Comparing Airbnb and traditional accommodation experiences using text-mining methods – the hedonic and utilitarian values framework

Abstract

In recent years, Airbnb has disrupted the accommodation industry, becoming both a valid alternative and a serious competitor to traditional accommodation. Understanding the consumer values associated with Airbnb and hotel accommodations is critical to comprehending travellers’ preferences for the one or the other. This study illuminates the utilitarian and hedonic aspects of travellers’ accommodation experiences with Airbnb and hotels and compares their roles and constitutions. We further examine which aspects elicit satisfaction and dissatisfaction, uncovering the qualities and weaknesses of the accommodation types. Using text-mining methods (STM, sentiment analysis), we analysed 437,820 web-scraped reviews from travellers who stayed at an Airbnb or a hotel via Booking.com in Prague, Czechia. We found that hedonic values – the host, neighbourhood ambiance, enjoyment, and homeliness – are the distinguishing aspects of Airbnb experiences, while utilitarian categories associated with convenience – room comfort, food and drink, and cost-effectiveness – distinguish hotel experiences. We further found that the key quality of one form of accommodation is simultaneously the main weakness of the other: in hotels, the main source of satisfaction is the room, and the main dissatisfying aspect the staff, while in Airbnb, the host elicits only positive sentiments, and the room is the main source of dissatisfaction. We also revealed a substantive common base of the experiences. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.