After 10 years as a loyal Airbnb guest with outstanding reviews, I recently had an unfortunate experience that shattered my trust in the platform. During my stay, the host provided poor communication from start to finish, repeatedly requested personal information and payments off-platform, and charged extra for electricity without verifiable proof. Several amenities, including a heated pool we paid extra for, were not functioning properly. Despite these issues, I approached the situation in good faith, expecting fairness from both the host and Airbnb.
Upon checkout, the host falsely accused us of stealing four teaspoons, breaking scissors, damaging walls, and dirtying seating cushions. Like any trusting guest, I didn’t take inventory of teaspoons or inspect every detail upon arrival. I never anticipated needing to defend myself against baseless allegations.
Airbnb quickly refunded us for the unheated pool, acknowledging that the service we paid for wasn’t provided. However, when the host accused us of theft and damage, Airbnb took their side without any verifiable proof, branding me a thief and holding my family responsible for damages we didn’t cause.
To make matters worse, the host left me a nasty review, clearly in retaliation for my complaints. I had contacted Airbnb both during and after my stay to report the host’s misconduct and violations of Airbnb’s policies. It’s evident that these damage claims are a form of revenge, yet Airbnb is enabling this behavior rather than protecting loyal guests.
At this point, the situation feels like harassment, and it raises serious concerns about Airbnb’s dispute resolution process. If a host can arbitrarily claim I stole teaspoons, what stops the next one from accusing me of taking a TV or any other item? The monetary cost of this situation is small, but the damage to trust is immense.
No guest is truly protected under Airbnb’s current system, and this experience has made me seriously reconsider using the platform in the future.
