Archive · 25 Sep 2026
Woman Cancels Airbnb Booking After Host Calls Her Pretty
A woman booked a place to stay because it was close to her work destination.
She expected to arrive late and liked that the property offered automatic check-in.
The host asked her to send a picture of her identification before giving her the entry code.
After she sent it, he replied by calling her “pretty.”
This made her feel uncomfortable and worried about staying there alone.
She booked a hotel instead, even though it cost twice as much.
She also asked Airbnb for a refund.
Many people online said she was right to listen to her feelings.
Some commenters noted that the host might not have meant harm, but still acted unprofessionally.
A woman cancelled a work-trip Airbnb booking after the host called her “pretty” in a message.
The listing required her to send identification to receive an automatic check-in code.
She became uncomfortable because the host knew her arrival time and had her ID.
She booked a hotel at twice the price and requested a refund from the platform.
Social media users largely supported her decision, saying she should trust her instincts.
- Who
- A woman travelling for work and the Airbnb property owner.
- What
- The woman cancelled her booking after the owner called her “pretty” following an ID request.
- When
- On the day of her planned arrival; her flight was expected to land around 10 p.m.
- Where
- At an unspecified Airbnb property in another city.
- Why
- She felt unsafe because the owner had her identification, knew she would arrive late, and had access to the property’s doors.
Safety and Professionalism Concerns
Possible Harmless Explanation
Meaning of the message
Safety and Professionalism Concerns
The woman and many commenters viewed the “pretty” message as inappropriate and unprofessional, especially after she submitted personal identification.
Possible Harmless Explanation
The woman acknowledged that the owner might simply have been trying to be nice and may not have intended harm.
Decision to cancel
Safety and Professionalism Concerns
Supporters said she was not overreacting and was right to trust her instincts, even though changing hotels cost more.
Possible Harmless Explanation
A different interpretation is that cancelling may have been unnecessary if the owner’s comment was harmless, although the article does not report a direct defense from the owner.
- Original accommodation
- An Airbnb listing selected for its location and automatic check-in.
- Identification request
- The owner required the woman to send her ID before providing the check-in code.
- Host’s message
- After receiving the ID, the owner replied: “Pretty.”
- Replacement accommodation
- The woman booked a hotel instead.
- Additional cost
- She said the hotel cost twice as much as the original booking.
- Online reaction
- The post received more than 4,000 upvotes and hundreds of comments at the time of the report.