9,529
Life MemberLife Member
9,529

PostJun 22, 2022#151

imran wrote:
Jun 21, 2022
I thought there was accountability in Airbnb like in Uber. If multiple people leave bad reviews the host’s rating goes down. If guests party trash a place they also get flagged in the system.
Usually the hosts aren't the issue and most of the time they don't know that the user is going to have a huge party and if one user gets a bad rating there are 75 other people at the party to host the next one

704
Senior MemberSenior Member
704

PostJun 22, 2022#152

^ Agree, bad hosts are easily avoided if you stick to places that have good reviews. Bad users, as you say, can spring up anytime and you never really know who you are renting to. 

I don't live where my rental property is located so I use Blink cameras outdoors around our entrances to ensure no large gatherings.

405
Full MemberFull Member
405

PostJun 22, 2022#153

I'll also chime in on the apartment-to-Airbnb fiasco.

I'm in the Soulard/LaSalle Park area.  I'm friends with my landlord (long before I moved in) and I'm friendly with the landlord of the building next door.  Both are four-family buildings.  Currently in my building, one unit is Airbnb, and the another unit is becoming Airbnb.  The new one is happening because my friend informed the tenant they could not renew their lease.  If we weren't friends, my landlord would probably ask me to move out, too.  But they have hinted at getting me out at some point in the near future because they see how much money they could be making.

The four-family building next door is similar.  I know at least two of the units are Airbnb, with possibly more coming.  I've talked with both of them about how damaging this can be, but their response is basically if it's not us, someone else will get the money/will do it.

Kind of disheartening, because I agree a few here and there bring an element that a hotel simply can't. But it really is getting out of hand.

2,620
Life MemberLife Member
2,620

PostJun 23, 2022#154

Perhaps instead of the hotel tax a specific bed and breakfast tax could be implemented that funnels money towards the construction of affordable housing

3,235
Life MemberLife Member
3,235

PostJun 23, 2022#155

The AirBnB properties should be taxed at the commercial rate, not the residential rate.

13K
Life MemberLife Member
13K

PostJun 23, 2022#156

Stl Public Radio - Taxes Spike On Dozens Of St. Louis Airbnb Properties

https://news.stlpublicradio.org/economy ... properties

488
Full MemberFull Member
488

PostJun 23, 2022#157

From everything I have heard - people who turn residential into AirBNB find out pretty quickly from the Assessor that they have a new tax rate.

2,037
Life MemberLife Member
2,037

PostJun 23, 2022#158

Hard to have any sympathy for absentee landlords. Hopefully this will curb the trend in airbnbs taking over certain neighborhoods.

3,235
Life MemberLife Member
3,235

PostJun 23, 2022#159

mjbais1489 wrote:From everything I have heard - people who turn residential into AirBNB find out pretty quickly from the Assessor that they have a new tax rate.
That happened recently. Not sure if that was the case always.

6,118
Life MemberLife Member
6,118

PostJun 23, 2022#160

GoHarvOrGoHome wrote:
Jun 23, 2022
Perhaps instead of the hotel tax a specific bed and breakfast tax could be implemented that funnels money towards the construction of affordable housing
Oh, I love it! That'd require a new reg, but it sounds like a solid idea.
Ebsy wrote:Hard to have any sympathy for absentee landlords. Hopefully this will curb the trend in airbnbs taking over certain neighborhoods.
Agreed. This sounds like a pretty good process that is entirely fair.

1,465
Veteran MemberVeteran Member
1,465

PostJun 24, 2022#161

So with the higher rate  air bnbs are generating more tax revenue per housing unit for the city than long term rentals. The loss of affordable units also happens with conversion from duplexes to single families which free market proponents defend. Isn’t air bnb then just another expression of that ‘free’ market?

And why doesn’t this rental shift spur more development and renovations into north City (rhetorical- I know why - it’s just odd to have both vacancy and housing shortage exist in the City at the same time)

677
Senior MemberSenior Member
677

PostJun 24, 2022#162

Good point that they're generating more property tax revenue. But, not necessarily more revenue, as a whole. Don't forget about the earnings tax.

