Originally Posted by SanDiego1K

My husband attends a large trade show, the largest of its kind in the world, every February. It is held in a small town. The few hotels are booked out by major manufacturers. Last year, I thought why not try AirBNB. He has one employee who goes with him so I could get a house with 2 bedrooms. I found a house for an excellent price and booked it. 6 months on, I got a cancellation notice. Fortunately, I had kept a booking at a Hyatt Place that is 30 miles away and he stayed there.

Here we go again. I just got dates for the show in 2026. I found a great deal at an AirBNB property and booked it. This time, I got a cancellation notice with no explanation within 15 minutes of booking. I was given a suggestion of an AirBNB listing that was 77 miles away. I think not. Fortunately, I was able to book the same Hyatt Place for 2026. He'd rather not drive 30 miles each morning and night but it is the best possibility.

I had another negative AirBNB experience in the Tamales Flat area in California. I found a listing for a cottage on the water. I needed 2 nights; the way the dates were shown was confusing. I could live with the 2 nights that were shown as available but preferred to slide the nights. I booked the available nights and asked about sliding 1 day. i was immediately canceled. I sent the owner a message asking why. She said it was because I asked for a date not available. I responded that I could live with the 2 nights I booked. She never responded.

And this is why I generally book hotels where policies are more clearly defined and enforced.