Woman books Airbnb with ‘slight incline’ to exit. Then she sees the actual door: ‘I feel like I’m taking my life in my hands’

Before going on an extended trip, most would-be travelers have to go through a list of to-dos: planning transportation, making sure they have activities or at least a vague idea of an itinerary, and most importantly, ensuring they have a place to stay. But what happens if the accommodation comes with a surprising feature that's slightly hazardous? 

Bettye, a world traveler, told her audience about an Airbnb she was staying at in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. But in one video, she pointed out a potential design issue that caused her some trouble. The issue in question? A steep, almost treacherous slope that was immediately followed by a rickety, gated door to exit and enter the building.  

As of this writing, Bettye's post has more than 278,000 views, with many of her viewers wondering how she navigated the journey to get outside each day.

The steep incline

Bettye told her audience that her Airbnb host described a slight incline. So, Bettye came into the experience expecting exactly that: a slight incline that she'd walk on when exiting or entering the building, or a physical bump. Instead, she was greeted with something more perilous.

After settling in, the content creator took a video that captured exactly how steep the slope was.

“ This is how I get out of the building. I press the button,” Bettye said, while recording a dark entryway. That's when a gate began to grind and clatter open toward the top of a visible slope that appeared out of reach. But that wasn't the part she had to worry about. 

“And then we come up this very steep, steep slope,” she said, while beginning her journey toward her door. “Thank goodness for the rail, because this is really steep,” she said.

In the video's description, Bettye wrote, “I feel like I'm taking my life in my hands every time I leave or re-enter the building. [Especially] entering [because] it's such a steep downhill.”

In another video, she showed her audience just how slanted the decline was from the top. 

“It is a 38% incline or grade, whatever the right word is to use,” she said. “38% is pretty steep.”

@bettyesbigadventure The listing had said there was a slight incline, I thought it would be like a little speed bump thing. Instead, I feel like I'm taking my life in my hands every time I leave or re-enter the building. ESPECIALLY entering cause it's such a steep downhill. #airbnb #vietnam #solotravel ♬ original sound – Bettye

Viewers joke about the listing in the comments

Viewers who saw Bettye's video had a laundry list of jokes and references for her. 

“Do you live in a post apocalyptic gladiatorial area?” one viewer asked. 

Other viewers had similar quips. “Warning: pressing this button will draw the horde. Stock up on ammo and health before proceeding,” another viewer added.

Others focused on the more practical complications the door could cause. 

“This seems like it would be quite problematic in the event of a fire,” a commenter said. 

Bettye replied, “Apparently, this is supposed to still work even in the case of a power outage.”

Do Airbnb hosts have to disclose hard-to-navigate features?

For many viewers, the Airbnb listing could warrant concerns for one's safety. But are Airbnb hosts even required to tell their guests about possible safety hazards?

The general answer is yes. Airbnb explicitly states that hosts “must provide a secure space and are required to disclose and address certain safety hazards,” which can include inclines that certain guests would not be able to traverse. 

Additionally, Airbnb states that “Hosts should clearly communicate with guests about the specific attributes of each listing, including by completing the safety section of their listing description. Hosts should also provide instructions for any features of the home that could result in injury if improperly used (ex: hot tubs).”

While Bettye seemed surprised by how steep the incline was, she did tell her audience that her host disclosed the feature to her before her stay, albeit without much emphasis.

Buzz News reached out to Bettye via TikTok direct message and Airbnb via email for comment.