I am a superhost with all 5 star ratings on my condo (in a small 22 unit condo hotel in a family ocean community. I had a last minute booking. The guest showed up and the next morning (Father's Day) sent me a message with a list of complaints saying that I "falsely" said the bed was a queen in our listingwhen it was a full (It is a queen). They said the temperature was too hot and that the pillows were too flat. There was noise from children upstairs and the tub didn't drain well.
This is a newly renovated unit with all 5 star ratings. I immediately replied and sent my manager to the room. The bed is a Queen. The temperature was 71 degrees (reasonable with temps outside nearing 100), the pillows were fine but we immediately offered brand new pillows from our storage. He refused the pillows. We told him that it was a family hotel/condo at the beach and children make noise, but there are signs everywhere that says that if anyone is making disturbances after hours, please call the manager and we will ask them to be quiet. He did not call the night before and said he didn't want us to do it because children make noise. We offered a plumber to make the drain better. He refused having anyone come in.
I bent over backwards to be nice and alleviate all his concerns. When he refused all our offers, I told him he could move into our other condo in the building on 2 floors up, the top floor, with no renters above him to make noise...a new shower...new pillows etc. He refused and left.
Then he called Airbnb and asked for a refund.
Airbnb investigated and acknowledged all of the above efforts on my part, because it was all in the chat/messages. But then they said that they have to make the guest happy and he gets a refund. I asked why they weren't supporting the host when it was appropriate? This guest probably had no intention of staying two nights. He dropped in - had a nights stay, and then cooked up some complaints to get him out of paying. It is basically stealing from me. I don't understand how Airbnb won't support it's dedicated hosts. I did absolutely everything a host could do. If they insist on guest is always right, even when they are not, they should have insurance for that. I cannot believe how unsupported I feel, especially as a superhost.
I spoke to several agents and they are still deliberating, but I was told that their guidelines say that I have to refund. I see this as no different than a cancellation with no refund. I held to my end and the guest did not. They are not entitled to a refund. This is no way to run a business Airbnb.
Does anyone have any experience with this and any suggestions?
Thank you.
