We Used to be Normal We have traveled all over Europe and stayed everywhere. Are you asking should I be staying in a hotel or an Airbnb? We have gone back and forth on the best way option but after our latest adventure which spanned over 9 months, we made some decisions.
The biggest one is whether to spring for a hotel or go the Airbnb route.
We say go for the hotel.
Why Choose a Hotel over an Airbnb?
Dealing with a Host
Now we want to preface this by saying we have had some great hosts. Some are attentive, provide everything you need and are very helpful.
However, there is a second edge to that sword.
Some are stressful beyond belief. Some don’t provide more than a couple squares of toilet tissue or soap.
Rarely do they set clear expectations on what they want you to do about cleaning. We have left a couple exactly how we found and still were attempted to be extorted for deep cleaning.
What’s the cleaning fee for if not to clean.
Some take a long time to respond, while others suffocate you.
In a hotel you call down when you need something. They always provide toiletries and as long as you’re not a messy brute they clean the mess for you.
The hotel staff is there to please, while Airbnb hosts are there to have a side hustle and make some easy extra cash.
Again, I can’t stress this enough, we have had some real winners when it comes to hosts, but we’ve also had some real dumpster fires.
Check-in and Check-out are set
When you check into a hotel you have read their policy on check-in and check-out and boom you are done. You can get there at 4 PM and you have to be out at 10 AM. Easy.
Airbnb’s set their own times which can range from 10 AM to 5 PM or flexible. Most of the time it works out fine but there are some outliers.
For instance, we were going from Prague to Vienna.
Check in was at 1 PM, so we bought 10 AM train tickets to arrive around 1 PM perfect for our check-in. The host contacted us the day before saying they had to work, and we could check in at 4 PM.
This left us in a precarious position. We travel with our cats a lot of the time and this was one of those instances.
So, what is the best way to kill 3 hours with two suitcases and two cats?
We landed on pushing our train tickets back for a 15 Euro fee so we would arrive at 3. This way we only had to wait a half-hour at the departure train station then an half-hour at the arrival station.
You can see how this became a problem. You don’t want to have to think about this the day before arriving in a new city in a new country.
Just an annoyance we know but can put a damper on your day quickly.
Location, Location, Location
Usually hotels are strategically located by public transit, restaurants and landmarks. Unfortunately, phils place is usually located off the gravel road where the streetlights stop.
Of course, this is an exaggeration, but you get the point.
Don’t get me wrong we’ve had some centrally located and perfectly placed Airbnb’s. Usually if the reason you are staying in an Airbnb is cost though, the better located ones are closer in price to the hotels.
Hotels also tend to give great views of the city from their locations and in the end are well worth it.
The worst located Airbnb we had was in Salerno, Italy. The view and the actual Airbnb were great. The host was good too, but it was perched on top of a hill.
What made it bad was that the bus we were promised would go up there was so unreliable two different times it didn’t even show up after waiting for an hour at 2 different bus stops. We ended up walking, at that point the view was moot.
Language Barrier
This one is not as big of a concern for us as some of the others. We are visiting a foreign country, if you want to be there you should try to learn the language.
I think we just about burned out Rosetta Stone and google translate on this trip. For us learning a new language every few weeks was a challenge, but we really want to be respectful when we travel to other countries.
So, as we said this is a small thing but trying to figure out where the dumpster is for our building when we don’t speak Hungarian can be a challenge.
At a hotel they say what languages they speak right on the Booking.com page.
Again, we think it is important to learn some of the language before you travel, it is a great life skill and respectful. However, when it comes to where you are staying it’s understandable to want to be able to communicate.
We also realize that Airbnb has the feature of what languages are spoken but on multiple occasions we were greeted by people other than the hosts. For one reason or another and they did not speak English as was posted.
They were very pleasant. Just wanted to throw that in there though.
Resolution Center
If you stay at a hotel, they keep a credit card on file for incidentals. Meaning if you break or damage something so bad it needs to be replaced.
That is fair. You break it, you buy it.
Airbnb has a resolution center where a host can ask for money after the fact for a multitude of reasons.
The most popular being cleanliness but in our case when this has happened, we have left these places exactly how we found them.
It’s only happened twice in over 20 Airbnb’s and we have never had to pay. We take photos of anything we find useful beforehand, to show the state of the apartment before and after.
However, we have spent many hours with the resolution center proving our case. This back and forth is the last thing you want to do after an amazing day in Germany.
While so far, they have seemed to be pretty fair we have heard some horror stories. For us they did try to charge us without contacting us. Luckily, we caught it and were able to fix the issue but that was a bad situation.
Overall, we just prefer a damage and broken policy than a “you didn’t mop!” situation, when all they provide is a broom and no dustpan.
We end up cleaning every place for a couple hours. Which you don’t have to do at a hotel.
One time they even tried to charge us for a couch? Like a whole couch in the Cinque Terre.
Amenities
Yes, at Airbnb a great host will provide toiletries, towels and bedding. All of these are standard at every hotel.
On top of the basic ones you can usually also find a pool, workout room, parking, buffet, and way more amenities.
You have no idea how much a pool can come in handy after a day of exploring a fortress in 90-degree weather. We promise you.
Not only the free amenities but nowadays some of the best restaurants and bars are located at hotels. Some Michelin rated and those aren’t particularly easy to come by.
Not to mention how having a concierge available to help with directions, tickets or taxis is an absolute treat.
Cleanliness
Now we have brought the cleanliness factor up a couple times and for us it is a big deal.
We’ve all seen the black light horror stories about hotels but in our experience, we will take our chances. If you do your research and check reviews, you can find some great places.
We’ve been to a couple Airbnb’s that we literally felt like we had to clean certain things before we coulduse them. This is not always the case but sometimes it is a reality.
You really can’t put a price on feeling comfortable and clean when you are staying at a place for an extended period of time.
What people are a good fit for Airbnb’s
Just like in every circumstance there is a time when an Airbnb will work best for you. These are what we see as the top factors for choosing an Airbnb over a hotel.
Budget – In reality a hotel we would be willing to stay at will run you at least $90 a night. Assuming you book in advance. While on Airbnb you can find a decent place for around $50 a night. That’s a significant savings.
Last minute booking – If you are a procrastinator there is usually something available in your price range within a week.
Kitchen – Whether you are budgeting or just a real chef it can be nice to have a kitchen. Keeping in mind that someone has to do the dishes. (It’s you)
Pets – If you can find a hotel that allows pets great but not a lot do. Especially cats. Airbnb has more options but just remember to tell the host before. Even though you then run the risk of them being biased about your stay.
Large Groups – Splitting the cost of a large Airbnb can be great. These dwellings that can house 10-15 people are great and run $1000+ a night. If you split it it can be a great decision.
Staying in a Hotel or an Airbnb Conclusion
We laid out all the reasons we think it is better to spring for the hotel.
- Dealing with a host
- Check-in/Check-out
- Location
- Language Barriers
- Resolution Center
- Amenities
- Cleanliness
This can all vary, and you can end up with some great Airbnb experiences. We just feel hotels provide better consistency and a more pleasant stay. So when thinking if I should be staying in a hotel or an Airbnb consider some of this.
As always, cheers and safe travels.
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