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129
zzyzzx
2022 Dec 29, 9:48am
zzyzzx
2022 Dec 29, 9:48am
https://www.npr.org/2022/12/28/1145709106/nyc-could-lose-10-000-airbnb-listings-because-of-new-short-term-rental-regulatio
NYC could lose 10,000 Airbnb listings because of new short-term rental regulations
NYC could lose 10,000 Airbnb listings because of new short-term rental regulations
131
zzyzzx
2023 Jan 6, 8:55am
zzyzzx
2023 Jan 6, 8:55am
https://www.reddit.com/r/AirBnB/comments/1044j3r/a_warning_for_travelers_booking_shortterm_airbnb/
I recently learned the hard way about the risks of booking short-term Airbnb rentals in Bangkok. Upon arriving at the building where I had booked a condo, I was confronted by a security guard who questioned my presence and became angry when I mentioned that I had rented the property on Airbnb. The guard proceeded to pull out a stack of documents and point to a specific phrase stating that "Airbnb Daily & Weekly Rentals are Illegal in Thailand - Hotel Act, Immigration Act, and Building Control Act."
I left the building and contacted Airbnb to report the issue. However, I was disappointed to learn that the company was not willing to take any responsibility for this and stated it was the guest's responsibility to ensure that the condo was legal - I was informed that my booking was non-refundable.
I recently learned the hard way about the risks of booking short-term Airbnb rentals in Bangkok. Upon arriving at the building where I had booked a condo, I was confronted by a security guard who questioned my presence and became angry when I mentioned that I had rented the property on Airbnb. The guard proceeded to pull out a stack of documents and point to a specific phrase stating that "Airbnb Daily & Weekly Rentals are Illegal in Thailand - Hotel Act, Immigration Act, and Building Control Act."
I left the building and contacted Airbnb to report the issue. However, I was disappointed to learn that the company was not willing to take any responsibility for this and stated it was the guest's responsibility to ensure that the condo was legal - I was informed that my booking was non-refundable.
133
krc
2023 Jan 11, 8:43am
We utilized an airBnB in London around Kensington area. Close to the underground, and V&A, etc....
Great location and cost a fraction of what we would have paid at a hotel.
The place was a bit run down - but had enough bedrooms/couches for family and friends, with a working kitchen.
Dryer didn't work - but that is common in Europe for some reason. They like to hang dry all clothes - even in the winter!
Bathroom was obscenely nice - the English seem to love their bathrooms: heated floor, heated towel rack, etc etc...
It was a great time.
It was my first time utilizing AirBnb. I think if you pay attention and read reviews and know what you are getting you will be fine.
Great location and cost a fraction of what we would have paid at a hotel.
The place was a bit run down - but had enough bedrooms/couches for family and friends, with a working kitchen.
Dryer didn't work - but that is common in Europe for some reason. They like to hang dry all clothes - even in the winter!
Bathroom was obscenely nice - the English seem to love their bathrooms: heated floor, heated towel rack, etc etc...
It was a great time.
It was my first time utilizing AirBnb. I think if you pay attention and read reviews and know what you are getting you will be fine.
135
WookieMan
2023 Feb 12, 12:59pm
WookieMan
2023 Feb 12, 12:59pm
Booger says
You stay in Scottsdale. Phoenix proper is kind of trashy. Everything else is a Del Webb type community with geezers. I like AZ, but Phoenix itself is pretty much the blandest city I've been to. Not dangerous, but feels like one giant average suburb everywhere. Not really a destination unless you golf or have a conference there. And again, most of that is in Scottsdale. Or you go to ASU to fuck college chicks.
You stay in Scottsdale. Phoenix proper is kind of trashy. Everything else is a Del Webb type community with geezers. I like AZ, but Phoenix itself is pretty much the blandest city I've been to. Not dangerous, but feels like one giant average suburb everywhere. Not really a destination unless you golf or have a conference there. And again, most of that is in Scottsdale. Or you go to ASU to fuck college chicks.
138
WookieMan
2023 Mar 7, 12:54pm
WookieMan
2023 Mar 7, 12:54pm
Eric Holder says
Lol. Fuck California. I'm sure the license "number" is free? I don't know how you guys put up with it. You always have been able to rent your house out for whatever terms forever until a service was started and the Karens bitched about a few parties next door. Government overreach to the max.
