"Airbnb vs. hotels in 2025: has consumer trust in home-sharing fully recovered — and what drives the choice?"

Without prompting, which brands come to mind first in this category? Where does this brand land in that mental list?

Honestly? Marriott and Hilton pop into my head first for hotels - they're just so embedded from all my work travel. Then Airbnb comes up pretty quickly, especially when I'm thinking about family trips. Like when we went to San Diego last year, I immediately started browsing Airbnb for a place with a kitchen because dragging my 7-year-old to restaurants every meal is a nightmare. I'd say Airbnb is definitely in my top three, but it's more situational than the hotel chains. Hotels are my default for work stuff, but Airbnb wins when I need space or want something Instagrammable for a girls' weekend. The others - like VRBO or whatever - I honestly forget they exist most of the time.

Walk me through your honest first impression of this brand — not what they claim, but what you actually believe.

When I think Airbnb, I think "great when it works, but you're rolling the dice." Like, the photos can be misleading, you might show up and the place smells weird or the host is a nightmare. I've had amazing stays where I felt like a local, but I've also had that anxiety of "what if this goes sideways and I'm stuck with two kids and nowhere to sleep?" Hotels feel boring but predictable - clean towels, room service, someone at the front desk if things go wrong. With Airbnb, you're kind of on your own if the WiFi doesn't work or the AC breaks. As a working parent, I honestly don't have bandwidth for vacation disasters, so I find myself defaulting to hotels more often than I used to.

What 3–5 words do you most associate with this brand? Give me your gut, not what sounds polite.

Convenient. Unpredictable. Trendy. Kinda sketch sometimes. Look, I love the idea of Airbnb - staying somewhere unique, having a kitchen for my kids' snacks, feeling like a local. But honestly? Half the time I'm scrolling through listings wondering if that bathroom is actually as clean as it looks in the photos, or if the host is going to be weird about my toddler touching their white couch. Hotels are boring but I know exactly what I'm getting.

How has your perception of this brand shifted over the past year or two? What drove that change?

Honestly, Airbnb took a hit with me during the whole cleaning fee disaster era - like 2022, 2023 when you'd see a $89 night rental turn into $200 with fees and you're expected to take out the trash AND strip the beds? That was insane. But they've gotten better about showing total costs upfront now, which I appreciate since I'm usually booking on my phone between soccer practice and work calls. The bigger shift for me is that I'm way more selective about when I use them versus hotels. For family trips where we need space and a kitchen, Airbnb wins. But for work travel or quick weekend getaways? I'm back to Hilton or Marriott because I know exactly what I'm getting and there's no weird house rules about not using the good towels or whatever.

When would you actively recommend this brand, and when would you steer someone away?

I'd definitely recommend Airbnb to other parents when we're doing family trips — especially if you need a kitchen or multiple bedrooms. Like when my sister was planning a beach week with her kids, I was like "get an Airbnb, you'll save a fortune on meals and the kids can spread out." I also push it hard for work retreats or girls' weekends where you want that house vibe. But honestly? I steer people toward hotels for quick business trips or when they're traveling somewhere sketchy they don't know well. My colleague was going to some random city for a one-night conference and wanted to book an Airbnb to save money — I was like "just get the Marriott, you don't want to be dealing with lockbox drama at 11pm in a neighborhood you've never seen." Hotels are just foolproof when you need foolproof.

What would this brand need to do differently to become your clear first choice?

Look, I'm already pretty loyal to Marriott and Hilton when I travel for work - they're predictable, I rack up points, and I know exactly what I'm getting. For Airbnb to win me over consistently, they'd need to solve the trust thing once and for all. I need to know that when I show up with my kids after a long flight, the place is going to be exactly as advertised and clean as hell. Maybe some kind of verified family-friendly badge or guarantee? And honestly, the pricing transparency needs work - I hate getting hit with cleaning fees and random charges that make a $150 night suddenly cost $250. Just tell me the real price upfront so I can make a decision.

Without prompting, which brands come to mind first in this category? Where does this brand land in that mental list?

Hotels? Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis — that's my first tier. Then probably Marriott properties like the Edition or W, maybe Mandarin Oriental. Airbnb doesn't even register in that conversation for me, honestly. When I think "accommodation," I think service level and reliability. Airbnb is more like... I don't know, asking a friend if you can crash at their place. It's a completely different mental category. If someone said "where should we stay in Napa," I'm thinking which luxury property has the best concierge, not scrolling through someone's spare bedroom photos.

Walk me through your honest first impression of this brand — not what they claim, but what you actually believe.

Airbnb? Look, I get the appeal — it was revolutionary when it started, disruptive in all the right ways. But honestly? My first impression now is that it's become this Wild West situation where you're rolling the dice every time you book. I've had colleagues get burned badly — fake listings, places that looked nothing like the photos, or worse, getting kicked out last minute with no recourse. The trust factor just isn't there for me anymore like it was maybe five, six years ago. When I'm spending serious money on a family vacation or need reliable accommodations for client meetings, I can't afford those kinds of surprises. Hotels have their issues, but at least I know what I'm getting and there's actual accountability when things go sideways.

