Airbnb or Hotel?

[davvvid]

I am in the midst of trying to plan a 5 day trip to Bangkok in Jan 2015 and was just browsing some hotel prices on booking.com and thought I would give Airbnb a browse too. Was wondering if anyone here has any experience with Airbnb in Bangkok and if yes, any recommendations on specific listings? Also compared to booking a regular hotel, are there any disadvantages of booking from Airbnb? 

[lev123]

I have done AirbnB a few times in Europe and South America...but only when hotel prices were very expensive, or when I traveled with friends and wanted a two bedroom place, living room, etc.

 

Hotel prices in BKK are pretty cheap, and the locations (by Nana, or Cowboy) good I don't even look at airbnb for bkk.

 

Just my two cents.  

[turningpoint]

Many hotel choices so will not mess with with Airbnb

[flsailor]

I just posted the same question about hotels and Airbnb. I have used Airbnb for trip to south america and it has been great. I am wondering how that would work in BKK. I know hotels are cheap in the Sukhumvit area, but I like the idea of more room and more privacy that an apartment gives you compared to a hotel. Avvvid, I would like to hear your experience once you are back!!

[little_me]

A friend once set me up with a room that was in the building as his apartment, apparently they had a few room the rented out nightly, hotel style, instead of monthly.

Without knowing someone that live there, I'd have had no idea where to find something like that advertised. This was years before I ever heard of Airbnb.

It was OK, cheap, for the price couldn't be beat. Clean and air conditioned. But they weren't cleaning (or changing sheets) every night, housekeeping like twice a week only.

Tile floor, no shower stall, just a shower head on the bathroom wall (drain in the floor and all the walls were tiled) pretty typical of any Thai apartment and not exactly western standards.

It was clean, safe, and the AC worked, and it was cheap. Location wasn't great, but wasn't that bad.   The only issue I would've had if I was bringing girls back would be the housekeeping, getting clean sheet... (any of the girls would be used to the bathroom).

[simagu]

Had both great and horrible experiences with airbnb in Bangkok. If you stay a long time and book in advance, you can get a very good deal in a new condo (pool, gym, etc.). 

 

However, I've also had two bad experiences (a last-minute cancellation, but at last I knew in advance) and one where the owner had not left the key in the mailbox as agreed. After a 7 hour flight, in 40 degree weather, you can imagine my frustration.

 

Furthermore their service is horrible as I could not reach them (they did not provide a number on the reservation so I had to find it on the internet and then call them long distance in the USA), so without a local sim and data I would have been utterly screwed. Despite the fact that I had called and emailed the owner several times before being able to reach airbnb, they still asked me to wait another hour for the host to reply and later provided me with ridiculous alternatives in the same price range in horrible locations, I mean such a process is ridiculous since I booked months in advance to get a good deal and location, so naturally the good deals and location in the same price range will all be gone. After sweating the extra hour, they then finally agreed to refund me and offered me a 50$ discount (basically peanuts as I had made a 2-week booking in a luxurious condo) on a future booking. Experience probably made me lose $500+. 

 

The most frustrating experience in all of this, besides the loss of time and money of course, is that they did not let me leave a review and they had relisted the apartment within an hour. I have heard numerous other stories about people staying in moldy apartment with cockroaches where airbnb did not refund or let them comment on the host if they left before the end of the booking date, so a lot of the reviews that matter most are not there...

 

Basically, I find the risk is a lot higher with airbnb and if you have any kind of problem the service is terrible. I've had much better service in the past with Agoda and usually find that listings are much more accurate on booking sites than airbnb. I prefer apartments to hotels for long stays, but will never use airbnb again!  

Edited April 9, 2016 by simagu

[Barnwell]

I would always choose Airbnb.  Bottom line is you get so much more for your money and the accommodation feels more like you are living in the country rather than just visiting.  Rather than a standard hotel room with fridge etc. that you feel you are hanging around in, you are looking at a nice one or two bed apartment with a good size kitchen and roof top pool.  I don't like eating out for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day so having a fully functioning kitchen allows me to eat at "home".

 

I've never used Airbnb in Bangkok but I already have an Airbnb apartment in mind for when I visit at the end of 2016.  I have used it in other countries and it has always been excellent value for money. 

 

The site has safeguards in place to prevent scams etc. so your money is always safe and there is a ratings/review system for previous guests and hosts.. If in the unlikely situation that your booking is cancelled by the host Airbnb do offer generous compensation.  I had one cancellation and the compensation I received was enough to then rebook a place at almost twice the value to my original booking.  So I was more than happy.

 

Only issue I can see is there is no reception to check the girls ID.

[dannysoo]

You can use Airbnb if you are not traveling alone, rooms are spacious and comfortable (if you choose the right condo/apartment). You have to be quite familiar with the area because there will be no concierge for you to ask information. No breakfast so if you are a hotel buffet breakfast person then better don't go for Airbnb.
Price wise I think its kinda similar with hotels unless you are staying in super cheap backpackers hotel or high standards 4/5 star hotel but no one will be there to make your bed and clean your rooms everyday.

safe wise i think its fine for AirBnb because they have keycard and key to enter your condo/apartment. No one will have access to your room.

[lev123]

All of the points are valid...and I think the prices of hotels make AirBnB less necessary/attractive in BKK.

 

The times I have used Airbnb instead of hotels was when I was traveling with buddy and we wanted a living room to hang out/share stories, etc.  If I am traveling solo, a hotel is better.  If I am traveling with friend a two or three bedroom option is great.