AirBnb vs Hotels Vs B and B's

I will not stay in an AirBnB because it is a business model that has ruined cities for the local population. Would you want new neighbors every day in your apt. building? I wouldn't.

A nice B&B can be fun, or if you just want a place to sleep and a good central location, a hotel might be best. I tend to stay in hotels as they are more budget friendly.

Agree to #1.

Like to add that in Germany (and France) we have little hotels with breakfast only. You will find these under namings such as Hotel garni or Pension garni. Often these are operated by families, so a more private atmosphere.

Hotels are more likely to have elevators and AC. There is also a desk with staff. I do really enjoy Bed and Breakfast places.

I usually stay in vacation apartments - ferienwohnungen - if I’m staying 3 days or more. Most that I have stayed at have been a single apartment next to or part of the owner’s house or business. But my favorite place is listed as a ‘privat Zimmer’, one of 3 rooms in the owner’s house, breakfast included.

I’ve had nothing but positive experiences with Airbnb in Europe. That said, I’ve gone back to hotels the last couple years. Airbnb prices have caught up to hotel prices, so you’re not getting a better deal. And I’ve come to appreciate the peace of mind that comes with a real, professional hotelier. I feel like Airbnb was a kick in the seat to the industry, and they’ve responded positively.

It depends on some factors, when I will be arriving, how long I am staying, what amenities I might want in that location, etc.

But I avoid AirBnB, I do not like their business model, and with their rating system, everything is always a "5 star", lots of pressure to give a perfect rating, and since the guest is also ranked, there is a complicity to do so.

I do use Booking.com as a start for an area. It has a good range of accommodations, from hostels, to small hotels/B&Bs, to chains, to apartments and houses, allowing you to compare prices and locations. The locations are also exact, to the building, not "approximate" like AirBnB, a few blocks can make a big difference. Prices are also all inclusive, except for minor fees, no "low price" then cleaning fees, resort fees, penalty fees if you don't clean, etc.

If I am only staying a couple nights, I opt for a hotel, that way I can leave my bags, get in, and get out. For longer stays, we typically look for something with a refrigerator, maybe a cooktop/microwave, and a bit more room.

We do not worry about a hotel breakfast, usually we get a 20 to 50 euro discount by declining, we much prefer a good coffee, local pastries or finding a neat breakfast spot.

"Airbnb" is a brand name that has become a "cover-all" term for vacation rentals - much like "Kleenex" has for facial tissue.

So with Airbnb, Teresa, are you referrying to vacation rentals in general, or only Airbnb offerings (which make up only a tiny percentage of vacation rental options in Europe)??

In Germany, vacation rentals, whether you book through tourist bureaus, commercial websites, Airbnb, or drectly with owners, are very popular with couples and families, whether German or foreign. In cities, they are often in apartment buildings. On the outskirts and in smaller towns you can find lots of small ADU-like dwellings... studios, 1-bedrooms, that sort of thing - that have been added to private homes in one way or another, and sometimes entire homes for rent.

Advantages of rentals include more privacy, extra space and furniture, kitchen facilities (great for special diets, saving €s on restaurant meals, etc.) and discounts for multi-night stays. More and more, property owners have moved away from B & B operations (which are very labor-intensive) to vacation homes and apartments (Ferienwohnungen in German) - the former are getting harder and harder to find, while Ferienwohnungen seem to be growing in number.

I have use both B&Bs and Ferienwohnungen over the many years in Germany with only one bad experience - the rental owner cancelled last minute. These operations are a huge part of the local economy in many places, especially rural communities with seasonal tourist traffic (alpine towns, the Black Forest, etc.)

Some cities have banned vacation rentals to free up housing for locals (not just Airbnb-brand rentals, but ALL vacation rentals.) Makes sense. In those certain places, some renegade owners disregard local law and still find ways to rent their places out; get a hotel room instead as you never know when the law will catch up with them. Wherever it is you are going, if you wish to stay in a Ferienwohnung, I suggest you contact the local tourist office to learn what the local regulations are.

