DEPARTURE LOUNGE // WINTER 2017
IN 2016 , BUSINESS TRAVELLERS BOOKED ACCOMMODATION IN NEARLY 175 COUNTRIES THROUGH AIRBNB . BUT SHOULD YOU BOOK A HOME- STAY FOR BUSINESS ? REBEKAH
KENDAL CONSIDERS THE PROS AND CONS .
“ Airbnb makes it easier to travel for work without sacrificing the comforts of home ,” promises an Airbnb spokesperson . “ Airbnb offers companies an affordable option , and employees flexibility and control over their stay . They can choose more space , stay in a neighbourhood that interests them , choose a listing with a kitchen they ’ d love to cook dinner in , or even a place that has a washing machine so they can pack light .” Sounds great – and it is for many business travellers – but here ’ s the nub : it doesn ’ t work for everyone .
Is Airbnb
GOOD FOR BUSINESS TRAVEL ?
Clockwise from above : Unfortunately not all Airbnb rooms end up being as comfortable as this . Options come in all shapes and sizes . When it comes to hotels , consistency is hard to beat for the corporate traveller .
EXTERNAL VS INTERNAL GRADING SYSTEMS Without an external star-grading system , Airbnb reviews are key to finding the right accommodation . “ I ’ ve noticed recently that a lot of people are trying to commercialise sterile , serviced apartments with Airbnb , which really irks me because this negates my need to feel like I am at home ,” comments Sam Paddock , who opts for Airbnb over hotels whenever he travels for business . “ I always check the user qualitative ratings and use those as my guide to ensure I am going to stay at someone ’ s house rather than in a sterile , serviced apartment .” But user reviews aren ’ t always fool proof , points out Elizabeth Carson , a senior tech writer for Business Insider , because , unlike at a hotel where complaints are fairly impersonal , at Airbnb it ’ s all very personal . “ Having direct contact with the owner can be useful , but it also makes it more difficult for travellers to post negative reviews . Once you ’ ve met the nice folks in apartment 23 it ’ s a lot harder to say nasty things about their lack of cleanliness and uncomfortable beds ,” she wrote . “ I ’ m not the first to feel this kind of conflict , and in some ways it devalues the reviews people leave at the end of their stay .” Nicci Murray learnt the hard way that pictures and reviews on Airbnb are not always to be trusted . “ We were in constant communication with the owner , who was not going to be in town at the time , so she left her keys with the neighbour . We picked up the keys , checked in , and this is where the fun started : rotten ceilings from a leaking roof , blood-stained sheets , filthy pillows , partially constructed furniture in the bedrooms with pieces of timber left on the beds , rotten fruit in the fruit bowl , stained sofas and maggots adorning the
kitchen sink . Honestly , it would have been the ideal setting for American Horror Story in Jo ’ burg !” Although Airbnb did refund a large portion of the fee , the experience still cost Murray R700 and she was forced to seek alternative accommodation .
CONSISTENCY VS FLEXIBILITY While hotel rooms may be a little on the impersonal side , they do offer reliable check-in / check-out times , security , parking and amenities . These are all necessary for many time-pressed business travellers , but can vary wildly with Airbnb accommodation and – as Carson experienced – you might find yourself alone in a downtown LA neighbourhood rummaging in the dark for a key left in the bushes . “ That ’ s the crux of Airbnb ’ s problem , and the one weapon hotels have against the start-up : consistency ,” she wrote .
16 // MAKE MEMORIES FOR LIFE