An Airbnb host was taken aback after a guest who booked a weeklong stay asked for a refund, saying the property simply did not "feel right."
The guest, who had selected a strict nonrefundable cancellation policy at the time of booking, messaged shortly after arrival, the host revealed as Reddit user bearnano this week.
"I know the stated policy is non-refundable, but I would respectfully like to ask for an exception," the guest apparently told the host.
"As soon as I got there, it just didn't feel right. The decor is beautiful. Your descriptions were fantastic. Great photos.
"But the space, the feel, something that could've expressed on the app is just not the place I want to stay for the next week. Can I please get a refund?"
He continued: "It's not a matter of change of heart; it's a matter of stepping into the reality of the space and feel of it. Can you entertain the idea of a partial refund?"
The following morning, the guest sent another message after his wife joined him at the property.
"My sincere hope was that after my wife joined me yesterday I would have a fresh perspective and happily settle in here. Unfortunately, the reality is that she hardly slept last night due to the very firm mattress.
"With her chronic back issues, she cannot sleep on such a hard mattress for another five nights. Will you please consider refunding me for the remainder of our stay now so you can have a chance to rebook the house for the weekend?"
According to Airbnb's Refund Policy for Services and Experiences, the policy, "applies to services and experiences, but does not apply to home reservations."
The company also states: "Submitting a fraudulent report violates our Terms of Service and may result in account termination."
The host as user bearnano said the guest had five nights remaining. Rather than offering a full refund, the original poster (OP) drafted a conditional response tied to rebooking the property.
"Because the reservation was booked under a strict non-refundable policy, we must adhere to the cancellation policy chosen at time of booking," the host replied.
"If you initiate the cancellation on your end right away, it will allow me to reopen my calendar. I will then commit to refunding you for any of those nights that I am able to successfully re-book with a new guest."
Before replying, the host sought feedback from other hosts on Reddit.
A contributor suggested a structured response: "Thank you for asking and I am sorry it doesn't meet the indescribable feeling you were searching for.
"Although I strictly follow my no-refund policy, I am willing to make an attempt to assist in the following way: If you would like to cancel and check out I will get my cleaners there and re-list the unit for the remaining time you had booked.
"If the unit is rented during any portion of your pre-booked time, I will refund your full daily rate for whatever days the unit is rented. This will ensure I am not at a loss financially for your booking and post check in cancellation.
"If the unit is not rented out due to the short notice, I will not accommodate any refund."
Another Reddit pundit offered a tongue-in-cheek reply: "Tell him that canceling will really kill your vibe and give you an indescribable feeling of ennui about the space that will require a very expensive shaman to realign the feng shui after they leave because of all the heavy energy they left for you to clean up (requiring a higher cleaning fee)."
After receiving the host's message, the guest canceled the reservation from his side after attempting to alter it, according to an update from the OP. The host's calendar reopened, allowing the possibility of rebooking the remaining nights.