2 ms·

"Having a lower price just shows that is the most efficient use of scarce resources in that specific situation" No, it's not 'specific'. The 'rent' marketing c

"Having a lower price just shows that is the most efficient use of scarce resources in that specific situation" No, it's not 'specific'. The 'rent' marketing clearing price for a locale is a function of a vast array of economic inputs. That's the whole point of free markets, and why it's difficult to dictate terms around it. The fact that there is a vast influx of AirBnBers in so many areas is not a small things, it's really quite apparent that the artificial controls set by zoning are far more constrictive than we ever thought - and they should be loosened. There are all sorts of external surpluses lost when markets are not efficient. Also - I fundamentally doubt that people are just 'getting sick' because of AirBnB and 'not having their sheets changed every day'. I just don't believe it's an issue. FYI hotels have stopped changing sheets every day as well, they usually say 'to preserve water' which is BS - it's cost - but they generally do make the bed and clean every day which is unnecessary. I would probably ban AirBnB for anything but special kinds of places, and maybe not allow it in residential buildings, at least allow building owners/coops to enforce it. And then also be far more lax with hotel zoning and regulations as well. Every city wants more 'tourism' until they get tourists and they get pissed off. Well, those tourists bring in tons of cash. Every city wants business to invest and 'high tech' jobs until the locals complain about 'Google values' and 'home prices'. The market for both hotels and taxis is just too vastly distorted - and we all lose - especially consumers who would only be able to afford 1/2 as much travel otherwise. There should be a lot more hotels and taxis.

SOLAR_FIELDS 8y ago
I experience the exact opposite in regards to “getting sick”. When I travel, which is quite often, I have a greater chance of getting sick when I stay in a hotel. I suspect it’s like being on a plane where you are breathing air that has been recycled with hundreds of other people. It’s noticeable enough that I definitely need to collect hard data on it to establish the correlation. Guessing anecdotally that if I stay in a hotel my chances of catching a cold are at least double and possibly triple my chance of catching a cold in a private AirBnB. The other part of your comment that I can identify with is the “save the environment” signs you see at hotels. It’s completely disingenuous and it’s one of the rare small things that irrationally infuriates me. Every time I read one of those signs I think something along the lines of “if this didn’t save you money you wouldn’t care”. I inevitably end up pondering the decisions that the hotel could make that would help save the environment many times more than a few wash cycles. Decisions that the hotel obviously wouldn’t take because it would cost the hotel money instead of saving them money. Perhaps my disaffection is mostly because the signs are a perfect example of corporate bullshit; the exact sort of facade you would expect from a faceless corporation that will say anything to get your money.

SOLAR_FIELDS 8y ago

I experience the exact opposite in regards to “getting sick”. When I travel, which is quite often, I have a greater chance of getting sick when I stay in a hotel. I suspect it’s like being on a plane where you are breathing air that has been recycled with hundreds of other people. It’s noticeable enough that I definitely need to collect hard data on it to establish the correlation. Guessing anecdotally that if I stay in a hotel my chances of catching a cold are at least double and possibly triple my chance of catching a cold in a private AirBnB. The other part of your comment that I can identify with is the “save the environment” signs you see at hotels. It’s completely disingenuous and it’s one of the rare small things that irrationally infuriates me. Every time I read one of those signs I think something along the lines of “if this didn’t save you money you wouldn’t care”. I inevitably end up pondering the decisions that the hotel could make that would help save the environment many times more than a few wash cycles. Decisions that the hotel obviously wouldn’t take because it would cost the hotel money instead of saving them money. Perhaps my disaffection is mostly because the signs are a perfect example of corporate bullshit; the exact sort of facade you would expect from a faceless corporation that will say anything to get your money.