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Re:Airbnb Failed – Illegal Host, Electric Shocks, Slugs, Lea... by ghaff on Friday October 21, 2022 @09:53AM (#33288003)
I'd add the nuance that you can end up with a pretty crappy experience at a 3+ star chain hotel for whatever reason. Usually though it's something that doesn't matter all that much at the end of the day like a room with minimal natural light.

But generally speaking midrange business hotels are utterly unexciting--which is to say they're predictable which is what I'm looking for from my hotel in general when I travel. I'm probably not there for the hotel experience.

Re:Airbnb Failed – Illegal Host, Electric Shocks, Slugs, Lea... by dazc on Friday October 21, 2022 @12:44PM (#33290115)
There is a budget hotel chain in the UK (premierInn) where if you complain you get a free breakfast and if you make your complaint official you will get a full refund. They have remained profitable for many years despite the obvious incentive for people to make unwarranted complaints.
Re:Airbnb Failed – Illegal Host, Electric Shocks, Slugs, Lea... by bmj on Friday October 21, 2022 @01:20PM (#33290594)
This, I think, is the critical difference. If I get a hotel room, enter it, and discover anything is out of joint, I can walk downstairs and ask the manager for a refund, or at least a different room. If the same thing happens with an Airbnb, and the host has no interest in helping, you are basically out of luck.
Re:Airbnb Failed – Illegal Host, Electric Shocks, Slugs, Lea... by MikePlacid on Saturday October 22, 2022 @10:54AM (#33298788)
If your hotel reservation is not refundable - you are out of your luck. You can potentially get refund from credit card company, as I once did, but the same is available for AirBnb - never tried though, was no need.