My nightmare began in April 2018 when I booked a Condo in Las Vegas for the SEMA convention. I selected a two-bedroom two-bath, five minutes walking distance of the convention center. I thought I had done my homework: I looked at all the reviews – all was well, so I booked.
Five days before the convention was to start (seven months later), I received a notice that my reservation had been cancelled. Out of the goodness of their hearts they gave me a 10% rebooking fee credit even though the prices showed they had tripled. I called Airbnb and they said the host had cancelled for security purposes… whatever that means. What it means is the owner got a better offer elsewhere.
I stopped by the condo and it was rented during the convention. After countless messages and multiple phone calls I ended up with a place at three times the rate, of which Airbnb only picked up a third. I have since learned and I want everyone to know that hosts tell Airbnb what they want to charge for a night and then Airbnb sets their price according to the demand. If you think you are safe after you book, you are not.