How to Avoid Bad Airbnb Listings and Get the Most from Your Travel Booking

Your comfort during any stay in a rental experience depends on the questions you ask and clearly communicating your needs to the owner, according to the women of the Yascone family, owners of 11 Airbnb from Stay in Louisville . Here are their pro tips to empower you to have a delightful stay during your travel experience.

The Yascones offer properties throughout Kentucky that are dedicated guest homes, vacation rentals, corporate rentals, or event + stay. The family of female real estate talent was recently signed by Dr. Holly Carter’s Relevé Entertainment,a multi-faceted entertainment company specializing in talent management, brand development and television/film production as part of the development of a new reality TV show
Says Dr. Carter, “These ladies are intense, unfiltered, wildly passionate, hilarious and real. I couldn’t be more excited about working with them.”

The Yascones emphasize that there are no dumb questions, so anything you have sensitivities to or your special should be communicated to the host before booking.

Some of their general booking tips include:

  • Read at least 10 reviews of the property you’re considering.
  • Location! Location! Location! Most Airbnb host will not divulge their address but some will, so why not ask; If they will not give you their address ask for a landmark or cross street information. Also, if you have a destination for example, a convention center ask how far they are from that, before booking.
  • If cleanliness is the most important thing to you then let the host know before checking in. So, they can put the cleaning service on high alert.

 

 

Each Yascone also has their own specific tips to share with travelers.

Faith’s Hacks

  • The best way to pick an Airbnb is they must have exterior shots of the neighborhood, also clear and sometimes overly explained interior. ALWAYS READ EVERYTHING IN THE DESCRIPTION.
  • Remember to ask how cold or warm the central air and heat become so your comfort levels are met.
  • Always ask about parking. Too often properties have inadequate parking or metered street parking. I believe that no question is a dumb question so anything you have sensitivities to or special needs you have to communicate with the host about them prior to booking.

Love’s Hacks

  • Airbnb offers you a chance to experience living as a local. It is a great opportunity to fully experience a community. Great for guest who may be considering moving to a new city.
  • With Airbnb you can experience amenities you may wish to purchase but aren’t fully ready to invest in yet. Having that fully automated “Tokyo TikTok” home may be worth the investment or not. Isn’t it best to find out about products before buying it yourself? You can easily discover what is just cool on vacation and what you can’t do without.
  • If traveling on business, please make note of what you require to get your work complete. Read all the amenities. Some areas may not be able to guarantee Internet service. It is best to read everything and not assume that everything is provided especially if your job depends on it.

Joy’s Hacks

  • Check the amenities and reservation restrictions before booking many Airbnb’s allow you to bring your fur babies but you want to make sure you check house rules before booking. Also, you can always ask a host to consider your pet even if it is restricted.
  • Airbnb VRBO home away or any of the short-term rental platforms are excellent options if you want everyone to stay together and have an experience with more space. Look for enhanced design elements that will elevate your experience.
  • Look for Airbnb guest homes that have keyless entry with security codes to offer ease of check-in.

Matriarch Glenda Yascone:

  • The number 1 thing important for Airbnb Host or Guest is of course Location, Location, Location! The location will dictate the type of guest and the needs of the guest.
  • If you are thinking of investing in purchasing a property to be an Airbnb – try staying in your own space at least once. If you are comfortable, your guest will be comfortable. If you need something in the space your guest will need the same so invest in providing it.

Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel debuts Fredericks for Breakfast and Lunch in San Francisco

The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel in San Francisco recently opened their new eatery called Fredericks.

Fredericks is helmed by Executive Chef Daniel Corey (formerly of Michelin Star LUCE at the InterContinental), paying homage to Frederick C. Clift, the original owner of the property. The restaurant has a black and white floor similar to what adorned the space in the 1920s, as well as neutral walls with exposed brick, also part of the earlier space. The floor itself was the inspiration for the rest of the decor, which features a classical look from the hotel’s original restaurant while echoing the chic feel of modern day San Francisco.

Fredericks has a combination of booth, banquette and square table seating for guests who want to linger, enjoy their meal, and soak up the ambiance. A sampling of the breakfast menu reveals sweet pastries at breakfast such as a Kouign-Amann Baton and savory pastries like the Union Square with Sausage, Hash Browns, Egg & Cheese, as well as tasty offerings such as a Gravlax Plate with Bagel, Salmon, Cream Cheese, Tomato, Red Onion & Capers; Avocado Toast on Sourdough with an 8 Minute Egg; and a California Shakshuka with two Poached Eggs, Tomatoes, Peppers, Cilantro, and Yogurt.

The restaurant also serves lunch, where patrons will find soups and salads including the Kale Salad with Medjool Date, Almonds, Aged White Cheddar and Sherry Vinaigrette, alongside sandwiches and more substantial fare such as Fish Tacos made with Crispy Local Rock Cod, Smoked Jalapeno Crema, &  Marinated Cabbage and a Half-Roasted Chicken with Marble Potatoes and Grilled Lemon.

In addition, in a section with high seating and smaller tables, Fredericks also serves to-go food and drinks – with selections designed to complement the offerings in the Redwood Room – including a high-end coffee program with partner roaster, Peerless, gourmet pastries and snacks, elevated comfort food, and wine, beer and cocktails on tap.

The Clift’s legendary Redwood Room reopened on July 1, 2021 with a new sumptuous food menu, handcrafted cocktails, and a revitalized look. The room retains its namesake redwood walls and glamorous lighting, only undergoing a change in furniture, flooring, and wall art. The new bar is manufactured from an 800-year-old redwood tree found by a custom woodworker in Montana. Also new — original Gustav Klimt paintings [reproductions created by students of Klimt, under his direction] uncovered onsite during the hotel renovations — have been painstakingly restored and re-hung, lending the room an art nouveau ambiance.  Menu items include Warm Orange Pull-Apart Buns with Honey Butter made with honey from The Clift’s own rooftop beehives, Waygu Beef “Double Double” Sliders with White Cheddar and Onion Jam on a Brioche Bun, and Oysters on the Half Shell with Passion Fruit Mignonette and Caviar.  Newer cocktails include an updated Old Fashioned (“The Big Chair”) – a nod to the famed oversized chair that every visitor to The Clift has likely taken a photo with, and “The Mr. Clift”, the lounge’s take on a Manhattan.

More information at:
https://www.redwoodroomsf.com/

Fredericks is open seven days a week, Reservations are not required. https://www.sonesta.com/us/california/san-francisco/clift-royal-sonesta-hotel/fredericks

 

TRAVEL: Dine in the Winter Igloo Garden at Melbourne’s Auburn Hotel

If you find yourself in Melbourne, Australia during its chilly season, then fear not. The Auburn Hotel has brought back it’s Winter Igloo Garden, complete with comfy popup domes and tasty food and drink.

Chill out without getting chilly.

The garden has two different packages based on group size. The packages include the chef’s gourmet tasting board + a chocolate & Melbourne Rooftop Honey fondue to share – paired with your choice of a bespoke American Honey Bourbon cocktail, espresso martini, wine, or Hawthorn pint.

G’Day! (or night)

Find out more here.

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