Airbnbfi

April 3, 2012 11:10 AM

Time to revisit the mefi Airbnb group!

About a year ago there was a tiny but enthusiastic post about Airbnb.

However, Airbnb have grown like a boss only in the last year, and while I would love to visit Jessamyn and John, I am sure there's even more mefite landlords and ladies active on the site.

Perhaps even someone in NYC? *twiddles moustache*

posted by Iteki to MetaFilter-Related at 11:10 AM (44 comments total)

I'm not sure there could be two rooms for rent any further apart.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 11:11 AM on April 3, 2012 [2 favorites]

Weird - it seems to be quoting me rates in Swedish krona: "Entire apt kr726 SEK / night." This is like that XKCD comic, right?
posted by exogenous at 11:35 AM on April 3, 2012

Iteki is Swedish, but I'm not getting how that makes the prices in krona, but I see it too.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 11:39 AM on April 3, 2012

If anyone on MeFi has a place in Boston for a weekend, let me know!
posted by Kitteh at 11:40 AM on April 3, 2012

There is also a biggish MeFi group over on Couchsurfing, slightly different ethos, but also free.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 11:42 AM on April 3, 2012 [1 favorite]

Who the hell is John?
posted by grog at 11:43 AM on April 3, 2012

Well, living in Sweden, but it's freaking me out that you are getting the prices in Swedish, I don't see anything in the link that would encourage it to do that for you guys.
posted by Iteki at 11:48 AM on April 3, 2012

Hahahaha, people in NYC don't have spare rooms. All rooms are packed full of people, cats and/or assorted garbage.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:00 PM on April 3, 2012 [6 favorites]

I'm seeing prices in Canadian Dollars. (I'm in Texas.) Something weird going on with their geolocation code?
posted by kmz at 12:08 PM on April 3, 2012

I'm in Louisiana, and getting CAD as well.
posted by Night_owl at 12:12 PM on April 3, 2012

Prices are showing up here in underpants.
posted by gnomes at 12:20 PM on April 3, 2012 [15 favorites]

Something weird going on with their geolocation code?

I'm getting prices listed in my local currency (CAD). Clearly, the real truth is that Canada annexed the US overnight.
posted by asnider at 12:24 PM on April 3, 2012 [3 favorites]

I have spare room. Is in basement. Is no window. Bathroom upstairs, close eight o'clock. Five hundred dollars cash, you can stay.
posted by griphus at 12:34 PM on April 3, 2012

Out of curiosity, has anything changed on airbnb since this incident? Not that anyone should be concerned about that happening between MeFites.
posted by zarq at 12:55 PM on April 3, 2012

Jessamyn's place doesn't have a doorman? What, does she live in a cave or something?
posted by bondcliff at 12:56 PM on April 3, 2012

Not Cave. Lake.
posted by zarq at 1:00 PM on April 3, 2012

Out of curiosity, has anything changed on airbnb since this incident?

Pretty much everything on their Safety page. In particular the $50k insurance.
posted by smackfu at 1:29 PM on April 3, 2012

smackfu: " Pretty much everything on their Safety page. In particular the $50k insurance."

Excellent. They've obviously put a lot of work into it. Thanks!
posted by zarq at 1:45 PM on April 3, 2012

Who the hell is John?

Dunno, but for anyone who is hoping he is in the US, the WA refers to Western Australia, not Washington State, in which there is no West Perth.
posted by bearwife at 2:10 PM on April 3, 2012

All rooms are packed full of people, cats and/or assorted garbage.

Best part about living in the city is how your cats are always in the room with you.
posted by to sir with millipedes at 2:33 PM on April 3, 2012

House has no television or laundry facilities.

Who know who else wanted to know if you needed a TV to understand this?

That's right: jessamyn.
posted by DU at 2:34 PM on April 3, 2012

I get all my teevee through the Slingbox but I'm not so sure my boyfriend would appreciate people who were not me changing his channel all the time, iykwim.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 2:39 PM on April 3, 2012 [1 favorite]

I'm envious of Jessamyn's decorating abilities (and that sweet looking office chair!)
posted by schmod at 2:47 PM on April 3, 2012

I have spare room. Is in basement. Is no window. Bathroom upstairs, close eight o'clock. Five hundred dollars cash, you can stay.
posted by griphus at 3:34 on April 4 [+] [!]

Complementary lotion in the bucket.
posted by arcticseal at 3:28 PM on April 3, 2012 [3 favorites]

Jessamyn's place doesn't have a doorman? What, does she live in a cave or something?
posted by bondcliff at 8:56 PM on April 3 [+] [!]

