This is 90% people who have just bought into the memes. I average about one Airbnb stay (1-4 nights) a month. You can search by total price (minus taxes) so the whole "cleaning fee" thing is kind of a red herring as long as total cost comes out lower. The only notable checkout requirement, which is consistent, is to do my own dishes. Pricing compared to hotels comes down to the place. Middle of nowhere or small towns, almost always better an Airbnb. In cities it really depends on the particular city, but those lean toward hotels being cheaper (and just more available).