‘Airbnb is refusing to help’: Woman checks into Maine Airbnb with an infant. Then she tries to use the air conditioning

A woman booked an Airbnb in Maine expecting it to be the perfect, spacious place to stay with her husband and infant. Instead, it was hotter than it was outside on a summer's day, and now she's out $400, with Airbnb refusing to give it back.

What Happened At This Airbnb?

In a video, Kate Henry (@katehenry.mi) explains that she and her family went on a trip to Portland, Maine. They checked right into their Airbnb.

Henry explains that because she has an infant, she reached out in advance to their Airbnb host to confirm they have a working A/C unit. She says the host reassured them that while there wasn't central A/C, they have portable A/Cs and fans that can get the place to at least 72 degrees Fahrenheit.

“When we're about 10 minutes away, the host messages us and says that she turned on the portable A/C unit and the fan and that it should be nice and cool when we get there. I say, ‘Thank you much.' We arrive, and it's really hot,” Henry explains.

Henry says it was about 86 degrees in the Airbnb when they arrived.

“The A/C had only been going for about 30 minutes at that time, so I figured, you know what? It will get cooler. She said it would get to 72 by the night, so I'll go off of that,” Henry says, deciding to just stay optimistic about it all.

Henry explains that they went out of the apartment for some time, and once they returned at night, it was even hotter than when they had left. Her daughter's face was flushed due to the heat. So, Henry and her husband decided to leave Airbnb and go to a hotel instead. 

She says the A/C unit was blowing hot air, and at that point, they couldn't trust that things would get better.

Henry says Airbnb later denied her request for a refund, so she is on TikTok sharing her story for some advice. The video has over 746,000 views and 52,000 likes.

Airbnb Cancellation Policies

Henry says Airbnb told her it couldn't give her a refund because the host provided an A/C unit as advertised, even if it wasn't up to their standard. According to her, Airbnb said she would need to ask the host directly for a refund, but Henry says the host is not willing to offer one. She says she has escalated the case about three times but has not heard back or made much progress.

According to Airbnb's Rebooking and Refund Policy, guests may be eligible for a refund if their accommodations are “significantly different than advertised.”

Their site lists a few examples of reservation issues that may qualify. One of those is when an amenity is unavailable or not functioning. Airbnb cites “special amenity or feature advertised in the Listing is not present or does not function,” including “heating and air conditioning systems.”

Henry argues that because the listing advertised air conditioning that did not adequately cool the apartment, her stay should have qualified under the policy. However, she says Airbnb told her that the host did their part in providing the unit and is failing to note the nuance of the fact that it did not work well.

‘Central AC Should Honestly Be a Requirement for Airbnbs'

Some viewers say Henry should have alerted the host of the issue and given the host more time to fix it. Some others say she made the right decision by leaving with her baby.

“Air conditioners break down, you didn't even give your host an opportunity to make it right,” one commenter wrote.

“Unfortunately, you need to give the host an opportunity to remedy the situation. Because you left before giving them the opportunity, you forfeit your payment,” another person said.

“Airbnb host here. You did NOTHING WRONG. She promised a cool environment, it wasn't provided. She should have refunded you,” one commenter wrote.

“People in the comments clearly do not realize how hot 84-86 is inside. In that moment when you are overheating and have a baby, you're going to find alternate lodging and try for a refund the next day. You are not wrong at all,” another viewer commented.

“I hear the point about giving the host the chance to fix it, but I really feel like we're not focusing enough on how they're kinda false advertising. Two portable window units is not the same as central AC and framing it like the airbnb has ac when it doesn't really feels slimy to me,” one commenter wrote.

@katehenry.mi Good customer service seems to no longer exist in 2026. We will never be using @airbnb again. Thank God for @hilton coming to the rescue. #airbnbhost #hiltonforthestay #storytime #portland #maine ♬ original sound – Kate Henry | SAHM

Subplot News has reached out to Henry via TikTok direct message and email and to Airbnb via email. This story will be updated if they respond.

Update: In an email to Subplot, an Airbnb spokesperson shared the following statement:

“This was not an experience we want for our guests, and issues like this are rare. We're in contact with the guest to support them, including providing a full refund for her stay and reimbursement for her rebooked accommodation.”

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