The cold shoulder! Airbnb told the snowboarders that the $186-a-night Lake Tahoe rental was “not required” to provide them with HOT WATER during the snow break, forcing them to take freezing showers
- A group of friends traveled to Lake Tahoe to enjoy the snowy weather and rented an Airbnb property
- Everything was fine the first night, but the second and third days there was a shortage of hot water, forcing the group to take cold showers
- When the company contacted the owner and Airbnb to report the issue, the company said the host is not required to provide hot water
A group of friends got a rude awakening when they discovered the Lake Tahoe Airbnb they rented had no hot water despite staying in the dead of winter.
Alexander Yee traveled from Alameda in Northern California to the winter retreat in the Sierra Nevada mountains to spend some time skiing and snowboarding.
The group believed they struck a bargain with the three-bedroom, three-bathroom property, which cost just $186 a night.
After a day on the slopes, holidaymakers were looking forward to a steamy shower to warm up – only to find hot water wasn’t part of the deal.
Although there was hot water on the first day of their stay, it was completely gone on the second and third days, forcing the group to take cold showers.
A group of friends traveled to an Airbnb in Lake Tahoe to enjoy the snowy weather and rented an Airbnb property
Everything was fine the first night, but the second and third days there was a shortage of hot water, forcing the group to take cold showers
An exterior view of the Lake Tahoe Airbnb the five friends rented – only to find there was no hot water for a shower
One of the three bathrooms at the Lake Tahoe Airbnb rental that ran out of hot water on the second day
“That’s why we didn’t have hot water on Airbnb and we turned to the host,” Yee told ABC13.
“We just let them know that there was a problem with the hot water and that we were taking cold showers, which of course wasn’t great given the cold Tahoe weather.
“When we heard about Airbnb’s customer service, we were quite surprised at the response,” Yee explained. “You had mentioned that the host was not required to provide hot water as hot water was not specifically included as a convenience in the Airbnb we stayed in.”
Airbnb’s response was initially on the side of the owner of the property as the listing was correct and hot water was not listed as an amenity even though there was a hot tub.
Alexander Yee, pictured, contacted the owner and Airbnb to report the issue. The company stated that the host is not required to provide hot water
After the complaint, Airbnb refunded a service fee and cleaning fee equal to the cost of one night’s stay, with the host also issuing a partial refund
“We allow hosts to choose hot water as a convenience, but this is for remote, off-grid properties so guests can plan properly,” Airbnb explained.
“In this particular case, our team reached out to the host to inquire about any amenities that may need to be addressed,” an Airbnb spokesperson told the TV channel.
Following the complaint, Airbnb refunded a service fee and cleaning fee equal to one night’s accommodation. The owner of the rental also refunded part of the stay.