What 3–5 words do you most associate with this brand? Give me your gut, not what sounds polite.

Convenient. Inconsistent. Sketchy sometimes. Look, I've used Airbnb probably fifteen times in the last few years, and it's a total crapshoot. Sometimes you get this amazing penthouse in Manhattan that's perfectly clean with a host who texts you restaurant recommendations. Other times you show up and there's someone else's luggage still in the bedroom, or the "luxury" listing has IKEA furniture and smells like curry. The platform itself works fine, but you're basically gambling on whether the person renting to you gives a damn about their reputation.

How has your perception of this brand shifted over the past year or two? What drove that change?

Look, I'll be honest — Airbnb took a real hit with me during COVID and it's been a slow climb back. For a while there, it felt like the wild west again — hosts canceling last minute, weird cleaning protocols, places not matching photos. When you're billing $1,200 an hour, you can't afford to show up to a client meeting looking like you slept in a broom closet. But they've gotten their act together lately. I've done maybe six stays in the past year and they've all been solid — professional hosts, places that actually look like the photos, decent customer service when I had a key issue in Nantucket. The platform feels more curated now, less like rolling the dice. Still not quite back to my pre-2020 trust level, but getting there.

When would you actively recommend this brand, and when would you steer someone away?

I'd recommend Airbnb to clients or friends who want something unique for a special occasion — like when my partner and I rented that incredible penthouse in Tribeca for our anniversary, or when colleagues need a proper house in the Hamptons for a long weekend with multiple couples. But honestly? I steer people away more often than I recommend it now. For business travel, I always tell people to stick with hotels — I can't afford to show up to a client meeting exhausted because the WiFi died or the host was unresponsive at 11 PM. And for family trips, especially with my teenagers, I've learned hotels just eliminate so many variables. The Four Seasons doesn't surprise you with a broken air conditioner on a 95-degree day in August.

What would this brand need to do differently to become your clear first choice?

Look, Airbnb had me for a while there - probably 2018 to 2020 - because I liked the unique properties and my assistant could handle the back-and-forth with hosts. But honestly? They'd need to completely overhaul their customer service to get me back as a primary choice. When something goes wrong at 9 PM the night before a family trip to the Hamptons, I need a human being who can actually solve problems, not a chatbot or some host who's suddenly unreachable. The Four Seasons has a person I can call who knows my preferences and fixes things immediately - that's what I'm paying for. Until Airbnb can match that level of concierge service and guarantee the same reliability I get from premium hotels, they'll stay as my "interesting weekend property" option, not my go-to for anything that matters.

Without prompting, which brands come to mind first in this category? Where does this brand land in that mental list?

Honestly? Airbnb is still the first thing that pops into my head when someone says "vacation rental." Like, it's basically become the verb - "let's Airbnb it" instead of saying "let's find a rental." But if I'm being real, hotels have been creeping back up in my mental ranking lately. Especially after a couple sketchy Airbnb situations where the photos were... let's say "creative interpretations" of reality. So now it's more like Airbnb first for unique spots or longer stays, but I'm actually considering hotels way more than I used to - especially the smaller, locally-owned ones here in Portland that aren't soulless chains.

Walk me through your honest first impression of this brand — not what they claim, but what you actually believe.

Airbnb? Look, I want to like them more than I actually do. They used to feel like this scrappy alternative to overpriced hotels, right? But now they're just... another corporate platform squeezing everyone. The hosts are getting nickel-and-dimed, guests are paying cleaning fees that cost more than the actual night, and meanwhile Airbnb's just collecting their cut from both sides. It's like they forgot they were supposed to be about actual people sharing their spaces, not turning every apartment into a mini hotel empire that's pricing out locals in cities like mine.

What 3–5 words do you most associate with this brand? Give me your gut, not what sounds polite.

Honestly? Overpriced. Sketchy sometimes. Used to be cool, now it's just... corporate, I guess. And unpredictable - like you never know if you're getting a chill host or someone with a 47-page house manual and hidden cameras. It's lost that grassroots vibe it had when I first started using it in college.

How has your perception of this brand shifted over the past year or two? What drove that change?

Honestly, I've gotten way more skeptical of Airbnb lately. Used to be this cool alternative to corporate hotels, but now it feels like just another way for property investors to squeeze money out of housing. I'm seeing entire apartment buildings in my neighborhood getting converted to short-term rentals while my friends can't find affordable places to live. Plus the fees have gotten absolutely insane — you think you're paying $80 a night and then it's suddenly $150 with cleaning fees and service charges. At that point I'm like, why not just get a hotel room where the price is the price and someone actually cleans it properly?

When would you actively recommend this brand, and when would you steer someone away?

