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.

[Alice595]

@James1714 The only advice I can give is to do a little more thorough research such as reading reviews of the host and try to book from a Superhost if possible.

The very first trip we booked on Airbnb was from a host who had no reviews either. We landed in the airport and contacted the host with no response. Then about one hour later after I got to the apartment, I saw that my reservation was canceled.

Lesson learnt. And my other four bookings were all from hosts with many reviews and no history of cancellations. All went well.

[James1714]

Thanks Alice but I feel my point has been missed. There will always be good and bad hosts and I can see that Airbnb is trying (with reviews and superhosts and host penalties) to ensure most hosts are good (I've booked with some excellent hosts) however; my point is that in circumstances where the guest is left high and dry with few options; at very short notice;  then Airbnb should resolve this at their cost just like any travel company is obliged to or other service providers that fail to provide the service that has been paid for. 

[Jonny46]

This seems to happen way too often and its a pitty @Airbnb doesn't seem to care. It makes me feel like what's the point of booking early to find a deal if the host cancels and Airbnb won't find a comparable place to put you up.

[Jonny46]

My experience with my stay in Los Angeles and with customers service.

I contacted the host Victor on Wednesday 17th at 9 pm to double-check the check-in procedures. I told him I would be by at 5 pm just like the message I had sent him at the time of booking. I never received a message back and wouldn't expect it to be an issue. He said "can't do, I work"

On the morning of Thursday the 18th I informed Airbnb that my host wouldn't meet me at the agreed-upon check-in and that I was flying in a couple of hours with my wife and our baby.  I was put in touch with the case manager Lyzagrace who confirmed with the host that he refused to meet with me at the original check-in time. She said I could be put in a hotel for the night and I informed her that I need to check into somewhere for the weekend and could not be checking in and out because I was in town for my sister's wedding and because we were part of the wedding party logistically there would be no way to make other check-ins work. She said she understood but needed to get approval from a supervisor. I reiterated that I was flying out shortly and she said I would be contacted in 30 minutes to an hour and not to worry.

A few hours go by and I have yet to hear anything. I sent a message about a comparable place downtown that had two places to sleep that was available, hoping we could book it and not worry about it anymore. I received no response so I called support again this time I was put in contact with Terry. She said she had to contact the host to see if he actually couldn't make it. I told her we already did that and I just want to find a place because I am about to board a plane. She convinced him to meet me at 5. The host Victor then starts messaging me trying to haggle with me to come later. He ends up not making the time and cancels at 445 the day of just as we are getting into downtown LA. 

I then spent the next 4 hours in downtown LA with nowhere to go and on the street with my baby and all the luggage. I kept finding Airbnbs that had two places to stay and either it was too last minute or I was told it was too expensive. I had given every effort to find something and work with support but at some point, I need to get my family somewhere to stay. That's when I finally had to book a hotel room with comparable space.

I was told Airbnb would not reimburse the total and the amount was shockingly low. I asked to talk to a supervisor to try to escalate my case to see what could be done. That was on Wednesday the 24th at 1230 and Terry told me that a supervisor would contact me soon. By Friday the 26th I had still not been contacted by Support. When support did get back to me the supervisor told me all they could do was offer what they had. This was about 1/3 of the cost of a last-minute booking.  I tried to email Aisling Hassell, VP Comunity Support, as well as Brian Chesky, CEO. I haven't heard anything from them either. Does anyone have any ideas on what I can do more? Has anyone executed the arbitration clause in Airbnb's Terms of service? 

[Mike-And-Helen0]

@Norma172 that behaviour would have made me uneasy as a host. It is not a normal thing for guests to do.

[Mike-And-Helen0]

@Michelle551 @Allison116 

To be fair to the host cancelling because they were getting a divorce, that is a major traumatic life event.

The point has been made already that cheaper-than-hotel prices mean less backup for emergencies.

[Mike-And-Helen0]

Sorry that was @Michele551 and I realise I'm late to the party!

[Michelle551]

Hi there. Did you mention me? I received a message from Airbnb to this effect. Curious. 

[Mike-And-Helen0]

@Michelle551 sorry it was me

 I got the spelling wrong. I wanted @Michele551.

[Finbarr3]

Is there any way to ensure that a host won’t cancel?

