In the many years that I have used Airbnb, this was my first negative encounter with a host. I am honestly pretty drained from this encounter, and would have preferred to put it to rest behind me. But as the host has given me a negative review, I feel obligated to explain my side of the situation. Before I explain, I would like to state that the apartment was beautiful, clean, in a great location and the host even adjusted the check in time for me as my flight landed very late. Which I was grateful for. I had a great stay up until my last day, actually the morning when I was supposed to check out was when the issue occurred.
In the living room of the apartment there is a surveillance camera, because I am a female that wears a headscarf. I would turn the camera slightly to the wall ONLY in the moments when I was uncovered, and I would ALWAYS turn it back to it’s initial position. As my stay was during the month of July, the heat was unbearable and it was impossible to be fully covered at all times. Specially because I spent all my days outside in the sun.
So just to clarify, the camera would be on in the majority of my stay, as I wasn’t even in the apartment for the majority of my stay. In my last day, the host texted me about this matter. Completely enraged and telling me that just because he isn’t in the house, doesn’t mean I am allowed to do whatever I want. I quickly apologized and explained my situation about my headscarf and why I did what I did, but he didn’t seem to care. I apologized again and thought the matter was settled, because this was already the end of my stay and I had a few hours left to check out.
One hour later the host contacts me again, accusing me of scamming him of money. Saying he could see from the camera that I brought an extra person to the house even though I only payed for 1 person. And apparently this was the reason the I was covering the camera. I was utterly shocked by this accusation. I mean if this was my agenda, why wouldn’t I cover the camera at all times? I quickly explained to the host, that I was meeting up a friend for breakfast in a restaurant next to the Airbnb apartment. The friend came up to the apartment just for the few minutes that I was contacting the restaurant to see if there was a table available and reserve. And we left soon after that, we were gone for 3-4 hours and the friend only came back up to the apartment to get her bag because she had a big bag and we thought it wouldn’t be nice to have to carry it around while strolling around in the city. I didn’t invite her for dinner, or a drink or to hang out in the apartment. But I felt like no matter what I told the host, he refused to believe me. Finally, he sent me an extra charge, demanding me to pay for a second guest throughout the whole stay (for a 5 night stay even though she was barely in the house for 45 min all put together). We kept going back and forth, and no matter how much I explained and apologized it seemed it was for nothing. I felt very unsafe and distressed throughout our communication, I’m a female travelling on my own and this was the first time in Milano. I ended up contacting Airbnb and had an Airbnb agent on the phone until the last minute of my checkout. As I was very afraid of what might happen. Because the tone of the conversation kept getting angrier.
I have never given a negative review, and would honestly want to avoid posting one now. But as the host left me a negative review, I felt compelled to explain my side of the story. But I still can say that the apartment was beautiful and in a great location, and I’m sure many people will enjoy it.