I’ve been doing a lot of travel research lately, daydreaming about taking a trip just to get away and have a few days of peace with no one riding my $#-$. I get overwhelmed and discouraged very quickly, and my nerves are usually completely frazzled. I’ve been spending hours looking at rooms in different places, especially NYC, and honestly, just looking at Airbnb listings gives me dry heaves and puts my stomach in knots. Airbnb was great in the beginning, until people with no business sense or experience in the hospitality industry started opening up shop in mass. Now, you typically don’t see anything but hassles, threats, and hidden charges. I’ve been reading people’s experiences on the Airbnb Reddit channel, and I am getting real turned off by them.

It’s very discouraging to read through all the bitchy wording on these listings. You check in, and there’s a 30-page book of rules, and if you inadvertently break one of them, you’re fined out the yin-yang. One listing I saw said internet traffic is monitored, and if there is makeup on a towel, you are charged a $15 fine. Then there is the host who explicitly stated no guests are allowed and uses cameras to make sure you are in compliance. I even read an article where a woman was charged an additional $925 just for using the pool table, Wi-Fi, TV, and microwave. What happened to basic privacy and hospitality?And don’t even get me started on the chores. You pay an outrageous cleaning fee, but they still expect you to do the laundry and clean up before you leave. I absolutely hate that. If I am paying to get away, I don’t want a chore list. Airbnb finally realized they need to stop letting hosts make guests do laundry and hide these “junk fees,” but the damage to their reputation is done.

There is also the constant anxiety that an amateur host can leave you high and dry by canceling your booking at the last minute. I read about a guest who got locked out of their rental and the host didn’t respond until they already had to leave for their flight 4. It’s just like buying tickets on a budget airline that goes out of business right before your trip; you’re left to fend for yourself . As someone who suffers from anxiety, it’s just not worth losing your peace of mind to save a few dollars.

When you book a hotel, you typically don’t have to worry about if they are going to follow through.This is exactly why hotels are better in every way. With a hotel, you get a consistent and uniform level of service, which is very important to me. I domt like wild cards. Who does? When staying at a hotel you don’t have to deal with these kinds of hassles or a host who treats you like you’re an inconvenience.

Someone on Reddit made a good point that hotels are much better for short stays. I also love using the Hilton Honors app, where you can pick your own room, get an electronic key, and check out right from the app—it’s so nice and modern, and you don’t even have to deal with people if you don’t want to. You just get a clean room, a comfortable bed, and the ability to take a hot bath in peace.

For me, a hotel room is a sanctuary. I can lock the door, be completely alone, and not have anyone questioning me as I come and go. I’ll gladly pay for the predictability of a hotel over the stress, surveillance, and drama of an Airbnb.