My next trip to Manila will be a short 8 nights.

I'm tossing up between a hotel or Airbnb 

Obviously hotel will be a little more expensive though just a few hundred dollars more .

There are positives & negatives to both.

What's your experience of this if you have stayed in both?

My Airbnb experience is limited to Bangkok. I visit for 30 or more days at a time and it works well for me. A local friend stays with me. In Bkk, 28 days is the legal minimum stay for Airbnb rental.

 But for my first 15 years I stayed in a wide variety of hotels and that worked well, also, on  shorter stays.

Yes Airbnb is great for long stays and much cheaper.

The downside is some Airbnb owners will also add extra charges for utilities at the end of your stay.

 

I like apartment hotels.  These split the difference.  What I really like is having a kitchenette.  I do not need a full apartment.  I have stayed in a few of these, most recently in Singapore and really like this.  So, my partner looks for airbnb’s while I look for hotels and aparthotels. I also think that they are more professionally run.

Yes I prefer to have a microwave if I can.

Of course I must have a hotwater jug.

9 hours ago, Travelingguy said:

I like apartment hotels.  These split the difference.  What I really like is having a kitchenette. 

next time in Bangkok try Quarter SalaDaeng or Furama Sathorn Exclusive,  most room have kitchenette or even separate kitchen (Junior Suite at Quarter, I know I say there last July for 9 days)

Thank you very much Vinapu.  Those are very much my kind of places and they don’t look to be very expensive!

12 minutes ago, Travelingguy said:

Thank you very much Vinapu.  Those are very much my kind of places and they don’t look to be very expensive!

no, actually at this time they seem to have very good deals

I've stayed at Airbnbs in several places around the world over the years, but none recently. I'd say 90% of them were excellent. But I think some of it is luck of the draw. Using properties of "super hosts" seems to be helpful. But these days you see more and more stories about problems with them and weird extra charges. There's also the ethics of how they skew the local housing market. The building I live in has a strict no Airbnb policy. These days I am more likely to stay in a hotel or serviced apartment.

5 hours ago, fedssocr said:

 The building I live in has a strict no Airbnb policy

I didn't know we live in the same building, lol

On 6/17/2024 at 8:23 PM, Olddaddy said:

My next trip to Manila will be a short 8 nights.

I'm tossing up between a hotel or Airbnb 

Obviously hotel will be a little more expensive though just a few hundred dollars more .

There are positives & negatives to both.

What's your experience of this if you have stayed in both?

Beside the usual drawbacks of using an Airbnb like sometimes complicated check-in/check-out instructions, slow response if something is not working, etc I feel like the biggest drawback of using an Airbnb in places where you are expecting a high volume of in-bed activity (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Phili, etc) is the lack of daily housekeeping.

Personally, I can't imagine sleeping in the same bedsheets for 8 days in southeast Asia. Even if you or the guy(s) are super clean, just the sweat that eventually  ends up in the sheets during that time period would make it a very unpleasant and unhygienic place to sleep.

Some hosts offer a housekeeping service every x number of days, usually with an extra charge. It's something you should definitely look at if you plan to go through the Airbnb route.

3 minutes ago, hojacat said:

Beside the usual drawbacks of using an Airbnb like sometimes complicated check-in/check-out instructions, slow response if something is not working, etc I feel like the biggest drawback of using an Airbnb in places where you are expecting a high volume of in-bed activity (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Phili, etc) is the lack of daily housekeeping.

Personally, I can't imagine sleeping in the same bedsheets for 8 days in southeast Asia. Even if you or the guy(s) are super clean, just the sweat that eventually  ends up in the sheets during that time period would make it a very unpleasant and unhygienic place to sleep.

Some hosts offer a housekeeping service every x number of days, usually with an extra charge. It's something you should definitely look at if you plan to go through the Airbnb route.

Yes 👍 definitely great points !

First I have found some Airbnb check ins complicated ,trying to find letterboxes with keys ,using codes etc 

Then some in the Manila Philippines charges you extra for use of pool & gym 100-  150 pesos a day etc vs free pool gym in hotel 

Bedsheets and cleanliness yes good  points vs free  daily cleaning in a hotel 

 

 

Those are valid concerns. After retirement, my visits became longer (30 and now 60 days), Airbnb’s became more economical and practical. Since my regular guy is my only overnight guest, shared housekeeping chores are not an issue. 

