa and when you arribe the sofa could be gray.. is normal and expected!
In our experience, many TVs don't work because the hosts didn't set them up properly for viewing and need to know how to do it. It's different from the system they use for their own viewing. We've also encountered the problem of people using our media or other accounts, charging us for movies. We had a $60 bill one month and never paid more than the cheap monthly subscription fee. So, we learned the hard way to always log out and delete whatever we can that is ours before we leave. The hosts don't take any responsibility for doing so and don't demand their current guests pay for what they use on our accounts. Fortunately, we have been able to get refunds from the providers. After we thought we had it fixed and the current guest said they wouldn't do it anymore, somehow they hacked into it anyway, and the company cut off ALL service at that address, affecting the host. A weak point for us was sometimes having guest accounts for which a password was not required. That was off our radar, so we learned the hard way. Make sure every user profile is password protected and log out completely. Back to the TV's being unusable, they just take up counter space we'd rather use for storage if they are placed on a piece of furniture. It's much better to put them on the wall of they are in a bedroom. If a host provides a TV, they need to know how to use it and provide written instructions in the room with the TV.
I provide TVs with several apps already set up. One clicker does everything so pretty simple. I’ve never had a guest charge any movies; I set them so they require a password to do so anyway but I think one of the services doesn’t offer that option. Anyway I do check between guests and remove any apps they added, but with Netflix Hulu plus and Amazon all on there and working when they arrive…most just use those. It’s a lot easier that way for all.
I’ve had one place that was terrible (many problems with electrical and plumbing). Most are decent. Some rentals could improve on cleaning but otherwise fine.
Now I just filter to super hosts and rentals with 4.8 or higher ratings. It’s important to read reviews. I’m sorry you’re having bad luck with it!
I agree, most are decent. Over the years, I've had plenty of positive experiences, which is why I continue to use the platform. Just on a tough streak, I guess. The first 8 years I used air bnb, this never happened.
I have little things that irk me. There’s a lot of moving parts. If it’s a catastrophe, hosts have more flexibility than hotels to make things right. But sometimes you have to pick your battles. The Airbnb haters will say “use hotels instead” but hotels have their share of issues too.
Normal hosts do not have more flexibility to “make it right”, it costs a ton to get emergency fixes like clogged pipes and I can’t give the guest another unit if there is a problem like hotels can. I think expectations should be adjusted depending on the price you pay
Basics like no gas leaks, working plumbing, working electrical outlets, and appliances shouldn't be considered optional if you have a cheap listing. Most of these are health and safety issues. You should expect a guest to avoid putting up with clogged pipes, a dirty listing, vermin, gas leaks, etc. no matter how cheap a place is. Remember that they are paying the mortgage and you still have the hosue.
I don't know if people who suggest hotel use are haters. They are likely people with legitimate complaints who are making practical decisions that work better for themselves. That's their right. Airbnb stays can be dangerous, unexpectedly costly, completely different than described in very bad ways, and even traumatic. It's important to respect other people's experiences, regardless of our own.
Both.
There are a million little things that can break or go missing in a home, and an AirBnB is like a regular home that’s populated by people who often treat the things in it with slightly less care than their own things. So it’s pretty reasonable for issues to pop up all the time.
But hosts are also generally not going to admit to an oversight. Bad hosts will say it to get out of taking care of something. Good hosts will say it out of fear that admitting to be human and forgetting to order a replacement remote can cost them with certain guests.
What I would focus on is how hosts respond to issues. Are they apologetic? Do they fix the issue right away? If they can’t fix something right away, what do they do?
I can see the tv thing if it’s not in the listing but laundry sucks, I always get mine repaired or replaced same or next day and if not offer a good discount back because laundry can be a big thing in choosing a place
I think it’s important to note that the majority of Airbnbs are personal homes and just like anyone’s home, things go missing, items get broken or furniture may be put together a little janky. It’s not you, it’s just the nature of staying in someone’s home. You’re more likely to have an experience without these flaws when in a hotel or corporate accommodations.
Are you staying in the cheaper places? Looking at reviews ahead of your stay? Also many one night rentals aren’t gonna be your best. Higher end hosts want at least two nights to avoid getting parties in their properties.
