4 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AIRBNB
Each one of us has an idea of the perfect luxury vacation rental... be it a quaint boutique apartment in Paris, a posh loft in London or a villa on the Amalfi Coast. Pictures may look amazing and the price is right. However, I have huge concerns about accommodations offered through Airbnb. Many travelers have great experiences BUT when something goes wrong you really have no recourse. There are management companies with whom I partner that offer excellent service for rentals. Below I share with you the risks involved with booking your next vacation with Airbnb and why I can't offer it to my clients...
Owner can cancel your reservation at any time - this is a huge risk! Imagine you planned a special vacation many months in advance for a peak travel week only to hear several days before your arrival that the owner is cancelling your reservation. Yes, you will be refunded BUT you may not be able to find other accommodations at your destination.
No management company servicing the properties - owners of Airbnb properties are usually not around so imagine arriving at your rental and there is a huge water leak above your bed. Who do you call? There will be no one to turn to and you are now stuck with this property. I love renting apartments and villas around the world but they have a management company so if something goes wrong someone will be there immediately to fix it!
Accommodations may not be what you expect - the overall condition of the property may not be what you saw in pictures... appliances may not be working, furniture may be in poor condition or you may not have the basic amenities. And there is no one you could turn to!
You won't receive a refund - if you are unhappy with the accommodations it will be nearly impossible to receive a refund from the owner. Airbnb will also not refund your booking fee as it's hard for them to prove the accommodations were misrepresented.
So there you have it... I'm often asked by clients if I can book Airbnb for them. The risks are way too high. I can't afford having clients arrive at their accommodations and be faced with so many possible issues and not have a management company or hotel manager to call to rectify the situation. The rental companies with whom I partner offer reliable service 24 hours a day should you need assistance during your stay. You will stay in a property that is meticulously clean and exactly what you were expecting.
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