People Debate Whether Airbnb Host Is ‘Too Generous’ For Giving Spring Breakers 5 Stars After Seeing The State Of Her Home
fast-stock | ShutterstockAirbnb horror stories have become common news in recent years, especially on social media. Most of the time, it's about guests complaining about the absurd rules or state of a host's home, but this time, a group of spring breakers is actually at the root of the controversy.
The host gave viewers a walkthrough of the property after the college kids had checked out, and people were more than surprised by her laissez-faire attitude toward the condition of everything after their stay. Granted, the place wasn't destroyed, but it also wasn't left unscathed. There was more than a mess, and many critics argued that guests had been charged for less, and her attitude was a bit "too generous."
People debated whether an Airbnb host was 'too generous' for giving spring breakers 5 stars after seeing the state of her home.
"It is spring break in Destin, Florida, and let's see how a bunch of college kids left my short-term rental near the beach," the Airbnb host began in her TikTok video. Panning the camera around, she pointed out that it was pretty clear there had been some partying at the property based on the overflowing garbage containers outside.
But, she remained optimistic, hoping that even though they had indulged, they had seemingly cleaned up after themselves. That wasn't entirely true, however. She noticed almost immediately that there was some kind of sticky substance on the coffee table in the living room. Sand was pretty much everywhere, but that didn't seem to faze her since it was a beach house.
In the kitchen, there were dirty dishes left in the sink, and it was clear the counters needed a good wiping down before the college students left. The bedrooms were equally disheveled, and the bathrooms had dirt and grime and possible remnants from a night of a few too many, too.
The Airbnb host even found some damage done to the walls by their suitcases.
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"Somebody accidentally flung their suitcase into the wall," she noticed, pointing out the small chunk missing from the wall. Not a terrible fix. Mildly annoying. Wish they hadn't done that. We're not gonna charge them for it or anything like that."
After seeing the wall, she continued her walk-through, ending outside by the pool area. She acknowledged that there wasn't much damage to the pool, except for a few of the pool chairs being askew. Other than that, she announced the spring breakers would be getting a 5-star rating.
"They had a great time, enjoyed themselves, and cleaned up pretty decently. Five stars. That's what we're here to do, is provide a great vacation for our guests. This is the business we have chosen, and it sure beats asking some guy when I can take my lunch break every day."
The reason for the debate centers on how varied the expectations among Airbnb hosts can be.
While a missing chunk of wall and some sticky furniture isn't something to completely lose your head over, it's not exactly nothing, either. And considering most Airbnb hosts have specific cleaning instructions and fees for their properties and rentals, it's not unreasonable for people to expect guests to at least leave the space in relatively good condition.
In the comments section, people were surprised by the Airbnb host's chill attitude about the state of her property. Many pointed out that her reaction almost felt too forgiving, especially considering the visible mess and even minor damage that was done by the young adults.
Airbnb is structured so that each host is essentially a small business owner. That means host rules can vary wildly. This host, for example, rents out in a beach town popular among spring breakers. That means she might be more lenient when it comes to crackers mashed into a bedroom carpet than someone who rents in a quiet residential community. Those differences are what have sparked the online debate.
What's important to remember, however, is that the success of a host's rental is contingent on their ratings, and if you rent consistently to spring breakers, your expectations might have to be a little lower in order to keep the property booked. Negative reviews, as one study found, can be the death knell for Airbnb hosts, but they can also give hosts the opportunity to market their property differently. In this case, the host assumes the risk of renting to spring breakers by marketing to them and setting lower expectations for the property's condition after checkout. Chances are, the rent is higher for that very reason as well.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
