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You'd think that it is somewhat within the owner's control because they could disclose whatever this apparently immutable fact of the property is and then peopl

You'd think that it is somewhat within the owner's control because they could disclose whatever this apparently immutable fact of the property is and then people could reasonably factor this in when deciding whether to stay or not. But presumably this is not something which is policy because it would lower the price of relevant properties which presumably affects airbnb's revenue as well. This kind of behaviour should somehow be regulated in a similar way to advertising - if they're intentionally hiding negative information while posing as a place to reliably inform you about your stay based on the experiences of others (which is what "review" implies) then they're misleading you for profit. What they're actually running is a mislabelled testimonials section. It distorts the market by actively preventing people from accurately assessing the property's utility to them.

scarface74 4y ago
It is regulated - it’s called zoning. There is a reason many municipalities are banning short term rentals. But AirBnb is not doing anything to make sure the hosts are in compliance and are actively hiding where the places are until after you book. Can you imagine not being able to find out the exact location of a hotel until you book?
- bambax 4y ago
  True, but this can actually be circumvented easily. The pointer on the map is at the exact location, all one needs to do is zoom in, and compare with a map that has street names. It could probably be automated too.
  - kcplate 4y ago
    My wife does this for every one we rent. Google street view can be a godsend.
- leephillips 4y ago
  Sure, I’ve done it many times. Sites like priceline.com offer huge discounts if you’re willing to commit to a small area on a map and a general description of the property without knowing the particular hotel until you pay.
  - scarface74 4y ago
    As a pretty frequent traveler (business and personal) and even more soon, I’m very particular about the hotel I stay in, the loyalty points and status benefits (neither of which you can get when booking through a portal) add up.
- captainbland 4y ago
  What I was talking about is not really a specific zoning concern, it could potentially be applied to e.g. ecom websites with review sections as well if they're hiding negative reviews for whatever reason.
bombcar 4y ago
Customer review removed: “no bathroom only an outhouse” Host states: “disclosed; listing says ‘quaint period facilities provided’” AirBNB will agree and remove the review.

scarface74 4y ago

It is regulated - it’s called zoning. There is a reason many municipalities are banning short term rentals. But AirBnb is not doing anything to make sure the hosts are in compliance and are actively hiding where the places are until after you book. Can you imagine not being able to find out the exact location of a hotel until you book?

bambax 4y ago
True, but this can actually be circumvented easily. The pointer on the map is at the exact location, all one needs to do is zoom in, and compare with a map that has street names. It could probably be automated too.
- kcplate 4y ago
  My wife does this for every one we rent. Google street view can be a godsend.
leephillips 4y ago
Sure, I’ve done it many times. Sites like priceline.com offer huge discounts if you’re willing to commit to a small area on a map and a general description of the property without knowing the particular hotel until you pay.
- scarface74 4y ago
  As a pretty frequent traveler (business and personal) and even more soon, I’m very particular about the hotel I stay in, the loyalty points and status benefits (neither of which you can get when booking through a portal) add up.
captainbland 4y ago
What I was talking about is not really a specific zoning concern, it could potentially be applied to e.g. ecom websites with review sections as well if they're hiding negative reviews for whatever reason.

bombcar 4y ago

Customer review removed: “no bathroom only an outhouse” Host states: “disclosed; listing says ‘quaint period facilities provided’” AirBNB will agree and remove the review.