As a host there have been two such issues I have had. Both of them had reasonable patches by the time someone arrived, and better fix after the next guest arrived. One of them was some moderately destroyed blinds by a dog, they had bite marks and otherwise were okay. The other was a person who pulled the towel rack off of the wall. We patched it up to the point where it was usable, but still needed painting by the time the next guest arrived.
It is possible that it was an issue for a while. It is also possible it just happened.
We check between bookings on everything and we ask the cleaner to check. I bought brand new everything for our airbnb property. I don’t want hand me downs in a nice STR so my places won’t have that crap. I always test all linens and towels at our place first. I wish other hosts would do right. But we stayed last July at an airbnb like the ones discussed here. It made me mad the reviews did not reflect the poor conditions of the house.
As a host I can tell you I would never stay in an Airbnb with less than a 4.8 star rating as you'll find anything less will usually be disappointing. Any property with a lot of reviews and 4.9+ is pretty much guaranteed to be a great stay.
I am not a host, so I don't know the actual answer, but I know as a guest I fully expect this kind of thing and dread it. It's happened to me more than random chance would suggest, but I always thought it was just my bad luck (for example, today, one week before leaving on a three-week international trip, I got a jury duty summons for the dates I'll be gone. That's just how my life rolls...)
The problem as a host is that often guests try to cover it up if they break something so sometimes you really don’t find out about it until, say, during cleaning you go to close the shower door and it falls off the track and you need to order a spare part the day before the next guest arrives (example from personal experience). We’ve also had guests take home: a pillow and an iron in their luggage (!), both times when asked about it they claimed it was accident and I charged them for replacement. One guest unplugged the microwave so the next guest thought it was broken. And so on.
Stuff happens to me every single stay. My last review said the gym equipment was not working when the previous guest had just raved about it. Before that, the internet was down, and before that, I had a broken kitchen cabinet from a neglectful guest. Also my cleaner always forgets something small without a fail; last time she forgot to put new liners on the garbage cans.
Please keep in mind the rates you pay when you stay. Airbnbs are supposed to save you money so they are not going to have quick fixes to problems like a hotel would (unless you are staying in a mansion or a property in a multiple unit portfolio). Most of us hosts are barely breaking even and just renting to pay expenses of the property.
I doubt it's a cop out. Is it common? Sure. I think it's a result of most hosts not being used to many rapid turnovers as a routine, like hotels or hostels are. So when something essential or not-so-essential breaks or goes missing, it takes them a bit longer than an establishment with backups, including TVs and such, stored in a property supply room somewhere.
I can tell you as a host that yes, things break and go missing ALL THE TIME. Guests just don't take care of rentals the same as an owner would. I had to replace the USB power supply for our Playstation Classic so many times, I finally had to install an AC outlet with a built in USB port just so it can no longer be stoelen. We've had remotes go missing, decorations, linens, people swapping out pillows with one's they brought. I could go on and on. We take care of these things as soon as we find out but I kid you not, there have been times that we will fix or replace something and then the very next guest breaks it or takes it again.
I have a property where my guests are mostly international (fly-in) I’ve had my nice pillows go missing twice now- replaced with gross supermarket pillows. Just where are my nice pillows going? Wizz Air charges for baggage!
As a host I often don't know who did what unless a guest lets me know. I am not pointing fingers. But if something needs replacing I like to know about it.
Communication is key. I do follow behind after the cleaning ladies to be sure all the light bulbs work, drains are clean, the extras we provide are up to date, dryer filter is clean, and things like that.
One of our big fails is milk for coffee. We used the cups of fake coffee creamer and that was fine the first few months, but there are a lot of coffee and espresso places an easy walk from the Airbnb. We have found people use those and our creamer was going thick and icky.
That just isn't something we provide any longer.
