Earlier this week, a Twitter user shared pictures of what she thought looked like cameras disguised as fire sprinklers scattered throughout her Airbnb in Philadelphia. This prompted other users to begin sharing their Airbnb horror stories on Twitter. While an investigation conducted by the Philadelphia police concluded that there were no hidden cameras in the Airbnb, the social media damage had already been done.
Airbnb has strict guidelines on cameras and recording devices, requiring hosts to disclose which devices are on the premises. These devices are also only allowed in common spaces, such as front doors or driveways.
“Our policies strictly prohibit hidden cameras and we take forceful action in the exceptionally rare circumstances where this has been reported, including assisting law enforcement to help them hold criminals accountable,” an Airbnb spokesperson tells Mashable. “Our Safety Team is available 24/7 to support guests with safety concerns.”
From the stream of tweets and posts this week, it seems like most of the negative experiences at Airbnbs seem to be attributed to the hosts, rather than the accommodations. Many cite high cleaning fees, in addition to rules that require paying guests to clean the units anyway, some even enforcing chore lists before checkout and strict accommodation rules.
The Airbnb versus hotels debate has been ongoing, and with the increasing demands of hosts and ever-rising prices of rentals, people are contemplating ditching Airbnb altogether. This goes for both guests and former Airbnb hosts.
