https://airsicktravel.blogspot.com/2016/10/more-airbnb-issues.html
As an update to the post above, the host initially said they'd refund us the money but then later changed her tune and asked us to cancel and that she'd give us a full refund.
Either she's ignorant that if we cancel we get hit with the severe penalties (50% of our money + we don't get the airbnb fee back) that she has in place or thinks we're stupid.
So we just escalated to Airbnb and sent them a note explaining the location is incorrect in her listing and that we want to cancel and surprisingly Airbnb quickly responded overnight and gave us a full refund plus a token $22 coupon (original booking was $220) to use for a new reservation. The Airbnb rep also assured us that she would talk to he host and make sure the location gets corrected.
I'm surprised that with hundreds of reviews she has for her place that no one really complained that it's in a completely different location vs what is advertised. Initially I was afraid the host would use that line of defense (but hundreds people have never complained...) but I'm glad to see Airbnb acknowledge the misrepresentation and correct it.
So key takeways, raise your concerns even if you see hundreds of other people just grin and bear it. And secondly, it's tricky to find where you can contact Airbnb. For this type of issue you can submit the message like this:
From this page:
select - traveling - issues with host - trouble with host
then type in your message, I included screenshots (hosted on imgur.com) of the wrong location + the actual location from her house checkin instructions in the message.
Monday, October 10, 2016
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
More Airbnb Issues...
I've previously written about 1 downside of Airbnb: https://airsicktravel.blogspot.com/2016/08/1-major-downside-of-airbnb-bookings.html
I'm running into another right now for a property in Seoul, Korea.
Basically, the location is not where the listing says it is. On a listing, you have these teal circles which represent the area where the property is located. I wanted a place next to Seoul Station and the title of the listing also said "SEOUL STATION" (amongst other words).
So I get the directions to the place and it's actually farther south than the map above and it's actually further south than the Namyeong subway station that you can see at the bottom of the picture.
The main reason I booked this place is to take 1 train from the airport directly to Seoul station (the main central station in Seoul) and just walk to the apartment. Now I have to switch from an airport train to a subway and go an extra stop and worst of all, I may not have elevators or escalators at the subway station and need to carry my luggage up the stairs to street level. I know Seoul Station has elevators and escalators to street level and was another reason I booked this place. And now I found out the location of the listing is completely misrepresented in the listing.
The listing does have positive reviews and no one among the first few pages of reviews complained of the wrong location.
I am getting really tired of Airbnb... I am messaging the host to ask about this. If she wants to cancel, that'd be ideal since that way she gets penalized. If she does not want to cancel, then I have to involve Airbnb for an inaccurate listing and get them to cancel it for me and to correct the listing. Will update on what happens...
I'm running into another right now for a property in Seoul, Korea.
Basically, the location is not where the listing says it is. On a listing, you have these teal circles which represent the area where the property is located. I wanted a place next to Seoul Station and the title of the listing also said "SEOUL STATION" (amongst other words).
So I get the directions to the place and it's actually farther south than the map above and it's actually further south than the Namyeong subway station that you can see at the bottom of the picture.
The main reason I booked this place is to take 1 train from the airport directly to Seoul station (the main central station in Seoul) and just walk to the apartment. Now I have to switch from an airport train to a subway and go an extra stop and worst of all, I may not have elevators or escalators at the subway station and need to carry my luggage up the stairs to street level. I know Seoul Station has elevators and escalators to street level and was another reason I booked this place. And now I found out the location of the listing is completely misrepresented in the listing.
The listing does have positive reviews and no one among the first few pages of reviews complained of the wrong location.
I am getting really tired of Airbnb... I am messaging the host to ask about this. If she wants to cancel, that'd be ideal since that way she gets penalized. If she does not want to cancel, then I have to involve Airbnb for an inaccurate listing and get them to cancel it for me and to correct the listing. Will update on what happens...
Friday, September 23, 2016
An alternative to getting home from the airport vs Uber/Lyft with surge pricing
Quick summary: look into 1 way car rentals vs high priced Lyft/Uber/Taxi at peak times, it might be cheaper
Recently I landed in SFO at 11PM on Labor Day Monday and I didn't want to inconvenience anyone at that late hour. (how considerate of me)
I had planned on taking a Lyft or an Uber and thought it might cost about $60 or so. But boy, was I wrong. When I first opened Lyft and saw that the price for a Lyft Line (shared ride like Uberpool) to San Jose was $110, I thought I put in the wrong address but nope, the price for a shared ride was $110. The price for a regular Lyft was around $140 and UberX was similar.
