Host cancelled less than 24 hours before check in

[Nick88]

I booked a room about 2 weeks ago and the pickings we're already slim then.  I've messaged the host right after booking with the usual "Hi, how ya doin?" stuff, and about a week before the reservation I asked about check in times.  The response was 6pm.  I was a little put off by the late check in time but didn't say anything and I figured we'd just find some way to kill time until then.  

Last night I went to sleep extra early (7:00PM) because I planned to get up early and finish packing so we could hit the road by 9AM.  I woke up this morning to find that I received a AirBnb cancellation message at 7:28PM that my reservation has been cancelled.  No message from the host, no appology or explanation, nothing.  

AirBnb obviously refunded my money and gave me what I think is a 10% credit.  But nearest thing available at this point is about 30-40 miles away from the booking that was already 25 miles away from where we are visting.  Now I'm suppose to accept this, or get a refund and book something else.  Booking even the cheapest hotel at the last minute is now going to cost us 2-3 times more than if we had just booked it weeks ago when we made this AirBnb reservation.

I understand that things happen, but how can I ever book with AirBnb again and have a resonable expectation that I won't waste a bunch of money planning a trip and have my accommodations yanked from under my feet at the last minute?  I'm stuck deciding between either cancelling my plans, or paying twice per night what the entire weekend would have cost me.  

This is beyond infuriating and AirBnb won't even give me the satisfaction of leaving a review because they left a "The host canceled this reservation the day before arrival. This is an automated posting." review on my behalf.

Cancellations like this are devastatingly expensive for the guest.  There should be a heavy penalty for host who do this without explanation.

[Janet207]

The same thing just happened to me. The host cancelled with 4 days notice. We are going to a family reunion and now have no chance of booking a place together in the area. A weekend totally ruined. What's worse is that I see at least 3 other guests had their booking cancelled at short notice at this property. The host just said "sorry - what more can I say?" 

[David126]

I remember reading about Monarch Airlines recently, 410,000 people effected.

[Alistair24]

I had one cancel on Saturday with a week to go until my trip.  I had originally booked in July. So I booked another for £60 a night more. Then today 5 days before my trip the second host cancelled. This is my first use of airbnb and I will never use it again and make sure I tell everyone I can as loudly as I can that airbnb is an awful experience and to never use it. Is it a coincidence that they cancel on an international rugby weekend?  I think not. I cannot leave feedback so no one will ever know that Frankie and Jamie who rent properties in Edinburgh have no consideration for their guests. 

Shocking and I will never use airbnb again. 

[Linda108]

If I had your experience, @Alistair24, I wouldn't use this site as well.  I don't know why the hosts cancelled, but two in a row for a rugby weekend is more than awful.  Just in case you want to have Air BNB take action on your behalf, here is a guide to contacting them.  In addition to your refund, Air BNB has been known to add additional funds.  

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Help/Contact-Airbnb-A-Community-Help-Guide/m-p/16165#M728

[Robin4]

@Alistair24, I'm an AIrbnb superhost from Australia, I am so sorry this has happened to you but can I assure you Airbnb take host cancellations very seriously. These hosts will not only find their calendars blocked from taking other bookings for those dates of yours, they will be fined a monetary figure that is greater than that price difference you stated. They will have an automated posting put on their reviews that says they cancelled a guest reservation and this will affect them for years to come because guests do not trust hosts who have a record of cancelling guests bookings. And if they do it 4 times Airbnb will suspend their listings for a period of time and if they do it again in a one year period Airbnb will close their account!

And for you as the guest Allistair, if a host cancels Airbnb will help you find another listing and if the cancellation is within 28 days of your stay Airbnb will give you a 10% bonus towards the cost of a more expensive reservation.

There is however a way around this whole scenario!

On the top of the property search page you will find a series of filters for setting your search criteria, number of guests, price, Instant Book....and lastly 'More Filters'. In this category one will say 'Superhosts, stay with recognised hosts'! By applying that filter only properties of hosts who have not, and, do not cancel reservations will be displayed and you will be able to book with confidence your reservation will be honoured.

So sorry you have struck this Allistair and I as an Airbnb host don't like this any more than you because it becomes a slur on all of us who go out of our way to do the right thing and make our guests stay special....it makes all of us guilty simply by association!

Please don't destroy the barrel because you found a couple of rotten apples in it!

Cheers.....Rob 

[Michele551]

I chose a superhost abd they cancelled on me morning of! I was boarding a plane. And I got sorry were cancelling your stay today.... there is a hotel near by... I’m getting a divorce-I need the house.

[Maria2685]

BnI just booked accommodation for the first time today using AirBnB and as I was reading my SuperHost's reviews, it appears that he had also cancelled a booking some time back. So if I go by what you are saying, then why is he still a SuperHost when he has that record?

 I absolutely love the place I've booked but I'm strongly thinking of cancelling now as the place I'm going to has already proven difficult when searching for accommodation. I don't know what to do.

[Linda108]

Hello Maria.  I can understand your concern as planning a trip is not easy and expecting that the host will not cancel is a leap of faith.  Let me clarify one thing.  If the host cancelled over a year ago and continued to have a good record with guests, Super Host status would be reinstated after a year.  Or, if a Super Host cancelled because of provable extenuating circumstances, the host would not lose Super Host status.  Usually a host will provide an explanation for the cancellation but apparently your host did not.

Participating in this shared economy option allows both savings and access to areas not covered by the hotel industry but it does mean if there is a problem, the host may cancel and often the host does not have another option for you.  I wonder if it will help you to ask the host to explain what caused the cancellation and if the explanation will help you to decide about cancelling.  

[David126]

AirBnB is a booking system, bit like booking a flight on BA through Expedia and complaing about Expedia if BA screw up your flight.

[Jaclyn5]

I am a host with Airbnb and I think a red flag should've been you not hearing from them for a week to begin with. I have a word of advice to anybody that books with anyone through Airbnb if your host is not in constant communication or constantly available for your concerns questions or comments then I would consider that a red flag and look elsewhere

[David126]

In constant communication?

Why?

I send a message a few days before they are due to arrive, not normal for people to ask me questions after they have booked.

[Michele551]

I heard from my superhost all along! Great communication and then bam cancelled on morning of. As I was boarding a plane.

[Allison116]

This is awlful and inexcusable. Host should be kicked off of airbnb and be made to cover the increase in lodging costs that you are going to have to incur. Bad hosts hurt all hosts. When I read stories like yours that makes me not want to use Airbnb for my trips.

[Erin310]

We were also stranded the same day with three kids looking for a place in Philadelphia during the height of tourist season. Airbnb couldn't find a place that wasn't three times as expensive, so we had to find a hotel, which was actually cheaper but over twice the price. We were promised an amount to make our expense only $100 more plus the expense of parking and the loss of a travel day dealing with it. We didn't get that amount from Airbnb but ended up spending $200 more. I see they can charge the host $100, and that should have immediately come to us to help. Airbnb has to help people stranded last minute better. I have used them for years and so have my friends. We live abroad and know many expats who do. However, I am now very concerned about using them in the future or recommending them. It seems that by not helping guests in this situation, they will only lose business. This is foolish on their part, because even losing my business for one trip will cost them more than it would have cost them to pay for a replacement place and we wouldn't have had to go through so much stress or lost our day of sightseeing.