Hi, im at my witz end.
Family of 4 traveled to area for our daughter to have literal life changing neuro spine surgery that we have been searching 8 months for.
There was some insurnace problems and we got the clear for surgery at 4pm our time (illinois) and raced out for surgery the next morning with a check in time of 515 am in miami.
I booked our airbnb while sitting at the airport.
It was a guest favorite. 4.8* had what I thought was all the amenities we wanted to try and make a "vacation" out of a difficult last 8mons. Since we couldnt explore much still wanted certain things to entertain the little brother while there during her recovery.
I messaged the host prior explaining the very late check in, and that it was imparative it was clean.
We arrived at the airbnb at 1245 am. Low and behold it was filthy, black curlies all over tub, hair on shower walls, spills and months worth of hair, dirt, and what not all over. 1 working fire alarm that wasn't chirping. Couldn't get cold water out. Someones tooth pastes splatterd all over the bathroom fixtures, old toothpaste in sink. We were exhausted but she needed to do one of 2 of her pre surgery showers and get some sleep since we had to leave at 430 am.
I messaged host first thing after she was settled. Wanted more pictures. Tmso once she was wheeled back I drove the 40 min back to the airbnb to get more pictures, they send their cleaners to address only the pictures. As we were headed back with daughter after discharge i find out that I am to inspect for the cleaners while they are there.
She was exhausted, I was exhausted, and in that moment my focus was not inspecting and releasing the cleaners, I focused on walking my daughter (14) to a bed and getting her food.
So my husband just said yeah its fine, (it was not).
We decided we would just clean and make the most. We were all on 2hrs of sleep.
Come later on, I ask how to turn on the hot tub/spa jets.
I recieved a general ai response from host "thanks for reaching out, i will contact the team" they send me instructions for the control panel.
I send pictures of the spa/hotub area and the pool equiptment, and electrical equipment. Nothing for hours. So I ask for an update. Then recieve the rental does not have hot tub listed. I know it did. Because it was one of the reasons I chose it. Low and behold.... its now not listed. My fault for not taking a screen shot from the get go.
Now the next day..... I wake up at 1130 to grab a bottle of water. Roaches in the kitchen. (Not the palmetto bugs) regular roaches. Quick back story, I grew up in child removing conditions as a kid, lived with roaches most of my youth until 8th grade. I know roaches. I hate roaches.
I send pictures to host first thing in morning (815am) got the same ai response and I ask for an update they finally respond at 1130 they are sending traps. We ask for a relocation, they send me a listing. I ask to go look at it. Waited from 130 until 530 pm for them to tell me that listing isnt upto standards. They send me another listing (outside of airbbnb app) that isnt listed on airbnb.
I go to inspect and its in worse condition. Literally pulling up to property there are 3 blinds broken. decline that.
We have had are bags packed ready to relocate all day just waiting and giving the host every opportunity to make it right.
Reached out to airbnb at this point. They said the host would agree to a refund of 500 (of 2,000) with a checkout next morning. Inorginally requested 1200 (3 nights fully refunded plus an additional 200 to cover the minimal difference for me to book a new comparable airbnb). I was told by airbnb they were able to get 500 (less then 2 nights) and an additional 85 from airbnb. I didn't agree to that as even a hotel was going to run us 950 for 3 nights. I then asked, can you please consider the 100% refund of the average nightly rate taxes and fees because of roaches!
Once it hit 945 pm and my husband needing to be at the airport at 4 am for an early departure home we gave up on leaving that night because we would have toneat that night regardless... literally waisted an entire day being patient allowing host and airbnb to do it right.
Next morning comes, I let everyone know we were out at 830 am.
Nothing.
Come later that afternoon, the host now will only refund 336 dollars and airbnb sends me a message saying. If i dont decide by end of day i will recieve nothing for canceling the remaining of the stay. Wtf. So I went with exactly the time line they asked, and now that we left now its even less of a refund.
The host repeated messaged me outside of the app (which I would then respond in the app) tried to send me and my family to an unlisted unit, had roaches, filthy. There is soffit missing with straw hanging out and scratching in the roof as we ate, beer bottle caps sharpie up where my son stepped on twice while in the back yard.
Oh, the pool guy that came was amazing. He did explain that there was a hot tub/spa. But someone disabled it because everything is there but pipes are missing from it. So it broke at some point, instead of repairing they just disabled it.
What now. We arent rich. We have mounting medical bills from trying to search for answers for our child. I never asked for a full refund. A fair amount for relocation. Full refund for unused night because this wasn't a cancle just because we didnt like it. Theres animals, roaches, filth.
Just complete lost and frustrated that airbnb handles guests like this.