Misleading description in Paris

[Gilbert34]

Hello,

I have been scouting for many listings in Paris-France since almost a month, and noticed that a massive amount of the listings have a misleading sizing.

I am searching using the filters 1 bedroom, full apartment, 2 guests, which in my opinion should be an apartment with a kitchen and its seating area + 1 seperate bedroom and of course the seperate bathroom.

Yet almost 90% of the searches return with studios where the kitchen and the seating area that converts to the only bed are in the same space. There is no bedroom.

The problem is that most hosts in France tag their studio as 1 bedroom, and give their listing a name that includes the word "studio" or sometimes "flat"

The problem is that if I set the filter to 2 bedrooms, I jump to a size of apartment that is correctly 2 bedrooms + kitchen + bathroom.

So almost all Studios and 1 Bedroom are in the same pool.

That is wrong in my opinion , and very time consuming when searching in big cities like Paris that has so many listings... so much to eliminate manually

Something should be done to solve this at a structural level of the airbnb database to differentiate a Studio from a 1bedroom apartment.

It's a qualititave aspect that needs to be adddressed

Best Regards

Gilbert

[Marzena4]

Hi @Gilbert34 I can only tell you that:

1. more countries are affected by this in Europe - there is a whole trend in the developing business to design such studios as they are the cheapest to buy and to rent, thus the most often searched for, both for short- and long-term rental.

2. there is quite a chance that there are not so many of those "one bedroom + living room/kitchen" combos on the market or their prices make them less attractive to be visible in the search results.

[Gilbert34]

Thank you Marzena,

All what I'm saying is that Airbnb system should probably start adding something that will clearly categorize the Studio in the Home type, so that it can become a variable in the filters.

Gilbert

[Marit-Anne0]

@Gilbert34

Paris must be the studio apartment capital of the world and it is not something new. They get away with anything as a bedroom; curtained off, loft bed, you name it, it's there and it is called a bedroom.  

Paris is also one of the most visited cities in the world, so even if the offer is high, the demand is also very high.  Unless you are searching very far out, you are left with the ones others have rejected for the very reason you are addressing - inaccuracy. Or if there is a bedroom, it is small, the bed is a small French one whacked up against the wall and really only suitable for one person.  

[Gilbert34]

Thank you Marit Anne for your input.

Yes, I saw so many "creative" inclusions of a bed in Paris in a single space.

Airbnb system should really start adding something that will clearly categorize the Studio in the Home type, so that it can become a variable in the filters.

Gilbert

[Marit-Anne0]

@Gilbert34

The studio category is there when you list - the Paris hosts list as a one bedroom anyway and get away with it.

[Gilbert34]

Ah, Good to know.

and since I'm doing my searches, what's the best way to push airbnb to ask them to take corrective action?

Or will it be a vein exercise?

[Marit-Anne0]

The guests themselves are the the correcting body and when they put of with it, do not report and give full marks for accuracy, then I think it is a lost cause.  

Finding an apartment in Paris is hard work and when you think you have just found the perfect place at the right price, it is on the 6th floor with no elevator.

[Gilbert34]

Yes, and this is why I'm reading through the comments (when available), and asking to visit my shortlist if possible: I am now in Paris in an airbnb and searching for future dates.

Another problem that i also found is the inaccuracy of the calendars... The 1st question i learned to ask is if my requested dates are available, even if they are available on the calendar and the option of "instant book" is on... and guess what? more than 60% of them say it's not available.

Bottom line, if a system becomes so complex and time-consuming to search in, people will gradually stop using it.

[Helen3]

I'm afraid I don't agree with your analysis @Gilbert34.

You are filtering for a one bedded space not a one bedroom space.

Studio space is very common in Paris.

Your perception is based on what is common in North America rather than what is common in Western Europe.

If you want a place with a separate bedroom as opposed to a one bedroom place as you mentioned search for two bedroom or a place for three people and one bedroomed places are more likely to come up.

Parisian hosts are tagging their places correctly, it's just you, understandably, didn't understand the filter is for the number of beds, not the number of rooms.

[Gilbert34]

Thank you Helen for your insight,

and yes I was filtering in Rooms & beds as: 1+ bedroom,  1+ Bed , 1+Bathroom for 2 guests.

Your proposal produced a better list... but can't really agree that one is supposed to tweak the searchs to find what is supposedly a global common parameter.

But hey, learned something new today !

ThanX Again

Gilbert