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So I am renting a stay through AirBnB in a room (everything else shared with the host) and I have been told shortly before check-in that I am only allowed to use the kitchen for certain breakfast meals and in a particular time frame.

Thank goodness I got over my jetlag already, but I am still not thrilled about not being able to cook a warm meal for myself for lunch and dinner and had I known earlier it might have been a no-go for me (kinda late now).

My question is, would it be against AirBnB's rules and could/should I do something in this situation? (Other than trying to talk to the host first whether I can get an exemption.)

I mean it's a full kitchen (not a kitchenette) and in the description it's written that it has a "kitchen for creating your own breakfast" but it does not state what the kitchen is not for and when not to use. Just telling me shortly before check-in seems somehow antisocial to me and I feel a bit misled but I guess I would be told that it's my fault for not reading the description more closely (including what it does not explicitly state).

/edit: House rules are rather short: "No parties, schoolies, pets or smoking please. Leave your shoes at the door."

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    What did AirBnB say when you contacted them to ask?
    – mlc
    Commented Nov 6, 2023 at 5:33
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    You are a guest in another person's house. I would suggest that be your first consideration, and that if you wanted unfettered use of a particular house, you could have booked an entire place. Chances are good that this stipulation is in the "house rules".
    – user27701
    Commented Nov 6, 2023 at 18:41
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    @user27701 OP is also a customer who paid for a service. Hosts should write clear rules for that service. Kitchens typically are not only for breakfast: if a kitchen is only for breakfast, then it should be stated clearly. If the host wanted unfettered use of their house, then they can simply choose not to rent it.
    – Franck Dernoncourt
    Commented Nov 6, 2023 at 23:16
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    @user27701 It makes sense seeing it from the host's perspective, and the host probably had a bad experience before. I totally get it, but I would probably not have booked this place had I known or realized it earlier. Telling me that late is what I consider to be a nasty move. I have now decided to deal with it and perhaps mention it in my factual review for future guests.
    – phk
    Commented Nov 7, 2023 at 2:35
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    I can't believe I'm the first person to point out that the BnB in AirBnB stands for "Bed and Breakfast".
    – The Betpet
    Commented Nov 7, 2023 at 15:11

1 Answer 1

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Hosts are allowed to define their own rules. From https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2894:

In addition to standard house rules covered in these ground rules, Hosts can also add a written set of additional rules to their listing page. If a guest violates any of these additional rules, Hosts can reach out to customer support to help with the appropriate next steps.

If a rule is not mentioned in their listing page, one can contact the customer support to complain. I'd guess that the customer support will try to judge what rules are reasonable. I agree that if a listing advertises a kitchen but fails to mention some significant usage restriction, then it is misleading. However, since you wrote "in the description it's written that it's a kitchen for breakfast", then I think you won't go far with the customer service.

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    I would still press the issue unless the listing clearly stated what kinds of restrictions on kitchen use apply. A listing that says "a kitchen for breakfast" reads more like an advertisement (i.e. "there's a kitchen, which is a great feature of this place because you could save money by using it for breakfast") or perhaps a description ("it's a small kitchen of the sort mainly suitable for cooking breakfast") rather than a house rule ("you may not use the kitchen except in this very specific way.")
    – Zach Lipton
    Commented Nov 6, 2023 at 5:52
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    @ZachLipton True, I missed that part. Up to the OP how much they want to push on it, e.g. contacting the customer service or simply using the kitchen whenever they want and have the host take care of contacting the customer service if that's a big issue for them.
    – Franck Dernoncourt
    Commented Nov 6, 2023 at 5:56
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    At the very least you can probably request a price reduction
    – Tobias Kienzler
    Commented Nov 6, 2023 at 12:57
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    @Tobias Kienzler Based on the information in the OP’s question it’s not clear to me that the OP has any grounds to request a price reduction. ‘Listing description’ and ‘house rules’ are not synonymous. The former is akin to an advert, while the latter sets expectations/limits that guests need to agree to in order to book. The OP’s question mentions the former but not the latter and implies they did not read the fine detail closely (or at all) before booking.
    – Traveller
    Commented Nov 7, 2023 at 11:13
  • @Traveller True, it depends on the details in the agreement. But requesting a price reduction is always an option in such a case, just whether it gets granted might be uncertain..
    – Tobias Kienzler
    Commented Nov 9, 2023 at 20:42

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