What's the secret to choosing a good Airbnb or VRBO? I've had three bad experiences now with dirty places, uncommunicative or overly friendly hosts, and once a really unsafe neighborhood that the host described as "walkable." I think I can be a bit naive when it comes to believing what I see in photos or descriptions.

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Reviews, check google maps and street view

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Maybe stick with hotels?

We always look for places that have multiple reviews, staying away from ones where someone has pointed out the place being dirty (kitchen, bathroom, linens). We always rent “entire place” so we’re not sharing spaces with the owners.
If reviews mention the host being uncommunicative, or anything about a sketchy neighborhood, those are red flags.
And we always check Google maps to scope out the area, looking for restaurants, shops, etc within walking distance.
Some pictures and descriptions are deceptive but for the most part, our rentals have been pretty true to what we see in pictures. Except the tiny place we rented on the roof across from the Duomo in Florence, Italy. It was listed as the tiniest apartment with the biggest view. That was not a lie.

Unfortunately gone are the days of getting a really nice guest room with a friendly owner for $40/night, or decent whole house for $100. So many listings now are corporate and the value is competitive with hotels

I pick only Super Hosts

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