In some locations in Germany short-term rentals have probably done more bad than good in the opinion of the local citizens.

In some locations in Germany short-term rentals have probably done more good than bad in the opinion of the local citizens.

If you are a citizen of a city in Germany or anyplace in the world, and you have taken the time to familiarize yourself with the situation particular to your city; then your opinion is valid. Take that opinion to your home owner’s association and to the local elections and make your voice heard. Some German cities are very restrictive to short-term rentals. Their citizens have spoken and it should be respected. No complaint from me.

If you are not a citizen of the city, you cannot have a concept of the true situation, the forces at play and the balance of good and bad resulting from the decisions of the voters in that city. Your concerns are indeed valid, but any statement of fact on the situation is presumptuous at best and does not speak well of an ability to consider that there may be things in the world that you do not have a large enough picture of to begin to understand. So accept the will of the citizen voters in Germany nd elsewhere. .

So, social concerns are a good reason to stay away for short-term rentals in Germany and elsewhere, but only if you understand the topic relative to your destination.

Universally applicable reasons to avoid short-term rentals might include:
Wanting a hotel breakfast each morning
Wanting daily maid service (only guaranteed in 4-star hotels and better)
Wanting a front desk
Uncertainty of quality
Less certainty in dealing with issues
But maybe not cost. The current, often repeated generalization is that short-term rentals are now about the same price as a hotel. In my town in a good tourism location a 3-star short-term rentals I suspect average about 400 sf while 3-star hotel rooms maybe 150 sf. A 3-star hotel you about 90 euro without breakfast, A 3-star short-term rental in the same location about 70 euro. Similar situations may exist in Germany so do a little looking and evaluating.

My personal preference? A 4-star hotel. I like being spoiled on holiday.

In no order of preference, I stay at B&Bs, monasteries and hotels. Traveling solo, I consider location and cost, also reviews especially about cleanliness. I’ve never stayed in an AirB&B because I don’t need the space or amenities and I sure don’t want to cook or clean while on vacation.

We had a couple off-putting experiences in B&B's, in the 1970's.

Near Neusiedlersee, Austria, we (my wife, my parents and I) stopped at small hotel. They had no room but referred us to a local B&B. Later that evening after supper (~ 9PM) we returned to our rooms. We decided to get some snacks out of the car. When we reentered the house the landlady came down the stairs in her nightgown and demanded to know what we were doing. She showed her the snacks but that did not satisfy, and she continued to question us beyond the capacity of my German.

In another place there was sign saying men should sit to pee.

Private homes have private rules.

I decided I rather preferred an impersonal hotel.

If I want a place to cook a couple of meals or at least have a fridge for drinks, lunches, etc. during a long stay I use an AirBnB. Otherwise I use economy-focused chain hotels (e.g. ibis, Marriott, IHG). I know that some dislike chains, I like the consistency they provide compared to local hotels or pensions. I also spend from 1/3 to 1/2 of my nights in hostels.

No responses regarding some of the newer apartment hotel chains. I have not used one yet in Europe; have used Marriott's with kitchens in the US. Any expereinced with those in Europe?

When planning for do it yourself touring (not guided tour) we have found the AirBnbs tend to be more away from the city center than B and Bs.
We found this very apparent in our four week drive tour of England and S. Wales in 2017.

Also, if was for two of us, not a large group, so no benefits to having a large apartment we found the price advantage for AirBnb not to exist.

Further, with B and Bs you get a free breakfast.

I only stay in AirBnBs or vacation rentals when I am staying at least 5 days and the math makes sense. I’ve only stayed in 4 AirBnBs over the last 10 years and all have been good experiences. I will only rent places with a high number of reviews and high ratings. The 4 places that I rented were all clearly owned by individuals. I’ve rented short term vacation rentals through other platforms also. For me, the main benefit of a vacation rental is the access to a kitchen; I love to shop at local markets and enjoy having a meal from my purchases in the flat. The other benefit is a little more space and sometimes a washing machine. There are also downsides. You usually can’t check in until late afternoon and there is generally no place to leave your luggage if you arrive early or depart late. For that reason, I always spend my first night in a hotel and plan my departure to coincide with checkout. The other downside is that there is no onsite help (e.g., if you need a taxi or restaurant booking, you will need to figure it out yourself).

