The romance with Airbnb has officially ended for many seasoned travelers. What once promised authentic local experiences and budget-friendly alternatives to chain hotels has morphed into something unrecognizable. As I reflect on my recent trips to major cities, the pattern becomes clear: sky-high fees, complicated regulations, and disappointing experiences have pushed me toward better alternatives.
This shift isn’t just personal preference. It’s backed by hard data and real market forces that are reshaping how we travel in 2025.
The Great Airbnb Exodus Is Real
The numbers tell a compelling story. Reventure Consulting CEO Nick Gerli’s analysis showed revenues dropping nearly 50% in cities like Phoenix and Austin between May 2022 and May 2023. Cities including San Antonio, Nashville, Denver, New Orleans, Seattle and Orlando saw revenues drop at least 34.8%. This isn’t just market fluctuation – it’s a fundamental shift.
In today’s real estate landscape, investors think twice before investing in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. They are abandoning real estate in these big cities because the consequences of not complying with regulations can be severe. When even property investors are fleeing major urban markets, it signals deeper problems ahead.
Regulatory Stranglehold Tightens
Major cities have declared war on short-term rentals, and they’re winning. New York’s Local Law 18, implemented in September 2023, requires hosts to register with the city and prove they live in the unit being rented. This added red tape undermines the flexibility that once defined Airbnb and has become a major barrier for everyday property managers.
The implementation of Local Law 18 in September 2023 was swift and dramatic, causing the number of active short-term rental listings in the city to plummet by over 90%. These aren’t isolated incidents – they’re part of a coordinated effort across major metropolitan areas.
The regulatory landscape has become so hostile that over the past few years, Airbnb and Vrbo have faced increasing restrictions and even outright bans from some local governments who say the platforms have worsened housing affordability.
The Hidden Fee Nightmare
Remember when Airbnb listings showed honest pricing? Those days are gone. A recent search revealed an entire guest suite in Denver for just $55 per night. However, the total cost for a two-night weekend stay ended up being $254.25, far above the expected $110, because of hidden fees.
The highest cleaning fee found was $129 for an apartment in Lakewood. These aren’t outliers – they’re becoming the norm. A June 2022 NerdWallet analysis found that the median cleaning fee per listing for a one-night stay was $75, with cleaning fees amounting to about 25% of the total price paid. Almost 40% of listings had cleaning fees from 20% to 29.9% of list price.
The psychological impact is brutal. You see an attractive nightly rate, get excited, then feel deceived at checkout when the total nearly doubles.
Quality Control Has Vanished
Airbnb has reportedly removed significant numbers of listings from its platform as part of quality improvements. This decision was part of a broader push to raise quality standards and eliminate underperforming or non-compliant properties. The fact that they needed to purge such a massive number of properties speaks volumes about the quality crisis.
Travelers who used the platform in 2016 paid $41 a night to stay on an air mattress in someone’s basement apartment, an experience that seems impossible in 2025. “When I think about Airbnb now, a lot of it is more kind of absentee landlords. Back in 2015, 2016 – there was a lot more to like the social aspect of it.”
The personal touch that made Airbnb special has been replaced by commercial operations that lack the charm of genuine hospitality.
My Go-To Alternative: Professional Hotel Chains
Here’s what I’ve discovered: luxury hotels around the world can be at a similar price point to an Airbnb, with entirely private units, pools, and even washers and dryers with all of the added benefits of a hotel, like room service, kids clubs, and restaurants. The value proposition has completely flipped.
By booking with a travel agent, you can often get extra benefits like resort credits, hotel loyalty points, and even free room upgrades. These perks alone often exceed what you’d save on a comparable Airbnb after all fees are included.
Hotels offer predictable experiences, professional service, and transparent pricing – exactly what Airbnb has abandoned.
Booking.com for Apartment-Style Stays
When I need more space or kitchen facilities, Booking.com has jumped into the vacation rental industry. You can book apartments and vacation rentals with their easy-to-use interface. You won’t have much interaction with the host, so what you’ll get is an apartment with the booking and check-in process of a hotel.
Booking.com is a go-to because of the sheer number of options available. Sites like Airbnb typically have much more limited properties available, but Booking.com has millions of listings for everything from hotel rooms to luxury chalets. The competition drives better prices and higher quality.
Most importantly, what you see is what you pay – no surprise cleaning fees or last-minute add-ons.
Extended Stay Hotels for Longer Trips
For longer stays that once made Airbnb attractive, “Marriott Homes” is an accommodation solution for long-term travelers looking for the conveniences of home with the luxuries of a hotel stay. This offers furnished apartment rentals where you can book extended stays in an apartment-style arrangement without sacrificing comfort or convenience.
Extended hotel stays have become more popular. On Booking.com, guests can now book stays of more than 30 nights on the same reservation. These days, travelers are using Booking much more for long-term stays in hotels and apartment rentals.
The reliability and service standards of established hotel brands far exceed what most Airbnb hosts can provide, especially for extended periods.
Major cities have fundamentally changed the Airbnb landscape through regulation and market saturation. The platform that once disrupted traditional hospitality has become expensive, unreliable, and increasingly irrelevant for urban travel. The alternatives offer better value, more predictable experiences, and transparent pricing – everything that made Airbnb appealing in the first place.
The future of urban accommodation belongs to professional hospitality providers who understand service standards and honest pricing. What do you think – have you made the switch away from Airbnb too? Tell us in the comments.