I had never taken a taxi from SFO to San Jose but upon my quick search, it seemed like it would be around $120-130+.
At this moment, I had this idea of booking a 1 way car rental instead. And lo and behold, I was able to make a booking for a 1 way rental at around $63 including all taxes/fees using my corporate code. I suppose it might be higher without a good corporate/discount code but it's definitely worth a look.
Recently I landed in SFO at 11PM on Labor Day Monday and I didn't want to inconvenience anyone at that late hour. (how considerate of me)
I had planned on taking a Lyft or an Uber and thought it might cost about $60 or so. But boy, was I wrong. When I first opened Lyft and saw that the price for a Lyft Line (shared ride like Uberpool) to San Jose was $110, I thought I put in the wrong address but nope, the price for a shared ride was $110. The price for a regular Lyft was around $140 and UberX was similar.
I had never taken a taxi from SFO to San Jose but upon my quick search, it seemed like it would be around $120-130+.
At this moment, I had this idea of booking a 1 way car rental instead. And lo and behold, I was able to make a booking for a 1 way rental at around $63 including all taxes/fees using my corporate code. I suppose it might be higher without a good corporate/discount code but it's definitely worth a look.
Thursday, September 22, 2016
A good way to get a taste of local life
While I was in Panama over this past weekend (along with spending the day in NYC and a long layover in Miami), I had a chance to go to a few grocery stores, ranging from a tiny corner store to a big, air conditioned, modern supermarket and while a lot of what's in the big market is already Westernized (and particularly Americanized in the case of Panama), it's still an interesting look into how the locals really live.
Then I remembered I also enjoyed going to grocery stores in other countries.
One note is that at the supermarket, there was a security guard who was totally eyeballing us and following us (me and my girlfriend) around the store. The thing is it was like he was almost trying to be as conspicuous about it as possible. And it's not like we look like thugs who are likely to steal things. But again, that is part of the cultural difference that makes things interesting. I have to say their bathroom I pooped in was spotlessly clean.
But in summary, visiting a grocery store is a good way to get a look into the local culture. And a good way to pick up local snacks to bring back as souvenirs.
Then I remembered I also enjoyed going to grocery stores in other countries.
One note is that at the supermarket, there was a security guard who was totally eyeballing us and following us (me and my girlfriend) around the store. The thing is it was like he was almost trying to be as conspicuous about it as possible. And it's not like we look like thugs who are likely to steal things. But again, that is part of the cultural difference that makes things interesting. I have to say their bathroom I pooped in was spotlessly clean.
But in summary, visiting a grocery store is a good way to get a look into the local culture. And a good way to pick up local snacks to bring back as souvenirs.
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Why no flat beds in airport lounges?
So we've had flat beds on planes for a while now. So why don't we have beds or loungers where people can nap while they wait for their flights? When I have a long layover in between flights, the thing I'd like to do most is (aside from getting a massage) sleep.
Some lounges have sleeping areas, such as the Qatar 1st class lounge in Doha, where they have individual small rooms which resemble a small hotel room with a bed, bathroom, desk, TV but even in regular lounges, it would require just buying some day beds and setting aside a section of the lounge, pretty easy to implement. This is something I'd like to see airlines implement.
As an aside, the best perk (aside from the room at in Doha) in a lounge for me was the free masseuse at the Phuket Priority Pass lounge. You should tip the masseuse a bit but even ) with the small tip (I guess equivalent to a $1 for a 15 minute massage, it was great. Now the Centurion Lounge in Miami has 15 minute free massages.
Some lounges have sleeping areas, such as the Qatar 1st class lounge in Doha, where they have individual small rooms which resemble a small hotel room with a bed, bathroom, desk, TV but even in regular lounges, it would require just buying some day beds and setting aside a section of the lounge, pretty easy to implement. This is something I'd like to see airlines implement.