9,529
Life MemberLife Member
9,529

PostJun 24, 2022#163

City has a issue catching large rental apartment building with airbnbs. There is no process for the assessor to ID how many units are used for AirBNB and buildings won't voluntarily give it

1,465
Veteran MemberVeteran Member
1,465

PostJun 24, 2022#164

Tim wrote:
Jun 24, 2022
Good point that they're generating more property tax revenue. But, not necessarily more revenue, as a whole. Don't forget about the earnings tax.
True but only if the renter being displaced goes to rent elsewhere outside the city. While we’re at it though people cycling through on vacation may spend more money on food/ local restaurants and businesses than a long-term resident.

Like most things it comes down to a healthy balance..

692
Senior MemberSenior Member
692

PostAug 29, 2022#165

Is there any data on local hotel occupancy and prices?

I sometimes check what it'd cost to stay downtown for a summer weekend and the numbers are astonishing.

This Saturday night you're not staying downtown for less than $400. Even lesser places like the Red Roof at I-44 and Hampton are ~$200. Must be why the Airbnbs are popping up everywhere.

9,529
Life MemberLife Member
9,529

PostAug 30, 2022#166

Weekends with Cardinals in town are always near sell outs, especially for this august and sept

7,799
Life MemberLife Member
7,799

PostAug 30, 2022#167

Hotels are sold out but they’re not really sold out because they don’t have the staff to clean and support 100% occupancy.

692
Senior MemberSenior Member
692

PostSep 01, 2022#168

It looks like prices are equally insane in Chicago this weekend.

There are plenty of decent looking hotels available in central parts of Paris this weekend for  ~$100/night. Last summer I stayed in a totally fine hotel in central Brussels for $62/night (with a view of the peeing boy fountain, even). Then you have the entirety of Latin America, where $75 is luxurious to almost 4-star quality.

With these crazy hotel prices, a longer trip to Europe isn't much more than a longer trip to Miami, especially if you can use points or otherwise fly cheaply.  All of my recent vacations have been to places where hotels are a fraction of the price as they are here.

Paying $3-400 to stay in a mediocre hotel in St. Louis is nuts.

IDK why this is? Fewer walkable options here? More space devoted to cars instead of housing and hotels? Other countries generally doing a better job with keeping up with demand? 

The numbers don't really seem to be growing at that high of a rate on the Fed's data (https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PCU721110721110). A snapshot of urban hotel prices would maybe be more telling, but IDK where you get that data.

7,799
Life MemberLife Member
7,799

PostSep 01, 2022#169

eee123 wrote:
Sep 01, 2022
It looks like prices are equally insane in Chicago this weekend.

There are plenty of decent looking hotels available in central parts of Paris this weekend for  ~$100/night. Last summer I stayed in a totally fine hotel in central Brussels for $62/night (with a view of the peeing boy fountain, even). Then you have the entirety of Latin America, where $75 is luxurious to almost 4-star quality.

With these crazy hotel prices, a longer trip to Europe isn't much more than a longer trip to Miami, especially if you can use points or otherwise fly cheaply.  All of my recent vacations have been to places where hotels are a fraction of the price as they are here.

Paying $3-400 to stay in a mediocre hotel in St. Louis is nuts.

IDK why this is? Fewer walkable options here? More space devoted to cars instead of housing and hotels? Other countries generally doing a better job with keeping up with demand? 

The numbers don't really seem to be growing at that high of a rate on the Fed's data (https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PCU721110721110). A snapshot of urban hotel prices would maybe be more telling, but IDK where you get that data.
For the second weekend in Chicago the rates for even your base Hampton Inn and Fairfield Inn are $500 or more a night. It’s the marathon weekend and Harry Styles is doing a multiple night residency at the United Center.

Like I said I think hotels are selling out when all the rooms aren’t full. We went to Florida this summer and the hotel we were at was sold out. But you could tell by room lights, breakfast, the pool and parking that it wasn’t at true capacity.