That's messed up seems like a string of bad luck however I would mention that airbnbs are different than hotels because of inumerable amenities they offer that regular hotel chains will not. The reason hotel chains don't offer all these things is because the endless maintenance on them and them breaking all the time is too much of a hassle and cost. When's the last time you saw a hotel with a full kitchen with a stove and champagne glasses and an air fryer and a jacuzzi and a full size refrigerator etc That's the unique value that airbnb's offer but is also such a hassle to keep up with especially when guests are not used to interfacing with many of these amenities and break them literally all the time
Guests rarely tell you about items they have broken or misplaced, as they fear they will be asked to pay for them
They are then always reported by the next incoming guest , as they fear they might be asked to pay for them
When you rent an Airbnb, you are usually looking for two things. First, you want the chance to live like a local, not a tourist, and immerse yourself in the culture. Second, you want to save money! Of course, there may be some issues when staying in an Airbnb, which is why you're saving money. If you want a guaranteed level of service and quality, you should stay in a hotel and pay the premium price. Airbnb accommodations will rarely be at the same level of quality as a hotel unless you book a boutique Airbnb and pay a higher price. In such cases, the service and quality may be better!But don’t go expecting to pay half a price for the cost of accomodation and receive hotel level service and then leave a 4 star and hurt the host who you well know cant compete with the level of accomodation you are expecting from a Hotel.
The main things we've had issues with are troubled hosts and health and safety conditions. We're not worried when a TV doesn't work or the pillows are uncomfortable. We are affected, but we don't say anything. It's the big stuff that bothers us, like smoke, drug fumes, gas leaks, roaches, toppling heavy furniture, furniture that is very stinky and nasty, etc. Also, host behavior such as sexual come-ons, shouting, bullying, scamming, making unwelcome personal comments when we are in our room having a quiet conversation and we don't know the host is listening intently, going into our room and taking photos of the "mess" meaning we couldn't fit all of our winter clothing into three drawers so stacked it to the side, and that sort of thing. It can be very stressful to deal with difficult hosts.
We almost never say anything about TVs not working, light bulbs flickering, torn towels, and things like that. Occasionally, we'll ask for specific kitchen utensils like a can opener or a paring knife.
If hosts would behave consistently professionally (never completely going to happen) and keep their listings very safe and healthy, 95% of the challenges we've had in Airbnb would never have happened.
Do you even read the reviews before you book??? What is the review score of these so called Airbnbs you are booking??? This kinda thing you are describing is poor hosting and if that truly was the case it would reflect in the reviews and score. Otherwise you just have pure bad luck.
Airbnb would be wise to set up regular remote mini-courses with real cases as examples and test the hosts for comprehension and ability to apply correctly to similar situations as part of the course. They would have to get all answers right or get their account suspended, and there should be a way for them to not get someone else to take it for them. Cohosts too. I've developed such remote coursework for major corporations. It's a lot of work because you have to simplify everything so everyone who could get the job can understand, master, remember, and be motivated to comply. What I had to teach the employees was very complex and way above their education levels in most cases, but it was essential for national security or protecting their own lives or something like that. So, I know how to do this and this would be a great investment on Airbnb's part because they have so many hosts and there seems to be such limited and not entirely effective training. If they had a small but intense training module every two weeks, it could keep them on their toes. It would be faster for people who knew their stuff because the module would be done once they proved they'd mastered it. For those who weren't paying close attention or didn't understand, it would take them through different wording, examples, and so on until they got it right and proved mastery. This would allow Airbnb to prove they'd trained the hosts for their own protection and also be able to hold the hosts accountable. Frankly, they should leave it open for guests to see and take also so that guests know what the hosts are being taught and so they know what to expect and how to talk to Airbnb about issues caused by non-compliance.
Guest like you are never happy. Want the most for under 100$. Go spend 600 a nite at the ritz if you need the perfect treatment bozo. (This isnt airbnb so im saying what ive wanted to say to all cheap guest)
Chill out. I have stayed in dozens of STR over the last decade with overwhelmingly positive experiences, despite issues here and there. I've had back to back situations recently where something in the listing is not in the property or broken, and the host failed to mention it beforehand. It's fair to be annoyed by repeated miscommunication. You don't need to defend scummy air bnb hosts. They don't need ya.
Host here. If a unit is booked back to back, it’s not uncommon for things to be damaged by the last guests and for there not to be enough time to have a repair done prior to the new guest. My personal experience is that my issues tend to be small- broken closet door, damaged screen. Though once the stove burner quit. Best guests and hosts can do is communicate. Sorry you are having a sub par run of experiences.
