A retaliatory 1 star review posted by a guest who also attempted extortion was initially removed by Airbnb and then reinstated twice. It is now a permanent review and Airbnb refuses to take it down because it was disputed twice. This review should never have been allowed to be posted in the first place in accordance with Airbnb policy.
As Superhosts, we take pride in providing exceptional service to every guest, ensuring they feel valued and cared for, as reflected in our over 400 consecutive five-star reviews.
Unfortunately, a recent incident with a guest has significantly impacted our perfect record and caused immediate financial harm to us, our cleaners, handymen, maintenance personnel, and the community we support through the jobs we provide.
Last week a guest checked into one of our most luxurious properties and promptly informed us that the house had no power. We immediately contacted the electric company, who confirmed that power outages in the entire region were caused by Hurricane Debby. We communicated this to the guest and offered them a full refund if they wished to check out. They chose to stay. To assist, we sent ice to help preserve their food and had our head of maintenance visit the next morning. He again offered them a full refund if they wanted to leave. However, the guests decided to stay and spent the day on a rafting trip.
We maintained consistent communication with the guests, keeping them updated on power restoration efforts. When they returned to the property that evening, the power was restored shortly after their arrival, and all amenities were fully functional. Despite this, the guests decided to check out late that night and seek a full refund. A recording from our Ring doorbell captured the guest stating that they were leaving to obtain a refund, in response to a friend asking why they were leaving.
After checking out past 9 PM, the guest contacted Airbnb, seeking a full refund. Airbnb declined the request after reviewing the evidence we provided, and informed the guest we are sticking to our firm cancellation policy. The guest then began repeatedly calling and texting our personal phones, demanding a refund in exchange for not leaving a negative review—a clear act of extortion.
The guest ultimately left a one-star review. While an Airbnb representative initially removed the review due to our evidence of extortion and its retaliatory nature, it was inexplicably reinstated two days later. Another Airbnb representative removed the review based on our evidence, but it was again reinstated within hours.
Since this time, we have been unable to get any response from Airbnb. We have repeatedly requested to speak with a supervisor or manager, but have yet to receive any acknowledgment or support.
The impact that guest reviews have on hosts carries far more weight and consequence than reviews hosts leave for guests, yet Airbnb seems to treat them as equivalent.
It appears that Airbnb ambassadors are hesitant to address our case or make any new decisions, effectively silencing us. There have clearly been several improper decisions, along with clerical errors, and it now seems efforts are being made to cover these mistakes rather than correct them.
