What makes Airbnb stand out?

What makes Airbnb stand out?
2015-11-09 RBNB
In News

Some of you might wonder why more and more people are turning to Airbnb. There is of course, no easy answer, given the multitude of factors that make Airbnb more prominent by the year in the hospitality industry. Still, we tried to round up some of the answers in this short post.

Is it cheaper than a hotel?
Price sensitivity is a determining factor in the travels of many. When you are comparing two accommodations of largely similar type and services, you will probably decide on the basis of price. Naturally, you will find Airbnb listings cheaper than a hostel room and more expensive than a hotel suite. Pricing alone, however, is not responsible for the boom of the short-term rental industry.

Is it more comfortable? Are the services different from that of a hotel?
There are no concrete answers to these questions, either. It is convenient, because the site is nice and easy to use. It is by nature different from a hotel. It offers different services: there is no reception desk, no daily cleaning, the correspondence with the lessee is more informal. In short, it allows travellers to live like a local during their stay. Small wonder this is one of Airbnb’s mottoes:

“Live like a local.”
We believe this is one of the most important factors, the key to the Airbnb success story. You travel to a new city, get a whole apartment, which is yours alone – if you don’t rent a room, that is, but apartments are gaining dominance on the site. Noone disturbs you during your stay, you get to meet the neighbours (who are oftentimes very kind and treat you to coffee and cake in spite of the language barrier), explore the neighbourhood spots (and not only touristy sights), try the favourite haunts of your host and see bars, pubs and exhibitions, which you might not even heard of. It is a completely different experience from staying in a sterile hotel.

And then there is sharing economy…
Another crucial factor in the Airbnb fever is its community component. Since we started Airbnb management, we have encountered little to no instances of really big problems with guests. The reasons is that both guests and hosts are reviewed after a stay; in case the guest leaves a mess, or the host fails to communicate well or react to the wishes of the guest, they can be sure they will get an appropriate review, making it more difficult to find/let a apartment next time. Many have said it and we have experienced it first hand as well: the Airbnb crowd is different from the crowd of ho(s)tel guests.

All in all, there are several factors that make Airbnb different from other accommodation services and types. What’s important is that is has numerous benefits, making it increasingly popular.