accommodation-evaluator

# Accommodation Evaluator ## When to Use Use this skill when the user's primary need is **evaluating, comparing, or scoring specific accommodation options** against each other or against personal criteria. **Trigger scenarios:** - User has 2-4 specific listings in hand (hotel rooms, vacation rentals, hostels) and needs a structured comparison - User is deciding between accommodation types (e.g., "Should I book a hotel or apartment for this trip?") and needs pros/cons plus a scoring framework - User wants to know what questions to ask a host or hotel before booking, or what red flags to look for in a listing - User is evaluating a single vacation rental listing and wants to know if it's legitimate, fairly priced, and a good fit - User needs to calculate the true all-in cost of accommodations that advertise different fee structures (one shows $89/night, another shows $150/night with breakfast included) - User is choosing between accommodation tiers -- economy vs. mid-range vs. boutique -- and needs a value analysis framework - User needs criteria-based guidance for a specific trip type (family travel, remote work stay, accessibility requirements, large group) - User asks "Is this Airbnb price fair?" or "What should I look for in a hostel?" or "How do I know if this rental is a scam?" **Do NOT use when:** - User needs end-to-end trip planning (use `trip-itinerary-builder` -- that skill coordinates accommodation within the full itinerary context) - User's primary question is about budget allocation across the full trip, not accommodation evaluation (use `budget-travel-planner`) - User wants to know the best time to book or how far in advance to reserve (this skill evaluates options, not booking windows -- use booking strategy guidance separately) - User is searching for options and has no listings yet (this skill evaluates; it does not search or recommend specific properties) - User is evaluating a property for purchase or long-term lease as real estate (use personal finance or real estate skills) - User asks only about flight accommodation (connecting flight layovers with hotel stays -- use `airfare-search-strategy`) - User is asking about loyalty program strategy (points valuation, status matching, credit card benefits) -- that is a separate redemption optimization topic --- ## Process ### Step 1: Gather Accommodation Intelligence Before scoring anything, collect the variables that determine what "good" means for this specific trip. Do not assume defaults. - **Trip parameters:** Destination city and preferred neighborhood or district; exact dates (check-in and check-out); number of nights; number of guests broken down by adults, children (with ages), and infants - **Budget clarity:** Ask for budget as a per-night target AND a total-stay ceiling -- these often conflict once fees are added. Distinguish between "I want to spend $150/night" and "I cannot spend more than $1,200 total under any circumstances" - **Travel purpose:** Business travel, leisure, romantic trip, family vacation, extended remote work, group celebration, medical travel, backpacking. Purpose determines which criteria matter most - **Non-negotiables (deal-breakers):** These eliminate options before scoring begins. Common examples: must have air conditioning (critical in tropical destinations above 28°C/82°F), must allow pets, must be wheelchair accessible, must have a dedicated workspace with reliable internet (critical for remote workers), must have parking, must not require a car, ground floor only, private bathroom required - **Stated priorities:** Ask the user to rank these five dimensions in order: Location, Price/Value, Space, Amenities, and Flexibility. Their ranking directly determines scoring weights - **Existing options:** Get the specific listings or accommodation types the user is considering. If they have listing URLs or descriptions, analyze those; if they have only general types, help them define evaluation criteria before applying them ### Step 2: Set Weights Based on Stated Priorities Convert the user's priority ranking into a 1-5 weight scale. The highest-ranked priority gets weight 5; the lowest gets weight 1. Middle ranks get 2, 3, and 4 respectively. If two priorities are equal, assign the same weight. **The six evaluation dimensions and what each actually measures:** - **Location (weight 1-5):** Not just "is it central" but proximity to the specific things this trip requires. For a beach vacation, beachfront vs. 10-minute walk is the meaningful