Cancelling a reservation because of "hidden" fees

[Kathy34]

Hi,

I reserved a place and it wasn't until after the free cancellation period had expired did the host notify me that there are additional fees which hugely impact the price of the place. Can I cancel this reservation without penalty or their service fee?

[Tim-and-Holly0]

@Kathy34:
Are the fees mentioned anywhere in the listing or in the home rules you agreed to when reserving the home? If they are not, then you can contact Airbnb and file a complaint against the host. However, if the fees are stated in the listing/rules and you perhaps missed them then there is little option except to either cancel the reservation and lose some money or continue to the home and try to have a good time.

[Lisa723]

@Kathy34 As @Tim-and-Holly0  says it's absolutely against Airbnb's terms of service for a host to attempt to collect any fees not disclosed before booking. So if this is the case another option is to inform the host that you will not pay those fees and intend to follow through with your reservation as originally booked and paid. They will have no recourse other than potentially making your stay uncomfortable and/or leaving you a punitive review.