i guess it is definitely worth paying hotel prices sometimes. we have had that problem before as well.
I got a discount on this place b/c I was the first renter -- so there weren't any reviews to go on...kind of a gamble. Some airbnb places are great, and then others have some kinda weird quirk(s)!
The place where I'm staying tonight reeks of mothballs so bad I can hardly breathe. Apparently in an attempt to scare away the mice. (But it's free, so...)
Yeah, "free" can make up for lots of shortcomings.
For lodging, I tend to swing back and forth between being frugal for a while and then, after a few bad experiences, a period where I'm willing to pay more for the little niceties...("Ooh, I'm gonna splurge on a Hampton Inn!"). ;-)