Host and Airbnb Failed to Resolve a Nightmare

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My family and I were traveling to New York for my graduation from NYU. We arrived to the Airbnb around midnight and found the room unlocked and dirty. The sheets on the beds looked slept in. They were stained with white and there was a white powder on the table as well (my six-year-old nephew was joining me the next morning and god knows what would’ve happened if he tried to taste it) The floor was unswept. There were hair balls everywhere and counters were not clean. The bathroom had been used with used towels hanging. It was entirely unacceptable.

We were tired from flying coast to coast and did not expect to arrive to a mess. I tried to contact the doorman then they told me to speak to the host. I asked the host for a solution. She offered new (not washed) sheets that we would put on the beds ourselves. I asked for a refund and she essentially said we had no choice but to stay there because places nearby were booked. I reached out to Airbnb who had me take photos and explain what had happened.

After investigating, the Airbnb support representative told me that the host told him that I had other guests that left the room in that condition when I had literally just arrived. I was appalled. My family and I immediately tried to find places to no avail. I spoke with the Airbnb representative a few times and was ready to leave but my family and I had nowhere to go and we slept on the fitted sheets of the bed. That night I was promised a refund of the nights I would not be spending there and compensation on a hotel I ended up booking.

The next day came and the Airbnb representative told me I could only get a refund for the rest of the nights and no compensation for the hotel I ended up booking, which cost me over two times more than for what I booked the Airbnb. They also tried to force my hand in authorizing a solution by saying I had 30 minutes to an hour to accept a partial refund. I tried to escalate the issue to a supervisor for which they told me I would have to wait a business day.

Airbnb hasn’t tried to assist and compensate for an experience that was unforeseen and unplanned. I came to celebrate an achievement with my family and did not expect to have to worry for my family and my safety. This entire experience cost my family sleep and plans I had with them. Two days later I am still waiting for a resolution.

Posted in Airbnb Guest Stories and tagged , , , , , .

5 Comments

  1. I too agree! Clearly the host was unaware the cleaner didn’t show. There is no way they wanted guests to show up to that. Shit happens!!
    If they got in contact with me I would have been mortified and given them a massive discount. She could have tidied up, gone to a launderette and had a cheap stay. Whiney people don’t know how to work it.

  2. Yes, I would have found this disgusting as well. Are clean sheets and towels really too much to expect!

  3. this looks like the cleaner was a no-show.

    I personally feel like you over-reacted, you probably could have stayed, wiped down the damn table yourself, and gotten a massive discount. If this is your idea of a “nightmare” I don’t know how you cope in everyday life with real problems.

    • Oh shut the hell up. It is a pretty shitty situation to deal with this. Your commemt is so laughable. Who the heck wants to have to do any of that when they are supposed to come to a clean place that THEY are paying for? From the sounds of it, you sound like an asshole host with the way you think. No host should expect their guests to clean such filth, especially if drugs were involved. I would hate to be hosted by you. You are literally invalidating this woman for going through a very shitty night after traveling with her family for many many hours. I understand her frustration. I’ve asked an airbnb host what their thoughts are of this situation and they are appalled that the host didn’t do a better job to take care of the situation and make it right for the family.

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