thougths on Airbnb for BKK?

[fedssocr]

I'm in trip planning mode so I started looking at accommodation options for Bangkok. I took a look at Airbnb and there are some nice condos. I preliminarily booked a place at Ashton Chula-Silom which is on Rama IV near the Samyan MRT so quite close to Patpong area. 

While I have stayed in several Airbnb's in various places around the world I am a bit concerned about the legal status of Airbnb in Thailand. The place I booked has great reviews which does make me a little more comfortable. And I like the idea of the 49th floor pool deck with panoramic views of the city. But I live in a condo that doesn't allow Airbnb rentals and I understand the reasons why. So I am conflicted about staying in someone else's condo building where short term rentals are likely not allowed.

For around the same price I could stay at the Amara Bangkok which looks like it's new and in a good location on Surawong. The only thing I would give up is the kitchen and washing machine which is something I like to have for such a long stay (2 weeks +). Maybe I need to look at serviced apartments again...

 

[tm_nyc]

You have already checked the AirBNB reviews of the place.  If there are a decent number of reviews & if there is no mention access problems by other renters, then you should be OK.

I stayed in an AirBNB in a condo building on Silom Soi 3.  The location was excellent & the studio apartment was a decent size & quite comfortable.  Both the building & the apartment were well-maintained but a bit dated & tired looking.  The management was aware of my AirBNB status & there were no problems about that.  There was a rooftop pool that I rarely used & a 'gym' with equipment that mostly did not work.  But, no cleaning service at all during my 2-week stay &, if I wanted clean sheets, it was up to me to launder them & make the bed myself.  That was the only thing I did not like.  

[vinapu]

1 hour ago, tm_nyc said:

But no cleaning service at all during my 2-week stay &, if I wanted clean sheets, it was up to me to launder them & make the bed myself.  That was the only thing I did not like.  

I never stay at AirBNB anywhere but  my understanding would be that if I rent an apartment it is all I get- an apartment only  and all other services like cleaning, changing towels or bed, cooking breakfast etc,. are on me.

Isn't it how it works ? Honest question, not trying to be smart

[Boy69]

9 minutes ago, vinapu said:

I never stay at AirBNB anywhere but  my understanding would be that if I rent an apartment it is all I get- an apartment only  and all other services like cleaning, changing towels or bed, cooking breakfast etc,. are on me.

Isn't it how it works ? Honest question, not trying to be smart

I think that's how it works.I usually stay between 3 weeks to one month every trip and somehow wasting my time on cleaning, laundry and cooking isn't appealing to me. I know some prefer service apartments or Airbnb but I never understood  what is the adventage of it in a country where the hotels have an excellent value for money . 

[reader]

If you are a long-term (4 weeks or more) visitor, Airbnb can be economical and convenient. Monthly rates are substantially lower than for shorter stays. The washer I find is a great convenience. You have to launder towels and bedding to meet your needs. Food is not included.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, reader said:

If you are a long-term (4 weeks or more) visitor, Airbnb can be economical and convenient. Monthly rates are substantially lower than for shorter stays. The washer I find is a great convenience. You have to launder towels and bedding to meet your needs. Food is not included.

Is it normal to rent these with costs of electricity etc included or extra ?

 

8 hours ago, fedssocr said:

While I have stayed in several Airbnb's in various places around the world I am a bit concerned about the legal status of Airbnb in Thailand. The place I booked has great reviews which does make me a little more comfortable. And I like the idea of the 49th floor pool deck with panoramic views of the city. But I live in a condo that doesn't allow Airbnb rentals and I understand the reasons why. So I am conflicted about staying in someone else's condo building where short term rentals are likely not allowed.

If you were to bring any "trade" back, I guess that's going to draw the attention of security to you as well.
On the other hand, as long as there are no T&C in your terms prohibiting this, I guess that's the landlord's problem.  

[reader]

Never been charged for any utilities.

Never had an issue with bringing back guests.

 

[10tazione]

Staying in an Airbnb, can we assume the landlord will do the necessary reporting to the immigration police? And can it lead to any problems if he does not?

[macaroni21]

4 minutes ago, 10tazione said:

Staying in an Airbnb, can we assume the landlord will do the necessary reporting to the immigration police? And can it lead to any problems if he does not?

No landlord will do any reporting as it may well be self-incriminating. See this article about the legality of AirBnB rentals: https://freshbangkok.com/is-airbnb-illegal-in-thailand/

While this article speaks about how AirBnB rentals rely on the relative neglect of the authorities, the current reality may make it a little riskier. Reader pasted a Bangkok Post story just hours earlier "Lack of flights, rising fuel costs mar revival" (see page 2 of thread Air Fares to Thailand) which mentioned that Thai hotels' average occupancy rate is currently just 34%. They must be bleeding red ink and this may motivate them to complain loudly to the government to put a stop to competition from AirBnBs.

