Ever booked an Airbnb stay and regretted it? Sometimes we are duped into believing that the home we’ve chosen looks exactly like the pictures in the advertisement but this is not always the case. Whatever your reason for needing a refund, here are a few policies you should note before booking your stay. 

The general Airbnb cancellation policy allows guests to receive a full refund if they cancel within 48 hours of booking and at least 14 days before a listing's check-in time. 

Doing your research is important. Ideally, you should know what you're getting yourself into before you book a stay. Here are some topics you should consider researching beforehand:

• Location 

• Amenities 

• House Rules

• Reviews

Canceling Before Your Stay

You can find cancellation details on the listing page, during the booking process before you pay. 

Finding your Cancellation Policy

• Go to your Trips.

• Click/ tap "Show Trip Details."

• Find Cancellation policy.

*Note cancellation policies are based on the local time zone of the listing. Cancellation deadlines for receiving refunds are measured from the check-in time for the listing in its local time zone, or 3:00 PM if no check-in time is specified.

How to Cancel Your Airbnb Trip

• Go to Trips and select the trip you want to cancel.

• Click "Show More Trip Plans," then click Show details.

• Click Change or Cancel.

• Click Cancel Reservation.

If you’ve already booked your stay, make sure you have ample time to cancel and get a full refund. In the event of a cancellation within 48 hours, the guest is only entitled to 50% refund, regardless of how far out the check-in date is.

Your Refund Amount May Also Be Affected By:

• Cleaning fees: Always refunded if you cancel before check-in.

• Airbnb service fees: Service fees are refunded if you cancel during the free cancellation period for your reservation. 

• On-site property fees: If a hotel or other professional host collects property fees on-site, any refund of those fees is at the discretion of the host.

Canceling During Your Stay

It’s important to submit your request within 24 hours of noticing the issue. 

If anything unexpected comes up during your stay, Airbnb recommends messaging your host to discuss a solution first. Your host will have 1 hour to respond. If they decline or don’t respond, you can ask Airbnb to step in to help.

Requesting Within 24 Hours

• Gather evidence: If possible, take photos or videos to document issues like a missing or broken amenity.

• Submit a request to your host: Describe the issue, provide photos if you can, and let the host know how you’d like to resolve it. 

• Wait for their response: If they decline or don’t respond within 1 hour, you can ask Airbnb to step in to help. Airbnb will refer to the Guest Refund Policy to help you resolve the issue.

Travel Issues Eligible for Refunds

• No access to the listing.

• Space isn’t safe or clean upon arrival.

• Key amenities are missing or not working.

• Place isn’t as it was described in the listing description.

Canceling a Trip Due to Extenuating Circumstances

If you need to cancel your reservation because of an emergency or unavoidable circumstance, Airbnb will accommodate you.  Guests that are impacted by an event covered by this Policy can cancel their reservation and receive, depending on the circumstances, a cash refund, travel credit, and/or other consideration. Events covered in this policy include:

• Changes to government travel requirements. 

• Declared emergencies and epidemics. 

• Government travel restrictions. 

• Military actions and other hostilities. 

• Natural disasters. 

Read the Extenuating Circumstances Policy to check if you’re covered. Make sure you have the required documentation. Claims must be submitted within 14 days of cancellation.

Wander 

Ever wonder what it would be like to check into a vacation rental that delivers on every promise with hosts that go above and beyond to ensure that your needs are met?

With Wander, your perfect vacation is just a confirmation email away. Cancellation policies will be the last thing on your mind when you check into your Wander home. You can view all the Wander homes here and sign up for a membership (optional) to get the best deal on your next staycation!

Wander Credit and Cancellation Policy

Our cancellation policy is simple.

If you need to cancel your trip up to 14 days before your stay, we will credit the full value of your trip to your Wander account, which you can spend on any Wander property for any dates. 

If it is within 14 days before your trip, we will attempt to book those dates and credit you whatever we are able to book the dates for.

Wander Concierge is available 24/7 to answer your questions about our cancellation policy, homes, and more. Our concierge desk will never leave you on read, so you can rest assured knowing that you're taken care of throughout your trip.