gradient. For business travel, proximity to the conference venue and airport transport matters. Assess: walkability score, transit access, neighborhood safety at night, noise level (avoid properties on major arterials, near nightlife districts, or under flight paths unless stated otherwise), and parking access if renting a car - **Price/Value (weight 1-5):** True cost per night after all fees, divided by what that cost delivers in quality and included services. A $200/night hotel with breakfast, daily housekeeping, pool, and gym is often better value than a $130/night apartment with a $90 cleaning fee, no included services, and self-catering costs - **Space/Layout (weight 1-5):** Total square footage matters less than usable layout. Evaluate: number of bedrooms relative to party size, number of bathrooms (critical for groups of 4+), presence of living room or common area separate from sleeping area, kitchen size and equipment level, outdoor space (balcony, terrace, garden), and storage space for luggage on longer stays - **Amenities (weight 1-5):** Score based on what the trip actually needs. A kitchen is high-value on a 10-night stay but nearly irrelevant on a 2-night city break. Amenities that change the trip's economics or daily experience: full kitchen (grocery vs. restaurant costs), laundry (critical for stays over 7 nights or with children), dedicated workspace with desk and monitor-level lighting, pool/fitness center, parking, cribs or child safety equipment, air conditioning or reliable heating - **Reviews/Reputation (weight 1-5):** Quality and pattern of reviews, not just the aggregate score. Hotel review ecosystems (TripAdvisor, Booking.com, Google) and vacation rental ecosystems (Airbnb, Vrbo) have different score calibrations -- a 4.3 on Booking.com is excellent; a 4.3 on Airbnb is a warning sign. Evaluate: total review count, review recency (last 6 months matters more than older reviews), consistency across platforms, how management responds to negative reviews, and whether reviews address the specific things you care about - **Flexibility (weight 1-5):** The financial risk profile of the booking. Free cancellation to 24-48 hours before is ideal. Moderate policies (free cancellation 7-14 days out) are acceptable. Strict policies (50% non-refundable immediately, no refund within 30 days) represent real financial risk, especially for trips more than 4 weeks out or for travelers with unpredictable schedules. Weight flexibility higher if: the trip is long in the future, the traveler has health or family unpredictability, or if travel insurance is not in place ### Step 3: Score Each Option on Every Dimension For each accommodation option, assign a raw score of 1-5 on each dimension: - **5 -- Exceeds needs:** Materially better than required. A family needing 2 bedrooms gets 3 bedrooms; beachfront property when beach proximity is the goal - **4 -- Meets needs comfortably:** Fits requirements with minor extras. Good location, no concerns - **3 -- Adequate:** Meets the minimum threshold. Acceptable but not impressive. A workspace that is technically a desk in the corner of the bedroom - **2 -- Below expectations:** A gap exists that will affect the experience. A 15-minute walk to the beach for a beach trip; a studio apartment for 4 adults - **1 -- Fails to meet needs:** A disqualifying problem in this dimension, though not necessarily a deal-breaker if the criterion is weighted low Calculate the weighted score for each dimension: raw score x weight. Sum all weighted scores for each option's total. Maximum possible score = sum of all weights x 5. Express as a fraction (e.g., 78/100) where the denominator is max possible score. ### Step 4: Run the Red-Flag Screening Protocol Apply this checklist independently for every option, regardless of how well it scored. A high-scoring option with red flags should trigger explicit caution in the recommendation. **Pricing red flags:** - Price more than 30-40% below comparable properties in the same neighborhood and date range -- most common scam indicator for rentals - Cleaning fee that exceeds 50% of one night's rate (e.g., $150 cleaning fee on a $100/night property for a 3-night stay) -- this is a fee-hiding practice - "Resort fee" or "facility fee" not disclosed in the listing headline price, discovered only at checkout -- common in Las Vegas, Miami, New York hotels; can add $30-60/night - Pricing that changes dramatically between the listing page and checkout without clear itemization **Listing quality red flags:** - Stock