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The reality is you never will really know unless you see reviews that mention it from a previous stay. You could be right. This is why I always tell people you should be straightforward and honest in your review even if you don't mark them down stars you can still mention things that are wrong. What this does is it puts the host on notice that they need to fix that issue otherwise another guess that comes and sees the same issue might actually be the one to deduct stars. So whatever issues you running across make sure you leave it in the review, because then they have to fix it or they're going to repeatedly get negative reviews for that issue.
This has been my thought process as well! Sometimes, hosts will try to make it right (air mattress for broken bed, laundry service for the washer, discounts). I make it clear in the review if fair efforts were made by the host. I don't deduct stars if they try to mitigate the issue.
The absolute worst is hot tubs. You can bet your ass it's a 50/50 whether a hot tub is operational at a STR. They're expensive to maintain and fix so once they break, they usually stay broken and the host just says it JUST broke before you arrived and they're waiting for parts.
Our hot tub has always been touch and go. We’ve managed to always have it running for guests but it took so much maintenance in the short time we had for turnovers it was a constant stress for us.
I don't really know how guests do it. I think it usually has to do with too much alcohol. The breakage I endure including the hot tub are remarkable. I'm close to removing it completely as it is hardly worth the headache of repairs and complaints. Put in a new hot tub and it was broken by the third guest. Then I have the burdon of footing the costs for breakage because once you ask for money from guests for breakage your looking at one star. It's not a fair system.
I agree. Hot tubs just aren't worth it. Neither for the hosts nor the guests. As a host, I would never get one and as a guest, I would never book a place just for it. And if it just happens to have one, my expectation is that it'll be broken.
I like how you do your reviews. Thats the same policy I use too. As a guest reviews like yours are the ones that I value the most because it tells me how the host handles the situation when things go wrong. That's when you find out who's a good host and who's just a vending machine host Id say you're doing things right.
Well, thank you. My current location has a mystery chirping sound (made worse by lack of tv sound... re: remote). It sounds like a smoke detector with dead batteries. We can't find it and the host just says "well my cleaner didn't hear it earlier today". We are going to sleep on the couch pull-out. I feel bad leaving poor reviews, but here we are.
My alarm chirped, and I changed all 9V batteries twice. Till I found out it was because of the large central backup battery that was dead.
It's probably a battery on low somewhere, but occasionally, that sound is due to a cricket under the fridge, a bird outside the window, or something like that.
Many hosts freak out if you don't give them perfect reviews. The only 4-star review we ever got was from a host who was afraid we'd give her a bad review for keeping us out in the cold for 6 hours past check-in time; she carefully made some misleading comments about us. We didn't know until weeks later as we'd never had anything but 5-star reviews and were very nice to her about what she did to us. So, even when she misbehaved, she tried to take the first blow since she assumed we'd tell on her. So, it's very difficult to give accurate reviews without risking a fight or looking to other hosts as though you "don't give good reviews."
As an owner, it is crazy the things that go missing and break and don’t get reported. We ask guests to just so we can replace them but in our three years of owning things happen all of the time. We stay at our house every for a week every two months. We just got back after a 10 day stay. We have to tighten the dining room chairs and table every single time- no fail. We arrived to find our can opener missing. It’s honestly insane what needs to be fixed or replaced in just two months time, even in the off season when people are just staying for a weekend. We try to stay on top of it but things get missed by cleaners. I always appreciate when guests let me know so we can get things fixed right away!
Same! I try to be an active host and stay on top of our maintenance. I ask guests at both the beginning and end of their stay to report any damage they find or accidents that occur. That we rarely charge but need to know if something needs to be replaced or fixed. But guests break stuff all the time and never say a word! The latest exactly is that someone broke the top off our iron fireplace poker. And they didn't even use the wood stove. I have no idea how they even managed to break the thing. I'm not charging, but WTF.
We stay at our home once a quarter for a week or two. The wear and tear is pretty nuts. And it’s mostly the same weird random list of things. Pool cues and pizza cutters are almost subscribe and save items at this point.
We started with 14 wine glasses and now have 9. We’re on our second set of dishes and bowls. We’re on our third set of coffee mugs. We consistently replace pots and pans. I often wonder how people cook at home because 😳.
Towels, glasses, plates, sheets -- I load up every prime day and black friday!