3,957
Life MemberLife Member
3,957

PostSep 02, 2022#170

eee123 wrote:
Sep 01, 2022
It looks like prices are equally insane in Chicago this weekend.

There are plenty of decent looking hotels available in central parts of Paris this weekend for  ~$100/night. Last summer I stayed in a totally fine hotel in central Brussels for $62/night (with a view of the peeing boy fountain, even). Then you have the entirety of Latin America, where $75 is luxurious to almost 4-star quality.

With these crazy hotel prices, a longer trip to Europe isn't much more than a longer trip to Miami, especially if you can use points or otherwise fly cheaply.  All of my recent vacations have been to places where hotels are a fraction of the price as they are here.

Paying $3-400 to stay in a mediocre hotel in St. Louis is nuts.

IDK why this is? Fewer walkable options here? More space devoted to cars instead of housing and hotels? Other countries generally doing a better job with keeping up with demand? 

The numbers don't really seem to be growing at that high of a rate on the Fed's data (https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PCU721110721110). A snapshot of urban hotel prices would maybe be more telling, but IDK where you get that data.
I’m headed to Chicago the weekend of the 17th. I booked months ago and the prices were already crazy.

7,799
Life MemberLife Member
7,799

PostSep 02, 2022#171

jshank83 wrote:
Sep 02, 2022
eee123 wrote:
Sep 01, 2022
It looks like prices are equally insane in Chicago this weekend.

There are plenty of decent looking hotels available in central parts of Paris this weekend for  ~$100/night. Last summer I stayed in a totally fine hotel in central Brussels for $62/night (with a view of the peeing boy fountain, even). Then you have the entirety of Latin America, where $75 is luxurious to almost 4-star quality.

With these crazy hotel prices, a longer trip to Europe isn't much more than a longer trip to Miami, especially if you can use points or otherwise fly cheaply.  All of my recent vacations have been to places where hotels are a fraction of the price as they are here.

Paying $3-400 to stay in a mediocre hotel in St. Louis is nuts.

IDK why this is? Fewer walkable options here? More space devoted to cars instead of housing and hotels? Other countries generally doing a better job with keeping up with demand? 

The numbers don't really seem to be growing at that high of a rate on the Fed's data (https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PCU721110721110). A snapshot of urban hotel prices would maybe be more telling, but IDK where you get that data.
I’m headed to Chicago the weekend of the 17th. I booked months ago and the prices were already crazy.
There are some weekends that are completely undoable in Chicago because the rates are so high. A big enough convention at McCormick place can eat up every hotel in downtown Chicago.

At least with St. Louis
1) the city is smaller
2) we have “rings” of options
With Chicago it’s either downtown or the airports for hotels and that’s it. Staying at Midway or O’Hare can involve 47-75 minute travel times to downtown. Chicago doesn’t have the options these cities do when their downtown is slammed.

St. Louis>Brentwood/Clayton
Atlanta>Buckhead
Nashville>West End
KC> Westport
MSP>Bloomington

3,235
Life MemberLife Member
3,235

PostSep 02, 2022#172

eee123 wrote:Is there any data on local hotel occupancy and prices?

I sometimes check what it'd cost to stay downtown for a summer weekend and the numbers are astonishing.

This Saturday night you're not staying downtown for less than $400. Even lesser places like the Red Roof at I-44 and Hampton are ~$200. Must be why the Airbnbs are popping up everywhere.
There is a big convention coming into town over the weekend

6,118
Life MemberLife Member
6,118

PostSep 03, 2022#173

^We went to Sushi Ai this evening and there were a fair few people walking around with laminates. I figured there had to be something up. Wasn't super busy, but it wasn't dead.

1,155
Expert MemberExpert Member
1,155

PostSep 09, 2022#174

Our first look at the renovated rooms at Hilton At The Arch. Pretty disappointing IMO. No photos of the lobby yet.




PostSep 09, 2022#175

Also, here's the newly renovated rooms at the Four Seasons St. Louis


Read more posts (176 remaining)