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Post by rikita on Apr 12, 2024 17:47:22 GMT -5
what would you prefer?
a hostel you stayed at two years ago, didn't particularly like it as it is kind of noisy and dirty, and it has gathered more bad reviews since, and you have to pay in advance by bank transfer which is a hassle from your country, and the check in times aren't great ... but it is right next to the train station and is the cheapest option in town.
or an airbinb which is a new listing, so no reviews yet, but the owner replied fast and friendly to a question, and it's probably a lot quieter, and airbnb is easy to pay and the place has a good cancellation policy, but it is a bit more expensive, has no kitchen, and is a half hour walk from the station (with luggage) ...
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Post by HalcyonDaze on Apr 12, 2024 18:11:11 GMT -5
There is no way I'd do the hostel, particularly if I were travelling with my kid,.
So that leaves the Airbnb, or finding another option.
Supplementary questions - how long is the stay for? No kitchen, but is there somewhere to boil a kettle? Or a fridge for cheese etc?
We have booked with new listings on airbnb a few times, but are really careful when doing that. So make sure the owner has been on Airbnb for a while, preferably has reviews as a traveller. Do a reverse image search on pictures, google street view for the area we think it is.
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Post by rikita on Apr 12, 2024 19:20:07 GMT -5
just two nichts, and in the hostel it'd still be a private room (though i've stayed in dorms with a. as well). there is a kettle, a microwave and i think a fridge in the airbnb. the hostel has a full kitchen (though too small for a whole hostel).
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Post by whothingie on Apr 12, 2024 19:50:07 GMT -5
Keep looking. Neither are great.
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Post by HalcyonDaze on Apr 12, 2024 19:50:14 GMT -5
Oh, it was the messy, dirty and bad reviews that had me saying no to staying with a child. Not that it was a hostel.
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Post by rikita on Apr 13, 2024 3:25:15 GMT -5
it will have to be one of the two, it's a small town that get's a lot of visitors, so choices are limited and everything else either costs more than i want to spent or means i'd need a car to get to the attraction we want to visit ...
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Post by rikita on Apr 13, 2024 3:27:56 GMT -5
so you mean the reviews etc. at airbnb to find out if there isn't anything dodgy/dangerous, or just if the person is friendly?
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Post by HalcyonDaze on Apr 13, 2024 4:57:55 GMT -5
I will see if the person has used airbnb before, so they understand the system.
And then see if host reviews mention any things that could be considered red flags.
Also check if they have more than one place - too many, and they are some letting agency. one or two, you can read the reviews of other places to see what the host is like
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Post by Liiisa on Apr 13, 2024 7:12:33 GMT -5
I definitely wouldn't stay in that hostel. In your position I'd just go over budget and stay in a nice hotel, but I've never been known to have common sense.
What Hal said about the AirBnB makes sense. I've never stayed in a new AirBnB (I've only stayed in three so far!), but what she said is what I'd do when confronted with that decision. At least you've already been to that town, so you'll be able to figure out if the location is legit/sketchy or not more easily.
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Post by ozziegiraffe on Apr 13, 2024 8:35:18 GMT -5
Neither would work for me, but I’m a lot older and less fit than you.
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Post by tzarine on Apr 13, 2024 10:22:01 GMT -5
totally rely on reviews
would never go to an unrated airbnb
also when traveling w tzarevich, always wanted a kitchen
suerte, riki
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Post by sprite on Apr 13, 2024 15:26:17 GMT -5
Stay at the AirBnB, but pay with a credit card (I assume German cards offer the same protection as British?).
Pick up some microwaveable food near the station and then book a taxi--you'll have a bags and a kid with bags, life is too short.
There have been a few cases here of people using fake photos to create an AirBnB listing, taking money for bookings, and then the tourist shows up to a private home. You are covered with AirBnB for the funds if that happens, but you still have to find another place to stay, and AirBnB refuses to cover that--I think they should, it's their shoddy security that allows this to happen.
