Hello @Armaan5 ,
Sorry to hear what happened. I noticed you had another post a few days ago about this. I wish you had consulted here immediately after the guest requested to cancel, as others could have shared the potential consequences. Did you know that even if the guest cancels the stay and you approve a full refund, both the guest and host can still leave a review for each other?
Let’s focus on constructive solutions. I’m not sure that writing emails to board members will help, especially if it’s adding more stress.
I recommend reaching out to customer service again. Many hosts here have mentioned that persistence can eventually lead to a positive outcome. Personally, I wouldn’t rely on it too much, but good luck with that. I know it’s challenging, but try to remain professional and unemotional in your communication with customer service, as anything else could make things worse.
Another option to consider, but please research it thoroughly to do it correctly, is starting fresh. You could first remove the old listing, rewrite the description, come up with a new title (!!), take new photos (I can’t see your listing since you’re using your guest profile) and start with a new listing. I wouldn’t recommend changing your profile—the reviews will always stay on your profile but won’t be on the new listing. Please don’t take my advice; read through the community threads about how to do this properly, research Airbnb help articles, and maybe even contact Airbnb customer service to ensure you’re doing it right. When talking to customer service about this, there’s no need to explain the background—just stick to what needs to be done.
I don’t take chances hoping a bad review will be removed. I know not everyone here agrees with me, and this topic can bring emotional responses, but in my experience, when a guest requests a refund and to cancel the reservation, I offer a full refund—even after one night—to get them to leave as soon as possible. This reduces the risk of property damage and a bad review on my listing. I’ve had to use this approach twice, and both times it worked well. One guest even gave me a 5-star review for my cooperation and understanding 😇.
Also, if you accept Instant Booking, it might be worth exploring other platforms, as the dynamics may work better for you there. If you don’t use Instant Booking, Airbnb is still the best option, in my opinion.
I hope something here helps spark some ideas and gets you back on track with hosting.
