Internet users make fun of Airbnb rooms in New York

Courtesy of Zoe Reeve

• Zoe Reeve, originally from England, booked Airbnb accommodation in Brooklyn, New York for Labor Day weekend. When she arrived, she found that her “room” was just a tiny space under a staircase.
• Reeve said she had booked the cheapest room available and wasn’t expecting much, but she was surprised at the condition of the room and bed.
• The woman then posted a video of the property on Twitter. It went viral and prompted users to compare the tiny room to Harry Potter’s room.
• You can find more articles from Business Insider here.

Airbnb accommodations can vary widely. With them, a vacation can turn into a luxurious getaway or a disaster. Provided the accommodation even exists.

Zoe Reeve, 26, rented an Airbnb room in a shared apartment in Brooklyn, New York. But when she arrived she found that the room was just a small, cramped closet under a staircase.

“It’s literally a small closet with a mattress on the floor,” Reeve said in a now-deleted video that went viral on Twitter and Instagram.

Reeve, who was traveling from England to attend the Labor Day Carnival Parade, told Insider that she knew what she was getting into when she booked the room on Airbnb for € 25 a night a few weeks ago.

Courtesy of Zoe Reeve

“I booked Airbnb because I’m not picky about where to stay when I travel,” Reeve told Insider. “Obviously I booked the cheapest place to stay in Brooklyn so I knew it wasn’t going to be great and I usually always pick the cheapest wherever I go.”

But while Reeve wasn’t expecting luxury, a few things surprised her. For one thing, she was shocked to see how dirty the living room and common rooms were. Second, she noticed that her bed linen was not washed.

When she turned to her host, he said the person who was supposed to clean the apartment hadn’t done it. The host apologized, told her to have the sheets cleaned and he reimbursed her.

But the problems did not end there. The property description said the bed was an air mattress, Reeve said, but it was just a very thin camping air mattress that “feels like you’re just sleeping on a yoga mat.”

Courtesy of Zoe Reeve

“The worst part of the room is probably the bed, but also the fact that it gets super hot because there is no fan. So I have to sleep with the window open, which is obviously not safe and means that I can hear everyone yelling outside on the street, ”she told Insider.

However, the display of the room expressly indicates the size and condition of the accommodation. The host writes: “The place is ideal for backpackers and other budget travelers who can sleep comfortably on a self-inflating camping mat with another camping mat underneath. I would not recommend the place to anyone who is over 1.85 meters tall or who does not feel comfortable sleeping in small rooms for individual people. “

The property owner declined to comment.

When it comes to bed linen and cleanliness, Twitter users sympathize with Reeve. Some even compare the accommodation to Harry Potter’s little room in his aunt and uncle’s house.

“The Dursleys are now renting Harry Potter’s room,” wrote one Twitter user, while another wrote, “Oh, you have the Harry Potter room.”

While the accommodation wasn’t exactly what Reeve expected, she said it wasn’t a big deal to her.

“I’m glad Airbnb exists and has a variety of rooms because it allows someone like me to travel on a budget,” she said. “A ridiculous place to stay is part of the adventure. It’s just another story I can tell my future grandchildren. “

This text was translated from English by Lea Kreppmeier and adapted.

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