photos or images with metadata suggesting they are from a photo bank rather than the actual property - Fewer than 8-10 photos for a full apartment or house listing (a legitimate host has nothing to hide) - No photo of the bathroom, the beds, or the street/entrance - Listing description uses vague language like "cozy" (often means very small) or "close to everything" without specific distances - Property labeled "newly renovated" but photos show worn fixtures -- misrepresentation risk - Description mentions amenities (washer, dishwasher, AC) not visible in any photos **Review red flags:** - All reviews are 5 stars with generic text ("Great place! Would come back!" with no specifics) -- potential review manipulation - No reviews mentioning anything negative, even minor issues -- statistically improbable for any real property - Sudden cluster of positive reviews in a short window after a period of negative reviews -- possible review gaming - Reviews that mention the listing "not as described" or "smaller than expected" -- take this seriously; it indicates a persistent accuracy issue - Host never responds to negative reviews -- indicates low accountability - Review score below 4.0 on Airbnb or Vrbo (these platforms have score inflation; below 4.0 is genuinely poor) - Review score below 7.5 on Booking.com (different scale; 8.0+ is good, 7.5-8.0 is acceptable, below 7.5 is concerning) **Policy red flags:** - Payment requested outside the booking platform (wire transfer, Zelle, crypto) -- this is almost always a scam - Security deposit that seems disproportionate to the property value (e.g., $1,000 deposit on a $100/night studio) - Cancellation policy is "non-refundable" by default with no moderate option offered - Check-in requires an in-person key handoff with no backup procedure described -- creates stranded-traveler risk - No clear process for reporting maintenance issues or emergencies during the stay **Communication red flags:** - Host does not respond within 24 hours to a direct question -- a reliable host responds within 2-6 hours during waking hours - Evasive or scripted responses that don't actually answer specific questions - Host pressures you to book quickly ("someone else is interested") before you have your questions answered -- this is a classic scam tactic - Host asks you to communicate outside the platform after initial contact (email only, WhatsApp only) -- removes the booking platform's dispute resolution protections ### Step 5: Calculate True Cost The advertised nightly rate is never the total cost. Build a complete fee ledger for each option. **Fee components to calculate:** 1. **Base rate:** Advertised nightly rate x number of nights 2. **Cleaning fee:** One-time for vacation rentals; typically $50-200 for apartments; $150-400 for houses. Note that this fee does not scale with nights -- a $120 cleaning fee on a 2-night stay adds $60/night but only $17/night on a 7-night stay 3. **Service or platform fee:** Booking.com typically charges nothing to the guest (it's hotel-side); Airbnb charges guests 14-16% of the subtotal; Vrbo charges 6-12% guest fee. These are significant 4. **Resort or facility fee:** Hotels in tourist-heavy markets (Las Vegas, Miami, New York, Cancun, Hawaii) charge $25-65/night on top of the room rate. This is separate from the room rate and often not shown until checkout on OTA sites 5. **Parking:** Urban hotels commonly charge $25-60/night for parking in North America and Europe; this is often not included even at full-service hotels. Vacation rentals in suburban or rural areas often include free parking 6. **Tourist/city tax:** Many European cities (Amsterdam, Rome, Barcelona, Paris) and some US cities charge a per-person-per-night tax of €1-7 per person. For a family of 4 over 7 nights, this can add $56-200 7. **Additional guest fees:** Some vacation rentals charge per-person above a base occupancy (e.g., base rate for 2 guests, $15/night per additional guest). Check the listing's guest capacity carefully 8. **Kitchen savings (if applicable):** For stays of 5+ nights where a kitchen is available, estimate grocery spend vs. equivalent restaurant spend. A family of 4 eating out three meals/day in Europe can spend $150-200/day; cooking breakfast and lunch at home reduces this to $50-80/day in groceries. Over 7 nights, this is a $700-840 true savings that should offset a slightly higher rental rate 9. **Total true cost = sum of all above fees for the full stay** 10. **True cost per night = total true cost / number of nights** Always