Why You Should Be Careful Using This Airbnb Automated Feature

From fake listings to high prices, there are plenty of unavoidable Airbnb problems that force travelers to look elsewhere for their short-term rentals. However, there's one issue that you may not have considered: miscommunications. So, if you're deciding whether or not to stay in an Airbnb on your Japan trip, for example, but you don't speak Japanese, you may want to take extra care when you pick a listing or message your host. After all, the automatic translations in the app aren't always accurate. This also applies if you're booking a stay anywhere else where you don't speak the language.

As an international service, Airbnb has properties on offer all around the world that host travelers from everywhere. That said, it makes sense that there might sometimes be language barriers between hosts and guests. To mitigate this, the platform has the option to automatically translate listings into your preferred language. However, you'll have to proceed with caution, as these translations aren't always the most accurate. 

In some cases, they may offer confusing or wrong descriptions of the place you're planning to stay. In others, they may even remove important nuances from messages with your host. Nonetheless, this doesn't mean that you should never use Airbnb's translation to help you understand the listing and communications in your app. It just means that you should always keep in mind that some aspects of what you're reading (or writing) might not actually say what you think they do.

Usually, automatic translations are more funny than problematic for travelers using automated translators. Nonetheless, in other cases, these translation errors are more of an issue than a simple awkward phrasing or silly innuendo. Sometimes, Airbnb's translations are significantly different from what a host actually wrote in their listing. For example, you're likely going to be disappointed if you tried booking an Airbnb with a "jacuzzi" to relax after a long day of sightseeing, only to discover that the auto-translation accidentally substituted "jacuzzi" for "bathtub," as one Airbnb host on Reddit complained happened.

Messages can be even worse, leaving important communications from your host completely incomprehensible. While it may not be a big deal if all you need to say is that you've arrived, or thank them for letting you stay as you check out, translation accuracy doesn't matter too much. But if your Airbnb experience is not up to par, and something goes seriously wrong in the home, relying on Airbnb's automatic translation to explain what happened is probably not the best idea. At the very least, you may want to run your messages through a second translation app that has a good reputation for accuracy to make sure that your message is coming through, even if the phrasing is wrong. Additionally, if you can learn some essential words and phrases in the native language of your destination, specifically ones you may need during your stay, that's even better.