I've noticed guests becoming much more critical and flat-out rude since COVID, and even more so after Airbnb IPO'd.
It's unsettling and perplexing, especially since things like my cleaning costs and check-out procedures have not changed. I did NOT raise my cleaning fee while also raising my cleaning standards to be COVID-compliant. I pay my cleaners well, probably more than other hosts in the neighborhood. And now I have rude guests who are complaining about the fee, asking for refunds and refusing to do the check-out requests. (Is taking out the trash considered 'unreasonble?')
I also had a prospective guest inquire about a discount. When I told her that I offer a discount with a non-refundable option, she flipped out on me claiming I was just 'running a business' and threatened to check if my guest suite was 'even legal' in CA because 'she knows zoning laws' (I have an STR license from my city). I wished her well in finding accommodations that would fit her budget and didn't engage with her further. I'm 99% positive she would have been a headache had she stayed in my listing.
The experience that tops the cake was a guest who broke ALL my rules (every. single. one.) and gave me a poor review. I fought hard with Airbnb to take it down despite the clear evidence we provided. It should not have been this hard and yet it took perseverence on our part to get them to do it. (MULTIPLE calls and tickets to Airbnb.)
All of this is mentally exhausting as a host. I'm not a hotel chain that will take guest abuse, I'm an Airbnb host who has opened a portion of my home so that guests could enjoy a neighborhood feel. I feel like the expectations of guests have changed now that the company has gone public and people started complaining about fees. Some days I do question if I want to continue to be a host on Airbnb.