Airbnb difficulty advice please

[myidentitymycrisis]

Partner and I booked an apartment for Christmas, then after confirmation we booked flights. The next day we received notification that the owner had cancelled and they messaged to say the holiday period rates had not gone on to the site yet and it would be more expensive. We agreed to pay the higher rate as it was reasonable and the owner is now waiting for Airbnb to update the prices so we can book again. They advised it would be 24 hours but so far 48 and not available.
The owner seems very amenable and has agreed to hold the dates for us as we spent ages researching and chose that property, but we are in limbo now until we can book.
we are left feeling a bit insecure with our flights booked. Any advice from Airbnb owners or guests out there who have been in similar situations ? I have to go out to work but will be checking in later today, Thanks.

[BIWI]

Sorry, no advice - but I have noticed that this seems to happen a fair bit with AirBnB, which has made me nervous about booking them in the past. I don't know if it's worse at Christmas, but I do know that it's often a time when owners hike up their prices - and I think it's a terrible business practice to do this after they'd already accepted your booking.

Thankfully the ones I have booked have been fine, but ... !

If I were you, I'd find a second, back-up option.

[buttermilkwaffles]

This seems to be happening more often with Airbnb - happened to me on both of my two most recent bookings.

First one, booked, booking accepted and paid for. Owner emails to say he put the wrong price. New price was almost double so I refused his offer. Airbnb said I should either accept the new price or the owner would cancel, despite me pointing out that their own policy says hosts cannot change prices after a booking has been accepted.

As I refused to pay almost double and the original price was reasonable not an obvious pricing error, the owner cancelled.

Made another booking and the same thing happened! This time Airbnb said that changing prices after a booking was accepted was unfair to guests and was against their policies. Odd how they took a completely different approach with the first booking though and completely ignored their own policies! They told me not to cancel as I would still have to pay for 100% of the first night and 50% of all the other nights even if the host got a new booking for those dates. If the host, rather than you cancels, then I think there is some kind of penalty, eg they cannot relist those dates for booking? Airbnb also sent me links to a few alternative properties, but not one of them was even in the same city and one was another city, over 2 hours away, so useless. They then closed the case despite it not being resolved. Contacted them again and they asked why I hadn't checked in! Referred them to previous emails and asked for a refund. Eventually they did refund me.

Obviously I had by then booked somewhere else (NOT via Airbnb) so that I had somewhere to stay.

Sorry, that doesn't answer your question, but don't trust Airbnb and screenshot everything as evidence.

[TheHodgeoftheHedge]

This kind of crap is exactly why I don’t use air bnb anymore.

[buttermilkwaffles]

And as @BIWI says, look at a possible Plan B backup/ alternative so you at least have another option?

[Julykthat]

I suppose its down to the decency of the owner. I would be vexed if I hadn't adjusted my prices in time but would suck it up if a booking had come in.

I really wouldn't want yo give this host the business. Can you try to find somewhere else?

[somanyresusablebags]

These kind of cancellations have happened to me twice in the past year I will only use AirBnB for easily replaceable bookings like London. Our summer holiday was completely re-arranged this year after an AirBnB cancelled a couple months after booking. Luckily we are driving and hadn't bought flights.

As far as I can tell there are no consequences to the owners and AirBnB is completely silent on the matter.

I'd look something else through a different company.

[myidentitymycrisis]

Thanks for all the replies. I have used Airbnb a few times in the past and two or three times this year, which were all straightforward.

It appears Airbnb can block the hosts calendar if they cancel. However the host says they have been told it will open again in 24 hours. I will contact Airbnb and see what they have to say, why they are not opening up the dates for booking again at all.

I think we may well have to look for something else. Now I have heard all your tales I am put off looking on the site, where else will I find apartments to rent in Budapest?

[Mykingdomforanickname]

I don't know specifically about Budapest, but I have booked apartments through Booking.com on five separate occasions (in several different European cities). I've never had the owner cancel on me, though there was one where we turned up to be told they were putting us in a smaller apartment in the same block (for a considerably lower price, but it still wasn't ideal). Booking.com has verified reviews which I always read carefully before I book. Make sure that you have your settings so that it shows the most recent reviews first (regardless of rating) rather than giving more prominence to more favourable reviews.

[BIWI]

How about Trivago? As well as hotels, they do apartments

I've put in rough dates around Christmas to bring up the options shown in that search. Who knows - you might find the same place on there!

[TheresWaldo]

www.7seasonsapartments.com/ We stayed in last month - booked through Booking.com. Fantastic location and nice, smart, clean apartment with full time reception.