Hosting isn’t always about fresh sheets, sparkling kitchens, and happy check-ins. Sometimes it’s about human choices—and what happens when someone refuses the good option that’s right in front of them.
🚨 What Happened
Not long ago, we had a guest who broke multiple house rules. They brought far more people than they booked for, held a party, broke a table beyond repair, and left the house in a mess with food left out that attracted pests. Instead of taking responsibility, they turned around and left us a review filled with accusations—blackmail, threats, discrimination—completely made up.
🤝 The Fair Offer
At first, we tried to handle it with kindness. We reached out and offered what we thought was a fair solution: let’s both remove our reviews and move on. After all, we have hundreds of reviews, and one negative review quickly gets buried. But the guest had only a few reviews, and our honest review about their stay dropped their overall rating significantly. Our offer would have helped both sides move forward.
But the guest refused. They doubled down with hostility.
🛡️ Policies Stepped In
So, we turned to Airbnb’s policies. We provided evidence, filed an AirCover claim (which Airbnb approved and compensated us for the broken table), and requested review removal. After careful investigation, Airbnb confirmed there was no discrimination and removed the guest’s retaliatory review from our profile. Our truthful review, however, remains on theirs.
❓ The Real Question: Was It Worth It—for the Guest?
From our side, we moved forward. Our profile continues to collect dozens of new 5-star reviews every month, and one negative review against hundreds has little to no impact. But for the guest, their profile—only a handful of reviews—now carries the weight of one very negative, very visible review. That review will follow them for a long time, lowering their overall rating and limiting their chances of booking the best places on Airbnb.
We didn’t choose this outcome—the guest did. By refusing a fair solution, they left us no option but to act within the rules, protect our business, and let Airbnb’s process decide.
So the real question isn’t for us as hosts—it’s for guests who act irresponsibly, refuse fair resolutions, and then face lasting consequences: Was it worth it?
💡 Lessons for Guests
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✔ Own Your Mistakes
Everyone makes them. But refusing accountability only makes things worse.
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✔ Don’t Burn Bridges
A single review can impact your future travel far more than you think.
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✔ Take the Good Option When Offered
Sometimes hosts give you a chance to walk away clean. Don’t make the mistake of refusing.
