Not So Funny Travel Stories! Unfortunately True: When HomeOwners Make Guests The Ham In The Sandwich We Strike Out!

 

It’s easy to find funny true travel stories about guests staying in Airbnbs. But Airbnb owner stories are not easily found. 

Today, I’ll share a couple of unfortunately true stories we had to deal with at holiday homes we manage. The guests who are, sometimes, the ham in the sandwich will not find them funny. 

I will share with you condensed versions of the (tragically) funny travel stories.

The Boxing Match At The Gate To A Horse Farm

It was our first booking at this fancy 5 bedroom home. 

The wine-loving owner would stay in a little “shack” on the farm while the guests had a jolly time in her house. Unfortunately, only 100 metres separated the dwellings between these karma friends. 

This is a very long story. And I’ll tell you the short version today. 

Aggregated by vineyard juice the owner and her regular friend – a co-juicer – got depressed, while the guests had fun at her house. 

To make matters worse, the guest had ulterior motives driving him. He may have “loved” the landlord. But there was also deep seeded hate. We realised early on he wanted a discount for any possible infringement.  

He actively looked for and even created infringement opportunities. 

It was a long stay. The dominating male guest and lady-lord would meet on their way past the gate. And they would hug each other. Odd. The next day they fought. 

We tried to separate them via WhatsApp messages and got our manager involved. To no avail. Millions of voice messages were sent to us. No stop.

Then it was time for wine. Again. It was hot in the shack. And boring. While the guests laughed around her pool. 

Irritated, the wine pair decided to take a drive. Coincidently, Mr Male guest left as well. They met at the gate. And not the kind of narrow place they should meet. 😳

It was time to sort their differences. This time it will not be via WhatsApp but with an unplanned boxing match. No punches fell but bodies got pulled and pushed. 

Long story short:

The guest got a partial refund. The landlord had a dented ego and was out of pocket so she projected her disappointment on her agents for doing this to her. 

Tragic “Funny True Travel Story No 2

The Guests Got Their Passports Stolen Because They Wanted A Free Stay And The Broken Fridge

Many years ago a group of lovely ladies, who travel to Cape Town annually (even today, decided to stay in one of our new listings next to the ocean in Simonstown. 

They were in for a nasty surprise. 

The owner had an arrangement with a young dude; he can stay in a flatlet next to the garage. In exchange, he would manage the house. 

This young guy must be trustworthy as he has been with the owner for some time. Well…

The ladies moved in. All went well. But a few days before departure there was a break-in. But nothing was broken to get entry. 

Our ladies lost their valuables and passports. And could not depart as planned without passports.

Very distressed. We said they could stay a few days free to get replacement documents.  

The owner, very reluctantly, agreed but accused the ladies of staging the break-in. According to him, they just wanted a few free days and he was not budging down. 

We had to kick this owner under his butt. Quickly. But we could not. We had one more group of guests who reserved over peak. A month still to go. The owner got his money and would not refund these future guests. 

We stuck it out. And hoped for the best. As lightning does not strike twice. Wishful thinking…

By this time we had a small win. The live-in dude left. As he may have had an expensive chemical dependency. (As it was rumoured). 

But Then The Fridge Broke And…

The Christmas guests arrived. Staying for ten days. We prayed for an uneventful stay. Our last booking at this owner’s house….. The owner did not know it yet. 

The day before Christmas the fridge broke and had to be replaced. But the owner disagreed. Even if the guests are without a fridge with summer temperatures soaring.  He doesn’t care about Christmas meals and food going off. Unbelievable. But it’s true. 

We bought a new fridge. Made the guests happy. When the guests departed we took our fridge, locked up and never went back. 

Good News. Two days later our friends had a fridge issue and bought this fridge from us. 

Many years later I bumped into this owner. And he said to me, let’s be friends, all is forgotten. 

To forgive is liberating but we don’t have to be friends. 

We Part Ways. Quickly And Easily…..

As you know, we have chosen to be the best. Not the biggest agency. Allowing us to say no. 

Money makes the world go round, but we have a premium on happiness.

BTW: We don’t appreciate owners who make guests the ham in the sandwich. 😳

Very few do. And our current owners are caring humans. We appreciate them.

Have Fun

Life Is Not Life Without Risk

Johan Horak at CapeHolidays where we rather turn you down than disappoint you tomorrow.

P.S. A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for. Credited to Albert Einstein and John A. Shedd.

BTW: If you have funny travel stories! or tragic travel stories let me know. And I’ll share them.

Want More Funny Travel Stories? The Day We Gassed Our Guest!