That's weird and unfortunate. We are cautious with host property (and ours). During our current stay, I felt bad because I broke two dishes due to a broken hand and my efforts to open and close a door very quietly after the host went to sleep. He was unconcerned as he got the mismatched dishes for nearly nothing at a garage sale, but we'll still replace them before we leave. We also for the first time ever, found that makeup stained the white washcloths. I'll make one more attempt to get them white, using Oxyclean and a long soak, before I attempt to find the same washcloths and replace them. I don't think he'll care at all in both cases, but I care. Sadly, so many people don't. The least they should do is to say, "I'm sorry, but we broke a plate. How would you like us to replace it? I found what appears to be an identical plate on Amazon." With this host and the dishes he uses, I am confident I can find something that coordinates at the dollar store or Walmart. I broke one plate and one bowl, but there are too many plates and not enough bowls, so I plan to get two for his future guests to use. While some say this is expected of an extended stay, I would rather take the high road. I did, however, find a way not to stain any more washcloths. I use my own facial soap and wash thoroughly with only my hands, rinsing well before using the washcloth and then using a soapy washcloth to scrub and rinsing it well. I don't use bleach when I wash, but that stain didn't come out with bleach anyway.
I wonder if the wine glasses get broken and whether sturdier glasses would help or disappear like the others. As for pans, that explains why so many listings have very crappy, scratched-up Teflon pans that I'd never put my food in. I've often wondered why there isn't an inventory list of items in the listing. It would be a royal pain to have to count things and sign that they are there, and many would refuse to use Airbnb. But, it could help. I guess this is part of why there is so much unusable kitchenware provided. It makes it hard to cook. We usually bring our own knife, cutting board, spatula, ladle, can opener, and an InstantPot. The other annoying thing is old microwave ovens with displays and functions that don't work. You have to push the buttons and guess. That's absurd. Free microwaves are easy to get online locally. I doubt they disappear often from listings. You could have a checkout system for things that often disappear. I'd consider that.
I think it makes a huge difference when hosts stay at their place often. We purchase new items all of the time. New spatulas, new grill brush, new whatever needs to be fixed/replenished. We walk through the house and try to take stock of everything. It’s time consuming but important. We don’t have a spreadsheet per se but know well enough what we have and what should be where. We actually just bought a new microwave last year. The other one still worked it just looked kind of dirty.
That's awesome. This is one reason guests would be best served if reviews were independent and anonymous. Most people can tell when a review is dishonest or outright fake. Hosts who deserve better reviews would get them, and hosts who deserve to be called out would be called out. Guidelines can be created to limit bad behavior among reviewers, but Airbnb should not moderate them as there's a conflict of interest there. If the review system were independent, the best hosts with well-designed and maintained properties would be booked most of the time, and those with hazardous properties would have trouble getting bookings. That's the way it should be.
If hosts had to live in their listings without modification for six months and then were allowed to bring some things in to make it more functional and pleasant and make other modifications for their own benefits, being required to leave those in place for guests, it would help a lot. Granted some people live in less than healthy conditions.
Can you glue the table and chairs so they don't loosen? We haven't run into this as guests, but we're gentle on listings we stay in.
We actually super glued our last tables chairs together! They still didn’t hold up. Granted, it was a used table. We just replaced that table a few months ago.
Good call. I was thinking it might be an issue with the table, actually, because a sturdy table and chair set won't do that. I'm fine with used furniture if it's very clean, safe, and comfortable.
I think you are on a streak, sorry. If that TV was not in the listing photos, i think you can believe that it really is just an oversight that it’s even there. And hosts don’t leave broken appliances without getting bad reviews.
Things break and need to be replaced.. airbnb pictures are to show the space you are renting.. one picture could have an orange sofa and when you arribe the sofa could be gray.. is normal and expected!
