Most Disrespectful Airbnb Host: Nightmare in Venice Beach

I have been staying at Airbnbs since the company started and have never come close to having an experience like the one I had in Venice Beach, California. In fact, I have never been disrespected by someone like this in my entire life, no matter what the situation was. As I travel for work, I often stay at Airbnbs across the country and I always treat every home and host better than my own or how I would expect to be treated. This house was super cute and very well decorated. It was exactly what I wanted while in Venice Beach, California until I realized how disrespectful this host and the host’s girlfriend was. On the first morning of my stay, they yelled at me for talking to a client on my cell phone outside in the backyard, which was supposed to be completely open to guests. I was interrupted by the host telling me that he has to make a call and that if I am going to be talking on my phone I have to do so inside my studio. I went inside to finish my conversation and then left to go to a coffee shop and work where I wouldn’t get in trouble for being on the phone.

I WAS EVICTED AT 3:30AM FOR NOTHING. The very next night, I had my best friend drive up from San Diego for dinner. I introduced him to the host’s girlfriend because she was in the yard watering the flowers. She seemed super nice and we all talked about places to go eat, things to see while in town, etc. It was a very normal, casual conversation. She recommended a very nice place for dinner and it was great. She also asked if my friend was planning on staying and although it was not the plan, I said that it depends on how late dinner goes. She said ok and walked inside. Since we couldn’t get a reservation until 9:30pm we did not get home from dinner until midnight or so. We were extremely quiet when we got home and went straight to sleep (again I’m here for work).

After being asleep for 3.5 hours, at 3:30am, I was suddenly woken up by someone pounding on the door and yelling at me to get out of the apartment. I opened the door and it was the host’s girlfriend screaming at me and saying that I must pack my things and leave. I was told that she called Airbnb and reported me for breaking the rules of having a friend stay with me and if I don’t leave in 5 minutes, the cops will come (she never called Airbnb). I was completely caught off guard; it was the middle of the night, and when I simply asked her what was going on and if she could provide me with the number for Airbnb, she said no and that I had to leave immediately. Needless to say it’s 3:45am in the morning now and I am on the street with my luggage and no place to stay. She got to keep the money that I prepaid for the apartment and possibly rented out her place again for that night. I have never been so disrespected by anyone in my entire life. This was the most ridiculous experience that I have ever faced and don’t know anyone who has the conscience to treat someone like this.

After speaking with Airbnb, they were extremely apologetic; they credited my account for the one night and gave me $100 in Airbnb credit. When I asked how to leave a review on the site, I was not able to because the host immediately cancelled the reservation to prevent me from leaving a bad review. When the Airbnb host told me the house rules, there was nothing stating that one will be evicted for having a guest stay with you. The house rules stated that they “prefer” to have no outside guests but when I introduced my friend to the girlfriend earlier in the evening, she said nothing about not being able to stay. I was out $620 from the rental of the Airbnb and then had to find a hotel at 4:00am in a city that I am not familiar with and pay an extra $300 for the room.