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Deeply Disappointed by Airbnb’s Inflexibility During a Family Medical

We booked an Airbnb on September 2, 2024, for a planned family vacation scheduled for July 12–19, 2025. Sadly, just two weeks after booking, my mother suffered a seizure and was diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumor—a devastating and aggressive condition.While we initially hoped she’d still be able to make the trip after surgery and treatment, her condition worsened. My father canceled the reservation on February 24, 2025—well within the host’s posted policy, which stated cancellations made by July 5, 2025 would receive a 50% refund of nightly rates and cleaning fees.Since we had only paid 50% of the total cost ($6,213.82), we expected a refund of that amount. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.The host, Tory, was unwilling to work with us. My father offered medical documentation—she declined. She originally said we’d receive a full refund, then later claimed she was unaware that Airbnb’s payment plan policy overrides her posted cancellation terms. Eventually, she said we’d only get a refund if she’s able to rebook the week—no guarantee, just a conditional promise.We were then told by Airbnb that because we used a payment plan, we were not eligible for any refund, despite canceling well in advance and within the stated policy window.I spent over two hours on the phone with a kind and empathetic customer service manager, who admitted our situation warranted a refund. But he ultimately said he couldn’t issue one due to internal policy restrictions.This experience revealed a serious flaw in Airbnb’s system: there is no clear, compassionate process for families dealing with real emergencies—even when the host’s terms suggest otherwise.Instead of support, we were met with rigid policies, conflicting information, and a host who changed her story. We’re not asking for special treatment—just basic fairness and human decency. Airbnb failed us when we needed compassion the most.I’ve reached out directly to Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky in hopes that he’ll step in and do the right thing for our family.

Date of experience: Mar 14, 2025