Honestly once I started renting VRBO and Airbnb I truly realized how much I dislike hotel stays. I really like the comforts of “home” and every single place I’ve rented have all given me that feeling. I could do a hotel for a short stay - 3 days max - but for me it’s a condo/apt/private home all the way.
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Airbnb has specific cleaning protocol guidelines and we look for hosts who say they follow them: https://www.airbnb.com/resources/hosting-homes/a/getting-started-with-the-5-step-enhanced-cleaning-process-186
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Some properties state that you have to check in no later than xx. Flights get delayed. Stuff happens. Not being able to check in at 2 am after a long delay would be a deal breaker for me.
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@Colorado_mom , I no longer rent out my cape cod home, but for the longest time, we asked guests to bring their own sheets because in the turnaround time, it would have been impossible to turn around sheets for that many beds. And putting in a second washer and dryer in a place with such a fragile ecosystem- especially around fresh water - anathema! That was, as you noted, the norm for decades. Many cottages didn’t even have a washer!
I admit, even when it’s just family, the bed linen departure routine is a hassle. But to not have the last load in the dryer as we leave? Not happening! So I think I would still ask the same of anyone using the place, even if they paid for it.
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Before the days of vrbo/airbnb, I think Cape Cod had a lot of weekly rentals that required bringing sheets. It’s not all that hard to do if driving. And of course that way the renters do know they are clean sheets 
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When we’re driving to a “bring sheets” location, we just take our sleeping bags. It’s far easier.
We’ve never needed sheets (or to do laundry for the condo) when we’ve flown places.
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My requirements change depending on where I am going. I normally like very high rated, super host, super clean, I love a good view, etc. However some trips we are either planning last minute or they just don’t have what I’m looking for.
This past summer we went to Alaska and I had to lower my expectations for a few reasons. The towns we were visiting did not always have many options, especially any that were what I would call higher end. Many of the houses had minimum stay requirements that we could not meet (we did a road trip and hit lots of spots in a short time.) And of course generally it is just more rustic up there. We stayed in three places and they ranged from almost brand to one I would never have picked for any other vacation (not terrible, just very dated and “lived in”) but that one had the best view and a giant deck where we could have sat for days so I would definitely go back again.
I like the idea of a thread where people post their favorite spots - I’m always looking for new vacation ideas. 
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7 of our family member stayed in an AIRBNB this weekend. As is our past experiences, it was excellent and honestly the place was even better than the pics online. Our host was quick to communicate through the process. Check out was at 10am on Sunday but I noted that no one was scheduled to come in right after us so I asked the host if we there was any chance we could have until noon which would allow us to enjoy a leisurely breakfast together. He was happy to oblige.
We had a little snow (mostly blowing snow, it was on a Great Lake) and the host reached out to me in the morning saying from his Ring app he couldn’t see the entire driveway - did we need it to be cleared? It was actually fine and not covered at all but it was kind of him to ask. The place was spotless and well equipped for cooking, sleeping (extra blankets, pillows, etc.). Because we were bringing 2 dogs (approved by the host) there were treats for the dogs and two soft towels by the entry area with a note that towels were for us to wipe the pups paws upon entry if we didn’t mind - of course!
This was a 5.0 rated rental of a Superhost. We read tons of the reviews before booking. We got what we paid for and even better, it was just a really pleasant experience.
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We must have gotten lucky. So far we haven’t encountered any of those on our travels. We’ll be in another one for a bit of Feb and March, so hopefully I’m not jinxing us.
Lol! Kid and her BF once hit “mice.” Not just any mice… deer mice! 
The host was apologetic and refunded the $$. Deer mice can carry Hanta virus. Not something you want lurking in the pantry and behind the fridge!
Our house was a vacation rental before we bought it. Let’s say the epic piles of rat crap in the attic, the rot in the master bedroom walls, the dead carpenter ants inside the light fixture in the kitchen, and a small mountain of other issues would not have been readily visible to people who were spending a couple of nights at this place. The missing GFI in the laundry room could have led to some bad things though, but luckily did not.
So… make sure kitchen and bath outlets are GFI in your rentals!
Creepy art – we once rented a place that had completed jigsaw puzzles framed and hung on the wall.
Spending Christmas with my oldest and family (including adorable almost 2-year-old GD). Younger D and partner will be going there too as well as son-in-law’s Dad/stepmom. Since there’s not enough room in their house for everyone, D booked an AirBNB that’s two blocks from their home. It’s a carriage house and it looks OK. H and I and younger D/partner volunteered to stay there and let son-in-law’s Dad stay with the kids. Crossing my fingers that it will be OK. My last experience (posted above) with an AirBNB was not great. We’re only sleeping there and can walk back and forth, so as long as it’s clean, it’s probably fine.
I love puzzles. And truth be told, I’ve completed them and hung them in matching frames in our guest room. I guess I may be scaring my guests in the future!?! 
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Have you all seen the Hilton commercial where the family checks into their Airbnb and there’s all these creepy dolls that start speaking, so they of course run out and check into a Hilton hotel 
Let’s add talking dolls to the list!
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Speaking or creepy art, or similar, we rented a place near Gettysburg PA that had life size “statue” replicas of Mary Todd Lincoln and other civil war related people within the house, and a life sized realistic horse in the dining room. Plus, the basement was all decked out in Penn State stuff, included that related to the coach who was really bad (sorry, I’m not a sports person and can’t remember his name). It was really kind of creepy.
I’m curious - for instance with this weird art/wall stuff/decor - did you not see these things in the pictures on the listings? The places we have rented are pretty true to photos - and we examine those photos pretty closely before renting!
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The creepy statue place we stayed was booked by my SIL. We weren’t going to complain about her effort.
Here it is - looks like the horse is still there
https://www.vrbo.com/227422ha?noDates=true&unitId=3014920
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I guess some people want the full Gettysburg experience - lol!
Beware any listing that shows more pictures of the outside than the inside! I want to see every room in the house - every bedroom, bathroom, living area, porches, dining space - if I can’t see it, I don’t book it!
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I’ve seen some AirBNB listings that show every room from every single direction - it gets overwhelming. And if they have a great view, sometimes they fail to lead with that. For us, often it’s all about the views.
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