Not Cave. Lake.
posted by zarq at 9:00 PM on April 3 [+] [!]

Jessamyn lives in a lake? Wait, does she dispense swords to passing mythical royalty?

I'm not sure that's a good thing. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.
posted by Grangousier at 3:41 PM on April 3, 2012 [3 favorites]

I want to steal Elaine's cottage and stay there forever and ever and ever.
posted by deborah at 3:58 PM on April 3, 2012 [1 favorite]

Woo hoo, I have joined the group! My subterranean cave is open for business!

...Actually, I have found that, April through November, renting my extra room out via airbnb has been a real boon to me financially. I have had absolutely no negative experiences (minus an occasional wet bathroom floor).
posted by not_on_display at 4:23 PM on April 3, 2012

I've been thinking about putting my S. Williamsburg, Brooklyn, apartment up on airbnb within the next month or so, since I haven't been working much so far this year and I can stay with my girlfriend for pretty much any duration, but like ThePinkSuperhero notes, I need to solve some clutter/storage issues first. Good to know there's a Metafilter group on there. Thanks! (and memail me if you might be interested in seeing apartment pictures/details, Iteki, assuming Williamsburg fits your needs?)
posted by nobody at 4:44 PM on April 3, 2012

Grangousier: Jessamyn lives in a lake?

Her whole town is in the lake.
posted by not_on_display at 6:51 PM on April 3, 2012 [1 favorite]

I like how many MeFi AirBnBs come with musical instruments!
posted by Miko at 7:48 PM on April 3, 2012

I'm aware of a certain metafilter member who also has a room in NYC on AirBnB. The two of us will have to have a little chat.
posted by medusa at 8:03 PM on April 3, 2012

Best part about living in the city is how your cats are always in the room with you.

Best part about having dogs, regardless of where you live, is that they're always in the room with you.

*scritches ears*
posted by Ufez Jones at 8:52 PM on April 3, 2012 [2 favorites]

We’ve created a marketplace built on trust, transparency and authenticity within our community, and we hold the safety of our community members as our highest priority.

The way it is set up, it would seem the highest priority is Airbnb getting their cut, making sure renter and rentee are unable to cut out the middleman.
posted by Meatbomb at 4:48 AM on April 4, 2012

Don't have a room to rent, but I'm joining as a traveler...
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:01 AM on April 4, 2012

...Although, friends of mine who aren't on MeFi DO have an Airbnb in Brooklyn they rent out.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:12 AM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]

Somewhere in the UK, probably not London.
posted by Meatbomb at 7:55 AM on April 4, 2012

Meatbomb: "The way it is set up, it would seem the highest priority is Airbnb getting their cut, making sure renter and rentee are unable to cut out the middleman."

oh! Thanks. I saw the complaints about not getting details about the other party until the last minute and wondered what that was about. I'd thought maybe it was a privacy thing and couldn't figure out exactly how that would work out.
posted by Karmakaze at 8:45 AM on April 4, 2012

I'm in NYC and am wondering -- can I just do it for a specified time period -- 2 weeks? And can I add dogsitting in the mix for a nicer price? I don't think any of you would mistreat my dog! I just don't!
posted by thinkpiece at 8:45 AM on April 4, 2012

I stayed in a converted bus in rural North Carolina that came with a cat once.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:47 AM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]

I actually do have a place to rent, currently. But I haven't publicly listed it yet out of sheer laziness. (The bar for listings keeps getting higher and higher!) Anyway, if anyone is coming along to Houston, Texas, let me know!
posted by jph at 9:05 AM on April 4, 2012

Hahahaha, people in NYC don't have spare rooms. All rooms are packed full of people, cats and/or assorted garbage.

I have a spare deck. But I give it another 3 months before it's packed full of cats and garbage.
posted by spicynuts at 9:23 AM on April 4, 2012

Clearly, the real truth is that Canada annexed the US overnight.

Oh thank God.
posted by bongo_x at 1:26 PM on April 4, 2012 [2 favorites]

I do have a room in NYC, just joined the airB&B group (Loren and John). It's usually my room we rent out, since I'm usually not there. Hope you enjoy.
posted by lab.beetle at 2:54 PM on April 17, 2012

thinkpiece: "I'm in NYC and am wondering -- can I just do it for a specified time period -- 2 weeks? And can I add dogsitting in the mix for a nicer price? I don't think any of you would mistreat my dog! I just don't!"

You can block out times your space is unavailable, or specify dates of availability, through their calendar function.
posted by not_on_display at 6:34 AM on April 20, 2012