 

 

[paulsf]

I’ve been using Airbnb for the past 10 years.   My trips are more than a month.   Stays over 30 days are legal. Stays less than 30 days tolerated. Some places won’t accept less than 30 days. It’s up to management. Police don’t get involved.     Most rentals include utilities  and now more and more places are getting smart tv’s which is a nice touch.   I like having separate bedroom..putting clothes into the washer in my kitchen isn’t much of a chore.    Cleaning can be an issue.  Most condo owners have a cleaning person.  Every 2-3 weeks I’ll have someone come in and do a heavy clean. I pay $15.    
Place I usually stay has security guy and he could care less who you bring back.    I get swimming pool to myself during work hours as most residents are at work.  If I was only staying a week or two, I’d probably stay in a hotel.    For me Airbnb works best, I only stay in a hotel on my arrival night , which is usually around midnight.   

[maump]

I did Airbnb  in Pattaya in 2016, Dubai 2020 and 2 in Colombia recently.  I have been looking at them as a home base for a longer trip to Thailand (a place to leave most of my stuff if I do shorter trips to other locations over my 2 month stay).

If you want cleaning, laundry, ask the host.  most have a cleaner who will (for a fee) come in.  In Pattaya (Talay 2A), I had them in once a week for 200b (that was 2016).  the cleaner swapped sheets and towel and did dishes, mopped etc, about 1 hr in the apartment.  Also, there was an inexpensive laundry service in the building (but I had my long-term take it where he knew for cheap).  The Condo 24 hr "guard" would do the ID thing if you brought your guest over to his desk.  For longer stays, I have seen the airbnb listing to say fee plus water and electric and mention unit cost.  

In Dubai they had full hotel like service every other day (it seemed to me more like a hotel or serviced apart).

In Colombia, one did it for a small fee, the other wanted too much, so I paid a money boy extra to clean.

Regards legality... my next door neighbor is doing it illegally. If no one complains to the local authorities, the owners have no problem.  Don't know about guarded condos but it would seem to me if the people cause no problem it is not in the best interest to make problems for their owner/members.

[Milk78]

I have not stayed in an AirBnB in BKK as I have found the hotels to be as good value for a week/ 2 week stay. I do like having the option of a kitchen and washing machine, but it is so cheap to eat out, that as long as the hotel room has a fridge i can use to keep beer cold then I find i don't use the kitchen anyway. 

I have stayed in AirBnBs in Chiang Mai which are fantastic value and much larger spaces than in BKK. These places often have "security" at the gate but they have never even raised their head when I walk in - let alone if I walk in with a boy! 

I did stay in one place in Chiang Mai that had a notice up in the lobby about not allowing short term rentals via AirBnb. This was clearly not monitored at all as there were large numbers of guests in the lobby with suitcases coming and going all the time. I didn't know about the no AirBnB when I booked it and there were no reviews to suggest that there was an issue with short term lets. So, it seems that some places do have "restrictions" in place but probably not monitored in any way. I would certainly back up the advice here to thoroughly check the reviews that have been posted. 

 

4 hours ago, z909 said:

Is it normal to rent these with costs of electricity etc included or extra ?

In my research - utilities tend to be included for short rental periods (up to two weeks) but for extended times utilities are often charged extra but not always. Pattaya, which i have been looking at quite a bit recently seems particularly keen on this - month long stays utilities are charged on top, electricity especially.

On the whole though, I find hotels so cheap in Thailand that the potential saving on AirBnb is much less attractive. And there are a selection of hotel options that are really like serviced apartments and have the extra services included. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, 10tazione said:

Staying in an Airbnb, can we assume the landlord will do the necessary reporting to the immigration police? And can it lead to any problems if he does not?

If you go to apply for a 30 day extension, it's much easier when immigration check on the computer system and your hotel or condo owner has already done the reporting. 

[EricV]

paulsf has it right: it's not AirBnB that's illegal in Thailand, it's short-term rentals of less than 30 days. Long-term rentals on Airbnb are no issue.

Even if it hasn't been enforced in the past, it only takes one upset tenant/owner in the building to cause a stink and get you into trouble...

There are now a number of serviced apartment buildings in Bangkok, so if you want to be on the safe side AND have a kitchen, laundry, etc it's easier than it used to be...

[alexa800]

It's been a while since your post, but I wanted to offer some insight. I get where you’re coming from. I once stayed in a high-rise condo for a work trip, and while the views from the 50th floor were incredible, I was also worried about the legality of short-term rentals. I ended up feeling more at ease knowing that the building had clear rules and my host was upfront about everything.

The Amara Bangkok sounds like a solid choice, especially if you’re after a new place in a good location. I’ve had good experiences with serviced apartments myself, and they often strike a nice balance between the amenities of a hotel and the comfort of a rental. Plus, if you’re into the business class experience, it’s worth noting that staying in a well-rated place can make your whole trip smoother and more enjoyable. If you’re comfortable with a hotel’s services and location, it might be worth considering, especially for a two-week stay.