Imagine paying through your nose for a vacation stay only to realise that it is incredibly poorly kept. To add insult to injury, when you report this incident, you get a minimal refund. This is what the X (formerly known as Twitter) user Ritu Joon had to face when she visited Munnar, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Kerala. This is what happened on the viral Munnar Airbnb nightmare that sparked significant outrage among the public.
Viral Munnar Airbnb Nightmare Sparks Outrage
We booked a Stayvista property in Munnar from Airbnb for ₹36k.
From the start, there were many issues: leeches, cockroaches, a non-working gas stove, fungus on curtains, damaged non-stick utensils in the kitchen, and flickering lights. It has been the worst experience. We… pic.twitter.com/97IfoT4QQY
— Ritu Joon (@ritujoon2j) May 3, 2026
Taking to X, user Ritu Joon stated that she booked a property of StayVista through Airbnb. The stay was booked for two days at a cost of INR 36,000. However, right from the start, she began experiencing issues.
Perhaps, the most shocking among them is finding leeches and cockroaches in the stay. What was going to be a dreamy Munnar vacation quickly devolved into a nightmare of hygiene.
When she reported the incident to Airbnb, the support she received was less than adequate. They offered only an INR 1,500 refund.
This How The Internet Reacted To The Incident
Just saw your images and I’m disgusted 🤢 can’t imagine dealing with this in real. What is this nonsense. @AirbnbHelp @Airbnb
This is unacceptable.— Crow🦢 (@Crowdhillon) May 3, 2026
Many X users sympathized with Ritu and were similarly angered by the way that Airbnb handled things. One user said that they were disgusted upon seeing the pictures she shared. Another user advised her to stick to larger, well-known brands.
Spending ₹36K for this experience with no proper refund or solution , sometimes Airbnb really sucks. Hotels are better , at least you know where to go if something goes wrong.
— Priyanka👩💻 (@priyankara_brb) May 3, 2026
Many even took this as proof that homestays were riskier and hotels were the superior, safer, and more reliable option for stays.
FAQs
What Should I Do If My Stay Is Unhygienic?
Get in touch with POC and ask if cleanup can be done. If cleanup is not done within 24 hours, document everything (take pictures and videos as proof) and ask for a refund.
What To Do If My Refund Is Denied?
Generally, if you have proof, the refund should not be denied, but social media escalation helps speed up the refund.
Are Hotels More Reliable Than Homestays?
Hotels generally have a 24/7 cleanup staff readily available, so they may be able to carry out requests faster.
