Airbnb hosts are sick of Airbnb, too

For various reasons, my family needs to cook our own food when we travel, so being able to rent a flat or a house with a fully-stocked kitchen was preferable for us. But we haven't done it since before the pandemic, and now it looks like the system is falling apart.

AirBnB has become more expensive than hotels in some cases.

Owners of AirBnB suffered during the pandemic with many returning to rentals. In Japan, there are now only about 600 units.

AirBnB is just a travel agent middleman.

It got its original kudos from offering people's actual houses when they were vacant. This is very nice and interesting, alternative, and kind of romantic, but that model, was soon superceded by mass-market, fully commercial holiday lets, increasingly owned by businesses with multiple properties. No more bohemians' houses, just lots of cheaply converted flats full of Ikea furniture run by businesspeople with spreadsheets. This kind of accom may still work for you better than a hotel, I fully get that, but as a business model there is nothing remotely "disruptive" about it. In going from C2C to B2C as described in the story, Airbnb sold out all the people who gave the site its original appeal.

As for hosting Airbnb or even old traditional bed and breakfast.

The laws in your location are crucial.

I know people that though Airbnb would be great only to get scammed by squatters and rent scammers who know the laws of the area.

They move in stay 30 + days and suddenly they have rights to remain as "tenants" or "squatters".

So know your local laws.

I recently mentioned my parents were going to Europe from Canada next month and got Airbnb place.

I found out that this was not the case but sort of is the case.

Seems several years back they found this place via Airbnb but now the owner has "regulars" and dropped Airbnb and will only take new clients if they are introduced by a well known regular with recommendation.

They say they have been doing this for some time now and not just in France.

For other countries they have places that are now independent from Airbnb via recommendations.

They say the UK Bed and breakfast associations are better deals when they go there but at over 80 they like the idea of someone local being available if there is a problem.