I’m actually sitting in a VRBO right now. With Airbnb I always looks for super host status and we tend to book more expensive properties. I’d expect a lot less (and have) at a lower price point.
So with that in mind, the overarching theme of what I expect is basically the “comforts of home”. Clean, everything functional, well-lit, nice beds and linens, comfortable furniture, plenty of utensils/plates/etc, working tv, good internet. Essentially everything that you do to make your own home comfortable. Nothing that would make me think, “darn, I should’ve brought my own towels/pillows/knives/forks/plates/toilet paper/lamp/etc”.
One other touch I like is when the place is basically impersonal, i.e. like a house on the market. I don’t want to see pictures of the owner or their weird collection of kewpie dolls (I don’t actually know what a kewpie doll is but it popped into my head as something that sounds kinda weird so I threw it in. Apologies to actual kewpie doll collectors). This goes double for seeing a closet full of their clothes or other personal stuff.
Finally I like owners/managers that respond quickly to texts. That’s a pretty big one, as I try not to ask questions unless I really have to.
My standard review asks for details of the local recycling system. They are all different! I was yelled at once in Spain for putting the wrong item in recycling, but without instructions, how was I supposed to know?
A yoga mat or carpet for floor stretches/exercises.
Sufficient bathroom hooks. A place I stayed in recently had one towel rack, but 3 using the bathroom and no place to hang more than one towel.
A decent knife matters to me, as well as a cutting board.
We have a place we’ve been renting in Maui for the past 6 years (love it that much!) - our first trip I bought a yoga mat since we were going to be there for 2 weeks and I yin yoga daily for meditation as well as to stay flexible- long story short, “my” yoga mat is still there in “my” closet - I’m sure others have used it (I hope so!) but it makes me smile that my $30 was well spent!
We have stayed in lots of places over the years - vacation rentals before Airbnb, Airbnb before they started impacting the local housing availability and neighborhoods, and then back to airbnbs/Vrbo/etc… in areas that are more focused on vacation rentals.
Here is what we look for -
Clean.
Clean when I have to lay half under a bed to plug something in or at least give me places to plug in easily.
Simple, common sense rules all shared ahead of time. I hate getting somewhere and there is a binder with 52 additional rules.
That said, I do love a binder with the basics for the place along with dining suggestions, delivery places, grocery stores, and local areas on interest.
If AirBnbs are not allowed in your condo community or area of town, do not rent it…telling me not to talk to anyone kind of tells me that something is up.
A quick checkout check list for the final morning is great. I love when it is auto sent to my email or text. I hate when I am trying to get out of the way, but wondering if the sheets need to go in the washer or just on the floor, etc…
I like a text to make sure we are all set, but too much communication gets weird.
No mold, mildew, weird smells, or artificial smells to mask these other smells.
For me, it needs to be actual rental, not someone’s everyday residence with personal items all around that they’re just walking out of for the weekend while I rent it. This is non-negotiable for me (it’s okay if it’s a rental they use too, with an “owner’s closet” or something similar for their personal items).
We did a girl’s weekend one year and the person in charge rented what was someone’s everyday home, which was cluttered with all their personal items. They had just finished dinner and were getting up to leave when we arrived. We were only allowed 2 shelves in the refrigerator (as all of their stuff was on the other shelves). The bedroom a friend & I shared was a little girl’s room and we had to move all of her tchotchkes to set our suitcases down. All their clothing was in the closets, make up in the bathrooms…it was a very uncomfortable weekend.
Other than that - bug control is a big one for me after having to leave a VRBO in Florida that was neglected in this regard.
I would have also felt very uncomfortable.
I would usually like my rental to have very little decorative stuff, like dry flowers, blankets on sofa, books - anything that would collect dust. Less is really more.
What I like more of - well equipped kitchen with a lot of utensils, wine and water glasses, coffee mugs; towels, linens, comforters.
One of the best hosts I had was at Amsterdam. We were checking in after dinner, so most grocery stores were closed. They left a bottle of wine, milk, coffee, eggs, and a basket of pastries for us. It was very nice to relax and have breakfast next day.
A host we had in Italy this summer brought over her homemade croissants toward the end of our stay. I think it was a good opportunity for her to check in on her house to make sure there were no damages. It was a beautiful home and we had a toddler with us. We also happened to hit Italys heat wave when we were there, and we had the AC running non stop. The contract didn’t mention there was a limit to electricity usage, but we left extra money for our usage and the owner was very appreciative. (She was new on Airbnb. I think she will add it in the future)
I’ve been in several, we rent every year at the Jersey shore, I think some people (based on reviews) don’t know that most rentals done come with sheets, towels, toiletries, toilet paper, paper towels… and our rentals are over $1000 a night. I hate doing the laundry when we get home, splurged this year on a $500 sheet/towel package.
I can remember packing sheets when I was a kid (in the 80s) but have never been to a rental house without sheets/toilet paper/paper towels since then. That must be a specific thing for that market that they still get away with that!
We also rent at the Jersey shore, but not Airbnb. The shore towns have a huge rental market in the summer and most are handled through rental agents…which is fine. Really not all that different than Airbnb.
The biggest difference is we need to provide all of our own linens. Not an issue for us as we drive there.
We have been renting from the same folks now for I think five years. Every summer after the first, they have left us a gift card to a very fun custom donut place as a thank you for returning.
