I’ve never used Airbnb until my recent trip to Spain, but decided to try it once to see what the hype was about. I booked an (entire) apartment in Seville for 2 nights, and while there was nothing wrong about the experience, using Airbnb just doesn’t seem suited for me.

The first thing that put me off is that it is kind of difficult to “check in”. Unlike a hotel, there is no desk so you have to call someone and have them meet you to pick up the key. Meaning you need a working cell phone and you might need to wait. That just complicates or delays things.

Second, you’re in someone’s home which may or may not have the amenities you expect. Sometimes there’s more stuff than a hotel, sometimes there’s less. It’s actually probably going to be a little bit of both. You can assume or you can ask, but there’s a lot you could potentially ask about.

I can see myself using Airbnb again if I wanted a one-of-a-kind experience that a hotel couldn’t offer, or if I’m traveling with a large group. And I can see how some people may enjoy the more personalized and host-driven experience that a spartan chain hotel; but I think for me I would prefer using hotels rather than Airbnb.

Posted by Kevin in Blogs Tags: travelling