I am on both sides. As a renter Airbnb has been really good, they solve a lot of problems for us and support is always live so far. As a traveler, I go to a lot of places where they just don't have hotels too. I generally enjoy meeting people and many of the rentals are rooms in family's houses.
Once, out in the middle of nowhere, I was walking down this dirt street where I found a woman perched in here window. I asked if she had a room. She vacated her son's room for us. After saying breakfast wasn't included, eggs, bread, juice, coffee,cheese, fruit etc on the table the next morning.