I travel a lot and use Airbnb all over the world, I am also a host, plus a property manager. I have just returned from a 3 month trip to Eastern Europe and I used Airbnb a lot, always as entire homes.
I got very frustrated by a number of things so I decided to make a list of them.
My hate (peeves) list:
Having to meet for check in or even worse for check out – damned inconvenient, set up a lock box, security box or keyless entry.
Doing the tour, here is the kitchen, here is the bathroom, here is the cutlery – I can find my way around a home (I have just travelled from the other side of the world to get here, so a house is a cinch!} – what I really want is some privacy so I can go to the toilet. And log onto the wi fi so I can check My guest’s Airbnb messages.
A lack of instructions and parking information – Have everything pre-written in the itinerary, if it is difficult or complicated provide detailed photos beforehand.
Saying you have a kitchen when it is only a kitchenette – how can you cook a meal with one hot plate and a microwave?
Distance, 10 minutes walk from town – rubbish, whatever the distance is given, double it.
Location – too difficult to find where is it on a map?
Booking – waiting for host, instant book only!
Meeting people in general – I just want to get in.
Lack of information on working appliances – maybe this type of washing machine etc is normal in your country, but I have never seen one before.
A lack of extras – I shouldn’t have to buy salt, pepper, cooking oil.
Towels on the bed – I want to get into bed, why aren’t the towels in the bathroom where they belong?
Lack of vanity/bench space – where am I meant to put my toilet bag?
Lack of information – where is the supermarket and when do they close?
No milk – seriously you supply coffee and sugar but no milk, same goes for butter.
No toilet spray – really??
No fly spray – always needed.
Lack of pillows – a least 2 per person, and spare pillows in the cupboard should have pillow cases on them.
Rubbish – being made to take the rubbish to some receptacle in town. I am already struggling with luggage, often steps and a strange neighbourhood and I have to carry my garbage as well?
Asking me to phone to confirm check in time – what is wrong with the Airbnb app? I am in a foreign country, I don’t have the ability to phone and you can’t understand me anyway. A google maps ETA is good enough, refer back to lock box.
Beds where one side is against the wall – great bathroom exit in the middle of night, not!
No bedside table
Blunt knives
No wine glasses
Liquid soap in shower (a personal quirk)
Nowhere to put my suitcase.
Washing machine but no powder or no way of drying clothes e.g. a clothes horse would be good.
Poor photos
Multiple photos of the same thing.
The bathroom is shown before the living and bedroom.
Too dark.
The toilet – I don’t need to see that.
The toilet seat up – really? I know you don’t understand about styling but…
Irrelevant photos
No clear photos of beds
