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Be Cautious — Airbnb Offered Minimal Help After Host Cancelled

I rarely write reviews, but this experience deserves to be shared so others are aware.We booked an apartment in Liverpool well in advance, specifically because we were two couples and one single traveler who needed separate bedrooms, a central location, and a modern place to stay. The trip includes a football match, but we will be spending 3–4 full days in the city center — so the location of the accommodation was absolutely essential.Despite all this, the host cancelled the reservation with almost no justification. This left us in a terrible situation: the selection of available apartments in central Liverpool was already extremely limited by the time of the cancellation. We had booked early precisely to avoid this problem, and yet Airbnb’s policies left us with almost no support.What surprised us the most was that Airbnb’s guidelines suggest they may help guests rebook or cover the difference when a comparable place is unavailable. In our case, however, they repeatedly refused to offer anything meaningful. They insisted on giving only a £100 coupon, which is completely insignificant given that the remaining available options were far more expensive.Their customer service acknowledged that they could not find any comparable listings in central Liverpool — yet somehow expected us to manage on our own. At this point we had no choice but to book through another company.After a full week of back-and-forth communication, the final response was disappointing, unhelpful, and completely disconnected from the reality of the situation. The host walks away without consequences, while we are left with increased costs and unnecessary stress.This experience has significantly reduced my trust in Airbnb. I strongly recommend travelers be cautious, especially when booking for important trips where location and availability really matter.

Date of experience: Nov 04, 2025