Rental Rescue: Massages, Moonshine, and Airbnb Nightmares

A guest turned their stay into a DIY massage school. Here’s how to handle house rule breakers like a pro.

Author

Dom Trovato
January 02, 2025

Good morning!

Imagine renting out your Airbnb for a quiet family getaway, only to discover it’s been transformed into a bootleg spa. It’s like the Prohibition era all over again—except instead of moonshine, they’re smuggling hot stone massages and essential oils. Yeah, that’s what we’re breaking down today.

Let’s dive in.

Situation summary:

You rented out your Airbnb to a guest who said she was coming with her two kids to teach a massage class somewhere in the area.

Fast forward, and boom—your living room is now the massage school. 

This violates your house rules prohibiting events, unregistered guests, and exceeds your maximum guest limit. The setup she requires could also involve moving furniture, which might cause additional wear and tear on your property. 

Here’s why it’s tricky:

  1. She’s blatantly breaking the no-event, no-unregistered-guests policy.

  2. Your max-guest rule? Out the door.

  3. You’re new to hosting, so her review does matter (even if it’s unfair).

So now you’re stuck between protecting your property and not triggering a bad review.

Goal for the situation:

Address the situation quickly and professionally to prevent property damage & enforce house rules while maintaining a positive guest relationship.

Here’s the Playbook:

Step 1: Know the Rules (And Have Receipts)

  • Review your house rules: Confirm that they say No events and No unregistered guests.

  • Airbnb’s policies: Guests can’t exceed the stated max occupancy or use a property for commercial purposes without permission.

Step 2: Gather Evidence

  • Document extra guests or furniture shuffling (think security cams or a quick pic—but stay within privacy laws).

  • Keep all communication on Airbnb’s platform. Every message is a digital receipt.

Step 3: Start the Conversation (No Drama)

You don’t want to go in guns blazing. Here’s how to keep it professional:

🏠 Host:

“Hi (Guest), I hope you’re enjoying your stay! I noticed some activity in the house that looks like a class or event is happening. Just a quick reminder: our house rules prohibit events, unregistered guests, and exceeding the maximum guest limit.  Can we discuss this situation?”

✈️ Guest:

“Oh, yeah, I’m teaching a small class—it’s just a few people, and we’re being careful.”

🏠 Host:

“Thanks for letting me know! I totally understand this class is important to you. That said, the rules you agreed to at booking are in place to keep the space safe and comfortable. Hosting a class does go beyond the intended use of the property, especially with unregistered attendees and furniture moving around.”

✈️ Guest:

"Relax - it’s just a few people, and we’ll clean up. I didn’t think it would be an issue. We’ll be respectful."

🏠 Host:

“I hear you, and I appreciate that. But unfortunately, Airbnb’s policy prohibits unauthorized events, and I’ll need to ask that the class is paused. If you’d like, I’m happy to suggest alternative venues in the area to help you out.”

✈️ Guest:

"“Okay, I understand. I guess I’ll figure something out.”

🏠 Host:

“Thank you so much for understanding. Let me know if you need recommendations or help finding a place!”

Tactics used:

  • Have empathy. Acknowledge their feelings, but don't back down. 

  • Reinforcing your house rules and Airbnb policy establishes a firm basis for the request to halt the activity.

  • Offering alternatives demonstrates willingness to help while protecting your property.

What About a Bad Review?

The million-dollar question: What if she drops a retaliatory review?

Here’s how to cover yourself:

  1. Keep everything on Airbnb’s platform. Messaging there = evidence.

  2. Report the violation to Airbnb. Go through the Resolution Center, explain the situation (unregistered guests, commercial use, etc.), and attach your receipts (photos, screenshots of messages).

  3. Leverage Airbnb’s review policy. If her review is retaliatory or false, you can flag it for removal.

Pro Tip: As long as you handle things professionally and document everything, Airbnb will have your back. Worst case, that bad review disappears faster than a massage booking gone wrong.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need to kick anyone out or make this messy. Stay calm, stick to the facts, and handle it like a pro. By the end of it, you’ll have protected your property and built trust with Airbnb’s support team.

Now, go take care of business. This guest isn’t going to massage their way out of your house rules!

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