Kick the party people out, or arrest them. Don't punish all the responsible people.
zzyzzx says
SUDDENLY!!!!
Lol. Fuck California. I'm sure the license "number" is free? I don't know how you guys put up with it. You always have been able to rent your house out for whatever terms forever until a service was started and the Karens bitched about a few parties next door. Government overreach to the max.
Kick the party people out, or arrest them. Don't punish all the responsible people.
139
Booger
2023 Mar 7, 2:27pm
Booger
2023 Mar 7, 2:27pm
WookieMan says
You still think that there is such a thing as law enforcement?
Kick the party people out, or arrest them.
You still think that there is such a thing as law enforcement?
140
zzyzzx
2023 Mar 20, 7:50am
zzyzzx
2023 Mar 20, 7:50am
https://www.reddit.com/r/AirBnB/comments/11wehgc/winter_storm_2023_catastrophe/
Winter Storm 2023 Catastrophe
Winter Storm 2023 Catastrophe
141
zzyzzx
2023 Apr 7, 11:28am
zzyzzx
2023 Apr 7, 11:28am
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/airbnb-listings-permits-quebec-government-1.6789949
All unauthorized Airbnb listings in Quebec to be removed from app, company says
A week after a deadly fire ravaged a building in Old Montreal that included units available for rent on Airbnb, the company says it plans to remove all Quebec listings that have not been authorized by the provincial government.
Four deaths have been confirmed following the fire. Three other people are missing.
The fire renewed concerns about the proliferation of short-term rentals that are not registered with the Quebec government and are, therefore, illegal.
There have been calls for the province and the city of Montreal to ramp up efforts to crack down on illegal short-term rentals, given the possibility that many of them present safety hazards that go unchecked.
On Friday, Airbnb spokesperson Mattie Zazueta said the company sent a letter to Quebec's tourism minister informing her of its plan to "remove existing listings" without a permit.
Doing so could mean wiping out the vast majority of Quebec listings on Airbnb.
In Montreal, for example, more than 90 per cent of short-term rental units listed on Airbnb are not authorized, according to an independent watchdog group, Inside Airbnb.
All unauthorized Airbnb listings in Quebec to be removed from app, company says
A week after a deadly fire ravaged a building in Old Montreal that included units available for rent on Airbnb, the company says it plans to remove all Quebec listings that have not been authorized by the provincial government.
Four deaths have been confirmed following the fire. Three other people are missing.
The fire renewed concerns about the proliferation of short-term rentals that are not registered with the Quebec government and are, therefore, illegal.
There have been calls for the province and the city of Montreal to ramp up efforts to crack down on illegal short-term rentals, given the possibility that many of them present safety hazards that go unchecked.
On Friday, Airbnb spokesperson Mattie Zazueta said the company sent a letter to Quebec's tourism minister informing her of its plan to "remove existing listings" without a permit.
Doing so could mean wiping out the vast majority of Quebec listings on Airbnb.
In Montreal, for example, more than 90 per cent of short-term rental units listed on Airbnb are not authorized, according to an independent watchdog group, Inside Airbnb.
142
zzyzzx
2023 Apr 7, 11:34am
zzyzzx
2023 Apr 7, 11:34am
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-06-15/airbnb-spends-millions-making-nightmares-at-live-anywhere-rentals-go-away
Airbnb Is Spending Millions of Dollars to Make Nightmares Go Away
When things go horribly wrong during a stay, the company’s secretive safety team jumps in to soothe guests and hosts, help families—and prevent PR disasters.
The first-floor apartment on West 37th Street, a few blocks south of Times Square, was popular with tourists—so popular that a set of keys was left at the counter of a nearby bodega for Airbnb renters to pick up. That’s where a 29-year-old Australian woman and a group of her friends retrieved them, no identification needed, when they arrived in Manhattan to celebrate New Year’s Eve in 2015. The apartment had been advertised on Airbnb even though most short-term rentals are illegal in New York. The city, prodded by powerful hotel unions, was at war with the company, which was listing thousands of apartments in the five boroughs despite some of the strictest regulations in the country.
Soon after ringing in the new year, the woman left her friends at the bar where they’d been celebrating and returned to the apartment on her own. She didn’t notice anything amiss or see the man standing in the shadows as she walked into the bathroom. By the time she realized she wasn’t alone, the blade of a kitchen knife was pointing down at her. The stranger grabbed her, shoved her onto a bed, and raped her. Drunken revelers were wandering the streets outside, but the woman was too scared to scream.
