Why You Should Think Twice Before Booking An Airbnb Stay At A Larger Property

It's easy to understand why you might prefer an Airbnb over a hotel for your vacation. You often have more amenities like a kitchen to prepare food, a backyard, private pool, or laundry facilities. It can feel more home-y, which makes sense as it's often someone's home you're renting. However, travel pro Rick Steves has issues with Airbnb over how it's raised rent and changed the vibe in cities around the world. In addition, some travelers have stopped using Airbnb because of rising prices and security risks. While you may still choose to rent an Airbnb, you should probably think twice before booking a stay at a larger property to celebrate your birthday weekend or host your friend's bachelor party. It may not be safe, and you could end up violating one of the company's rules. 

Larger properties that are rented out can turn into sites for rowdy house parties, upsetting the neighbors, as one property north of Lake Tahoe that sleeps 14 has, according to The New York Times. In this case, it's caused calls to the police and the formation of a group set to fight short-term rentals. A short-term rental in New Jersey ended up with a massive house party in 2020, drawing over 700 people. Another Airbnb property in California was the site of a Halloween party shooting in 2019 that killed five people. 

If you're vacationing with a group of friends or family, a larger Airbnb rental that allows you to all be together instead of retreating to your separate hotel rooms might sound perfect, but the dangers may outweigh the benefits for you. In fact, these issues with the company have caused many cities to require licenses for short-term rentals, and some cities are banning or trying to ban them altogether. Airbnb itself has taken steps to curtail the parties that are sometimes thrown at larger properties. In 2020, the company put a temporary ban on all parties and events, and made that permanent in 2022. In a press release posted on their website, Airbnb said, "The policy will continue to include serious consequences for guests who attempt to violate these rules, varying from account suspension to full removal from the platform. In 2021, over 6,600 guests were suspended from Airbnb for attempting to violate our party ban."

In addition, they don't allow open-invite gatherings (where invitations are posted publicly), and noise and visitor disturbances to the community. Some of the consequences, as they mentioned, include removing guests, properties, and hosts from their site. If you find yourself at a larger Airbnb and something feels off, you can contact their 24-hour safety line on the Airbnb app. However, if something seems dangerous, you should consider calling authorities. Finally, if you do choose to rent an Airbnb, check out our guide to review red flags that could ruin your next getaway.