Everything else is just as with Airbnb…clean, notebook with info, some staples like salt and coffee in the kitchen, very clear check out instructions. And convenient.
Wow. Tough crowd. We have rented several airbnb/vrbos near our kids and also for holidays. I usually look for location, reviews, number of bedrooms/baths we need, etc. We are not picky about color of linens, etc, and once even rented a place for a month that had very sparse cookware/dishware (we had to borrow from our kids!) because everything else about the place had what we needed (location, full kitchen which wasn’t always available in that area, washer/dryer was a must). The big problem with that place is that the internet needed repair (they were good about it but still… ) and there was construction going on in the building (this was an apartment). That was a real challenge.
A bit off topic (a bit)- my two favorite AirBnBs were apartments in boutique hotels. You could book via the hotel or AirBnB (same prices and I assume they were just trying to reach a broader audience).
We stayed in one in Iceland and the other in Oregon. The one in Iceland actually had all the standard hotel amenities - front desk person, room service, etc… The one in Oregon was more AirBnB style with an emergency number to call if problems.
Both were uber clean, very stylish, etc…
We found a great deal on an airbnb in a privately owned unit in a hotel at a ski resort. It was half the cost of booking through the hotel and had all the hotel amenities. Only thing we didn’t get were points for the hotel stay (but we did get them for eating in the hotel restaurant, etc).
We’ve rented many Airbnbs and prefer that to hotels even for short stays. I agree with most of the posts. A great stay for us has to include a fully stocked kitchen. We’ve been disappointed many times so now, if driving, I bring my own cast iron skillet, some big cooking knives, serving trays, foil, a few kitchen towels (amazing how some only have one or two towels). Better to have and not need than need and not have.
Good part of town is essential. Hard to guarantee that but we do our research up front.
I’m curious what you think was out of line posted here - you mentioned “tough crowd”.
Majority of cases people are Airbnb’ing for vacation purposes - and most would want a lot of the above ticked off the list but not every single item. OP asked for a comprehensive list of what makes a good AIRBNB.
@abasket I personally don’t care about sharp Knives, Linen/bedding color, number of dish towels, an ironing board, a yoga mat, parking (prefer on site but it’s not a deal breaker in a city) nor do I expect a high quality mattress. We don’t want a lumpy bumpy one or super mushy one with a sag in the middle, and if that’s described in the reviews I will take note. Certainly well stocked kitchens are nice, but if they don’t have the spices I want, I’ll buy it. I do agree it needs to be non smoking and if we are traveling with DIL it has to be pet free. We have recently stayed in someone’s personal home while they were out of the country. They had higher end appliances and such because it was their home. It was lovely. The Thread title is about minimum requirements. We just don’t have many of these. I like lots of outlets for electronics and for it to be clean.
We’ve rented in wildwood crest, LBI and Point Pleasant, I think most have been through VRBO but used to use agencies back in the day. It’s an easy 1 - 2 hour drive for my family of 7, but my sisters family flies in from Chicago, we scoop them up at the airport on the way, so EVERYTHING ends up on me packing and unpacking. I decided to try shopping on,ine gif groceries plus Instacart instead of dealing with a crowded supermarket, so much easier. We get at least a 6 bedroom for the kids and SO’s. Not having to make the beds or wash linens/towels for days is a treat!
Staying in an AIRBNB on a basic level should line up with what you’d want in a hotel. VERY Clean, quiet, comfortable and updated.
Beyond that why do people choose an AIRBNB? It can be cheaper (especially if multiple people are staying) than a hotel or it can be more (if it’s just a single/couple). More living space. A chance to “live” in a neighborhood and explore rather than a strip hotel. The chance to cook if you like. Style! Want a 100 year old renovated home? Airbnb has it. Want a boho vibe? Want mid-century modern? Want something right on the lake?
I read the reviews - often all the way through. Reviews are pretty telling. Your friends will also get a private review from the person who booked - a chance for someone to say something like “hey, the hair dryer in the bathroom didn’t work” - something they might not put in a posted review. So that may help your friends, OP.
Another thing I’ll add. The owner should post HIGH QUALITY pictures and lots of them. I want to see ALL the space inside and out - it helps me choose the one that is right for us. If you’ve renovated recently update the pics. If you changed the furniture, update the pics.
I believe the only thing I’ve ever cooked for a meal on vacation is a frozen pizza. If it’s anything more, not happening. Then it stops being a vacation. All I require for my kitchen is a microwave and refrig. h and the kids want a toaster. A coffee pot would be nice, but something to heat up water for instant coffee is fine too.
What I want in an Airbnb vs a hotel room is space for the 4 (and now up to 6) of us to spread out. H and I are early to bed/early to rise. The kids are not. And I like to nap in the afternoons. H says he doesn’t, but he does too. Much easier when there are 2+ bedrooms. And 2 bathrooms is also nice especially when one wants to monopolize it in the mornings (H!) We can do fine in a hotel room, but if an Airbnb is the same price for more space, I take the space.
I too don’t care about colors of linens or quality of mattress or the amount of quality of knick knacks. Now waiting for the family to finish dinner while to wait to move in is weird I admit!!! And I don’t care to meet the owner. I prefer the anonymous lock box. But I’m fine with either.