The attacker fled with her phone, but she managed to reach her friends with an iPad, and they ran into the street to find a police officer. The cops were already in the apartment an hour or so later when the man returned and peered into the doorway. They caught him and emptied his backpack, pulling out three incriminating items: a knife, one of the woman’s earrings, and a set of keys to the apartment.
That morning a call came in for Nick Shapiro. A former deputy chief of staff at the Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Council adviser in the Obama White House, Shapiro was two weeks into a new job as a crisis manager at Airbnb Inc. “I remember thinking I was right back in the thick of it,” he recalls. “This brought me back to feelings of confronting truly horrific matters at Langley and in the situation room at the White House.”
Shapiro notified other Airbnb executives, including Chief Executive Officer Brian Chesky. Meanwhile safety agents from the company’s elite trust-and-safety team sprang into action. They relocated the woman to a hotel, paid for her mother to fly in from Australia, flew them both home, and offered to cover any health or counseling costs.
The duplicate keys posed a particular problem for the company and a mystery for investigators. How had the man gotten them? Airbnb doesn’t have a policy for how hosts exchange keys with guests, and its reputation for safety, and possibly its legal liability, hinged on the answer. Shapiro (who’s since left the company) helped coordinate an investigation into the matter.
A week later, a staff member was sent to court to see if Airbnb was mentioned during a proceeding. It wasn’t. The local media didn’t report on the crime either, despite the lurid details, and the company wanted to keep it that way. The story remained unreported until now, in no small part because two years after the assault Airbnb wrote the woman a check for $7 million, one of the biggest payouts the company has ever made. In exchange she signed an agreement not to talk about the settlement “or imply responsibility or liability” on the part of Airbnb or the host.
Details of the crime, the company’s response, and the settlement were reconstructed from police and court records and confidential documents, as well as from interviews with people familiar with the case. The woman, whose name was redacted in court documents and who asked through her lawyer not to be identified, declined to comment. So did her lawyer. Ben Breit, an Airbnb spokesman, says that the company doesn’t have the power to keep stories out of the media and that, despite the wording of the settlement agreement, the woman “is able to discuss whether she holds anyone responsible.” He adds that Airbnb’s goal following the incident was to support the survivor of a “horrific attack” and that local political issues had nothing to do with its response.
The way Airbnb has handled crimes such as the New York attack, which occurred during a bitter regulatory fight, shows how critical the safety team has been to the company’s growth. Airbnb’s business model rests on the idea that strangers can trust one another. If that premise is undermined, it can mean fewer users and more lawsuits, not to mention tighter regulation.
For all its importance, the safety team remains shrouded in secrecy. Insiders call it the “black box.” But eight former members and 45 other current and former Airbnb employees familiar with the team’s role, most of whom spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of breaching confidentiality agreements, provided a rare glimpse into its operations and internal struggles. The job, former team members say, is a nerve-wracking one, balancing the often conflicting interests of guests, hosts, and the company. “I had situations where I had to get off the phone and go cry,” a former agent recalls. “That’s all you can do.”
Airbnb Is Spending Millions of Dollars to Make Nightmares Go Away
When things go horribly wrong during a stay, the company’s secretive safety team jumps in to soothe guests and hosts, help families—and prevent PR disasters.
The first-floor apartment on West 37th Street, a few blocks south of Times Square, was popular with tourists—so popular that a set of keys was left at the counter of a nearby bodega for Airbnb renters to pick up. That’s where a 29-year-old Australian woman and a group of her friends retrieved them, no identification needed, when they arrived in Manhattan to celebrate New Year’s Eve in 2015. The apartment had been advertised on Airbnb even though most short-term rentals are illegal in New York. The city, prodded by powerful hotel unions, was at war with the company, which was listing thousands of apartments in the five boroughs despite some of the strictest regulations in the country.
Soon after ringing in the new year, the woman left her friends at the bar where they’d been celebrating and returned to the apartment on her own. She didn’t notice anything amiss or see the man standing in the shadows as she walked into the bathroom. By the time she realized she wasn’t alone, the blade of a kitchen knife was pointing down at her. The stranger grabbed her, shoved her onto a bed, and raped her. Drunken revelers were wandering the streets outside, but the woman was too scared to scream.
