Unfortunately the host of this space attempted ridiculously add on extra “cleaning fees” on a recent stay at the tiny home.
I was excited to stay in the space with my partner for a weekend night and also planned on rebooking for this Fourth of July weekend and have friends book the accompanying tiny home that is next door. However the day after we checked out I received a request from the host for $15 extra dollars for a “cleaning fee”- after I had already been charged a $20 cleaning fee at the initial booking alongside the price of the room and accompanying service fee.
Confused, I contacted the host and asked if I had misunderstood the request & his response was that we had left 3 dishes out uncleaned and a pizza box on the table that was empty that we should’ve taken to the dumpster. Absolutely ludicrous...
I responded that I had already paid a cleaning fee and unless he had accidentally refunded that one, I had no idea why he was looking for another. He stated that “...it took the maid longer than an hour.” to clean A TINY HOUSE and that they were surcharged so now I was as well. To clean empty wine cups and throw away a pizza box?!
We spent less than 12 hours at the spot, have no messy habits or crazy parties and spent the evening eating pizza and watching YouTube videos- on my phone because there’s no WiFi either.
After this, the host proceeded to send me pictures of how much money he makes off the bookings (I have no absolutely no idea why...) to try to show me that Airbnb makes money ( Well duh..As a host, it’s a service you use to make money- it’s not free.) and explain how much he pays for sewage and electricity as well as the maid. None of that is my problem- you have to spend money to make money; if you don’t want to pay for upkeep for an Airbnb- don’t have one.
I have used Airbnb with my partner for several weekend stays around SoCal and have been grateful to experience fairly honest and not greedy hosts (who have reviewed me positively as a guest at their space) so when I realized that the host of this space was trying to charge me and extra fee of $15 (at this point the cleaning fee(s) and service fee almost exactly equaled the cost of the night’s stay itself) I was incredibly disappointed.
Why be greedy and try to get even more money out of people when You could just enjoy the income you receive from your business?
When I informed my partner, he felt that the host was being incredibly chauvinistic and trying to shake me down because I’m younger and female and thought I would simply pay the fee.
I’m a preschool teacher- money doesn’t grow on trees for us !
Thus, I would have no problem paying an extra fee for a valid reasoning however i absolutely can not afford to have someone shamelessly try to take another $15 out of my pocket (after we had also left a 6 pack of unopened beer in the fridge as an extra “thank you” for the stay).
I did not pay the extra fee, obviously. I’m sure the host will have an apologetic response to this review in an attempt to band-aid their ridiculous and dishonest behavior so that people will still book the space.
It’s an awesome spot itself- just anticipate that the host will try to charge you for absolutely anything about your stay after you’ve checked out and justify their request shamelessly.