After our stay at Airbnb listing in Rome we have another reservation in Saint Denis, Paris suburbs area which is 20mins walk from Paris Olympics Coliseum from June 29-July 3 and I'm with 4 adults 2 infants and 73yrs old senior citizen (my mom)
June 29 we checked in around 6PM, past 11PM we heard explosion's saw smokes fireworks and people shouting. Few minutes after we saw mobs of youngster throwing bottles with gasoline shooting fireworks setting fire the parked vehicles ATM Machine, pavements Garbage bin all this happened in front (few meters away from) our Listing Location you can smell the burning car/tires at the balcony of the Airbnb Unit. Immediately called Airbnb Support, and asking for assistance for the right course of action and to find new accommodation within inner district of Paris where it is safe (we are not aware that there is on going Riots in Suburbs of Paris we only learned this the same time we experienced the RIOT in front of us). We also message my host and tried to call his number but it is out of reached . The RIOT lasted until 2AM (police firemen is all over the place Paris Olympics Coliseum- State de France was set on fire by rioters). Not captured by the video but my mom is starting to have panic attack/nervous breakdown. Been calling Airbnb support til 230AM- we were advised to keep safe as they still investigating our case (send them all the necessary documentation like video and pictures)
June 30 7AM start to call Airbnb Support and my host. Airbnb Support is still investigating the issue whether we are covered by Aircover or by extenuating policy still asked us to be safe (which we did we stayed in the listing til 7PM). tried to called our host still not able to reached his number, message his staff and informed what happened asked us to wait for the host til 11AM as he usually get online by 11AM. 11AM receives reply from our host saying that he is sorry for our experience and asked to contact Airbnb Support as he has no other available listing that can accommodate us exact word from my host : I understand the situation is not ideal.. and the suburbs around Paris are getting a little bit crazy these days (here you can say that our host is aware of the on going safety concerns within suburbs of Paris)
Called Airbnb and replied to support ticket saying that we are not covered by Aircover tried to challenge them and provide links regarding extenuating policy. At 12PM I called again their hotline this time new support ambassador tells us that they will help us to find new listing, that they will offer 20% travel voucher, refund and possible reimbursement of the transport cost we will incur to going to the new accommodation. After calling them again at 2PM they provided list of new listing location that we can reserved. We tried to reserve all those listings within inner district of Paris but we encountered error, we informed them and they said they will try to check/fix the issue been calling them multiple times as it is already 5PM and we learned that Saint Denis the suburbs of our listing is under curfew starting 9PM. Informed us that they understand our situation and Airbnb's priority is our safety. 6.19PM we we're informed by the last support ambassador that he is still working to fix the issue but not able to call me back as he is in another call/case. at 7PM we decided to vacate the listing location and along the way to inner district of Paris we tried to book/find for a new accommodation-informed Airbnb Support team and our host (didn't hear anything from our host since 11AM). we spend 2100 EUR for 3nights of stay for 5 adults 1 senior citizen 2infants. Called Airbnb at 10pm still no resolution nor update on our case almost called them every 1hr until 2AM asking what will be next action how we can recover our cost should we cancel our reservation
July 1 7AM Airbnb Support team provides us new list of Listing but those listings when trying to reserved have the same error as yesterday worst case is all 5 listings are in Saint Denis same location from our previous listing where RIOTS has been reported (RIOTS were reported in Saint Denis until July 3 a firemen also reported died last July 2 will responding to blaze caused by the riot last July 2). Been calling Airbnb Support and been talking to more than 10-15 different support ambassadors no one can give us the right guidance and keep on telling us that they need to contact our host for the refund- 4PM they informed us that our host that will not give us a refund that the RIOT is out of their control (which the main purpose of the extenuating policy) they also informed us that -exact message from Airbnb Support- since the collision happened outside the Airbnb listing we cannot cancel the reservation with a full refund. I know that this is not the answer that you ant to hear but refunds outside the Airbnb Policy is going to be Hosts discretion.
Since then Airbnb is keep telling me the same update that they will now close the incident as the RIOT happened OUTSIDE the Listing Location (should the riot happened inside the apartment for them to consider it as part of extenuating policy???) and our host don't want to give us the refund (even it is clearly stated in the extenuating policy that it controls and takes precedence over the reservation’s cancellation policy) . We tried our best to rebut their answer and been calling Airbnb Support until today July 7 funny thing is every time we talked to a new ambassador each has different interpretation of the Extenuating policy and can't give a single explanation why the RIOT we experienced in front of the listing is not qualified to the definition mentioned on the extenuating policy and to put into record that the RIOT is still on going on brood daylight and every night until July 3). They also closed the incident with out giving us a notification nor clear answer why the previous offers were reversed, worst one of the support ambassador says "I understand your concern and this is not you wanted to hear from us. As our policy are not been updated but as informed earlier we can mediate with Host and request for the refund".
Now I'm left out with unnecessary expenses of 2100 EUR plus extreme stress (not to mentioned the panic attack/nervous breakdown experienced my 73yrs old mom). For the last 7 days I'm under impression that Airbnb is trying to avoid their responsibility and doesn't care for the safety of their guest (though this the normal message you will received from their support team member). I don't understand why the RIOT we experienced doesn't qualify under their Extenuating policy and why they keep on existing the it is my host discretion to refund me even it is clear stated on their policy that:
*This Extenuating Circumstances Policy explains how cancellations are handled when unforeseen events beyond your control arise after booking and make it impracticable or illegal to complete your reservation. This Policy applies to reservations for both accommodations and Experiences. When this Policy allows for cancellation, it controls and takes precedence over the reservation’s cancellation policy. Guests that are impacted by an event covered by this Policy can cancel their reservation and receive, depending on the circumstances, a cash refund, travel credit, and/or other consideration. Hosts that are impacted by an event covered by this Policy can cancel without adverse consequences, but, depending on the circumstances, their calendars may be blocked for the dates of the cancelled reservation*
And riot is mentioned as * This Policy uses the term “Event” to refer to the following situations that occur after booking, are unforeseen at the time of booking, and prevent or legally prohibit completion of the reservation Military actions and other hostilities. Acts of war, hostilities, invasions, civil war, terrorism, explosions, bombings, rebellions, riots, insurrection, civil disorder, and civil unrest.*
This is my first time to use Airbnb and I get this WORST experience ever!!!!!