The attacker fled with her phone, but she managed to reach her friends with an iPad, and they ran into the street to find a police officer. The cops were already in the apartment an hour or so later when the man returned and peered into the doorway. They caught him and emptied his backpack, pulling out three incriminating items: a knife, one of the woman’s earrings, and a set of keys to the apartment.
That morning a call came in for Nick Shapiro. A former deputy chief of staff at the Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Council adviser in the Obama White House, Shapiro was two weeks into a new job as a crisis manager at Airbnb Inc. “I remember thinking I was right back in the thick of it,” he recalls. “This brought me back to feelings of confronting truly horrific matters at Langley and in the situation room at the White House.”
Shapiro notified other Airbnb executives, including Chief Executive Officer Brian Chesky. Meanwhile safety agents from the company’s elite trust-and-safety team sprang into action. They relocated the woman to a hotel, paid for her mother to fly in from Australia, flew them both home, and offered to cover any health or counseling costs.
The duplicate keys posed a particular problem for the company and a mystery for investigators. How had the man gotten them? Airbnb doesn’t have a policy for how hosts exchange keys with guests, and its reputation for safety, and possibly its legal liability, hinged on the answer. Shapiro (who’s since left the company) helped coordinate an investigation into the matter.
A week later, a staff member was sent to court to see if Airbnb was mentioned during a proceeding. It wasn’t. The local media didn’t report on the crime either, despite the lurid details, and the company wanted to keep it that way. The story remained unreported until now, in no small part because two years after the assault Airbnb wrote the woman a check for $7 million, one of the biggest payouts the company has ever made. In exchange she signed an agreement not to talk about the settlement “or imply responsibility or liability” on the part of Airbnb or the host.
Details of the crime, the company’s response, and the settlement were reconstructed from police and court records and confidential documents, as well as from interviews with people familiar with the case. The woman, whose name was redacted in court documents and who asked through her lawyer not to be identified, declined to comment. So did her lawyer. Ben Breit, an Airbnb spokesman, says that the company doesn’t have the power to keep stories out of the media and that, despite the wording of the settlement agreement, the woman “is able to discuss whether she holds anyone responsible.” He adds that Airbnb’s goal following the incident was to support the survivor of a “horrific attack” and that local political issues had nothing to do with its response.
The way Airbnb has handled crimes such as the New York attack, which occurred during a bitter regulatory fight, shows how critical the safety team has been to the company’s growth. Airbnb’s business model rests on the idea that strangers can trust one another. If that premise is undermined, it can mean fewer users and more lawsuits, not to mention tighter regulation.
For all its importance, the safety team remains shrouded in secrecy. Insiders call it the “black box.” But eight former members and 45 other current and former Airbnb employees familiar with the team’s role, most of whom spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of breaching confidentiality agreements, provided a rare glimpse into its operations and internal struggles. The job, former team members say, is a nerve-wracking one, balancing the often conflicting interests of guests, hosts, and the company. “I had situations where I had to get off the phone and go cry,” a former agent recalls. “That’s all you can do.”
143
RWSGFY
2023 Apr 7, 1:11pm
RWSGFY
2023 Apr 7, 1:11pm
I found one type of AbnB which works fine, because the setup is not that different from a hotel - a condo or appartment in a timeshare building. There is always somebody to let you in, fix a clogged toilet, etc. No "key left at a corner bodega" BS.
146
WookieMan
2023 May 2, 5:38am
WookieMan
2023 May 2, 5:38am
mell says
Both are fine. The key is to take your time and really read every review. We've never had an issue with either service on the renting side. Also once you get any contract read every letter on it. The biggest horror stories are renting 6+ months out and the owner sells the place and doesn't communicate that. I've never stayed in one that I'd consider overly dirty or anything like that. There will be flaws with any property including hotels, so you have to set the bar appropriately in any situation.
Now if you book at the Four Seasons or a Ritz they have set the bar at a certain level. You should expect excellent conditions and service for the price. You can still get a 5 star experience at a VRBO or AirBnb, I just go in with a 3 start expectations and most time get 4 and sometimes 5 with certain rentals.
I've actually had good success with Turo for renting cars which is basically the same concept. Got nicer cars with more miles on them for 20-30% less than the major rental car companies. Had a BMW convertible out in AZ late January for $200 for 5 days. Pickup and drop at the airport garage which is closer than the rental car location.
