PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (WATE) – After a surge in Airbnb parties held across the country, a local Airbnb host is facing the aftermath after his property was completely ransacked. With space reserved for two people inside the cabin, it was put to the test after the arrival of groups of people in the short-term rental totaling more than 60 people.
“Unfortunately, we’ve had several experiences like this so far and this is the first that we haven’t noticed in time where damage has occurred,” said Goran Ariston, Airbnb owner and host.
Ariston has been an Airbnb host for nearly a decade, and what happened in his cabin is something he has never experienced.
“When our housekeepers came the next day to clean up, they started sending us pictures and they almost gave up on us because it was a mess,” Ariston said.
It was a gathering that Ariston was unaware of. The aftermath cost over $5,000 in damages.
“Our couch was broken, the shower shell was broken, the hot tub cover was broken, the floors were muddy, the carpets were muddy, the hot tub was full of mud, it had to be completely rinsed,” said he declared.
Besides the damage, Ariston said the guest put lives at risk because the structure is not built to accommodate a mass of people.
“It’s a wooden structure, something could collapse, someone could die,” he said.
Now Ariston is warning other hosts to be vigilant and hopes Airbnb will do more to prevent that from happening.
“I’m sure they had fun, but we still have to deal with the consequences.”
Ariston said there was nothing the police could do to help as it was a civil matter between the owner and the guests.
WATE contacted Airbnb and received this response from a spokesperson:
“Airbnb ban partiesand we are currently working with this host to support it through our Air Cover process. We have removed this guest from the platform for violating these policies. »
In 2021, Airbnb implemented its “Under 25” anti-party system which blocks or redirects some last-minute local bookings for users under 25 without a history of positive reviews.
The Airbnb spokesperson also said they are in the process of deleting guest accounts entirely for guests who have booked to stay at Ariston’s property.
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