Dear Airbnb community,
I’m writing to share my experience as a long-time Airbnb guest (10+ years), in the hope that it sparks a necessary conversation about AirCover’s fairness, the limits of guest liability, and platform accountability.
During a recent stay in Breda, Netherlands, a small glass perfume bottle accidentally slipped from a shelf while I was in the bathroom. The shelf was positioned directly above the toilet — with no lid and no alternative storage anywhere in the room. The bottle fell and chipped the inner porcelain rim of the bowl.
Let me be clear:
The toilet remained fully functional.
The host and I spoke calmly; she filed a non-intentional accident claim.
I immediately informed her and cooperated fully.
I submitted evidence, photos, and a detailed explanation to Airbnb.
Despite all this, Airbnb upheld a €376 reimbursement claim against me — effectively making me pay for what looks like a full toilet replacement. I explained that:
Airbnb was unmoved.
I asked:
What if it had been my phone, passport, or wedding ring that had fallen into the toilet? Would Airbnb still expect the guest to absorb the consequences of a layout they had no control over?
No answer.
This incident raises serious concerns:
What are the limits of AirCover if it doesn’t protect guests from obvious accidents?
Where does Airbnb draw the line between damage caused and damage invited by poor design?
Should long-standing, responsible guests really be treated this way?
This isn’t just about €376. It’s about trust. It’s about the implicit promise that Airbnb will protect good-faith users when things go wrong through no real fault of their own.
I’ve always respected Airbnb as a guest. I’ve promoted it, recommended it, and trusted it. But today, I’m reconsidering whether that trust was misplaced.
If you’ve experienced anything similar, or believe this is a larger problem, I’d love to hear your story. Perhaps together we can surface the gap between what AirCover promises and what it actually delivers.