I mostly stay at hotels. My priorities are location, a good shower, and a good bed. Character can be nice, but not at the expense of a good night’s sleep. I do occasionally stay at B&Bs, but they have to have good reviews.

Lots of things contribute to the destruction of our cities. Detroit, Buffalo, Pittsburgh and others took their slides long before Airbnb rented its first apartment.

I see no moral dilemma in renting a city apartment for a week as long as the municipality in question has no law against it.

My very casual research indicates that housing availability and affordability for locals is being destroyed not by tourists in existing studio apartments and remodeled attics but largely by the rising costs of providing normal housing. Renters and homebuyers are being priced out thanks to inflationary prices for construction, building loans, insurance, and taxes. Builders that cannot sell their products are simply hanging up their hammers.

I guess if we are going to get on board with the anti-short-term rental mantra, then we need to identify similar situations and avoid all hotels in inner cities as they sit where apartment blocks use to be. You might check and see how prevelent this is in Germany. Send them business and that encourages more destruction of entire apartment blocks to build more hotels.

A few nights ago I stayed in a lovely 4-star boutique hotel in Bratislava's Old Town district. Certainly it was once an apartment block of 30+ flats. Where short-term rentals might take 10% of the units, a hotel will take 100% of the units. Short-term rentals can be returned to the market place, hotels are the permanent destruction of the inner-city living environment. Consider avoiding Inner City Hotels in Germany and elsewhere if you care!

Why are the short-term rentals there is the first place? It is because the tourist guides parade tourists through what were once idealic fairy tale residential neighborhoods. Soon, gone are the local shops and cafes, only to be replaced by high price tourist focused restaurants and shops. Places too expensive for the local population So its probably the tour guides, by revealing the secret gardens of Eden who have destroyed the inner cities

I am a woman and travel on my own 99% of the time. I prefer to stay in a hotel with a staffed entrance; it gives me the perception of safety to know there is a person present whenever I enter the building. Furthermore, travel is a respite from my daily life, which involves cooking and cleaning, two chores I do not enjoy. In a hotel--or a B&B--I can enjoy a breakfast (and sometimes other meals/snacks) prepared by others, and there is someone else to clean my room. A self catering accommodation holds zero appeal for me because of the lack of these perks.

I agree with NYC Librarian. Personally, I travel to getaway from my everyday life and chores. I want to stay in a place where I can feel pampered. No cooking, no cleaning, no making the bed every morning. If i need an extra pillow or towels, the are just a phone call away. A nice breakfast, just an elevator ride away. Peace of mind that if a lose my key I can still get into my room. Need a taxi, directions, tickets to a show, ask at the front desk. Heck, many hotels we have stayed in have a spa, what a treat.

I also agree with Ms. Jo’s comments. We have never even considered booking through air b+b.

I have come to agree with NYClibrarian and Barbara and others concerned about lack of affordable housing. I used to use VRBO but I feel more personally secure in hotels and I don’t want to worry if my rental is really legal. Last time I was in Germany I was in Berlin and I stayed in an Adina hotel with a very nice studio style room. It was great and I could have cooked but I don’t want that while traveling. I do like a kettle to make a cuppa but don’t want more kitchen than that.

Tips for Traveling as a Temporary Local
https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/sightseeing/temporary-european

If you subscribe to Rick's ideas on this, then a Ferienwohnung (vacation rental) for a few days plus makes pretty good sense, I think. These places are often tucked away in or adjacent to private homes in residential neighborhoods, where you're surrounded by the day-to-day goings-on of life. IME such places come with coffee supplies for a few days, but you'll probably be bumping elbows with neigbors as you shop nearby where the locals do for your favorite coffee grind, a few groceries for light meals, a six-pack of this or that to use the empty fridge, etc. Staying in a genuine neighborhood probably won't result in friends-for-life contacts, but at least a conversation or two and some interesting observations on home/apartment life in Germany. Neighborhoods are living museums, and often just as interesting as the indoor type.

