Worst customer service and worst policy for guests!!

Diana569
Level 2
Walnut Creek, CA

Worst customer service and worst policy for guests!!

Today was my first time to try Airbnb , and it was the worst ever !!

The host couldn't check me in on time because her phone decided not to work today . I arrived 8 am and knocked the door/ring the bell, call her and text her for 30 mins and nothing happened , so I called Airbnb customer service for a refund , what they did first was trying to contact the host again via phone and email , and again no answer , which wasted another 15 mins 

After that when I asked for a full refund , the representative told me we have to wait for 1 hr , to give the host FAIR chance to reply , so I told her you are asking me to wait in the street with my luggage waiting for 1 hr for the host to reply!!!! She said this is the policy . I asked to talk to the manager and guess waht she told me the same thing !!! Wait 1 hr until we make sure that the host won't reply , I told her that will make me wait almost 2 hrs in the street because I already waited for 45 mins trying to get hold of her , but the manager insisted that there is nothing she can do and I have to wait, and she told me to go to Starbucks and wait instead of the street , I told her I was supposed to have busineess meeting in less than an hr and I won't be able to make itbecause of this hassle !!! And again she said nothing we can do , this is the policy !!!! And she gave the option to cancel from my end and lose 50% of mine !!! Really?!!

What policy makes a person wait in the street or drag their luggages for an hr until we hear frkm the host and may be we will never hear , which happened in my case 

After the hour has passed and we didn't hear from the host , they refunded me , but I was tired , frustrated and missed my meeting 

 

Horrible horrible customer service and ridiculos policy !!!

NEVER EVER AGAIN

 

Note:After 2 hrs the host contacted me and apologized because she just realized the her phone didn't have any signal , but it was already too late

3 Replies 3
Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Diana569  I am sorry for your horror show ordeal. Yes, that was inexcusable. Was 8 AM the pre-arranged check-in time? If so, your host should have been there waiting for you. If you arrived outside the stated check-in time, and just expected the host to be available to meet you, the problem was your doing. If you and the host had pre-arranged that you were just to phone her when you arrived, no matter what time that was, it was just unfortunate that her phone was not getting a signal.

All this modern tech stuff is supposed to make life easier, but when it fails, it really screws things up if everyone is depending on it.

FYI many hosts end up being hugely inconvenienced with guests who don't show up on time, or at all, cancel their reservation half a day before the booking after the host has spent hours cleaning the unit for them, etc. It's not just guests who get screwed.

I hope your stay was good and I'd bet the host felt almost as bad about the situation as you did.

 @Sarah977

I was actually wondering the exact same thing - was the 8am check in pre-arranged??? Because even hotels don't allow 8am check-ins unless the previous night was booked and you inform them of your expected check-in time. Based on my understanding, hotels will consider the reservation a "no-show" if the guest does not show up for check-in at a reasonable time on the check-in date (usually being 3pm~9pm).

 

@Diana569

Your example is exactly why guests need to communicate with hosts in advance about ETA 🙂 If the host was expecting to hear from you at 8am to check you in then there is no excuse for what happened. If not....... then maybe you should have read the listing details and instructions more carefully. In any case, so sorry to hear your 1st ABB experience was not good.

 I did communicate my early check in before I even book, and she was nice enough to make the check in flexible 

 I told her my expected arrival time and I was very specific and even told her I will text you as soon as I land , and I did ! everything was planned out and communicated before hand

My problem is not the host now , my problem is Airbnb policy that made me wait for almost 2 hrs in the street , so they can refund me !!