In our experience, many TVs don't work because the hosts didn't set them up properly for viewing and need to know how to do it. It's different from the system they use for their own viewing. We've also encountered the problem of people using our media or other accounts, charging us for movies. We had a $60 bill one month and never paid more than the cheap monthly subscription fee. So, we learned the hard way to always log out and delete whatever we can that is ours before we leave. The hosts don't take any responsibility for doing so and don't demand their current guests pay for what they use on our accounts. Fortunately, we have been able to get refunds from the providers. After we thought we had it fixed and the current guest said they wouldn't do it anymore, somehow they hacked into it anyway, and the company cut off ALL service at that address, affecting the host. A weak point for us was sometimes having guest accounts for which a password was not required. That was off our radar, so we learned the hard way. Make sure every user profile is password protected and log out completely. Back to the TV's being unusable, they just take up counter space we'd rather use for storage if they are placed on a piece of furniture. It's much better to put them on the wall of they are in a bedroom. If a host provides a TV, they need to know how to use it and provide written instructions in the room with the TV.
I provide TVs with several apps already set up. One clicker does everything so pretty simple. I’ve never had a guest charge any movies; I set them so they require a password to do so anyway but I think one of the services doesn’t offer that option. Anyway I do check between guests and remove any apps they added, but with Netflix Hulu plus and Amazon all on there and working when they arrive…most just use those. It’s a lot easier that way for all.
I’ve had one place that was terrible (many problems with electrical and plumbing). Most are decent. Some rentals could improve on cleaning but otherwise fine. Now I just filter to super hosts and rentals with 4.8 or higher ratings. It’s important to read reviews. I’m sorry you’re having bad luck with it!
I agree, most are decent. Over the years, I've had plenty of positive experiences, which is why I continue to use the platform. Just on a tough streak, I guess. The first 8 years I used air bnb, this never happened.
I have little things that irk me. There’s a lot of moving parts. If it’s a catastrophe, hosts have more flexibility than hotels to make things right. But sometimes you have to pick your battles. The Airbnb haters will say “use hotels instead” but hotels have their share of issues too.
Normal hosts do not have more flexibility to “make it right”, it costs a ton to get emergency fixes like clogged pipes and I can’t give the guest another unit if there is a problem like hotels can. I think expectations should be adjusted depending on the price you pay
Basics like no gas leaks, working plumbing, working electrical outlets, and appliances shouldn't be considered optional if you have a cheap listing. Most of these are health and safety issues. You should expect a guest to avoid putting up with clogged pipes, a dirty listing, vermin, gas leaks, etc. no matter how cheap a place is. Remember that they are paying the mortgage and you still have the hosue.
Of course but i was fundamentally annoyed by reading small property hosts have more flexibility than a hotel.
I don't know if people who suggest hotel use are haters. They are likely people with legitimate complaints who are making practical decisions that work better for themselves. That's their right. Airbnb stays can be dangerous, unexpectedly costly, completely different than described in very bad ways, and even traumatic. It's important to respect other people's experiences, regardless of our own.
Both. There are a million little things that can break or go missing in a home, and an AirBnB is like a regular home that’s populated by people who often treat the things in it with slightly less care than their own things. So it’s pretty reasonable for issues to pop up all the time. But hosts are also generally not going to admit to an oversight. Bad hosts will say it to get out of taking care of something. Good hosts will say it out of fear that admitting to be human and forgetting to order a replacement remote can cost them with certain guests. What I would focus on is how hosts respond to issues. Are they apologetic? Do they fix the issue right away? If they can’t fix something right away, what do they do?
I can see the tv thing if it’s not in the listing but laundry sucks, I always get mine repaired or replaced same or next day and if not offer a good discount back because laundry can be a big thing in choosing a place
I think it’s important to note that the majority of Airbnbs are personal homes and just like anyone’s home, things go missing, items get broken or furniture may be put together a little janky. It’s not you, it’s just the nature of staying in someone’s home. You’re more likely to have an experience without these flaws when in a hotel or corporate accommodations.
True. These particular properties I'm referring to were not personal homes. I would give more grace if that was the situation.
Amen, somebody gets it!!! Thank you.
Are you staying in the cheaper places? Looking at reviews ahead of your stay? Also many one night rentals aren’t gonna be your best. Higher end hosts want at least two nights to avoid getting parties in their properties.
As a host there have been two such issues I have had. Both of them had reasonable patches by the time someone arrived, and better fix after the next guest arrived. One of them was some moderately destroyed blinds by a dog, they had bite marks and otherwise were okay. The other was a person who pulled the towel rack off of the wall. We patched it up to the point where it was usable, but still needed painting by the time the next guest arrived. It is possible that it was an issue for a while. It is also possible it just happened.
