Most guests are great, but a few will really test you. Here are my worst 3 guest situations – and how I handled them.
1. Sex workers
Small building. Two flats. Families always downstairs.
I started noticing something suspicious upstairs – far too many people coming in and out. The outdoor camera confirmed it.
I contacted the guests through the booking platform and reminded them that third-party visitors aren’t allowed without written consent. There was some back and forth, but the activity stopped, and they checked out the next day.
2. The guest who wouldn’t wake up
Checkout time. Housekeeper knocking. No answer.
New guests arriving in just a few hours.
I couldn’t reach the guest by phone. We were minutes away from driving there and had already contacted the authorities for trespassing. At the same time, I asked the housekeeper to keep knocking.
Eventually, the guest woke up. I spoke to them through the camera.
Not a pleasant conversation – but they got the message and left within 10-15 minutes.
3. The guest who made everything up
This was early in my STR days.
It started with a “leak” (they spilled water themselves).
Then came “bed bugs” (completely fabricated).
The final straw was nearly burning the house after leaving something on the stove – I had to insist they go back after they’d already left, to turn it off.
At first, I believed everything. Then I understood what kind of guest I was dealing with.
They had another booking coming up with me, so I politely suggested canceling both stays, refunding them, and parting ways. They apologized, said everything was fine, and I didn’t hear a single word from them until checkout.
Hosting is also about knowing when to set boundaries and act decisively.
And just to end one a positive note – I’ve hosted over 2,000 stays in the last 2 years. These situations are very much the exception, not the rule.