Here are red flags to look out for when booking a place.
Here are red flags to look out for when booking a place.
Thanks to the rise of short-term rental accommodation platforms, there is no shortage of baches, villas and apartments Kiwis can rent this summer.
In most cases, these places are far better for large families or groups to spend a long weekend or holiday together, as they are equipped with full kitchens, lounges, bedrooms and garages.
However, these accommodation types feel more homely because they are, quite often, a house. This means that, while they’re subject to a few rules set by whatever platform they’re listed on, you often have to deal with the individual renting it out.
This can be a breeze or, as some people discover, a nightmare.
We share the red flags that can be hiding behind a good-looking listing and should prompt you to ask the host a few more questions before booking
“Guest reviews are a great place to start when deciding on which holiday home to book,” says Booking.com’s regional manager of Oceania, Todd Lacey, adding that they “enable Kiwis to see what travellers are saying about a property both at home and abroad”.
Hidden Red Flag: Positive reviews are always promising but it’s key to check when they were written. Even the best bach or cabin can fall into disrepair or be taken over by new owners who aren’t quite as great, especially over the last few years of the pandemic. So, check that the place has reviews from the last few months and whether they’re positive.
High ratings
Many platforms, such as Booking.com or Airbnb, encourage guests to rate certain parts of a listing after they stay, which results in an overall rating. All verified guest reviews are then calculated into an average rating, something you can often filter for.
Hidden Red Flag: The key thing to note here is something called ‘sample size’. If a listing only has two reviews, but they’re both 4 stars, the average will be 4 stars. This is promising but it tells us far less about the quality of a listing compared to a place that has 200 reviews, and a 4-star average.
A listing with few reviews doesn’t mean it’s bad, it could be new and possibly great, but you will have fewer past reviews to depend on, so you may want to contact the host to ask a few questions.
Lots of photos
A picture is worth a thousand words and goes a long way to show you what you’re in for when you stay, according to Lacey.
“Photos on the listing are essential in understanding what to expect from a guest experience,” he said, but added there was an even better way to get a real look at what a place will be like.
“Not only are there photos from the accommodation provider available, on some of our listings our customers have also uploaded their own photos as part of their reviews,” he said, adding this provided a good combination of viewpoints.
Hidden Red Flag: A listing may have 20 photos but what is important is quality, not quantity. Be wary if the majority of the photos are:
Close-up ‘detail’ pictures (eg. of the bedside table, the couch, the pot plants)
Scenic shots of the surrounding destination/view
Just one room in particular, such as a nice bathroom
Stock photos or images that seem out of place
Cheap rates
Who doesn’t love a great deal? Booking accommodation online is pretty simple thanks to many platforms including a ‘price slider’ that allows you to see available places according to your maximum budget. While some places will add on fees when you try to book in, Lacey confirms the price listed on Booking.com will always be the price you pay and hosts can’t request hidden fees.
Hidden Red Flag: A place is listed for $230 per night online but after enquiring about it, the host offers a $200 per night rate, if you book it off the platform and pay under the table. Do you take the offer? Most experts would advise against this.
By listing on a platform, the host is bound by certain obligations and can be held accountable. However, the moment you take a deal off the platform, guests (and hosts) have very little, if any, protection if things go wrong.
Still in doubt? Ask the host!
Don’t sit on a doubt or question about a listing, instead, simply ask the host. Most platforms, like Booking.com, have a way to contact the host so you can enquire further about the property before booking.
