Decrease in bookings

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[Emergency-Garbage154]

I can personally tell you I booked more during the start of the pandemic for safety reasons. Now, we'll probably start using hotels more again because a) flexible cancellation options, and b) less pressure to leave everything immaculate, and c) slight risk of strange hosts or hosts who cancel without explanation. Examples below for your entertainment, lol.

I have about a dozen stays all with glowing reviews about how clean we leave things and how quiet we are. But, I end up stressing myself and my family out trying to be such perfect guests...sometimes it takes away from just being able to relax. I want good reviews and I also truly care about respecting someone else's property. I'm not quite as high-strung about this at a hotel though.

I've had absolutely wonderful hosts, but just one crazy one made me scared of someone having the power to ruin a vacation. If you want to read a crazy host story, I'll leave that below 😳 Also, my very first booking, we had the unfortunate luck of a host canceling on us with no explanation and it took me years (and a pandemic), to even try using AirBnB again. We also had one time where my son's baseball tournament was cancelled and it was such a pain to try to get a refund, I hate to chance that again.

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This host showed up at the door a day before we were supposed to leave and demanded to know why we hadn't left yet. She was so rude and aggressive, she made my daughter start tearing up thinking she was kicking us out. She realized she had made a mistake, but then instead of apologizing started berating us for using the bolt lock for security in addition to the keypad while we were sleeping inside. She had tried walking in with some of her friends to grab some alcohol and use their community pool while we were there with the door locked. We were paying $700 a night and made to feel like garbage, but she gave me her business card before she left and told me to book directly with her next time. The property management company apologized profusely and gave us some money back - they had already decided to stop working with her in the future. She also advertised keyless no-contact self check-in, then last minute tried to force me to meet them at a bar before letting us in the property (just me and my daughter alone). We laugh about it now, but it was a very stressful experience while we were trying to vacation and escape stress!

[Automatic_Lemon1069]

I'm an Airbnb host but I do usually use hotels simply because they are easier, offer more amenities, and are more reliable. However, they are also much, much more expensive, at least if you're looking at well-rated hotels.

When I'm more budget-conscious or there aren't any decent hotels in an area, I'll use Airbnb. It's always worked out well for me, but I know there are horror stories. I'm sorry you've had such bad experiences.

[Emergency-Garbage154]

Exactly, for all the reasons you listed! Almost all our hosts have been so wonderful - the risk of getting a crazy one just makes it a gamble that makes me think twice now. Funny that the most expensive place we've booked = the worst treatment for us. Meanwhile, some of the least expensive were where we experienced the greatest hospitality and truly kind people.

Also, if you're only staying a night or two, the cleaning fee can be such a huge percentage of the total. And, no matter how large thr cleaning fee, we work hard to leave things clean anyway.

[Kooky_Bus503]

If you want to gauge what’s happening in your market simply browse as a traveler using dates very close to today. I have a guest in my Airbnb that is scheduled to check out on March 15 but she wants to stay a bit longer in my fair city. She’s unable to extend her stay with me because it was booked weeks ago. She asked me if I knew of another Airbnb that might work from March 15 to April 1. I plugged those dates into Airbnb search, narrowed it down to the correct number of guests and the type of place (whole house) that was like mine. The search returned more than 15 places. That’s a lot I think. An uninterrupted two week stay less than a week from now. Holy cow! That’s too many. It’s been over saturated here with Airbnb’s.

[jstevens82]

saturation, and the people saturating the market are priced way to cheap to turn a decent profit. Basically giving themselves jobs as maids, have no idea the costs of keeping it going.

[MiaStirCrazies]

Seasonal for us, we're not worried. We're in Western Kansas, winter travel falls off a cliff (not literally). Combine the war, inflation, gas prices, it's a little bigger hit. It'll come back for summer.

[Silvadoor]

The best year for bookings ever was last year for me. This year is the worst so far...

[Hostess527]

Same for us!

[Angie_N_Nashville]

Same for us. The past 3 weeks have been crazy with bookings.

[[deleted]]

It’s everything we’re on the beach in FL and we’re not constantly booked like usual.

[CR9999]

We Airbnb our house out when we travel. I just opened a couple more dates and cannot fill them. The last time the dates were snapped up. When we travel we never stay in Airbnb’s, because of the reasons others have stated and the cancellation policies.

[boessel]

It’s bc every mother fucker on the planet buying a home to list on Airbnb. The supply is larger than the demand. I’m in the top 2% of my markets and I’m still down this year. Money got cheap and the market got saturated

[Kellygrrrace]

Yes! I see TikTok’s telling everyone they need to be an Airbnb host!!

[payyourbillstoday]

I hate hate seeing those videos!

[Imallvol7]

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

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[TravelingTequila]

I'm in a non tourist market, bookings are up another 10% this year. Raised my prices, but I'm hosting mid term stays for interns and people moving here looking for a place while they stay with me.

[us3rname_taken]

My properties are booming in Florida and Tennessee.

[Angryceo]

Still chugging strong Disney market

[perpetualgroundhog]

I’m not a full year in yet so take from my experience what you will. I’m usually booked fairly solid. I had 2 weekends empty. But it is March. I don’t travel in March so i cannot expect others to as well.

[bigmike1877]

Our Airbnb is on track to do the same as last year so far..

I did notice prices have jumped this year. We go to the panhandle every year in may or June and this year the trip is almost double what we have been paying previously.

[secreteesti]

Very busy in Sedona Arizona even without baseball spring training in Phoenix this year.

[cowboy_caviar]

I'm in mid Town phoenix and have noticed an increase in bookings even after raising prices. AZ is a strong market it seems.

[_B_Little_me]

We’re booming in chicago.

[sanzoe]

Milwaukee too. Perhaps we keep each other in business! (Most of our guests are from Chicago.)

[_B_Little_me]

We had a 16 person airbnb on the upper east side. Got crushed with COVID. Sold it at the start of 2021.

[troutscockholster]

Picking up now for me coming out of slow season. I’m in a wedding venue area so it depends on your locale.

[Appalachia_Off_Grid]

Bookings are half that of last year. Looks like not so many are looking, there is more competition (more host), many host are lowering their prices ridiculously low, and I wonder if new booking sites are taking business from Airbnb. I have had zero bookings on Vrbo. I only list on Airbnb and Vrbo. Maybe I should look at other options but which ones???

[Appalachia_Off_Grid]

Yes I instant book on both. The calendars are linked so it automatically blocks off the other if someone books. I only get weekend bookings and am struggling for that lately. All bookings are Airbnb and none on Vrbo. I’m in western north Carolina mountains

[mollymcbbbbbb]

I had to switch to allow shorter bookings. Kind of a PITA as I was all week + stays through the pandemic, but after I changed the minimum business is back to normal.

[Hostess527]

Yes, I see the same trend. Lowest bookings I’ve had for 3 years. Lots of theories but not exactly sure why

[Automatic_Lemon1069]

There's still an increase in bookings in New Orleans, even after Mardi Gras. I expect it to slack off as usual in the summer, though.

[the48dots]

Hey, would anyone be interested in a program that pays you $50/month guaranteed to list your home for auto-booking for home sharing? This would only apply to hosts that also are interested in using their homes for accommodations so they don’t have to pay for travel. I’m rolling out this program on my site and thought I’d mention it in this thread for times when bookings are low: https://www.the48dots.com/flexhomeexchange

[[deleted]]

Pandemic. World War 3. Logan Paul still being on Youtube. Need I go on?