Airbnb Refused Refund Despite Stated 50 Percent Cancellation Policy
On March 18, 2026, I made a payment of approximately $143 through Airbnb for accommodation in the Mengwi area of Bali under reservation code HMPHS29Y3P.
Due to the war-related situation in the Middle East, our airline canceled our flight tickets, and as a result, we were forced to cancel all of our Bali accommodations, including this reservation.
The cancellation policy shown on the listing clearly stated that 50% of the paid amount would be refunded in the event of cancellation. We relied on this policy when making the reservation.
However, when we contacted Airbnb, we were told that because we had only paid half of the total accommodation amount so far, and because the refund calculation was allegedly based on the total reservation amount rather than the amount actually paid, no refund would be issued at all.
There was absolutely no statement in the cancellation policy indicating that a refund would only apply if the full accommodation amount had already been paid. Despite this, we were subjected to an interpretation that was never clearly explained during the booking process.
We acted according to the written 50% refund policy and believe we were unfairly treated because of this unclear and non-transparent practice.
We request that a partial refund be issued in accordance with the cancellation policy based on the approximately $143 we already paid and that the inconvenience caused by this misleading or incomplete information be properly resolved.
