Maybe you’re expecting too much from your Airbnb

livemint.com:

What do travelers want from an Airbnb right now? Their hosts have an answer: too much. The number of short-term rentals on sites such as Airbnb and Vrbo hit a record high in July, according to AirDNA, a market-research firm. Hosts now have more competition for bookings, while guests have more options.

And opinions. Trish Tonn’s Minneapolis home has four TVs, plenty of toys—though she has no children—and “more games than any human needs." Airbnb guests once complained that the house, which she lists when she’s away for work, was poorly stocked. Visitors forget that Airbnbs are often people’s homes and not “mini-hotels," Tonn says.

Pickiness comes partly because prices are up. Across the board, U.S. short-term rental prices increased nearly 20% compared with 2019, according to AirDNA.

Budget short-term rentals charged an average rate of $201 a night from January through July, a 13% increase from last year, an AirDNA analysis of U.S. short-term rentals shows. Luxury properties charged an average rate of $558 a night, a 6% decrease from 2023.

Airbnb says its average daily rate across all U.S. properties has remained steady over the past year. Travelers say short-term rentals can provide more amenities than a similarly priced hotel room.

They are often more cost-effective than multiple hotel rooms for those traveling with their families or a group. According to numerous Airbnb hosts, budget travelers often have the highest expectations. Outdated interiors and wall-to-wall carpet don’t cut it anymore, and hosts are adding hot tubs, pools, pickleball courts or even lawn bowling to stand out.