Last Minute Cancellation by Host -Airbnb won't help

[Jennie75]

We booked a house for Christmas Week a few weeks ago, and now just 4 days before we're scheduled to arrive, host says house is not ready and is canceling.  Airbnb is of no help, they will only refund us the cost of booking.  Issue is now, we are a large group (party of 15), when we booked there were already not too many options available, and now there's literally only 1 option available to accommodate us and it's Double our Cost (instead of $500/night, it's over $1000/night)....what are we supposed to do?  Our  family booked this huge family vacation for Christmas, and now we are stranded.  AirBnB won't help us at all.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Jennie75these things happen unfortunatelly, and guests cancels more often then hosts. Have you concidered changing destination? There are 3 listings still avalable in Zagreb, all cheaper then 1000$ 🙂  https://tinyurl.com/yc4ynsys

you wouldn't be bored http://www.adventzagreb.hr/?lang=en

[Kelly149]

yep, this is the downside of booking an abb. it's not like any host has multiple places to offer, so if something goes wrong then you're out a place to stay. I hope you work it out

[Sarah977]

@Jennie75 I'm sorry this has happened to you, and I think the host is not the best, not to realize that the house wouldn't be ready and notify you earlier, especially with a large group and for Xmas. 

In the future, it's always a good idea to keep up a regualr correspondence with a host after you book, rather than just book and not expect to communicate again until just before check-in. A message to the host a couple weeks, if possible, before booking "Hi XXX, looking forward to our trip and stay at your place, just making sure all is still on track with our booking."  If the host doesn't respond in a timely fashion, that would be a huge red flag and you'd contact Airbnb at that point. Or it may prompt a responsible host to say "You know, Jennie, I'm actually stressed that the place won't be ready in time. We're running way behind schedule on the renos. If you want to book elsewhere, I'll give you a full refund."