Hello, everybody, how are you?
I just would like to expose a shameful situation in which I find myself in at the moment.
I had a booking for 48 nights (very long period) in a room in Rome. I did the booking on December 2024, the price was something that I could afford. The period was from the 1st of March to the 18th of April. I sent a few messages to the host, but never got a reply. When I was about to arrive, I contacted him again and the same happen: no answer at all. I tried to contact him directly on his Whatsapp number, sending a message. He replied, saying he was surprised with the whole situation, because the room was not available, I could not get in, because he was "doing some works in it". He did not offer me any help or solution, all he said was to get the money back (yes, it was paid) and wished me "a nice day". Needless to say how angry I got and desperate, because I had no place to go.
I contacted a friend of mine, which is hosting me and also tries to find a place for me. I contacted Airb&b, explained everything and the lady that answered my call said that, due to the fact that my booking is very long (48 nights), the maximum they could do is to help my next booking, paying the costs for 7 nights and I should think about the rest. Not only she offered me that on the phone, but also she sent me a message mentioning it. My real issue is that: for a last minute booking in Rome right now, the prices are just insane, so the 7 nights offered by the platform would really be great. As mentioned above, my original booking had a price that I could afford. Because of that, I told the lady that I would contact them again during the next days, because I had to figure out how to go through until April 18th.
My friend had a contact that offered me a room for a reasonable price for a week. After that, I called Airb&b again, in order to have my 7 nights help that they offered. I explained the whole story to the lady again. She called me back and, incredibly, she said "they could help me help for 10 nights". I was very surprised by that, I asked her twice on the phone "so, Airb&b will handle the costs for 10 nights and I will have to think about the rest, is it correct?" and the answer was positive. Then, she gave me a 83€ voucher, saying that I could use that for the 10 nights. I tried to book using the voucher, but of course it was too good to be true. The voucher is merely a 83€ discount, not a 10 nights help as they told me.
After getting frustrated, I called Airb&b again... this time, they said "there is not much they can do" and only increased the discount a bit to 125€. I asked them to honor what they told me twice (again... first they offered the 7 nights help and after, the 10 nights), I said that my original booking had a price I could afford and it was for a very long time (again... 48 nights!). I tried to make them understand that the help they offered me would be great and that I need that. Not a voucher offering me a little discount.
What must be taken in consideration is: I did a long period booking in this platform, my host was completely careless and irresponsible, creating me a huge problem and not offering any help. Now, the platform is refusing to give me the help they offered me before and they are just sending automatic messages saying the same "we are sorry... good luck to find another place, may your next experience here be better"... such a huge indifference about my situation. None of this is my fault, everything happened inside of the platform and, if the host is not taking the responsibility for my situation, so the platform must do something about it. I need help. I don't have a place to go and I still got 30 days in the city. I am not in a vacation. I have to deal with work and the university during those days. All I want is Airb&b to honor the help they offered me, I have the message and they have the calls registered.
I have been here for years, I give my contribution writing reviews whenever possible, which I think helps the community. However if this ends like that, I will never book anything anymore in this platform.
I need help.
