Back in December 2023, Taylor Stephenson, a technical project manager at TPG, and his wife snagged tickets for the final date of Taylor Swift's "The Eras Tour" in Vancouver, British Columbia, which would take place a full year later, in December 2024.
Knowing that accommodations would be in high demand, the couple headed straight to Airbnb after securing their concert tickets. Scrolling through the listings, the couple couldn't believe their luck when they soon found the perfect vacation rental. The two-bedroom apartment was spacious, economical and within walking distance of BC Place Stadium, where the tour's final concerts would be held.
Within minutes of booking the vacation rental, the Airbnb host sent a confirmation to the Stephensons. And just like that, everything was set for their trip to Vancouver to see the last "Eras" show.
For the next 12 months, the couple and Stephenson's sister-in-law happily looked forward to the big event.
And then the travelers' luck ran out.
Just three weeks before the concert, Stephenson received an abrupt cancellation message from the Airbnb host. The woman who had previously been quite cordial to the couple sent just five cold words that put their entire trip in jeopardy.
"Sorry. Place no longer available."
Of course, by then, the cost of hotels and vacation rentals in Vancouver during the concert dates had exploded into the stratosphere. Also, the limited available properties were not comparable to Stephenson's original Airbnb, either in size, location or comfort.
With time running out, the couple hoped TPG could step in and help. They only wanted what they had booked: a comfortable apartment within walking distance of the concert venue. And, of course, they wanted to pay the price they'd agreed to a year earlier.
But what do Airbnb's terms and conditions say a guest is owed if a host cancels their vacation rental at the last minute? The answer might surprise — and disappoint — you.
Initially, after receiving the sudden no-context cancellation message, Stephenson hoped there had been some mistake.
After all, the sold-out concert dates were right around the corner. Anyone attending the show certainly had booked their hotel or vacation rental long ago. There was no way Airbnb could allow this host to cancel and leave them stranded like this, Stephenson thought.
Before contacting Airbnb, he attempted to get some clarification from the host about why the vacation rental was suddenly unavailable. He still had a little optimism that this cancellation could be reversed.
"She [the Airbnb host] never answered," Stephenson told me. "After she sent that cancellation message, we were on our own."
It's not unheard of for ethically challenged Airbnb and Vrbo hosts to cancel
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
To my right, two 70-something regulars at the Exhibition pub in York, England, peppered me with questions on American politics, taught me how to recognize a fresh pint of beer (it should leave a path of foam on the glass) and invited me next door for a curry at their favorite Indian restaurant.
Schools were closed and emergency crews deployed on the volcanic Greek island of Santorini on Monday after a spike in seismic activity raised concerns about a potentially powerful earthquake.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Stephen and Joanna Vargha, a married couple who moved from North Carolina to Cuenca, Ecuador, in 2020 after retiring early. Cuenca is located in the Andes mountains and has a population of about 600,000 people. Their interview has been edited for length and clarity.
There’s magic in Vienna on New Year’s Eve. It’s not just the twinkling lights, the bustling holiday markets, or the excitement of a new 365 days to look forward to—it’s the music that spills out in the streets on the last day of the year. Vienna is known as the capital of classical music, and during New Year’s Eve, the streets are filled with the sounds of Silvesterpfad, one of the largest New Year's Eve celebrations in Europe. People dance in the streets holding glasses of champagne alongside their friends and partners. Just before midnight, soft snowflakes fell and kissed our faces—I didn't want the magic I was feeling to come to an end.
The British Pullman, A Belmond Train, has long been hailed as one of the UK’s most sophisticated travel experiences. Since the ’80s, the steam locomotive has played host to elegant travelers hopping onboard for a day spent puffing through the English countryside. The pinnacle of British glamour, guests are treated like royalty as they are whisked past rolling fields, historic castles, and storybook villages.
I’m a co-owner of Luaka Bop, a New York-based record label, and last June was accompanying the Staples Jr. Singers, a gospel group from Aberdeen, Miss., on a European tour. For a British Airways flight from London to Paris, three musicians were required to check their guitars, but only one instrument arrived in Paris with us. We filled out the forms and tried to impress upon the employee the importance of getting the guitars before the group’s show the next night. One of the two lost guitars did make it to Paris the next day, but British Airways couldn’t or wouldn’t deliver it, so our tour manager took a cab to the airport only to find it had closed. When the group returned to Britain by train, it was still down two guitars. We got one back a few shows later, and eventually found the other one at Heathrow Airport lost and found — with its neck snapped off and its case destroyed. We ended up with over $5,000 in expenses, which included renting guitars for a dozen shows and purchasing a guitar and case (both used) for Arceola Brown, the musician whose instrument was destroyed. We submitted most receipts with the original claim to British Airways on July 25, then added a few more on Aug. 7 and Sept. 11, for a total of $3,331. (We didn’t keep receipts for the rest.) But beyond receiving a case number, we never heard back, despite several email follow-ups. Can you help?
Package holidays have historically been touted as an affordable travel option, but prices are rising in some of the most popular European destinations.
Short-term rental booking platform Airbnb has hit back at Spanish restrictions on rental properties, stressing that they will have severe repercussions for both income and jobs.