My friend and I planned to stay here for the weekend Fri-Sun. Prior to arrival, I asked the host if we can check-in earlier since we were flying in very early Friday morning. He said he would let me know but estimated the other guests would leave around 11 am and cleaners could be done around 2:30 pm.
He never messaged me to confirm but we went around 3pm since and it looked empty so we tried the padlock. It took us a good 5 minutes to get it open and while we were struggling, the neighbor in the next unit was sitting right in front of the door just STARING at us intently and most likely heard me tell my friend the code since I could not get the padlock open myself.
We open the padlock, get the keys, open the door, and immediately close and lock the door. We go in and the windows in the living area were open so we close them. The walls were stained with whatever liquids were splattered, so the walls were definitely not cleaned. The bed in the entrance of the living area was black leather, you could tell as well it was not cleaned because it also had stains. The bedding looked like it was just smoothed out because it had lint on it. The couch was also black leather and it looked like it needed to be cleaned, and wasn’t, because it had lint, strands of hair, and dust in some areas. The electrical socket where the lamp and tv were plugged in had the wiring sticking completely out.
The bed in the bedroom was white leather and it was more evident in that one that it had not been cleaned because it had the most stains. Also, the window in the bedroom was wide open as well so we had to close it. My friend and I looked at each other and confirmed we would not sleep in the bedroom. The bathtub in the bathroom also had stains and around the corners was mold beginning to form.
We go back to the living area and my friend goes to the door on the other side of the kitchen and the door is UNLOCKED. We immediately feel unsafe not just with the uncleanliness but because the windows and doors were unlocked and we had a creepy neighbor.
I had an appointment at 3:30 pm so we had to leave and did not have time to take photos. When we came back it was around 8 pm so it was dark. My friend and I were too scared to go back to the bedroom and take photos throughout the house. We stayed in the living area and 15 minutes in, there’s a spider on the ceiling. We kill it. 45 minutes later, there’s a BIGGER SPIDER on the ceiling. My friend and I are already uneasy but these few moments in the Airbnb are enough to ruin this trip. We are calling to change our flights when we hear rustling outside the house. It was a little windy that night so we try to ignore it. We are so freaked out but know the doors and windows are now locked. My friend eventually falls asleep but I cannot. About an hour later I could hear the padlock keys being moved. Wind cannot move padlock keys. I turn the tv down and wait to hear anything else but mainly hear the wind moving the trees. I couldn’t sleep until about 1 am and had to be at the airport at 6 am.
I was tense the entire time at the Airbnb. Some things are totally out of a hosts control and I understand. Spiders, creepy neighbors. But cleanliness and safety is definitely something the host does have control over and failed to provide. The one door on the other side of the Airbnb was completely unlocked upon arrival. The walls were dirty. The bathtub was dingy and beginning to mold. Electrical wiring sticking out. It was the most unpleasant and unsafe experience we wanted to go fly home a whole day and a half earlier.
I let the host know and asked for a partial refund, the second day and the cleaning fee. He replied very defensively and said he could not refund me because he won’t have time to list it to someone else. I told him we left early because we felt unsafe and it was not clean, not because we had something else come up. After letting him know the areas that needed to be cleaned/improved and suggested he change the lock, he said he would check with his business partner and get back to me. It has been over 2 weeks and I never heard back from him.
I did not want to leave a bad review and even offered the host suggestions for improvement so he can provide a safe and clean Airbnb. I was understanding and only asked for a partial refund, since we still spent the one night in the Airbnb, even if I barely got any sleep because of how unsafe it felt. And I was ignored. I now expect a full refund and will continue to escalate this until I receive it.
In conclusion, don’t stay here or any place with this host.