When Airbnb first appeared, it wowed people with its convenience and lower costs. However, fast forward to now, it’s facing criticism and a decline in popularity due to common issues like increasing costs, scam cases, and poor customer service.
You can say these guests were blessed with all three when their Airbnb host decided to up the reservation price and then refused to let them inside the rental on the day of their stay. Luckily, the scammed guests were able to find the solution, which came to bite the host in the behind later.
The Airbnb experience is often not complete without issues, like poor customer service
Image credits: YuriArcursPeopleimages/Envato (not the actual photo)
These guests were no exception, as their Airbnb host tried to raise the reservation price and, in the end, didn't even let them inside the rental on the day of their stay
Image credits: YuriArcursPeopleimages/Envato (not the actual photo)
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Image credits: relevantusername-
For hosts, special occasions are a great opportunity to increase their profits
Image credits: Oberon Copeland/Unsplash (not the actual photo)
It’s definitely not the first time that short-rental hosts have upped the price in anticipation of some event or occasion. In some cases, rental prices can see an increase of 305%. One guy who tried to book a stay for Eurovision faced a host who tried to up the cost from £465 to over £2,000 when he realized that the booking was for an event, and the BBC has written a whole article about it.
For hosts, special occasions are a great opportunity to increase their profits, and raising prices to match increased demand is business 101. Besides, Airbnb policies allow dynamic pricing, which means that hosts can raise their prices at any time, no matter the reason, to maximize profits. This helps rental owners to earn up to 40% more than maintaining static pricing.
This might seem greatly unfair to some customers, as not every person can afford such dramatic increases. To ensure that hosts don’t become completely unreasonable and guests don’t cancel, there were instances when Airbnb stepped in, putting regulations on the prices or even kicking the hosts off their platform for their greedy actions.
"We take a range of actions to deter host cancellations, including applying fees, penalties and blocking Hosts from accepting a new booking for the same dates. The average price per night of a booked stay during Eurovision is £260, providing affordable accommodation for guests and helping local families boost their income,” Airbnb said in a statement to the Eurovision case mentioned earlier.
Booking an Airbnb four weeks in advance saves guests the most money
Image credits: Andrea Davis/Unsplash (not the actual photo)
In general, Airbnb prices are increasing, and not just on special events or occasions. While it could be attributed to inflation, the quite absurd nightly cleaning fee average of $75 suggests that this might not be the case.
Interestingly, for shorter stays, hotels are now cheaper than booking an Airbnb. NerdWallet has found that an average hotel was 29% cheaper than booking an Airbnb for two. And it often includes comforts like breakfast, guaranteed cleanliness (free of cleaning fees!), polite staff, and pools that Airbnbs don’t have.
That said, for weekly or monthly stays, Airbnb is still the budget-friendly choice. Plus, by booking the stay during the optimal time frame, it can save additional money. In the case of popular events, it’s better to book well in advance, as the cheaper hotel rooms and Airbnb rentals are likely to go first. By searching for them in advance, you can find more budget-friendly choices.
When a person isn’t looking to book a stay for special events or occasions, NerdWallet has found that booking an Airbnb four weeks in advance saves guests the most money. It’s cheaper than booking accommodation last minute and even a year in advance!
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