For me, staying in a FeWo w/ kitchenette does not mean "cooking" (which I'm not all that good at, and which neither DW nor I wish to waste a lot of time on.) We still eat out somewhere pretty much every day. It does however mean "hot oatmeal" or a bowl of "Knorr soup" or maybe an evening "cold one" from the fridge with a view of the neighborhood (I usually look for a FeWo with a balcony.) And if I wake up too early one morning, as long our FeWo has at least one bedroom, I can slip out quietly to fire up the coffee-maker for a 5-am cuppa without waking Sleeping Beauty.

I also agree with NYC Librarian. The last short-term rental I stayed in was in Dubrovnik about five years ago, because I was traveling with my daughter on an impossibly tight budget. I wont say it was a dump, but I would have been happier if I could have aforded a couple of hotel rooms. For me, part of the trip that I enjoy is a really nice hotel with all of the perks. But the choice is based solely on the environment and the perks not on ....

I would avoid AirBnBs because their basic definition is a LIE.

In Germany, there are a plethora of places that offer a room for a night along with breakfast in the morning - that's kind of the cultural standard. It's only big overpriced chain hotels that include breakfast for a ridiculous extra charge. I always stay in properties that include breakfast with the room.

In the US, bed and breakfast facilities are a very special thing. I spent three stays in a wonderful B&B in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where we were served breakfast every morning in the establishment.

The equivalent in Germany of B&Bs are Privat Zimmer. Here you stay in a private home, with the family, and eat breakfast in the morning with them. I love the ambiance of a real B&B.

Also, in Germany, are Ferienwohnungens, FeWo, vacation apartments, short stay apartments with kitchens, where if you want breakfast, you make it yourself. To me, that is not a Bed and Breakfast. To me, to be a Bed and Breakfast, breakfast has to be at least served by the host or a least as a buffet.

I've spent a lot of time booking places to stay in Germany. To me, the ultimate place to stay is not an AirB&B. They are just an ordinary FeWo, with an extra price because the say Air.

In the Main river town where I stayed, there were many FeWo in town; there was one AirBnB in town. It was by far the most expensive FeWo in town.

We almost always stay at AirBnBs. They are cheaper and more convenient than hotels, and allow us a more authentic travel experience. Instead of mingling only with other hotel guests and seeing locals only as hotel employees or at tourist sites, staying in an apartment lets one live like a local. We frequent local markets for food, as well as grocery stores, shops and restaurants in our community. As for damage to the local economy, some studies show AirBnBs actually provide an economic boost (see link). Unfortunately, gentrification is going to raise costs rents anyway whether it’s bnbs, hotels, or fancy office buildings and high rises. But at least bnbs help put money back into the local economy.
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4000918

I would like to see those studies that say Air bnb puts money into the economy, more so than people who would live there, raise their family there, etc.

I just would not want new neighbors every night, staying up partying all night, being noisy, etc. Most people don't. We like neighbors we can get to know, invite to cook-outs, watch your plants and pick up your mail. THAT is living like a local, not staying someplace for a week and popping into the bakery or store. In Germany, these are people you don't usually have conversations with anyway.
There are so many apt. hotels where you can shop and cook (though when I am on vacation, cooking is not on my list of desired activities)

My apartment block has something less than 50 units, a few of which are short term rentals. I rarely see the guests, never hear them. They come and go at about the same times and as frequently as the locals. The short term rent units pay a higher comon cost and the owners pay tourist and income taxes. Helps keep the local infrastructure repaired and the leaky roofs patched. All my local shop owners and staff are pretty friendly with everyone. Good thing, cause im not exactly a local myself. But the difference might be that this isn't Germany.

Lots of great points being made, but I think this discussion has run its course. I'm locking this thread now and cleaning out a number of responses to keep it relevant to the OP's question. Thanks everyone for contributing.