Comments on: Family House Sitting. Yes or No?

By: Alyson Long for World Travel Family

Alyson Long for World Travel Family — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 11:39:13 +0000

In reply to Liona. I actually think of Airbnb as being like a hotel and wouldn't behave or expect any difference in service. I was really shocked recently to be asked to make the beds and take the trash out after an Airbnb stay. Buy yeah...we rarely use Airbnb, hotels and guest houses work out better for us, even hostels sometimes, but they tend to be more expensive with kids we find.

By: Liona

Liona — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 10:14:09 +0000

A lot of this applies to AirBnb! We have a 1 year old and a 3 year old so we like to have use of a kitchen to feed fussy children. In some places we’ve booked an AirBnb as the only affordable option but I just feel stressed the whole time we’re there. Every mess or spillage is a nightmare and don’t get me started on having other peoples possessions within reach of my children.

By: Alyson Long for World Travel Family

Alyson Long for World Travel Family — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 03:28:46 +0000

In reply to Penny. Thanks for sharing Penny. We only sit for 2 cats we know well in London. I don't think I'd do dogs and I'm a clean freak so messy animals...nooooo.

By: Penny

Penny — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 21:04:44 +0000

We house-sat as a family for a year travelling in Australia (where accommodation is upwards of $200 a night for us!) and, while it worked for us at the time – it took me years to stop having stress-nightmares about the final cleanup when moving on! Or about the animals – because can someone just admit it – animals that require a housesitter are usually the worst-behaved, least-trained, emotionally damaged pets out there!?! I mean there were some delightful pets that didn’t “need” us anymore than to have us feed/clean up after them…but most of them were such nightmares! We had to leave one sit early because the animals (too many of them) were just awful – we stayed in a nearby caravan park so I could still return to feed them. (Housesitting while travelling means you can’t pre-view and meet beforehand to check it out – you often accept a position from the next state!)
I still do it occasionally for holidays if I’m asked – but I don’t want to long-term travel that way again!
Ok rant over, thanks!

By: Alyson Long for World Travel Family

Alyson Long for World Travel Family — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 16:37:01 +0000

In reply to Liz Deacle.

OMG I LOVE hotels! But probably not the hotels people imagine when they think hotel. The cute little guest houses of Asia are heaven to me. Your swanky chain hotels like your Novotels and Marriotts….well they’re OK now and then for a buffet breakfast, but I prefer somewhere with character and somebody else to wash sheets and make beds for me. I have a job and kids and I travel, I have no time for domestic drudgery….or dog poo.