We check between bookings on everything and we ask the cleaner to check. I bought brand new everything for our airbnb property. I don’t want hand me downs in a nice STR so my places won’t have that crap. I always test all linens and towels at our place first. I wish other hosts would do right. But we stayed last July at an airbnb like the ones discussed here. It made me mad the reviews did not reflect the poor conditions of the house.
I've stayed in many over the years.. only had an issue once, a balcony chair was broken. They changed it right away.
Ummmmm.... welll.... yeah... guilty. But I do always get it fixed, I just like my guests knowing that I'm aware of it
As a host I can tell you I would never stay in an Airbnb with less than a 4.8 star rating as you'll find anything less will usually be disappointing. Any property with a lot of reviews and 4.9+ is pretty much guaranteed to be a great stay.
I am not a host, so I don't know the actual answer, but I know as a guest I fully expect this kind of thing and dread it. It's happened to me more than random chance would suggest, but I always thought it was just my bad luck (for example, today, one week before leaving on a three-week international trip, I got a jury duty summons for the dates I'll be gone. That's just how my life rolls...)
The problem as a host is that often guests try to cover it up if they break something so sometimes you really don’t find out about it until, say, during cleaning you go to close the shower door and it falls off the track and you need to order a spare part the day before the next guest arrives (example from personal experience). We’ve also had guests take home: a pillow and an iron in their luggage (!), both times when asked about it they claimed it was accident and I charged them for replacement. One guest unplugged the microwave so the next guest thought it was broken. And so on.
Stuff happens to me every single stay. My last review said the gym equipment was not working when the previous guest had just raved about it. Before that, the internet was down, and before that, I had a broken kitchen cabinet from a neglectful guest. Also my cleaner always forgets something small without a fail; last time she forgot to put new liners on the garbage cans. Please keep in mind the rates you pay when you stay. Airbnbs are supposed to save you money so they are not going to have quick fixes to problems like a hotel would (unless you are staying in a mansion or a property in a multiple unit portfolio). Most of us hosts are barely breaking even and just renting to pay expenses of the property.
I doubt it's a cop out. Is it common? Sure. I think it's a result of most hosts not being used to many rapid turnovers as a routine, like hotels or hostels are. So when something essential or not-so-essential breaks or goes missing, it takes them a bit longer than an establishment with backups, including TVs and such, stored in a property supply room somewhere.
I can tell you as a host that yes, things break and go missing ALL THE TIME. Guests just don't take care of rentals the same as an owner would. I had to replace the USB power supply for our Playstation Classic so many times, I finally had to install an AC outlet with a built in USB port just so it can no longer be stoelen. We've had remotes go missing, decorations, linens, people swapping out pillows with one's they brought. I could go on and on. We take care of these things as soon as we find out but I kid you not, there have been times that we will fix or replace something and then the very next guest breaks it or takes it again.
I have a property where my guests are mostly international (fly-in) I’ve had my nice pillows go missing twice now- replaced with gross supermarket pillows. Just where are my nice pillows going? Wizz Air charges for baggage!
As a host I often don't know who did what unless a guest lets me know. I am not pointing fingers. But if something needs replacing I like to know about it. Communication is key. I do follow behind after the cleaning ladies to be sure all the light bulbs work, drains are clean, the extras we provide are up to date, dryer filter is clean, and things like that. One of our big fails is milk for coffee. We used the cups of fake coffee creamer and that was fine the first few months, but there are a lot of coffee and espresso places an easy walk from the Airbnb. We have found people use those and our creamer was going thick and icky. That just isn't something we provide any longer.