As an aside, the best perk (aside from the room at in Doha) in a lounge for me was the free masseuse at the Phuket Priority Pass lounge. You should tip the masseuse a bit but even ) with the small tip (I guess equivalent to a $1 for a 15 minute massage, it was great. Now the Centurion Lounge in Miami has 15 minute free massages.
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Visiting Panama for 42 minutes: Quick Note on doing the same plane turnaround in PTY
TL;DR - 42 minute connection in PTY perfectly doable as long as AA allows you to book it but you'll go thru gate security
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On 9/3/16, as part of a vacation/EQM run, I had a 42 minute connection in PTY. The incoming flight would land at 2:59PM and the outbound would leave at 3:41PM.
Both my flights had the same flight number and they were both the same plane type (Embraer ERJ-175) so I was pretty sure it would be the same plane and therefore zero chance of me not making the connection. I even had the same seat on both flights and wished I could have just sat on the plane but of course, they don't allow you to do that (I actually did ask the FA for confirmation).
I actually met the 2 bloggers from www.nomascoach.com after they noticed my Flyertalk luggage tag. This was the first time someone talked to me about it. I've only had the tag for a couple of months though.
So once we landed, I got off the plane but I couldn't go directly into the waiting area. It's roped off. So I went directly to the gate security check area and went thru the security.
Every time I've gone thorough the gate security check in PTY, they're really annoyingly thorough/picky and this time was no different.
So no need to go thru customs or immigration, just the gate security. And 42 minutes is way more than enough but not enough time for me to consider going to a lounge.
Then when I got on board again, (they announced business class first), the FA was surprised when I said 'nice to see you again' and she asked what I'm doing. She hadn't heard of mileage running so I was explaining it to her when another Flyertalker boarded and overheard what I was saying, turns out we had exchanged messages on Flyertalk previously about being on the same flight, we had a nice chat.
On both the flights, it was nice to meet who understand you and what you're doing, rather than tell you you're crazy.
------
On 9/3/16, as part of a vacation/EQM run, I had a 42 minute connection in PTY. The incoming flight would land at 2:59PM and the outbound would leave at 3:41PM.
Both my flights had the same flight number and they were both the same plane type (Embraer ERJ-175) so I was pretty sure it would be the same plane and therefore zero chance of me not making the connection. I even had the same seat on both flights and wished I could have just sat on the plane but of course, they don't allow you to do that (I actually did ask the FA for confirmation).
I actually met the 2 bloggers from www.nomascoach.com after they noticed my Flyertalk luggage tag. This was the first time someone talked to me about it. I've only had the tag for a couple of months though.
So once we landed, I got off the plane but I couldn't go directly into the waiting area. It's roped off. So I went directly to the gate security check area and went thru the security.
Every time I've gone thorough the gate security check in PTY, they're really annoyingly thorough/picky and this time was no different.
So no need to go thru customs or immigration, just the gate security. And 42 minutes is way more than enough but not enough time for me to consider going to a lounge.
Then when I got on board again, (they announced business class first), the FA was surprised when I said 'nice to see you again' and she asked what I'm doing. She hadn't heard of mileage running so I was explaining it to her when another Flyertalker boarded and overheard what I was saying, turns out we had exchanged messages on Flyertalk previously about being on the same flight, we had a nice chat.
On both the flights, it was nice to meet who understand you and what you're doing, rather than tell you you're crazy.
Thursday, August 25, 2016
1 MAJOR Downside of Airbnb Bookings
TL;DR: Be aware hosts can cancel on you as the traveler on Airbnb and you get a small coupon to rebook a property but most likely that won't be enough to find a comparable property. To look out for hosts who cancel, look for reviews that look like the image at the bottom of this post.
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For the most part I like using Airbnb, I've stayed at probably 40-50 different properties through the years and for the most part, I've had good experiences and usually are cheaper than getting a comparable hotel in a comparable area. (Hotels are usually in commercial neighborhoods vs Airbnbs in residential neighborhoods)
However, this has happened to me twice now, when the host cancels the reservation on you, we, as the renters, are kind of left high and dry. Just today, we had a booking in NYC for mid-September that was cancelled by the host because she is having work done on her house and that's the only date available for the work to be done (her words, not mine) Whatever the reason, Airbnb offered us a paltry $16 coupon to book something similar.