There's always risk with this sharing industry type shit, but knock on wood I've had good luck. Key is always have a back up plan. Trip insurance on anything above $1k+ is a must for us now. That way if you have to scramble if a vacation rental screwed you, hotels and other shit could be covered and you can at least hopefully enjoy the trip or cancel. First time we bought it about 10 years ago used it. Saved us $7k for a $150 policy. Or we miss my BIL's funeral and likely have family shame forever. Fucking dumb ass (suicide). Although we rebooked that trip substantially cheaper. So loss/win/win.
Vrbo is decent, or at least better than air bnb.
Both are fine. The key is to take your time and really read every review. We've never had an issue with either service on the renting side. Also once you get any contract read every letter on it. The biggest horror stories are renting 6+ months out and the owner sells the place and doesn't communicate that. I've never stayed in one that I'd consider overly dirty or anything like that. There will be flaws with any property including hotels, so you have to set the bar appropriately in any situation.
Now if you book at the Four Seasons or a Ritz they have set the bar at a certain level. You should expect excellent conditions and service for the price. You can still get a 5 star experience at a VRBO or AirBnb, I just go in with a 3 start expectations and most time get 4 and sometimes 5 with certain rentals.
I've actually had good success with Turo for renting cars which is basically the same concept. Got nicer cars with more miles on them for 20-30% less than the major rental car companies. Had a BMW convertible out in AZ late January for $200 for 5 days. Pickup and drop at the airport garage which is closer than the rental car location.
There's always risk with this sharing industry type shit, but knock on wood I've had good luck. Key is always have a back up plan. Trip insurance on anything above $1k+ is a must for us now. That way if you have to scramble if a vacation rental screwed you, hotels and other shit could be covered and you can at least hopefully enjoy the trip or cancel. First time we bought it about 10 years ago used it. Saved us $7k for a $150 policy. Or we miss my BIL's funeral and likely have family shame forever. Fucking dumb ass (suicide). Although we rebooked that trip substantially cheaper. So loss/win/win.
147
Tenpoundbass
2023 May 2, 6:07am
Tenpoundbass
2023 May 2, 6:07am
zzyzzx says
LOL my interloper buddy is going to Columbia. He's booking two different rooms from Airbnb and a room with Selinas. He likes having a room on different locations at his destinations. He told me when he leaves an AirBnb, he takes the sheets off the bed, the pillows out of the pillowcases and the towels from the bathroom and puts them by the door. "All they got to do is make the bed, they love me."
To which I told him, now you're creating a situation where they will expect that out of everyone.
Then I see this meme.
LOL my interloper buddy is going to Columbia. He's booking two different rooms from Airbnb and a room with Selinas. He likes having a room on different locations at his destinations. He told me when he leaves an AirBnb, he takes the sheets off the bed, the pillows out of the pillowcases and the towels from the bathroom and puts them by the door. "All they got to do is make the bed, they love me."
To which I told him, now you're creating a situation where they will expect that out of everyone.
Then I see this meme.
148
WookieMan
2023 May 2, 6:37am
WookieMan
2023 May 2, 6:37am
Tenpoundbass says
Eh, it's different with kids. I don't share a room with kids unless it's just one night. If we're staying more than that I need separate rooms or adjoining rooms.
Unless there are specific directions upon departure we just leave. We're paying a cleaning fee. Either way throwing towels and sheets in a tub is trivial and likely a 2 minute task. It's still cheaper to do a VRBO or AirBnb than having a single hotel room with 3 kids and being miserable for 3-7 days or so. Can't cook, so all meals are out and that's a fortune. Vacation rentals are substantially cheaper. Especially if the owner has named the unit and you find their own website. That way you avoid the fees from the services. We've save $600/wk on rentals doing that.
I don't know, I've had way shittier experiences in hotels than vacation rentals. As someone mentioned time share places that you rent are pretty good too. They won't make your bed everyday, but if there's an issue they'll come fix it. We stay at Margarittaville in St. Thomas. Never had a problem. Hotel level service outside of turndown service. And no, we don't have a time share there. I ain't touching that realm of bull shittery. Food sucks, but it's a 5 minute drive to Red Hook restaurants that are much better. And there's a strip club. God damn I need/want to get back down there.
15 year marriage anniversary (25 total) and turning 40. I might just book something. Mothers day surprise, anniversary, and my 40th. We'll see. Flights are gay in June. Prices are through the roof.
