[acrooks]

I used to be a devout Airbnb user. I never had a horror story on Airbnb, and I certainly had a lot of very unique and interesting experiences that I've never been able to replicate in a hotel environment. But ultimately I gave up on it because there was too much friction. Strict check-in hours, strict check-out hours, a list of chores to complete before you leave, not possible to check in at odd hours, nowhere to store your luggage, spotty wifi, the list goes on. Previously I defended this friction with the economic argument - hey, at least it's a lot cheaper than a hotel - but Airbnb no longer wins on cost.

That being said, I still use Airbnb but now only for very specific cases - e.g., some friends and I rented a large lakefront cabin earlier this year. Previously it was my first choice and now it is my last.

(I admit as well that I travel very regularly - around 100 nights so far in 2025 - and that a casual traveller may, understandably, have a different perspective)