I would like to share my horrible personal experience of Airbnb guest in Pakistan / Lahore. I have been to few countries and stayed using Airbnb with great experience. But I had terrible experience in Pakistan. It seems in Pakistan, Airbnb is very risky. When searching one can see similar photos for various listings in an area. Most listing are not real hosts but professional property dealers with a purpose of money grab from bookings.
I booked this place in Lahore 3 month in advance and exchanged several messages with host and co-host from the time of booking till I reached Lahore all the way from Sydney.
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The host listed this place as himself living at the place with eye catching title “Cat and Cords City Retreat” with pics of a cute and cuddly cat. His guitar a chess gameboard and a positive warm environment impression.
In my several messages three month before booking dates, the host never hinted alarm till my arrival date when It was difficult to get in touch with hosts.
I clearly communicated to host that my flight will reach late at night and I would need his specific location and checkin. So, when I reached at Lahore, It was hard to get in touch with host and co host. First I was given wrong address as mentioned on the booking. I had no internet or phone because it is impossible to purchase phone SIM at airport, So I borrowed Cab driver’s phone who charged me 4 time of the actual fair sensing my situation. I started calling both host and co-hosts. Who both replied that they are not at the location and each pointed to other for direction or exact location. That is where alarm bells started ringing. It was dark, cold 11 pm at night with a opportunistic cab driver. I had landed after 19 hours of long travel and was extremely tired with heavy bag.
The first address given was incorrect, we reached but there was nothing to be found there. We called again. Then a second location was given, again it was incorrect location. Third time we were given a location where a stranger, not the actual host, said that this is the Airbnb place and he has spoken to my host and it is OK.
I thought I am finally reached, paid the cab driver. Once cab drive gone, that stranger mentioned that my host use to live here but we don’t have anything to do with him. He showed me the room which were actually listed in the pictures.
The bed was dirty smelly and been used by someone. Linen was dirty, there were used tissues all around the room. Dirty used cloths and shoes and dust all over. Obviously the host had abandoned the place weeks ago and some one was abusing it. But host never informed me.
There was no internet, with cab driver gone, I was at this stranger’s mercy with a heavy bag. I asked him to try to call host, who picked up and I complained host about the situation but there was silence at the other end. I asked stranger to help me get a CAB to go to any hotel. He sensed my vulnerable situation and offered a better room in the same building to stay suggesting that he himself thinking of starting hosting Airbnb. The room was just bearable, then he said he would charge 4 times more than what I had paid per night to the original booking.
With some nonoccupation, he agreed on double the price of booking. I spend a sleepless night and the next morning when I wanted to leave, sent his assistant and asked me on the phone to pay 4 time instead of double which he agreed last night. Obviously this is open criminal exploitation of a vulnerable guest who visited from long distance and does not know the place much.
After some debating, I paid little more then what he settled last night and escaped from that place. Thanks God.
In short **and ** seem to be doggy Airbnb hosts. I came to realise that Ali is hosting in Karachi and ** is cohost at Lahore. I don’t know how they get the super host tag and where they get the positive reviews. But for me they used up me for booking a place they are not living and maintaining.
Lastly AirBnb support was quick to response. AirBnb support has cancelled my booking and organising the refund. But the pain and the agony I suffered visiting Pakistan can not be compensated.
There is no way I will book AirBnb**
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