You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
There's a review in the Hotel Reviews thread: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
Someone outside of our normal group is wanting to look at AirBnB housing. I have been hearing some harrowing experiences with folk who have had their hosts cancel on them. I do not want to be a downer sour face, yet it just seems iffy. This would be their first experience coming to SDCC, too. She has had much success going this route for vacations but...Argh. SDCC is a different animal, right?
I had a poor experience with mine (I think I'm one of the ones quoted on the SDCC blog from awhile back). I have heard some people have success, but I avoid it personally. I think if I were to try for an Airbnb again, I would book a backup hotel that is cancelable in case the host backs out. Doesn't help for the worst case scenario of the host ghosting/canceling the day of, but at least gives you an option if something falls through. As you said, Airbnbs can be great for vacations because they typically offer locations and amenities you won't get at a hotel, but for events like this it's too risky for my blood.
I may have a few Kona Kai rooms to give away, we are still working out our logistics among our group. Does anyone have an extra Marquis, Omni, or Bayfront, i.e. walking distance room that they want to give away? Our group had been hoping just once to score one in the Gaslamp, but alas, again, not this year. Not ungrateful for the Kona Kai (we stayed there in 2019 and it was very nice), we just want to see if we can find one walking distance.
Coming in a few weeks late, but if you're - or anyone else reading this - still looking into Airbnb, I'm going to steal from and (greatly) expand on a post I made here in 2018 on the same topic:It's a viable option as long as you do due diligence. I feel the SDCC horror stories from when it was first a thing is weighted disproportionally more since it was a sensational story at the time and ended up being the first impression that has stuck with many people (the UBlog article on the issue doesn't really take a neutral stance, IMHO).I've done Airbnb twice for SDCC (2018 and 2019) and have another booked for this year (a different host all three times). I had zero issues the first two times and am expecting the same the third time. I'm not saying Airbnb is perfect by any means - I've had a non-SDCC booking cancelled on me w/ no explanation by a legitimate host before relatively close to check-in - but I feel like Airbnb has made strides in protecting the guests in these cases (high-profile events like SDCC, Coachella, etc.), especially with COVID. Airbnb always carries some risk whether it's SDCC or not. It depends on your personal level of risk tolerance and whether the tradeoffs instead of a hotel are worth it to you.In my group's case, Airbnb has tended to fit our budget and particular situation/needs the best:1) We all drive in from various parts of California and it's easier to park our cars with ample street parking or a generous driveway.2) Willing to trade convention proximity for square footage and, if possible, our own beds/rooms - although we'd like to try for a downtown hotel one year just to say we did it! Obviously we're not at the place very much during the con, but at the start and end of each day, we've found the extra space - and sometimes bathroom(s) - to move around be really nice to have.3) We don't always leave and return at the same time, so we can make noise coming and going and getting ready with less risk of waking others up.4) Access to a kitchen and fridge so we can comfortably prep food/snacks for the following day. We're big fans of loading up on meals on the go at the start of the week and a fridge is a must for the perishable stuff.5) We always leave Monday, so a living area to have a quiet dinner and decompress Sunday night has been awesome.Here was how my three stays were booked (admittedly, 2018/2019 I can't remember with 100% certainty):- 2018/2019: Not a Superhost but plenty of reviews spanning multiple years. Sent reservation request w/ intro message mentioning it was SDCC week. For 2018, I had to negotiate a slightly higher rate than the listed rate before the host accepted. For 2019, my request was accepted at the listed rate.- 2022: Instant Book. The main host wasn't a Superhost, but their Co-Host is. The place didn't have a lot of reviews, but I was comfortable booking it as they had multiple other listings with plenty of reviews. I also sent an intro message mentioning it was SDCC week when I booked.These are my rules of thumb from the first two times that I used again in booking this year:1) Avoid new listings and hosts with no or very few reviews. All things equal, a Superhost is recommended, so you know the host is legitimate and far less likely to pull any shenanigans.2) As I mentioned above, I am always upfront in my first message to a host about it being SDCC to try and and preempt it from being an issue later on. This way, I'll either not get the listing right away (if the host says no) and have time to move on to other listings or I'll have my booking and also have messages on the record on Airbnb's platform. A host will either (a) realize for the first time it's SDCC and want to charge more (which is what it happened to me in 2018), (b) realize for the first time it's SDCC but still accept the booking as is, or (c) already be aware or acknowledge that it's SDCC week and accept the booking as is (2019 and 2022). For (a), if they try to ask for a higher rate, decide whether you want to negotiate or simply move on to the next listing.3) Expand your search radius if feasible for your group I never stay in or close to downtown; anecdotally, the closer it gets to downtown, the more skeptical I get of listings, particular ones from newly created hosts or little to no reviews. Also, the real listings tend to be out of our budget anyway 4) I wouldn't book a place with a non-Superhost (unless they have a number of reviews safely in the double digits). But if you're booking a place from a non-Superhost, try not to do it via Instant Book. Instead, look for listings where the host has to actively approve your booking request. That way, with rare exceptions, if a host cancels, they just can't relist their place for a higher rate on the same dates(You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login). Of course, this doesn't stop them from listing for more on VRBO/Craiglist/elsewhere. Hosts have a little more room to bail on you and be able to relist without penalty if it's an Instant Book listing (see You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login).5) Keep in regular contact with the host leading up to your stay. I don't ask questions that would make the host think I'd be a PITA to deal with as a houseguest or about things that might be in violation of their house rules. I ask relatively mundane questions leading up to the dates just to keep the lines of communication open. Places to eat, clarifying the check-in process (and my arrival time), doing a later checkout, stuff like that.One last thing: I see now listings have a protection policy listed called You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login; I don't recall this being there when I booked my group's place for this year. Not sure how useful it is in practice, but there it is!
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login Thank you for your fabulously detailed and helpful insights! I will pass these on, and appreciate your time. I think I am going to print this out. Wonderful!
I have my One bedroom Gaslamp Plaza suites timeshare posted on San Diego Craigslist and TUG timeshare users group marketplace. I had the same renters every year but they cancelled this year.
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login I edited to combine your two posts into one. Please review forum rules, double posting is not allowed. Thanks for your understanding. -Mod