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Post by rikita on Apr 13, 2024 18:43:58 GMT -5
well, i checked and she has ratings from another accomodation she offers, but her profile only lists the one accomodation - so either she used to offer another one, or the ratings are for the same one and she listed it again or something, not sure. the ratings are good.
but the truth is, strangely, now that everyone is saying not to stay at the hostel, i am starting to think i might want to stay there - i've been there before, so i know what i get, and while it is not a great place, it was not that horrible, either. it was a bit dirty when we stayed there, but i'd had worse ... the main issue is that the building carries noise a lot and the doors all are very loud each time they close, but it'll be just two nights and we will be gone during the day ... and that way, we are next to the train station when we have an early morning train the day we leave ...
i guess i will sleep another night over it and then decide ...
as for really dirty places - i think the worst i stayed at was in choroni in venezuela, where in my room there were two very dirty matresses, no sheets, and i didn't have a travel sheet back then, so i used one of my wrap skirts as a sheet, and in a corner of the communal showers there was some human excrement (which was not removed by the next day, either), so i didn't shower while i was there ... the hostel is not anything close to that ...
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Post by Liiisa on Apr 13, 2024 19:57:30 GMT -5
Wow, I can see that with places like that to compare you might see the hostel option as perfectly reasonable!
I just get kind of enraged at lots of human noise when i'm trying to sleep. Cars, animals, loud air conditioning, that's all fine - but if people are slamming doors and talking in the middle of the night, I can't sleep because I'm too busy plotting murder.
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Post by wombatrois on Apr 13, 2024 20:11:09 GMT -5
Late to the discussion but I'd go with the Air bnb, even though I'm philosophically opposed to them. I'm too old for hostels and their inherent camaraderie and the uncleanliness would definitely not encourage me to return.
But understand the proximity to the station is attractive.
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Post by rikita on Apr 14, 2024 17:54:06 GMT -5
so, as said above, i decided for the proximity to the train station in the end (also because i couldn't find much information about taxis there), and booked the hostel after all ... btw, when i booked today, the room i had wanted was gone, but there was another one for the same price ... also booked the ferry for the next part of the trip ... now gotta look for accomodation for the other parts of the journey ...
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Post by rikita on Apr 16, 2024 8:20:25 GMT -5
now looking at accomodation in copenhagen and facing similar decisions, except everything's even more expensive. and both the hostel and the airbnb have good ratings, but in hostel it'd be a dorm. i am leaning towards airbnb this time, even though it is kind of outside of town (there is public transport, though) ...
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Post by scicaro on Apr 16, 2024 11:20:39 GMT -5
now looking at accomodation in copenhagen and facing similar decisions, except everything's even more expensive. and both the hostel and the airbnb have good ratings, but in hostel it'd be a dorm. i am leaning towards airbnb this time, even though it is kind of outside of town (there is public transport, though) ... Yup accomodation here is very expensive. Sorry I haven't replied to your message but will look into it for you... |
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Post by rikita on Apr 17, 2024 16:49:47 GMT -5
wanted to pay the hostel today so opened the confirmation mail - and saw that i messed up the booking, booked for april instead of july. did a new booking for july now and wrote them a mail to say that i made a mistake and need to cancel the april booking. hope they accept that ...
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Post by Liiisa on Apr 17, 2024 18:14:29 GMT -5
I've done that. Argh
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Post by rikita on Apr 23, 2024 4:14:13 GMT -5
Next decision (don't know why they always make me so anxious ...) the hostel is outside of town in the forest, there is a bis every hour but still quite a bit of walking involved, very simple room, kind of a camping feeling, breakfast buffet included, bikes available for rent. no cancellation possible once booked unless i play 40 Euros more (then up to 7 days before)...
the airbnb is in the cellar of a private house (so not taking away anyone's apartment), closer to town. room looks nice. no breakfast, but bikes included. no bus, about 2 km from the port to walk or taxi. cancellation possible until a few days before.
both have good ratings, answered my mail (about bike sizes, busses etc.) both cost about the same ...
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Post by ozziegiraffe on Apr 24, 2024 5:15:06 GMT -5
I think I’d choose the AirBNB. Bikes are free, although you’d have to buy breakfast.
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