Only use units that have washer in room. And luckily found super attentive agent who takes care of maintenance issues quickly.

But for most visitors hotels are the option of choice. Finding suitable ones should be simple because so many members have reported their experiences on forum.

8 hours ago, reader said:

Since my regular guy is my only overnight guest,

@vinapu would be in shock 😱

1 hour ago, floridarob said:

@vinapu would be in shock 😱

why ? only time I'm in shock is when somebody reports no overnight guest which I consider gross waste of resources available

1 minute ago, vinapu said:

why ? only time I'm in shock is when somebody reports no overnight guest which I consider gross waste of resources available

In my case not only would I waste my money paying to someone for sleeping. Besides, I would torture him throughout the night and in the morning. I snore all night long, and my snoring competes in decibels with a stampede of snorting horses. Additionally, I could make a career as a flatulist. Sometimes I feel able to whistle the national anthem with one single fart. And they may sound harmonious, but often are very stinky. Even further, I cannot start my day without first taking a generous, heavy, very aromatic shit. 

Having an overnight with me does not suit me, but is specially unsuitable for my potencial partners/victims. 

29 minutes ago, Latbear4blk said:

Having an overnight with me does not suit me, but is specially unsuitable for my potencial partners/victims. 

That gave me doubts about ever meeting you 😱😝

11 hours ago, reader said:

Those are valid concerns. After retirement, my visits became longer (30 and now 60 days), Airbnb’s became more economical and practical. Since my regular guy is my only overnight guest, shared housekeeping chores are not an issue. 

Only use units that have washer in room. And luckily found super attentive agent who takes care of maintenance issues quickly.

But for most visitors hotels are the option of choice. Finding suitable ones should be simple because so many members have reported their experiences on forum.

There are definitely places and occasions where staying in Airbnbs makes more sense. Personally, it's a must when I visit Vietnam (because of their strict check-in policy) and definitely recommended for the Philippines and even Indonesia.

The longest I usually stay in Thailand is three weeks and so hotels work better for me. Kinda love coming after lunch and seeing the room all in order after the craziness of evenings and mornings.

3 hours ago, floridarob said:

That gave me doubts about ever meeting you 😱😝

Wait wait what

Were you fantasizing with an overnight with me? Perhaps a pijama party? I almost wrote a bikini party, but then I remembered that the beach is not your scene.

2 hours ago, Latbear4blk said:

Wait wait what

Were you fantasizing with an overnight with me? Perhaps a pijama party? I almost wrote a bikini party, but then I remembered that the beach is not your scene.

meeting....I've met a few members from here over the years, whether planned or accidental......

8 minutes ago, floridarob said:

meeting....I've met a few members from here over the years, whether planned or accidental......

Oh, so do not worry. I still have control on my sphincter. That is why I like to be able to release at night, once alone. If we ever met, I could greet you with a fart that would blow your wig away, girl. But I promise I will not. 

9 hours ago, Latbear4blk said:

Even further, I cannot start my day without first taking a generous, heavy, very aromatic shit. 

 

we were wondering ever since you joined the forum but now we finally know.

18 hours ago, Latbear4blk said:

In my case not only would I waste my money paying to someone for sleeping. Besides, I would torture him throughout the night and in the morning. I snore all night long, and my snoring competes in decibels with a stampede of snorting horses. Additionally, I could make a career as a flatulist. Sometimes I feel able to whistle the national anthem with one single fart. And they may sound harmonious, but often are very stinky. Even further, I cannot start my day without first taking a generous, heavy, very aromatic shit. 

Having an overnight with me does not suit me, but is specially unsuitable for my potencial partners/victims. 

I assume that you never had a partner?

38 minutes ago, Keithambrose said:

I assume that you never had a partner?

I was once involved in a long term relationship with other two polyamorous flatulists. We would close our nights of passion with choral farted versions of christmas Carrolls. 

It is not easy for me to find twin souls.

1 hour ago, Latbear4blk said:

I was once involved in a long term relationship with other two polyamorous flatulists. We would close our nights of passion with choral farted versions of christmas Carrolls. 

It is not easy for me to find twin souls.

I can imagine!