Key Missing from Lockbox. Didn't end up staying there. Host refuses refund.

[Jane3624]

I booked a 2 night stay and was told that check in was at 4pm and to get the key from a lockbox. Throughout the day, I had been trying to contact the host with no response (calling & Airbnb messaging). By 6:30pm, the key still wasn't there, so I raised an issue with Airbnb. The host finally responded and gave a number that no one picked up. By then, it was 7:30pm and I had a mandatory event, so I tried to ask for a refund and booked another place. At 9:30pm, the host told me that I could just go to the place and she would help me.

Now, the host is refusing a refund and says "that the apartment was ready, but the guest never checked-in". Airbnb said they can give me an exception and are giving me 25% back.

I've read the Airbnb Guest Refund Policy and I clearly had a Travel Issues (ii) fails to provide the Guest with the reasonable ability to access the Accommodation (e.g. does not provide the keys and/or a security code). So I should get a refund "Up to 24 hours after check-in. If you report a Travel Issue up to 24 hours after check-in, we agree, at our discretion, to either (i) reimburse you the amount paid by you through the Airbnb Platform (“Total Fees”), or (ii) use our reasonable efforts to help you find and book for any unused nights left in your booking another Accommodation which is reasonably comparable to or better than the Accommodation described in your original booking in terms of size, rooms, features and quality."

What can I do in a situation like this?

[Huma0]

@Jane3624 

Just to get this straight, you showed up at the Airbnb at 4pm but there was no key in the lockbox and then you tried to contact the host (confused because you said you were trying to contact the host 'throughout the day'), no response and then raised the issue with Airbnb at 6.30pm?

What then transpired was that the host contacted you at 7.30pm with a number that wasn't answered and then told you at 9.30pm to go to the other place you booked and do what? You said she would try to help you. What does that mean? Did she offer a refund at this point?

Sorry for so many questions, but just trying to understand what actually happened...

[Jane3624]

@Huma6 

Yes, I had been trying to contact her through the day because she had sent a message the day before saying the room was ready and I was just asking if we could get in early. I wasn't expecting her to say yes, just asking if it was possible, but she never responded.

When I was there at 4, the keys weren't there and I raised the issue at 4:30pm.

The host responded with a number that no one answered, but at 9:30pm messaged for me to go straight to her place. At this point, I was already at my new Airbnb. 

She just said "Don't worry, I can help." But didn't give any specifics. She never offered a refund.

[Mark116]

@Jane3624  Unless there is more to the story, this seems to straightfowardly fall into Airbnb's 'full refund' category.  You reached out to the host, you went to the unit, the key was not there, and it wasn't until 5 hours later a solution was offered, by which time you already had a new place.

What reason did Airbnb give you for only giving 25% refund?