present the true cost per night alongside the advertised rate. The gap is often 20-50%. ### Step 6: Generate Recommendation and Booking Checklist The recommendation must directly address the user's stated priorities and the red-flag findings. Structure it as: - **Top choice with explicit reasoning:** Which option scores highest when weighted scores, true cost, and red-flag status are all considered together. Do not recommend a highest-scoring option that has an unresolved red flag without flagging the risk - **Conditions under which the runner-up would be better:** There is almost always a scenario (trip gets extended, budget tightens, flexibility becomes important) where the second option wins - **Avoidance recommendation if warranted:** If any option has a red flag that is serious enough to constitute a scam risk or high probability of misrepresentation, say so directly - **Booking checklist:** A specific set of pre-booking verification actions tailored to the accommodation type and the specific issues identified during evaluation. Not generic; each item should address a specific risk or uncertainty identified during the analysis --- ## Output Format ``` ## Accommodation Comparison **Destination:** [city and neighborhood/district] **Dates:** [check-in date] to [check-out date] ([N] nights) **Guests:** [number and breakdown: e.g., 2 adults, 2 children ages X and Y] **Budget target:** $[per night] / $[total stay ceiling] **Travel purpose:** [e.g., family beach vacation, remote work stay, business trip] **Top priority:** [stated #1 priority from user ranking] --- ### Evaluation Criteria (Weighted) | Criterion | Weight (1-5) | Reasoning | |-----------|-------------|-----------| | Location | [1-5] | [specific reason this trip needs this weight -- name the key location requirement] | | Price/Value | [1-5] | [specific reason based on budget tightness and included services] | | Space/Layout | [1-5] | [specific reason based on party size, trip length, travel purpose] | | Amenities | [1-5] | [name the specific amenities that matter: kitchen, workspace, laundry, etc.] | | Reviews | [1-5] | [why reliability matters or doesn't at this level for this trip] | | Flexibility | [1-5] | [specific risk factors: trip timing, cancellation risk, insurance status] | | **Max possible score** | [sum x 5] | | --- ### Side-by-Side Comparison | Criterion | Wt | [Option A: Type + Name/Description] | Raw | Wtd | [Option B: Type + Name/Description] | Raw | Wtd | [Option C: Type + Name/Description] | Raw | Wtd | |-----------|----|------------------------------------|-----|-----|-------------------------------------|-----|-----|-------------------------------------|-----|-----| | Location | [W] | [specific detail: distance to key destination, transit access, neighborhood] | [1-5] | [WxS] | [specific detail] | [1-5] | [WxS] | [specific detail] | [1-5] | [WxS] | | Price/Value | [W] | [advertised rate, what's included, value assessment] | [1-5] | [WxS] | [same] | [1-5] | [WxS] | [same] | [1-5] | [WxS] | | Space/Layout | [W] | [sqm if known, bedroom count, bathroom count, key layout feature] | [1-5] | [WxS] | [same] | [1-5] | [WxS] | [same] | [1-5] | [WxS] | | Amenities | [W] | [list the relevant amenities present and absent] | [1-5] | [WxS] | [same] | [1-5] | [WxS] | [same] | [1-5] | [WxS] | | Reviews | [W] | [score, count, platform, key patterns in recent reviews] | [1-5] | [WxS] | [same] | [1-5] | [WxS] | [same] | [1-5] | [WxS] | | Flexibility | [W] | [cancellation policy specifics: free cancel until when? Penalty after?] | [1-5] | [WxS] | [same] | [1-5] | [WxS] | [same] | [1-5] | [WxS] | | **TOTAL** | [max] | | | **[sum/max]** | | | **[sum/max]** | | | **[sum/max]** | --- ### True Cost Analysis | Cost Component | [Option A] | [Option B] | [Option C] | |---------------|------------|------------|------------| | Advertised rate ([N] nights x $/night) | $[calc] | $[calc] | $[calc] | | Cleaning fee (one-time) | $[amt or N/A] | $[amt or N/A] | $[amt or N/A] | | Platform/service fee ([X]% of subtotal) | $[calc] | $[calc] | $[calc] | | Resort/facility fee ($X/night x N nights) | $[calc or N/A] | $[calc or N/A] | $[calc or N/A] | | Parking ($X/night x N nights) | $[calc or N/A] | $[calc or N/A] | $[calc or N/A] | | Tourist/city tax ($X/person/night x guests x nights) | $[calc] | $[calc] | $[calc] | | Additional guest fees (if applicable) | $[calc or N/A] | $[calc or N/A] | $[calc or N/A] | | Breakfast/meals offset (kitchen savings) | -$[savings or N/A] | -$[savings or N/A] | -$[savings or N/A] |