An woman reveals that her Airbnb host said check-in is 8-10pm. She said he then demanded to see her ID when she arrives at 10:30pm.
The video features TikTok user Tenille (@prettybully23), who explains an incident she had with Airbnb. She booked a condo for four days at $900, and check-in was from 8-10pm. Despite booking past 10pm, she was still able to book the listing. However, 20 minutes later, she received a message from the host through the app. The host asked Tenille what time she planned on checking in and requested a phone call. While on the phone, she says the host told her to meet him with a photo I.D. for verification purposes.
@prettybully23 Replying to @kellb ♬ original sound – Tenille
This instruction only confused Tenille since she had never experienced this. When she asked for the address to meet him, the host was rude. “Go in our messages and find the address,” he told her. “I’m doing you a favor by checking you in. Check-in cut off at 10 p.m.” He added, “I make 500 bucks. It’s really nothing to me.” Livid, Tenille called him out. “Who doesn’t have a keyless entry in 2023?” The response backfired. “See you tomorrow,” he responded and hung up.
Concerned about cancellation, Tenille called him back. Instead of canceling the booking, the host changed the check-in time to the next day at 2 p.m. Why? The host said because it was past 10pm he was unable to make it to the unit. Feeling “uncomfortable” with what she describes as a “hostile” host, she requested a cancellation. But the host refused and hung up. With $900 off her credit card and nowhere to stay, Tenille booked a hotel. In the meantime, she waited for a call from Airbnb.
The Daily Dot reached out to Tenille via Instagram DM and TikTok comment and Airbnb via press email regarding the video. The video amassed 1.6 million views. In the comments, viewers criticized the host.
“People be ridiculous. I would never treat a guest like that. He needs to find something else to do,” one viewer wrote.
“I swear these people forget they’re in the hospitality industry. I’m never using air bnb again,” a second wrote.
On the other hand, other viewers sided with the host.
“I mean I get your point but it does say no check in after 10pm so Technically was a favor,” one user commented.
“I don’t see how it’s shady. You read the rules and it said 10p right? That’s what it is then,” a second agreed.
In the follow-up video, Tenille elaborated more on how the host allegedly took her money and wouldn’t her into the unit. She also explained the reason why she booked an Airbnb late at night. “It was 10 p.m. at night and I needed to book an Airbnb because I don’t love hotels,” she said. “I didn’t know I needed somewhere to stay, and that’s why they have stuff called ‘auto book.’”
Auto book or Instant Book “is an option that an Airbnb host can turn on for their listings. It allows guests to book a property automatically. Instant Book reservation requests don’t need to be approved by the host first. Instead, guests can enter their travel dates and proceed straight to discussing check-in with the host.”
In Tenille’s opinion, her host was a “scammer” for a number of reasons. First, he didn’t “record the interaction on Airbnb.” Furthermore, the moment he said he was “doing her a favor,” alarm bells went off. “The moment the man said, ‘I’m doing you a favor,’ you know you got a host from h*ll, baby,” she stated.
Lastly, she said he agreed to meet up, bailed, hung up, and then acted like Tenille was “canceling on him” in the messages. This led her to contact Airbnb. Within six minutes, she received a callback. She said that according to Airbnb, the host claimed that he was the one “confused” and was “willing to meet up” at midnight. So, essentially, the host contradicted everything Tenille was saying, which in her opinion was an effort to discredit her.
To make matters worse, Airbnb gave the content creator an ultimatum: Stay at the Airbnb or not get her refund. Not wanting to waste her money, she agreed. Within a few minutes, she received an email from Airbnb stating the host canceled and would give her a full refund. Again, the content creator was confused but she had a theory of why the host canceled.
@prettybully23 Replying to @kristalkatt81 #greenscreensticker I got my money back!!!!!! Thank you @airbnb ♬ original sound – Tenille
“Why would you set up where you cannot check in after 10 p.m. but you can book at 10 p.m.? Oh, it’s called a ‘scam,’” she stated.