I'd recommend Airbnb to friends who are doing longer trips or want that local neighborhood vibe - like when my buddy was going to Austin for a week and wanted to feel like he actually lived there instead of being trapped in some corporate hotel bubble. Also great for groups since you can actually cook and hang out without cramming into one tiny room. I'd steer people away if they're doing quick business trips or if they're the type who stress about cleanliness standards. Hotels have consistent housekeeping - with Airbnb you're rolling the dice on whether someone's idea of "clean" matches yours. Plus if something goes wrong at 2am in a hotel, there's a front desk; with Airbnb you're texting some random host hoping they respond.

What would this brand need to do differently to become your clear first choice?

Honestly, I'm not sure Airbnb can be my "clear first choice" anymore — too much has changed since like 2018. The cleaning fees are absolutely insane now, and I'm tired of hosts acting like I'm renting their grandmother's house with all these weird rules about not using certain towels or whatever. For me to pick Airbnb first again, they'd need to crack down on the hidden fees and stop letting hosts treat guests like potential criminals. I want transparency upfront and hosts who actually want people staying there, not just maximizing profit. Hotels might be boring corporate chains, but at least I know what I'm paying and I can leave my stuff on the bathroom counter without getting a passive-aggressive message about it.

Without prompting, which brands come to mind first in this category? Where does this brand land in that mental list?

Hotels? Marriott, Hilton, Holiday Inn - those are my go-tos. I've stayed at tons of Marriotts for work trips and they're just... reliable. You know what you're getting. For Airbnb, honestly it's way down my list now. I used to think about it first maybe five years ago when I was trying to save money, but after getting burned a couple times with places that looked nothing like the photos and hosts who were impossible to reach, I just default back to hotels. Airbnb feels like gambling to me now - sometimes you win big with an amazing place, but more often you're dealing with some weird house rule or dirty sheets that nobody's going to fix at 11pm.

Walk me through your honest first impression of this brand — not what they claim, but what you actually believe.

Honestly? Airbnb feels like it's still trying to win me back after all that drama from a few years ago. I mean, I get it - staying in someone's actual home can be cheaper and you get a kitchen, which is huge when you're watching every dollar. But I'm still reading those reviews like my life depends on it because I've heard too many horror stories about dirty places, hidden cameras, or hosts who cancel last minute. I think of it as the "maybe" option now - like, I'll check it first because of the price, but I'm always ready to bail for a Holiday Inn Express if something feels off. The trust isn't 100% there yet, you know?

What 3–5 words do you most associate with this brand? Give me your gut, not what sounds polite.

Honestly? Overpriced, risky, hit-or-miss, trendy, and... convenient when it works. Look, I've used Airbnb maybe six times in the past few years, and three of those times something was off - dirty bathroom, couldn't find the keybox, or the photos were way more flattering than reality. But when I'm looking at $180 for a decent hotel room versus $95 for an entire apartment, my nurse salary makes that math pretty simple. I just cross my fingers and read every single review twice before I book.

How has your perception of this brand shifted over the past year or two? What drove that change?

Honestly, my trust in Airbnb has bounced back quite a bit from where it was during the pandemic mess. Back then I was hearing horror stories about last-minute cancellations and hosts basically kicking people out, plus all those cleaning fees that made no sense when I'm doing half the work anyway. But I've done maybe four stays in the past year and they've all been solid - no surprises, decent communication from hosts, and the prices are still way better than hotels when I'm splitting costs with my nursing buddies on our weekend trips. The app got better too, like I can actually see all the fees upfront now instead of that bait-and-switch nonsense they used to pull at checkout.

When would you actively recommend this brand, and when would you steer someone away?

I'd recommend Airbnb to friends who are planning longer stays or want something unique — like when my sister was looking for a place in Nashville for her bachelorette weekend, I told her to check Airbnb first because hotels were crazy expensive and she wanted a house they could all hang out in. But honestly? I'd steer someone away if they're the type who gets stressed about unknowns or if it's a work trip where they need guaranteed wifi and room service. I learned that lesson the hard way when I booked an Airbnb for a weekend getaway and the host was weird about check-in times, plus the place wasn't as clean as the photos made it look. For my work conferences now, I just book a Hampton Inn or something — I know exactly what I'm getting and if there's an issue, there's a front desk person to deal with it immediately.

What would this brand need to do differently to become your clear first choice?

Honestly, they need to get their pricing more competitive with hotels, especially when you factor in all those fees. I was looking at a place in Chicago last month and by the time I added cleaning fees, service fees, and whatever else, it was actually more expensive than a decent hotel with free breakfast. And don't get me started on hosts who want you to take out the trash AND pay a $150 cleaning fee. The other thing is they need better quality control. I read every single review before booking, but I shouldn't have to play detective to figure out if the photos are accurate or if the neighborhood is sketchy. Hotels might be boring, but at least I know what I'm getting. If Airbnb could guarantee some basic standards without jacking up the price, they'd win me over completely.