5 ms·

Man I'm so sick of trying to find something on Airbnb only to discover by the time I order that the price has doubled. Airbnb these last years went from feelin

Man I'm so sick of trying to find something on Airbnb only to discover by the time I order that the price has doubled. Airbnb these last years went from feeling fresh and adventurous to scammy and dubious

ceejayoz 2y ago
Use the .com.au variant to find listings, as Australian law requires they list the full price, inclusive of tax and fees.
- nickjantz 2y ago
  Meh, they're just complaining because it's cool to whine about AirBNB online these days, US based AirBNB has had this feature for quite awhile now.
- thundergolfer 2y ago
  In New York the website recently updated to do this, presumably because they were forced to. They had a whole banner announcing it. I'm Australian and moved to New York recently-ish. It was one of those classic anti-consumer disappointments one experiences moving to the states. Glad they fixed it.
- kreyenborgi 2y ago
  That's one thing, annoying but possible to work with. What I'm talking about is Dynamic Pricing. Had to look up what really happens: The host sets a rate-range, and Airbnb first gives the low price and then as you click around in the area they notice you're more interested so they increase it towards the high end of the price range (possibly also time of day and such signals?). Then I guess there's a slow cooldown. Like how a good haggle is made to give you a friendly relationship with the seller, this seems specifically designed to make people hate Airbnb and swear to never use it again.
sabellito 2y ago
Use booking.com, better in every way and customer support that won't stonewall you.
- 9283409232 2y ago
  Booking.com is awful. Anyone can make a listing on Booking.com for places that don't exist. Airbnb at least makes an effort to verify the building is real.
  - philipwhiuk 2y ago
    If anything the flight bit is even worse.
  - carlosjobim 2y ago
    I've made thousands of reservations work booking.com, this does not happen.
    - 9283409232 2y ago
      I guess if its never happened to you its never happened at all.
    - ambicapter 2y ago
      Thousands? Personal reservations?
  - sabellito 2y ago
    I have done dozens of reservations and never heard of anything like that. Maybe don't book places with fewer than 5 reviews? Same goes to airbnb or any platform that allows for anyone to publish a listing. On the other hand had one severe issue with a booking on airbnb and they essentially told me to go fuck myself.
  - robocat 2y ago
    The last trip to Brasil I had problems with AirBnB - both incorrect listings (e.g. wrong location) and listings that weren't actually available. I've used booking.com around the world and I can't recall any serious problem. When dealing with an issue, AirBnB error flow often sucks and booking is mostly fine. When AirBnB works out great, you can find some real magic, but when it fails it really sucks. I've found booking.com is usually more hotel-like and professional (e.g. contactable and reliable). I still use both but I'm careful to choose depending on perceived risks. Disclosure: long booking.com
philipwhiuk 2y ago
Worse is when your booking is confirmed but then cancelled a week before you go, at which point all the prices are much higher
- sabellito 2y ago
  Insane that they allow that. Maybe it's an option the host can set on the listing? Booking, as far as I know, straight up doesn't allow hosts to cancel. Recently, a host sent me a message begging me to cancel my booking because they really couldn't be there to receive me.
  - marcandre 2y ago
    Hosts can cancel, but they are subject to their cancelation penalties (according to the level they've chosen for guests) plus there is an automatic "review" added stating that "This host cancelled a booking X days in advance". Unless X is very big, I run away from those listings.
    - sabellito 2y ago
      Interesting, good to know.
- chris1993 2y ago
  Airbnb hosts are penalised if they cancel - they get downrated - so it's not something that hosts generally want to do. Far better if they can persuade a guest to cancel
- 123pie123 2y ago
  It was sometime ago (2018), but my host cancelled with 3hours to go I will never use AirBnB again
aprilthird2021 2y ago
Honestly, ABNB was good till the enshittification became too much. A traditional hotel is almost always better except in a few unique circumstances.

ceejayoz 2y ago

Use the .com.au variant to find listings, as Australian law requires they list the full price, inclusive of tax and fees.

nickjantz 2y ago
Meh, they're just complaining because it's cool to whine about AirBNB online these days, US based AirBNB has had this feature for quite awhile now.
thundergolfer 2y ago
In New York the website recently updated to do this, presumably because they were forced to. They had a whole banner announcing it. I'm Australian and moved to New York recently-ish. It was one of those classic anti-consumer disappointments one experiences moving to the states. Glad they fixed it.
kreyenborgi 2y ago
That's one thing, annoying but possible to work with. What I'm talking about is Dynamic Pricing. Had to look up what really happens: The host sets a rate-range, and Airbnb first gives the low price and then as you click around in the area they notice you're more interested so they increase it towards the high end of the price range (possibly also time of day and such signals?). Then I guess there's a slow cooldown. Like how a good haggle is made to give you a friendly relationship with the seller, this seems specifically designed to make people hate Airbnb and swear to never use it again.

sabellito 2y ago

Use booking.com, better in every way and customer support that won't stonewall you.

9283409232 2y ago
Booking.com is awful. Anyone can make a listing on Booking.com for places that don't exist. Airbnb at least makes an effort to verify the building is real.
- philipwhiuk 2y ago
  If anything the flight bit is even worse.
- carlosjobim 2y ago
  I've made thousands of reservations work booking.com, this does not happen.
  - 9283409232 2y ago
    I guess if its never happened to you its never happened at all.
  - ambicapter 2y ago
    Thousands? Personal reservations?
- sabellito 2y ago
  I have done dozens of reservations and never heard of anything like that. Maybe don't book places with fewer than 5 reviews? Same goes to airbnb or any platform that allows for anyone to publish a listing. On the other hand had one severe issue with a booking on airbnb and they essentially told me to go fuck myself.
- robocat 2y ago
  The last trip to Brasil I had problems with AirBnB - both incorrect listings (e.g. wrong location) and listings that weren't actually available. I've used booking.com around the world and I can't recall any serious problem. When dealing with an issue, AirBnB error flow often sucks and booking is mostly fine. When AirBnB works out great, you can find some real magic, but when it fails it really sucks. I've found booking.com is usually more hotel-like and professional (e.g. contactable and reliable). I still use both but I'm careful to choose depending on perceived risks. Disclosure: long booking.com

philipwhiuk 2y ago

Worse is when your booking is confirmed but then cancelled a week before you go, at which point all the prices are much higher

sabellito 2y ago
Insane that they allow that. Maybe it's an option the host can set on the listing? Booking, as far as I know, straight up doesn't allow hosts to cancel. Recently, a host sent me a message begging me to cancel my booking because they really couldn't be there to receive me.
- marcandre 2y ago
  Hosts can cancel, but they are subject to their cancelation penalties (according to the level they've chosen for guests) plus there is an automatic "review" added stating that "This host cancelled a booking X days in advance". Unless X is very big, I run away from those listings.
  - sabellito 2y ago
    Interesting, good to know.
chris1993 2y ago
Airbnb hosts are penalised if they cancel - they get downrated - so it's not something that hosts generally want to do. Far better if they can persuade a guest to cancel
123pie123 2y ago
It was sometime ago (2018), but my host cancelled with 3hours to go I will never use AirBnB again

aprilthird2021 2y ago

Honestly, ABNB was good till the enshittification became too much. A traditional hotel is almost always better except in a few unique circumstances.