An Airbnb guest thought she had a good reason to complain about her vacation rental, but her ordeal has left the internet questioning whether she was the one in the wrong.
Leah, who posts on X under the handle “I Am Leah,” recalled an experience in which an Airbnb host reportedly asked her not to attack the spiders inside his property.
Highlights
- An Airbnb guest demanded a refund after finding spiders, but the host disputed her account.
- Social media users largely turned against the guest, with one declaring, “First and only time I’m ever on the host’s side.”
- In a past similar case, a guest reportedly received a $374 refund after finding a single mosquito in a rental.
However, rather than rallying behind her, many social media users unexpectedly began defending the host.
“One of the rare times I’m on the landlord’s side… Even I wouldn’t have reacted this way,” one viewer wrote online.
Leah recounted finding huge spiders throughout an Airbnb rental, but the host disputed her account
Leah shared the viral post on Sunday, October 25, with the caption, “All of these Airbnb conversations remind me of the time a host said not to k*ll the spiders in every corner of his rental, but wanted us to wash dishes and strip the beds at checkout.”
According to screenshots of the exchange shared in connection with the dispute, the guest, who appeared to be Leah, contacted the host, Peter, after arriving at the property and finding spiders inside.
“Hey there, we came up and checked it out, and there were quite a few large spiders inside! We booked a hotel in Cork and are headed there now. May we request a refund?” the guest wrote.
The message included a photograph showing a small spider on the ceiling above a kitchen extractor hood.
Peter disputed the description, saying, “I’ve checked the property, and there is one small totally harmless spider up on the ceiling over the hob extractor.”
The host said he had gone to the property to remove the spider and argued that the guests should have contacted him before leaving.
“As we are also in a wooded area, every now and then we get little visitors popping by to say hello,” he explained.
“No, sir. There were multiple spiders in every corner. My husband ki**ed a few, and then I took pictures. Most guests would find that uncomfortable and unacceptable,” the guest wrote.
The property host refused her refund request and argued that the guests should have contacted him first
Peter's response did little to settle the disagreement.
He explained, “[The husband] left them there for me to remove. I live in Periwinkle House 30 seconds from the cottage. All you had to do is call me and ask me to come up and remove the spider.”
The host also objected to ki**ing the spiders, calling them harmless.
“They are 1000000% harmless. It’s no wonder why our planet is in such turmoil,” he added.
“I understand some people suffer from arachnophobia and I can relate to that,” he wrote in a further message.
“However, I find it was totally unnecessary for you to vacate the cottage without first contacting me and explaining why.”
He added that he had a responsibility to look after his guests but hadn't been given the chance to do so, so he refused the refund request.
The reaction to Leah's post was largely critical, with some commenters arguing that spiders can be beneficial because they help control other insects.
One user wrote, “You are insane. Because of insane people like you, many houses and hotels now spray down the inside with toxic chemicals to k*ll all harmless spiders. Thanks a lot.”
Another commenter called out Leah for requesting a refund, writing, “Requesting a refund because you saw a couple of spiders. Leah, this is so embarrassing for you.”
“I am SO anti-landlord and ESPECIALLY anti-Airbnb landlord, so you should consider it a real achievement that you’ve posted what will probably be the first and only time I’m ever on the Host’s side,” a third user wrote.
Social media users turned against Leah, with one declaring, “First and only time I’m ever on the host’s side”
“I know a lot of Airbnb hosts are insufferable, but this is proof that guests can be insufferable as well. Requesting a refund because of spiders? Are you kidding me? You’re pathetic,” one comment read.
“What’s next? Requesting a refund because of a roach infestation? Unbelievable!” one user asked.
However, not everyone agreed that the guest was being unreasonable.
“Am I the only one who agrees?!? If my Airbnb was full of spiders and bugs, I’d be mad too!! It’s unsanitary!!” one person wrote in Leah’s defense.
Another commenter questioned, “I’m so confused why people are bothered by this? WHY DO SO MANY OF YOU WANT TO SLEEP WITH BUGS?!”
As the criticism continued, Leah defended her reaction, saying she was surprised so many people considered her complaint unreasonable.
“The amount of people who just casually let spiders and bugs live in their houses concerns me,” she wrote in a follow-up post.
“Mentions are insane right now. If you went to a hotel with spiders in every corner, would you stay there? I’m shocked that people think I’m unreasonable for this.”
Airbnb's official Rebooking and Refund Policy for homes says guests should report reservation issues within 72 hours of discovering them and provide supporting evidence, such as photos or videos.
Leah doubled down as similar past Airbnb refund disputes revealed just how common these incidents have become
It also says that, whenever feasible, guests should notify their host and try to resolve the problem directly before seeking assistance from Airbnb.
The policy allows Airbnb to consider factors including the severity of the issue, its impact on the guest, whether the guest left the accommodation, and the evidence provided.
In this case, the guest messaged Peter about the spiders and requested a refund, but only after saying the couple had booked a hotel and were already on their way there.
The host argued that he could have addressed the issue had they contacted him before leaving.
As of this writing, it remains unclear whether Airbnb formally reviewed the complaint or decided on the refund.
Similar disputes over Airbnb stays have surfaced before, including a bizarre Facebook post by a host who claimed a guest received a refund after finding a single mosquito in the rental.
According to the host, a day and a half into a short midweek stay, the guest reported finding a large mosquito inside the property before immediately leaving and requesting a full refund.
The host claimed Airbnb support sided with the guest, treating the insect’s presence as a “Health & Safety” violation under its “vermin/pest” policy.
Reportedly, the guest received a $374 refund, amounting to roughly 90% of the booking cost.
The host said the final payout barely covered the cleaning expenses, leaving them at a net financial loss.
“Wow, you actually made me sympathize with an Airbnb host, truly impressive talent you have,” one netizen quipped