[Linda108]

The real answer is NO.  Unlike a professional hotel, many of the listings are personal spaces, unique listings, not cookie cutter hotels or motels.  With that there are risks.  You have to weigh the risks for your travel arrangements.  Air BNB if very punishing to hosts that cancel without meeting the extenuating circumstance criteria, such as, host illness, problems with the listing like plumbing or natural disasters.

I am also a guest with Air BNB and I had anxiety about a place I booked in Hawaii.  It all turned out fabulous, but I am aware that my whole vacation could have been turned upside down if my booking was cancelled.

[Sarah977]

@Finbarr3  In addition to what @Linda108 has conveyed, you can tell a lot from the reviews. If a host has tons of great reviews from guests, they aren't likely to be a host who would cancel, unless they had a good reason, like the ones Linda mentioned that qualify for extenuating circumstances. If a host has any history of cancelling, that will also appear on the host's review pages- "Host cancelled this booking XX days before check-in". Also, you can exchange a few messages with a host prior to committing to a booking, using the "Contact Host" you will see under the first part of their listing description. Even if a host might have cancelled a reservation at some point, that's not necessarily a red flag, as long as it's just the one (or a few, but all around the same time) and they have good reviews- they could have fallen ill, had an accident or family emergency, maybe the plumbing sprung a leak and they had to cancel a reservation until it got fixed and cleaned up. So you can ask them politely about that cancellation, if it would help to set your mind at ease.

I'm sure guests cancel far more often than hosts do. Hosts are in the accomodation business, not the cancellation business 🙂

[Letti0]

Last Thursday night at 9 PM the bedroom was fine. 8 AM Friday we walked into this. All three of my houses on the property were booked, so nowhere else to put them. Emergency call to AC/Heating Company it was a clogged AC line that was leaking. They fixed it by 12:45 PM then the sheet rock guy came and patched the ceiling. It was complete when they showed up at 10:15 PM, but unpainted. We told them in advance. SuperHost guest from hell. Told us they were staying until 4 PM Monday since we were not booked. Wanted a military discount applied for her veteran husband though we only state active military. Her grandchildren canceled on her and she lied and said she booked the wrong weekend would we cancel for her after she put in the messaging system she was just hitting the road and wanted the 4 PM checkout and discount. Wasn't happy with the location, etc. Sunday night at 7 PM I refunded her a night to get her the heck out of my place. A complete demanding and high maintence guest. I should have just used extenuating circumstances to cancel the whole reservation.

I still have to write her review, they left, no lie, at least a typed 4 page response to one of thier guests reviews. I'm still figuring out how to word so it doesn't get pulled. I actually called AirBnB to see if I said this or that would it be able to be pulled to make sure I word it right, I can add in the verbal phone extortion about the review and refund per the legal dept. even though I do not have documention. 

[Erin496]

This same exact thing just happened to us. I’ll never be using Airbnb again. If we had booked a hotel in July (when we made the Airbnb booking), we’d have gotten a similar price without the hassle. Now we’re paying $1200 for lodging, instead of $600 and will spend our vacation stressed about money. Thanks for that travel “experience” Airbnb! 

[Fouad20]

I just had a booking in downtown houston for 8 nights. I messaged the host for checkin instructions 2 days before my flight without a response. Nevertheless, his contact number was on Airbnb and I left a message on his cellphone. After an 18 hour flight and waiting for 3 hours outside the property (which I believe was bogus because i could not find the apartment number) i called the host who didnt pick up. I kept calling and I guess I called around 50 times. I then received a message on AirBnB from the host "Sorry my apartment wont allow stays anymore. I told airbmn to.cancel all reservations"

I then called AirBnB who took ages only to let me know that they will be refunded the full amount and will give me a 10% discount coupon. After 10 minutes.. I was told that I was not eligible for a discount coupon because it was a "business booking". Does this mean that business people are not their Priority? Moreover, After wasting so much time.. what am i suppose to do? I was given alternate options (which i had to pay myself) to places that were 20-30 mins from downtown.

AirBnB takes the guests money instantly when they cancel on the last day. Why cant Hosts be charged  a hefty amount for cancelling the last minute and then give that to the guest for new bookings.