Looking for a Good Pro-American Alternative to Airbnb?

[Tiffany229]

Since Airbnb has decided to go against American values I've been exploring good alternatives. No one I know uses Airbnb anymore thank goodness, so only the lunatics and uninformed are left as customers, lol. Anyway, HomeAway has been great. Booking.com has a good amount of listings at awesome prices. Most of my friends and family have switched to these two companies, but there are more as well. Deals are out there, so don't think you have to stick with a **bleep** company with warped priorities like spitting in the face of half of America.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Tiffany229

I am not really sure booking.com and Homeaway are the biggest competition to Airbnb. They both have their downsides and people are not too happy with them either. They either have high fees or bad CS  or both.

I think the major competitors in the future will not be OTA-s (online travel agencies) but alternatives like Freetobook, BookDirect, Houfy and similar sites without service fee and rules how we should run our business.

Personally I have nothing against 3% or 5% service fee but I would like to be able to charge real security deposit and to decline or cancel bad guests without the refund. I would like not to be obligated to check in guests if they arrive after my check in time window and not be affraid of retaliation reviews or refunds based on lies. I think most hosts would like the same.

[Cormac0]

Basically, Ladies you want to take back control of your property and so say all of us

Airbnb fee are outrageous for the service and protection they provide for Host who have considerably more skin in the game then Airbnb does.

[Gordon0]

There aren’t any good alternatives IMO. If you find one, do share, won’t you. 

[Lin57]

I think airbnb better 

[Helen3]

Wow @Tiffany229

How incredibly rude to the millions of lovely guests who use the platform , as well as patently untrue. 

Just because you and your family and friends don't use the platform doesn't mean that it doesn't continue to be one of the fastest growing, most succesful multi-nationals out there.

And what do you mean by 'going against American values'? I do hope this isn't code for some sort of bigoted mindset, open only to those of a certain colour/religion.

[Cathie19]

@Helen3, my thoughts exactly.....

[Mark116]

I think there is a case to be made that airbnb has/is plateauing, certainly their own metrics that they flash to hosts show that there are fewer guests booking and more properties listed.  The web site, at least to my eyes, has become cluttered and cumbersome, and this is solely from the guest perspective.  Lastly, this entire forum is full of sad stories and anecdotes about how airbnb treats hosts, and sometimes even guests pretty terribly, they have poorly trained customer service personnel who don't even know the company's rules, and on and on it goes.  I think that most peole posting on here would love to see some new competitors to airbnb that retain the original positive features but is managed a little more professionally.

[Cathie19]

Sorry @Tiffany229, but your post feels “OFF”.......

If you want to tout other STR or booking companies that’s your right, and when hosts find better options, that’s really wonderful, it’s great, and please share!

Trust me, I dont think Airbnb has all the answers, and are “a works in progress”.

But Airbnb is a global company that meets global values. If the values aren’t “American” enough for you, then there’s definitely a problem... probably not with the rental platform but your outlook!

Everyone on Airbnb can specialise and create the mood and environment they want to have guests experience. That’s what makes all our accommodations unique!  I could go all “local” Aussie-styled if I felt that way; but Swiss chalet may seem absurd here in the tropics, but that might be a “new thing”! LOL 😆 

Maybe I have misunderstood your post, or misread your nuances, BUT I checked your “thumbs up” to Gina’s nasty rant 31/01/18 against “Airbnb anti trump commercial”. Many viewed the rant but it only got 3 likes, including yours......

So if YOU want to be able to show discrimination or bias and also openly display bigoted traits, then you shouldn’t be a host. Full. stop.

[Sarah977]

@Tiffany229  Lunatics and uninformed? Haven't noticed any of my guests falling into that category- not the teacher's union rep, the high school administrator, the house designer, the professor of ranch land management, the writer of young adult fiction, the bank employee, the state govt. auditor, the stress counselor for CEOs, the environmental scientist, etc, etc.

You're right- Airbnb isn't the platform for bigots.

[Rachel0]

 Gosh @Tiffany229 an intellect like yours is wasted on Airbnb.  Have you never thought about joining the Diplomatic Service?

[Mariana313]

what do you mean "against american values"?

[Simon104]

"American values"? Like building walls? Seperating children from parents? Not paying government workers? Not providing health care for the population? Supporting systemic racism? 

Which ones?