- A Redditor posted about his family's recent Airbnb stay on Reddit.
- He said the host charged a $165 cleaning fee and sent a list of checkout chores.
A man on Reddit said an Airbnb host charged him a $165 cleaning fee and sent a list of checkout chores.
In an October 15 post, a user named fmbrandon vented about his family's recent stay in an Airbnb in the "mildlyinfuriating" subreddit group.
Airbnb is getting out of hand
byu/fmbrandon inmildlyinfuriating
The post included a screenshot of the Airbnb's "checkout instructions," which listed six chores, including stripping the bed linens and placing dirty towels in the washer machine.
"I'm surprised they didn't want us to stick around to dry the towels and remake the beds," the post read, adding that "Airbnb is getting out of hand."
Brandon, the Redditor who shared the post, told Newsweek on November 2 that he stayed in a San Antonio Airbnb with his family and friends from October 13 to October 15.
Per the outlet, a booking receipt issued in September showed the Airbnb listing included a $165 cleaning fee. Brandon told Newsweek the group booked the Airbnb because the cost was cheaper than a comparable hotel stay.
In a comment to Insider via Reddit on Wednesday, Brandon said he was shocked his post resonated with so many Redditors.
"I posted in mildlyinfuriating, expecting a small response from people who also found that annoying too. I did not realize that people would get so heated about the topic," he said, adding that some users had "extreme feelings" on the matter.
Brandon added that his October Airbnb stay was "the first time that I had an extensive list of things to do on check out."
"I am usually really okay with basic items like putting away my dishes and cleaning up any mess I made, but this list was irritating because we had to pay a large cleaning fee on top of having to do a bunch of cleaning," he told Insider.
On Wednesday, a representative for Airbnb told Insider the company "regularly" shares guidance with hosts about checkout policies.
"We want guests to have the best possible experience on Airbnb, which is why we ask Hosts to ensure checkout instructions are visible to guests prior to booking," the statement read. "We regularly share guidance with Hosts on this topic, and repeated low ratings may lead to removal."
Airbnb updated its platform in November 2022 to show guests the total price of an accommodation — including cleaning fees — before booking. In September, Airbnb announced that more than 260,000 Airbnb listings lowered or removed their cleaning fees this year.
Brandon's Reddit post reignited travelers' debate about whether staying in a hotel or an Airbnb is better. Some preferred hotels, citing no checkout instructions and the rising cost of Airbnb listings.
"I was willing to go through that bs when Airbnb was a third of the price of a hotel, but after fees Airbnb is usually more than a hotel now," one Redditor wrote.
Another added: "I do zero chores if there is a cleaning fee."
Cleaning fees are a hot topic for Airbnb users. One host recently told Insider's Maria Noyen that she stopped charging guests a cleaning fee and, as a result, her guests leave her rental cleaner than ever before. On the other hand, an Airbnb host shared with Insider's Jen Glantz in May that he charges up to $400 in cleaning fees.
Even with all the opinions, a February study by the market research firm Morning Consult found that consumers view the company positively. That month, 42% of surveyed consumers had a favorable view of the company compared to 38% in January 2022.