AirBnb vs Hotels: What to Choose
As a traveler, you have the privilege of choosing between staying in a hotel, hostel, or Airbnb. If the term Airbnb sounds strange to you, it basically means renting a room in someone’s home, apartment, or an entire property. In fact, Airbnb was introduced to help homeowners make money on the side by renting the rooms they rarely use to people that need accommodations in their town. When you go into an Airbnb, you will find a room or an apartment that has the basic things that you might need such as a bed, bathroom and a kitchen.
From there you will have to figure out when to cook your meals because you will also be the one to buy the supplies that you will need during your stay. A hotel on the other hand is self-explanatory: it’s just a facility that offers hospitality services including accommodation, entertainment, food and beverages, beauty and spa and conference facilities under one roof. Choosing between the two types of accommodation can be tricky. You must first compare their pros and cons to know which is best for you. Here is a list of reasons why most travelers still prefer to stay in a hotel instead of Airbnb.
1. Hotel Staff are Friendly
Staying in hotels in Bucharest’s center makes you feel at home even when you are a thousand miles away. This is because the staff that work in those hotels are trained to be friendly towards guests. And since the staff are paid to serve you, they can never be rude towards you. Besides that, the staff are also trained to speak in several foreign languages which helps in avoiding communication barriers. You are also allowed to do whatever you want as long as you don’t disturb other guests. When you opt to stay in an Airbnb, you might be surprised to find a hostile host. In addition to that, the host may not be able to speak your language. This breakdown in communication can deny you an opportunity to enjoy your vacation. The other thing is that your host can limit what you can do including the way you dress.
2. Easy to Check In
Checking into an Airbnb can be a pain in the neck. For a start, you have to check in during the day to avoid getting lost on your way there. The other concern is that you have to confirm that your host is at home before checking in. If the host is out of town, you might have to look for alternative accommodation. Staying in a hotel on the other hand guarantees peace of mind. This is because hotels are normally landmark buildings, meaning you can easily locate them via Google maps. Moreover, you can check in at any time of the day without limitations. It therefore doesn’t matter whether you arrive in the morning or at midnight. The hotel staff will be waiting at the lobby to usher you into your room.
3. You Get what you Pay For
Anyone that has ever stayed in an Airbnb can tell you that there is no guarantee of getting what you pay for. The advert might specify that the apartment has 24/7 security and offers a sense of tranquility only for you to be shocked to realize that the neighborhood is not safe and is always noisy like a market. They might also state that they have unlimited WiFi only for you to realize it’s not working, making it impossible for you to check emails. Staying in such a place puts you at risk of being robbed at night and sometimes in broad daylight. But when you book for a hotel, you are assured of getting everything that you pay for. If it’s luxury, tranquility or comfort, they offer it without any compromise.
4. Convenience
When you check into an Airbnb, you have to be prepared to do almost everything. For instance, if the light bulbs are not working, you have to double as a technician to fix them on your own. And that’s not all. You have to shop for groceries and other food supplies and cook your meals in the kitchen. Doing such things can really weigh on you when you have a tight schedule. But if you are staying in a hotel, you don’t have to worry about what you will eat. This is because the cost is usually inclusive of meals such as breakfast, lunch and supper. In addition to that, hotels normally have dedicated caretakers that can help you in booking tours, fixing things and making restaurant and theatre reservations. They also offer room service that includes cleaning and making beds without asking for extra money. If you want to get such services from Airbnb, you will have to part ways with extra bucks.