This is the most expensive, “ritzy” area of Arlington VA, 5 min from DC. You can’t pitch a tent here for less than $1000 a month! Without parking, which you cannot park anywhere here without a pass or being in a parking garage. Condos here start at 500k and a 1br apt rents for about $1600 on average. So…how is this host renting a 5 bed apt for $14 a night? ($420 a month.) WITH "reserved parking."
All 5 star reviews, “breakfast and coffee in AM”, and “a range of beverages, toiletries, and cleaning products” are also available, according to reviews. What the…??
If you put in some dates, there aren’t any with that price. Still very low, but more like $57-$65. per night with a huge uptick when your guest count is above 1.
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Oh, ok…whew! I was about to go take a jump off the nearest bridge here…
I see now it runs about $60 a night, as you said. Good point. I forgot to punch in dates to see actual cost. Hotels here run about $150 a night, so it’s still a bargain. Except if you stay one night. The cleaning fee is $119, plus service fee plus $60 rate brings it to over $200, which is more in line with the area.
Question though…how does it work that the listed price is $14 but most dates are $60 and up? I know prices are often different from first page look but how is it so much of a disparity here? Educate me.
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Somewhere, somehow they put $14 on their calendar for one night; probably in a week where they have a multi-night minimum. I find that annoying AF and would not book there on principle alone. Most people can’t afford to do that though and it looks like they have plenty of bookings/reviews.
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That’s a typical “price from…” advertising… airlines do that also.
Then when one books it comes up with all the “extras”… and one pays even more than normal.
I don’t like that at all, my price is the price, all included, no surprises!
This is how people are caught out if they are not aware, I find it dishonest…
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Dishonest? Most savvy hosts do have a range of prices for different seasons. .
We run BeyondPricing and it calculates seasonal prices off my base price of (for example) $120 a night for bookings more than a month away. However, I also set progressive discounts as open dates get closer. So the price can actually go down to $50 a night if it’s a week away and no one has booked yet.
AFAIK without the user searching for specific dates, Airbnb always shows the cheapest available price, which can be as low as $50.
maybe “misleading” would be the more “proper” word …
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Here is how it might have happened because I did the same thing ( not even realizing it would show a low rate). I have larger homes.
In off season I book 2 and 3 night visits over the weekend…Friday to Monday for example. So I price friday to monday regular…but if somebody wants a real stay bargain…usually a retired couple who wants to explore and maybe share with family or friends, …then wednesday is only $10…that way there is a big discount for a longer stay, and I don’t have to calculate a lot, and they still need to meet my minimum stay requirement. And then if they stay a full week, a further discount kicks in. I don’t know any other way to bring down pricing expect by offering a Wednesday “bonus” day for a 4 night stay, and a % discount for a week long stay.
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I think you can put in your base price and then go and change every price in your calendar. So when people search the $14 catches their attention but when you go to book it, the price is much higher. Very deceptive!
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I’ve noticed several rentals in the area of my SC rental appearing to do what @Mike_L described. They advertise $39 a night for an oceanfront condo, when you put in the dates, it is $200 a night.
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I, too, use Beyond Pricing and I love it. What I find deceptive about the listing is question is that I bet NO night is $14. At least my lowest price is actually available mid-week.
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When I put in random dates from Feb through June the rate is between $93 and $228 per night for one guest. There must be one magic night at that price.
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you could describe my comment perfectly…