I’m sure that at one time or another we’ve all had a stay at a place that would be best described as a dud.
Kim and I try to keep our lodging budget to a minimum but love to mix in stays in nicer places with our points. This can make for some interesting stays- one day a beautiful room with a great shower while two days later the room can be let’s just say not so great…
This brings me to Airbnb. When looking for a place to stay it might not be our first choice but makes for a good option when budget hotels don’t seem worth it.
During our limited times using Airbnb we’ve left (pretty much) satisfied after each stay.
Kim came across an article on Gawker about Airbnb which I find almost impossible to believe.
The article is about The Worst Airbnb in the Universe: 22 Beds in One Apartment.
22 beds in an apartment! I hope this apartment has 5-6 bedrooms.
I pulled up the article and couldn’t believe what I was reading.
An apartment in New York City with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms was setup to accommodate 22 people. I can’t imagine how 22 beds could possibly fit into the apartment. I’d love to know something very important- when the apartment is full, how long is the wait for the bathroom!
A bed could be yours for $35 per night, which if you put aside the cramped conditions would be a great deal to stay in NYC.
However, besides the apartment getting potentially packed, there is also a crazy list of rules that comes along with your bed.
Here are some of the rules:
- Individual must stay at least 30 days.
- At least 2 weeks written notice must be given prior to departure date.
- Sheets, pillows and covers are not provided. They are available for rent for $25
Gothamist found a video tour of the apartment:
New Yorker Renting Out 2-bedroom Apartment with… by Gothamist
It looks like the apartment was modeled after a hostel but the plan wasn’t thought out so well. The bunk beds look like they are set up so close to one another that I’m not sure a person could squeeze through to get into their bed. Also, 22 people with only 2 bathrooms is insane. Since these are full bathrooms, if one person is using the bathroom, nobody else could make use of it.
And all of those rules…
According to the article, the owner took down the listing. There was also an update stating that Airbnb has banned this host from the site for life.
What was your worst accommodation experience that you ever had while traveling?
Find out more about the worst Airbnb from Gawker here.
Related Posts:
- Our Awesome Experience with Airbnb
- What’s Up With the New Airbnb Logo?
- Forget Airbnb, Celebrity Homes You Can Rent
- Airbnb Teams Up With Ikea To Offer In-Store Stay
- Support Airbnb in NYC
If you haven’t signed up for Airbnb yet, you can use my referral link to get $25 to use towards your first booking. I’ll earn a $25 credit after your stay.
Airbnb is the WORST. I have been a host and rented my apt. with them since 2011 and had many bad experiences with guests trashing my place. You can set all the rules you like but ultimately Airbnb has taken the security deposit from the guest for damages, not you. If you try to make a claim they abandon you after a few emails, and completely disapear. I will NEVER recommend airbnb to anyone!
Mari- Sorry to hear that you had so many bad experiences with Airbnb. From the hosts we’ve stayed with, we only heard positive stories… I’m just curious- if you started having bad experiences why did you keep renting your place?
For the income while I’m traveling for months. The hosts are great! They’ve picked me up from the airport, provided me maps and given great info on local sights and transport options. I’ve tweeked my listing so as to be crystal clear about how many guests are allowed, exclusions such as pets and smoking and a super clear check out procedure. They break the rules because they can, I’m on the other side of the world. They have had their dog stay, and this last one had his girlfriend stay for most of his 6 months, though the listing is for one person.
Ultimately, the problem is with Airbnb. If they would reimburse you from the security deposit for guests damages if you make a legitamate claim with documentation, then guests would be less inclined to take advantage. On my next 5 month trip I will give away all my potted plants and leave my place vacant.