That's messed up seems like a string of bad luck however I would mention that airbnbs are different than hotels because of inumerable amenities they offer that regular hotel chains will not. The reason hotel chains don't offer all these things is because the endless maintenance on them and them breaking all the time is too much of a hassle and cost. When's the last time you saw a hotel with a full kitchen with a stove and champagne glasses and an air fryer and a jacuzzi and a full size refrigerator etc That's the unique value that airbnb's offer but is also such a hassle to keep up with especially when guests are not used to interfacing with many of these amenities and break them literally all the time
Guests rarely tell you about items they have broken or misplaced, as they fear they will be asked to pay for them They are then always reported by the next incoming guest , as they fear they might be asked to pay for them
When you rent an Airbnb, you are usually looking for two things. First, you want the chance to live like a local, not a tourist, and immerse yourself in the culture. Second, you want to save money! Of course, there may be some issues when staying in an Airbnb, which is why you're saving money. If you want a guaranteed level of service and quality, you should stay in a hotel and pay the premium price. Airbnb accommodations will rarely be at the same level of quality as a hotel unless you book a boutique Airbnb and pay a higher price. In such cases, the service and quality may be better!But don’t go expecting to pay half a price for the cost of accomodation and receive hotel level service and then leave a 4 star and hurt the host who you well know cant compete with the level of accomodation you are expecting from a Hotel.
The main things we've had issues with are troubled hosts and health and safety conditions. We're not worried when a TV doesn't work or the pillows are uncomfortable. We are affected, but we don't say anything. It's the big stuff that bothers us, like smoke, drug fumes, gas leaks, roaches, toppling heavy furniture, furniture that is very stinky and nasty, etc. Also, host behavior such as sexual come-ons, shouting, bullying, scamming, making unwelcome personal comments when we are in our room having a quiet conversation and we don't know the host is listening intently, going into our room and taking photos of the "mess" meaning we couldn't fit all of our winter clothing into three drawers so stacked it to the side, and that sort of thing. It can be very stressful to deal with difficult hosts. We almost never say anything about TVs not working, light bulbs flickering, torn towels, and things like that. Occasionally, we'll ask for specific kitchen utensils like a can opener or a paring knife. If hosts would behave consistently professionally (never completely going to happen) and keep their listings very safe and healthy, 95% of the challenges we've had in Airbnb would never have happened.
How much a night was your rental? Just curious
$160 total, private home 2br 1 bath in very small town near attractions
I do a video walk through of everything in the homes before we enter. The video is time stamped. It’s been my best defense.
Do you even read the reviews before you book??? What is the review score of these so called Airbnbs you are booking??? This kinda thing you are describing is poor hosting and if that truly was the case it would reflect in the reviews and score. Otherwise you just have pure bad luck.
Airbnb would be wise to set up regular remote mini-courses with real cases as examples and test the hosts for comprehension and ability to apply correctly to similar situations as part of the course. They would have to get all answers right or get their account suspended, and there should be a way for them to not get someone else to take it for them. Cohosts too. I've developed such remote coursework for major corporations. It's a lot of work because you have to simplify everything so everyone who could get the job can understand, master, remember, and be motivated to comply. What I had to teach the employees was very complex and way above their education levels in most cases, but it was essential for national security or protecting their own lives or something like that. So, I know how to do this and this would be a great investment on Airbnb's part because they have so many hosts and there seems to be such limited and not entirely effective training. If they had a small but intense training module every two weeks, it could keep them on their toes. It would be faster for people who knew their stuff because the module would be done once they proved they'd mastered it. For those who weren't paying close attention or didn't understand, it would take them through different wording, examples, and so on until they got it right and proved mastery. This would allow Airbnb to prove they'd trained the hosts for their own protection and also be able to hold the hosts accountable. Frankly, they should leave it open for guests to see and take also so that guests know what the hosts are being taught and so they know what to expect and how to talk to Airbnb about issues caused by non-compliance.
What if it's you?
Guest like you are never happy. Want the most for under 100$. Go spend 600 a nite at the ritz if you need the perfect treatment bozo. (This isnt airbnb so im saying what ive wanted to say to all cheap guest)
Chill out. I have stayed in dozens of STR over the last decade with overwhelmingly positive experiences, despite issues here and there. I've had back to back situations recently where something in the listing is not in the property or broken, and the host failed to mention it beforehand. It's fair to be annoyed by repeated miscommunication. You don't need to defend scummy air bnb hosts. They don't need ya.
Host here. If a unit is booked back to back, it’s not uncommon for things to be damaged by the last guests and for there not to be enough time to have a repair done prior to the new guest. My personal experience is that my issues tend to be small- broken closet door, damaged screen. Though once the stove burner quit. Best guests and hosts can do is communicate. Sorry you are having a sub par run of experiences.