I wanted to share a recent experience in full, as I think it highlights something important about how Airbnb currently handles host protection vs. the review system.
What happened:
A guest stayed at one of our units and, during the reservation, reported that the apartment had a “foundation issue” and claimed it was causing her vertigo.
We took this seriously and immediately involved Airbnb support during the stay to review the situation in real time.
After reviewing the claim, Airbnb confirmed:
There were no structural or foundation issues
The property is professionally maintained
The situation did not qualify for a refund under policy
We followed Airbnb’s guidance exactly and upheld our cancellation policy.
We also offered a goodwill solution to refund any nights that could be rebooked.
The guest declined, completed the stay, and then left a review repeating the same claims and stating we were “not willing to let her leave unless someone else rented the apartment.”
What Airbnb confirmed (after escalation):
After multiple escalations, including a Senior Case Manager review, Airbnb confirmed:
The claim was reviewed during the stay and found unsupported
We were correct in enforcing the cancellation policy
There were no issues with the listing
Final outcome:
Despite all of that:
👉 The review was not removed
Airbnb’s reasoning was that:
Key takeaway:
There is a clear separation between:
1. Case resolution (what Airbnb determines actually happened)
vs
2. Review moderation (what Airbnb allows to remain publicly visible)
Even when:
A claim is raised during the stay
Airbnb investigates it in real time
Airbnb confirms it is unsupported
👉 That same claim can still remain in a review without that context being considered
Why this matters for hosts:
This creates a situation where:
…and you can still be penalized afterward through the review system
Sharing for awareness
I’m not posting this just to complain — but to make other hosts aware of how this currently works so you can:
Document everything during the stay
Set expectations around refunds clearly
Be prepared that Airbnb support during the reservation does not guarantee protection afterward
If anyone has found ways to successfully navigate situations like this, I’d genuinely be interested to hear.
I’ve also shared the original discussion thread here for full context: https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Support-with-your-bookings/As-a-host-this-situation-feels-incred...