LOL my interloper buddy is going to Columbia. He's booking two different rooms from Airbnb and a room with Selinas. He likes having a room on different locations at his destinations. He told me when he leaves an AirBnb, he takes the sheets off the bed, the pillows out of the pillowcases and the towels from the bathroom and puts them by the door. "All they got to do is make the bed, they love me."
To which I told him, now you're creating a situation where they will expect that out of everyone.
Then I see this meme.
Eh, it's different with kids. I don't share a room with kids unless it's just one night. If we're staying more than that I need separate rooms or adjoining rooms.
Unless there are specific directions upon departure we just leave. We're paying a cleaning fee. Either way throwing towels and sheets in a tub is trivial and likely a 2 minute task. It's still cheaper to do a VRBO or AirBnb than having a single hotel room with 3 kids and being miserable for 3-7 days or so. Can't cook, so all meals are out and that's a fortune. Vacation rentals are substantially cheaper. Especially if the owner has named the unit and you find their own website. That way you avoid the fees from the services. We've save $600/wk on rentals doing that.
I don't know, I've had way shittier experiences in hotels than vacation rentals. As someone mentioned time share places that you rent are pretty good too. They won't make your bed everyday, but if there's an issue they'll come fix it. We stay at Margarittaville in St. Thomas. Never had a problem. Hotel level service outside of turndown service. And no, we don't have a time share there. I ain't touching that realm of bull shittery. Food sucks, but it's a 5 minute drive to Red Hook restaurants that are much better. And there's a strip club. God damn I need/want to get back down there.
15 year marriage anniversary (25 total) and turning 40. I might just book something. Mothers day surprise, anniversary, and my 40th. We'll see. Flights are gay in June. Prices are through the roof.
149
mell
2023 May 2, 9:01am
WookieMan says
Turo is great, used in many times for 25%-50% of the price of a rental, had great cars to try out. No objections to Turo. But it's not comparable to Air BnB as Turo makes it easier and cheaper for you, they literally meet you at the airport outside to do the handover, no waiting in line like at the car rental with 1 employee for 500 customers. Had once a guy who claimed there was a scratch from a rock in the car now, and I quickly settled for an additional $150 or so, was still much cheaper than a rental car. Decent option. Not they are an SF company, not everything that comes out of there is bad ;)
I've actually had good success with Turo for renting cars which is basically the same concept. Got nicer cars with more miles on them for 20-30% less than the major rental car companies. Had a BMW convertible out in AZ late January for $200 for 5 days. Pickup and drop at the airport garage which is closer than the rental car location.
Turo is great, used in many times for 25%-50% of the price of a rental, had great cars to try out. No objections to Turo. But it's not comparable to Air BnB as Turo makes it easier and cheaper for you, they literally meet you at the airport outside to do the handover, no waiting in line like at the car rental with 1 employee for 500 customers. Had once a guy who claimed there was a scratch from a rock in the car now, and I quickly settled for an additional $150 or so, was still much cheaper than a rental car. Decent option. Not they are an SF company, not everything that comes out of there is bad ;)
150
zzyzzx
2023 May 3, 11:00am
zzyzzx
2023 May 3, 11:00am
https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/04/27/nantucket-zoning-change-could-slash-short-term-rentals-by-95-umass-report/
Nantucket zoning change could slash short-term rentals by 95%
Nantucket zoning change could slash short-term rentals by 95%
151
WookieMan
2023 May 3, 11:08am
WookieMan
2023 May 3, 11:08am
mell says
Don't need to tell me, but if you have 3 kids it fucks things up massively with travel. We need 2 rooms if it's more than a night. At that point vacation rentals are cheaper by 20% depending on the area. Agree with Turo though.
Leaving for Door County, WI Friday. We got a 2 bed room fortunately. Hotel rooms with 3 kids is a pain in the ass. I won't do it unless it's a travel day and we stay the night before or when we land. Wife will sleep in and I'll be up at 5am. So it also helps with that. I'm a weirdo though. I just want my own space separate from the kids. I think they want the same.
But it's not comparable to Air BnB as Turo makes it easier and cheaper for you, they literally meet you at the airport outside to do the handover, no waiting in line like at the car rental with 1 employee for 500 customers.
Don't need to tell me, but if you have 3 kids it fucks things up massively with travel. We need 2 rooms if it's more than a night. At that point vacation rentals are cheaper by 20% depending on the area. Agree with Turo though.
