My parnter and I are renting an AirBNB that was initially listed as an 'entire place' rental when we booked it. When I booked the place I put emphasis on our need for privacy with the hosts - who I was informed would be staying in the garden shed. I was assured that we would have the entire place to ourselves, privately.
After we booked it, the listing was changed so that both bedrooms were 'private rooms'. I saw another review where another guest had come home to her AirBNB, surprised to find someone else staying there, also having rented it as an 'entire place'. She had not been made aware of the change.
I contacted the owner, concerned at this, as I have a severe anxiety disorder and require absolute privacy. She assured me that she'd blocked the second bedroom from rental during our stay. They had, in fact, put a padlock on the outside of it - a house that we had booked as an 'entire place' including two bedrooms, one of which was now blocked from our use.
Not an hour after we'd arrived at the AirBNB we're sitting on the couch trying to operate the broken television when the host knocks once and then simply wanders into the house, telling us that she'll be taking the doona off of the second bedroom bed as her dog has pooped on her bed. We were aghast at the host's rudeness just letting herself into the house that we were renting from her. Were that the only time, it might have been fine. But over the last three days it they've continuously simply let themselves into the house to fetch things that they'd left in the refrigerator.
The most recent time was a couple of hours ago. My partner and I were napping in the master bedroom (which advertised a locking door that does not latch let alone lock at all) and the owner's partner knocked. We heard him but did not respond - as we were trying to sleep. We then heard him open the door (which was locked) and wandering around the house. Dressing, we came out to find him getring meat out of the freezer for his dinner that evening.
We were assured privacy and there was none. Now we're both more stressed out than when we arrived and we'd been looking forward to a private getaway for months. When we leave the bathroom or come back from going to lunch we have to check around the house to make sure that no one else is here. When we come out of the shower we don't feel comfortable walking across the house in a towel, lest the owners have let themselves in again.
On top of that - the listing is just seriously misleading. It was listed as breakfast provided (none was), smoke alarms (there are none), hangers (there is no wardrobe nor hangers), a gym (a few pieces of equipment in a dusty cobweb covered shed, shoved into a corner which would require unpacking), a smart TV (that is broken), the refrigerator is leaking liquid all over the food we brought, the kitchen was listed as fully stocked but we had to buy a frying pan to cook our dinner, the house is dirty, the smell of the owners' cigarette and marijuana smoke permeates the house, the listed spa doesn't work, and you have to climb on top of a pile of pavers to access the clothesline.
I'm not sure how to best address this. I've complained to the host about most of this - but should I also raise the issue with AirBNB?