$16 is nowhere enough, even if I expanded my price range to $50+ the original booking, there's nothing remotely similar at this time. That's because unlike hotel rooms, Airbnbs are each unique homes, apartments, etc and once 1 person books that listing, it's gone. So that when you look for places close to when you need them, you'll be getting the leftovers.
I had the same thing happen for a property in Prague over Christmas/New Years, the busiest time of the year in Prague for hotel bookings, and the host cancelled pretty close to the actual travel date. Back then (Winter 2014) Airbnb offered a 20% credit but I had booked the room originally 6+ months out. And lots of hosts had ridiculous demands for bookings during that week (as in ridiculous long minimum stays, jacked up rates etc.) So imagine what slim pickings there was when I had to find something about a month out. 20% was not even close to try to get something similar. I still had to pay extra just to find a decent place that was further out from the city center.
In retrospect, I should have complained more but I didn't.
So you may want to have a refundable booking at a hotel as a backup if you have an Airbnb booking in a popular location. What I've found is sometimes hosts will have their places listed on multiple sites and if they think they can get a better rate vs what was originally booked, they may cancel on 1 site and list at a higher rate on a different site. (note Airbnb does not allow hosts to relist on the same dates once they cancel)
And I feel like Airbnb does not do enough to protect consumers and seems to favor hosts (and themselves), as hosts can set pretty strict cancellation penalties. There is no way for the consumer to be able to cancel without some kind of a penalty. I do not know if hosts can penalized monetarily for cancelling a booking but they should if they are not already. And much more than 12.5 or 20%.
Here's a way to protect yourself against this, if you see a listing and if you check the reviews (and you always should) and you find reviews like this, you should be very wary as this means the host cancelled on the guest. If there are multiple reviews that look like this, I would stay away.
HTH.
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For the most part I like using Airbnb, I've stayed at probably 40-50 different properties through the years and for the most part, I've had good experiences and usually are cheaper than getting a comparable hotel in a comparable area. (Hotels are usually in commercial neighborhoods vs Airbnbs in residential neighborhoods)
However, this has happened to me twice now, when the host cancels the reservation on you, we, as the renters, are kind of left high and dry. Just today, we had a booking in NYC for mid-September that was cancelled by the host because she is having work done on her house and that's the only date available for the work to be done (her words, not mine) Whatever the reason, Airbnb offered us a paltry $16 coupon to book something similar.
$16 is nowhere enough, even if I expanded my price range to $50+ the original booking, there's nothing remotely similar at this time. That's because unlike hotel rooms, Airbnbs are each unique homes, apartments, etc and once 1 person books that listing, it's gone. So that when you look for places close to when you need them, you'll be getting the leftovers.
I had the same thing happen for a property in Prague over Christmas/New Years, the busiest time of the year in Prague for hotel bookings, and the host cancelled pretty close to the actual travel date. Back then (Winter 2014) Airbnb offered a 20% credit but I had booked the room originally 6+ months out. And lots of hosts had ridiculous demands for bookings during that week (as in ridiculous long minimum stays, jacked up rates etc.) So imagine what slim pickings there was when I had to find something about a month out. 20% was not even close to try to get something similar. I still had to pay extra just to find a decent place that was further out from the city center.
In retrospect, I should have complained more but I didn't.
So you may want to have a refundable booking at a hotel as a backup if you have an Airbnb booking in a popular location. What I've found is sometimes hosts will have their places listed on multiple sites and if they think they can get a better rate vs what was originally booked, they may cancel on 1 site and list at a higher rate on a different site. (note Airbnb does not allow hosts to relist on the same dates once they cancel)
And I feel like Airbnb does not do enough to protect consumers and seems to favor hosts (and themselves), as hosts can set pretty strict cancellation penalties. There is no way for the consumer to be able to cancel without some kind of a penalty. I do not know if hosts can penalized monetarily for cancelling a booking but they should if they are not already. And much more than 12.5 or 20%.
Here's a way to protect yourself against this, if you see a listing and if you check the reviews (and you always should) and you find reviews like this, you should be very wary as this means the host cancelled on the guest. If there are multiple reviews that look like this, I would stay away.
HTH.
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