Leaving for Door County, WI Friday. We got a 2 bed room fortunately. Hotel rooms with 3 kids is a pain in the ass. I won't do it unless it's a travel day and we stay the night before or when we land. Wife will sleep in and I'll be up at 5am. So it also helps with that. I'm a weirdo though. I just want my own space separate from the kids. I think they want the same.
153
RedStar
2023 May 3, 11:56am
RedStar
2023 May 3, 11:56am
mell says
Turo can go to hell. I fell prey to a scam artist and Turo banned me for trying to get my money back through the credit card company.
Long story short- I never got access to the car I reserved and paid for, owner lied and said I did. Turo didn't care and they have zero customer service.
They ended up banning my account because I tried to fight it through the CC company.
Turo is great, used in many times for 25%-50% of the price of a rental, had great cars to try out. No objections to Turo. But it's not comparable to Air BnB as Turo makes it easier and cheaper for you, they literally meet you at the airport outside to do the handover, no waiting in line like at the car rental with 1 employee for 500 customers. Had once a guy who claimed there was a scratch from a rock in the car now, and I quickly settled for an additional $150 or so, was still much cheaper than a rental car. Decent option. Not they are an SF company, not everything that comes out of there is bad ;)
Turo can go to hell. I fell prey to a scam artist and Turo banned me for trying to get my money back through the credit card company.
Long story short- I never got access to the car I reserved and paid for, owner lied and said I did. Turo didn't care and they have zero customer service.
They ended up banning my account because I tried to fight it through the CC company.
154
SoTex
2023 May 4, 6:10am
SoTex
2023 May 4, 6:10am
zzyzzx says
Every time I see one of these I'm floored by the cleaning fees. I only charge $150 and throw in a free cleaning for people who stay more than 2 weeks for my Maui vacation rental. $150 is pretty standard although my cleaners think I shouldn't give freebees like that - I do.
In fact, I just turned over a ~2000sq/ft long term (1-year lease, SFH) and only paid $200 for make-ready-cleaning. It really should have been $400 but an old high school buddy owns the company and under charged me. I owe him quite a few beers.
What in the hell goes on in these AirBNBs!?
Every time I see one of these I'm floored by the cleaning fees. I only charge $150 and throw in a free cleaning for people who stay more than 2 weeks for my Maui vacation rental. $150 is pretty standard although my cleaners think I shouldn't give freebees like that - I do.
In fact, I just turned over a ~2000sq/ft long term (1-year lease, SFH) and only paid $200 for make-ready-cleaning. It really should have been $400 but an old high school buddy owns the company and under charged me. I owe him quite a few beers.
What in the hell goes on in these AirBNBs!?
155
mell
2023 May 4, 8:45am
RedStar says
Good that you paid with CC, just charge it back. If they ban you, it's their loss. I always pay with CC and charge back if the service is not satisfactory. But Turo is likely struggling like all the smaller start ups of recent years. They can't really do much, like all of these direct brokers you run the risk of hitting a scammer. I don't know what their insurance/coverage policy is, but as a last resort you should be prepared to get a rental car. Not getting your car can happen at a rental company as well btw, though at least they would reimburse you. I used them maybe 5 times, and never had an issue. If the car rental companies weren't that shitty, Turo would have never been invented. Same as for Uber/Lyft vs cabs.
Turo can go to hell. I fell prey to a scam artist and Turo banned me for trying to get my money back through the credit card company.
Long story short- I never got access to the car I reserved and paid for, owner lied and said I did. Turo didn't care and they have zero customer service.
They ended up banning my account because I tried to fight it through the CC company.
Good that you paid with CC, just charge it back. If they ban you, it's their loss. I always pay with CC and charge back if the service is not satisfactory. But Turo is likely struggling like all the smaller start ups of recent years. They can't really do much, like all of these direct brokers you run the risk of hitting a scammer. I don't know what their insurance/coverage policy is, but as a last resort you should be prepared to get a rental car. Not getting your car can happen at a rental company as well btw, though at least they would reimburse you. I used them maybe 5 times, and never had an issue. If the car rental companies weren't that shitty, Turo would have never been invented. Same as for Uber/Lyft vs cabs.
156
AD
2023 May 4, 10:47am
AD
2023 May 4, 10:47am
I'd recommend searching for independent companies such as on Facebook ... for example in Panama City Beach, there is Dawns Rentals and Book That Condo ....
