Travel

[Pixie66]

I used AirBnB in Washington DC, we rented a basement apartment and it was exactly as pictured.  We had no issues or complaints.  I never saw the people who own the house, who lived upstairs. It was definitely cheaper than renting a hotel in DC in the summer.

I also used Home Away which is similar to VBRO.  The house we rented on Cape Cod was just as described and we had no issues there either.  We did get a list of "rules" but like @Beachgirl42 said, most were common sense.

I agree with others who mentioned reading and I would suggest searching by Superhosts and check the fees, some are riduculous.

Enjoy your trip!!

[sassenach1]

I am in the hospitality industry. There is no way that I would stay in AirBNB. There are no safety, fire or health standards for AIrBNB. I am very particular about a hotel room cleanliness. And I know how our standards are.

Nope.

[JeanLouiseFinch]

That's an excellent point, @sassenach1.  I bet many people don't consider that.  Now it makes me wonder about risky walkways, slip & falls within the home, etc.

My friend and I looked several times over the period of several months.  I ended up telling her we were going to pass.  The whole idea about sharing an AirBnB was to save money since we were only sleeping there a couple of nights.  We quickly found out that advertised properties draw you in, but the homeowner is not bound to accept a reservation.  My friend contacted two, to inquire about making a reservation and was denied at the advertised price for the time of year we need lodging, not to mention some had what seemed an unreasonable cleaning/service fee on top of the actual nightly rate.  It all seemed like a big monkey business since they ended up being priced higher than a king suite/room at a chain hotel. 

Live and learn. 

[riley1]

@JeanLouiseFinch - There are several people advertising on sites for this type of rental. However, when they were exposed it appears they are running these rentals illegally with no business license. So, I wonder, what recourse does the renter have if something goes wrong.

Additionally, they are in communities where these types of businesses are not allowed and residents are fed up with people coming and going all day/night along with different people all the time.