The Airbnb vs Hotel debate has raged on since the company started in 2008. Airbnb is a great alternative for accommodation used by many travellers today but I continue to choose hotels.
While hotels belonging to major chains like Hyatt, Hilton, IHG and Marriott may not be the most unique travel experience, I value the consistency and service that they offer.
Below are the top five reasons why I continue to stay in hotels.
In this post:
24/7 Front Desk
Travel can be unpredictable with a flight or train delays being something you’ll experience on most trips.
One memorable day during my German travels, I was delayed arriving into Munich from Berchtesgaden and arrived after the front desk had closed at the hostel that I had booked into. Arriving at the accommodation, I rang the doorbell hopefully but there was no answer.
I ended up using a public payphone on a nearby street with internet access to book a hotel for the night. Thankfully I was in Munich, the touchscreen payphone worked and a hotel room was available!
Pay At The Hotel
I rarely pay for hotel stays in advance as it allows greater flexibility if a Best Rate Guarantee opportunity comes up, and doesn’t tie up your funds prior to your trip.
Airbnb allows hosts to offer flexible booking terms but you have to pay upfront regardless.
Chain Hotels Have Brand Standards
The major hotel chains like Hyatt, Hilton, IHG and Marriott have brand standards for each of their sub-brands from the specific model of bed such as the Westin Heavenly Bed to providing a club lounge at certain brands like Hyatt Regency.
These consistent brand standards become more important in midscale hotels like Fairfield Inn (Marriott) and Hampton Inn (Hilton), which are a known quantity and standardised to the point of being interchangeable. But at that price point you are looking for a clean room and consistent experience, which they absolutely deliver.
Escalation Point If Something Goes Wrong
If something goes wrong during a hotel stay and management is not responsive, you have the option to escalate the issue. I believe Twitter is the best customer service channel to get you started in these situations and these staff are often able to resolve the issue, or escalate to corporate if needed.
Elite Benefits & Earn Points For Free Nights
If you regularly stay at hotels, you will earn elite status with benefits ranging from room upgrades, club lounge access, complimentary breakfast and late checkout.
Over the course of my two New York trips in 2019, I was able to complete the Marriott Platinum Challenge and will be enjoying 4PM checkout and lounge access this year.
These hotel stays also earn points for free nights in future.
I Actually Used Airbnb…For Experiences!
While it’s true that I’ve yet to stay in my first Airbnb, I am a big fan of Airbnb for their Experiences.
They offer some unique experiences including a visit to Robben Island with Nelson Mandela’s warder, which I can’t recommend highly enough if you are in Cape Town. In addition to Robben Island, you have lunch at Victor Verster Prison and visit Mandela’s final prison home.
Airbnb Vs Hotel Summary
Airbnb has changed the market for accommodation for the better and resulted in hotels upping their game (and in some cases lowering their prices).
But for me, I prefer to have a consistent and reliable accommodation experience when travelling so will be sticking to hotels.