I don't believe they charge all the exorbitant fees like AirBnB and they give a better value or deal ...
Expedia is pretty good at giving options beyond AirBnB which is overly priced vacation rentals ,,,,
AirBnb peaked around $213 a share in February 2021, and a few months after its IPO... its now at $118 ...
I wonder if AirBnB will eventually go into obscurity like Yahoo and MySpace ...
I don't believe they charge all the exorbitant fees like AirBnB and they give a better value or deal ...
Expedia is pretty good at giving options beyond AirBnB which is overly priced vacation rentals ,,,,
AirBnb peaked around $213 a share in February 2021, and a few months after its IPO... its now at $118 ...
I wonder if AirBnB will eventually go into obscurity like Yahoo and MySpace ...
158
zzyzzx
2023 Jun 8, 11:10am
zzyzzx
2023 Jun 8, 11:10am
ad says
I recommend just using hotels.
I'd recommend searching for independent companies such as on Facebook ... for example in Panama City Beach, there is Dawns Rentals and Book That Condo ....
I don't believe they charge all the exorbitant fees like AirBnB and they give a better value or deal ...
Expedia is pretty good at giving options beyond AirBnB which is overly priced vacation rentals ,,,,
I recommend just using hotels.
159
zzyzzx
2023 Jun 15, 10:58am
zzyzzx
2023 Jun 15, 10:58am
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-short-term-rental-showdown-comes-down-to-vote/3277841/
Short-term rentals zoned out of Dallas single family neighborhoods
Short-term rentals zoned out of Dallas single family neighborhoods
160
Eric Holder
2023 Jun 15, 12:00pm
Eric Holder
2023 Jun 15, 12:00pm
zzyzzx says
Noooooooooo!
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-short-term-rental-showdown-comes-down-to-vote/3277841/
Short-term rentals zoned out of Dallas single family neighborhoods
Noooooooooo!
161
Eric Holder
2023 Jun 15, 12:02pm
Eric Holder
2023 Jun 15, 12:02pm
just_passing_through says
Tax fraud maybe?
Every time I see one of these I'm floored by the cleaning fees.
...
What in the hell goes on in these AirBNBs!?
Tax fraud maybe?
162
WookieMan
2023 Jun 15, 1:08pm
WookieMan
2023 Jun 15, 1:08pm
zzyzzx says
Eh, that's a tough call. I do both. Depends on the price. If kids are going vacation rental is generally the way to go. We just booked airfare and two rooms at Margaritaville in St. Thomas for a stupid low price. So we're going the hotel route which is rare with the kids. Used points, so amount won't be accurate if I posted.
We've only have one "bad" vacation rental, which wasn't that bad of a vacation rental near Bryce Canyon, UT. The lodging in the area is shit. I doubt we could have done better. Shit hole of of a town, but an amazing NP.
I recommend just using hotels.
Eh, that's a tough call. I do both. Depends on the price. If kids are going vacation rental is generally the way to go. We just booked airfare and two rooms at Margaritaville in St. Thomas for a stupid low price. So we're going the hotel route which is rare with the kids. Used points, so amount won't be accurate if I posted.
We've only have one "bad" vacation rental, which wasn't that bad of a vacation rental near Bryce Canyon, UT. The lodging in the area is shit. I doubt we could have done better. Shit hole of of a town, but an amazing NP.
166
Onvacation
2023 Jun 28, 12:33pm
Onvacation
2023 Jun 28, 12:33pm
Stuck at JFK last night on the way to Maine; flight canceled. In our search for a room we found an airbnb for $120/night. Plus tax, plus some $50 fee, plus a $150 cleaning fee. We were going to have a room in somebody's house.
The Courtyard in Brooklyn charged us $250 for the night, all taxes and fees included.
The Courtyard in Brooklyn charged us $250 for the night, all taxes and fees included.
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I'm thinking of doing this in the Shenandoah region in VA, which has very low inventory and lots of short term rentals on the market. I assume that as more and more people do this, the market will saturate. I'm not sure how long that will take, and exactly how that will play out - plenty of thoughts though. In particular, I think if people insist on working from home, the far flung mountain retreat type areas outside of cities will do very well. I'm thinking that people wouldn't commute long distance every day, but might be willing to commute further once or twice a week. So, the high property values in/close to cities will continue to spread outward.