Airbnb CEO shares bizarre tale as customer demands refund for ghost not being ‘friendly’
Airbnb’s CEO Brian Chesky revealed a peculiar story about guests seeking a refund after claiming harassment by Stanley, a “friendly ghost."
Airbnb, the popular vacation rental platform founded in 2008, connects travellers with unique accommodations around the world. From cosy apartments to lavish villas, the platform has seen its fair share of unusual listings. However, a recent anecdote shared by Brian Chesky, Airbnb’s CEO and co-founder, might take the crown for the most bizarre customer experience yet.
In a recent interview, Chesky revealed an extraordinary story involving a haunted house, a ghost named Stanley, and a bewildered guest. “We get millions of customer calls every day and hear some of the most bizarre stories,” Chesky said. But one case in particular stood out.”
According to Chesky, a guest contacted Airbnb’s customer support, demanding a full refund. When asked for a reason, the guest claimed, “The house is haunted, and there’s a ghost in the house.”
Initially sceptical, Airbnb reached out to the host for clarification. To their surprise, the host didn’t deny the presence of a ghost. Instead, they confirmed it. “The host told us that it’s a friendly ghost named Stanley and that Stanley is even mentioned in the listing description,” Chesky recounted.
When Airbnb checked the listing, they found that Stanley’s presence was indeed disclosed in the description. The company then circled back to the guests, reminding them they were aware of Stanley’s existence before booking the property. Shockingly, the guests admitted as much. However, their complaint had escalated. “They told us, ‘Yes, we knew about Stanley, and that’s why we booked it, but Stanley is harassing us,’” Chesky said.
The clip of the interview started making rounds on social media, with many sharing their reactions.
Take a look at the video:
A user commented, “Wish I had a Stanley for my listing!”
Another added, “Our Airbnb is an apartment on the first floor of our house so we are usually on site. No ghosts, but I had a guest knock on the door and hand us a pretty wooden carving of a fish from Thailand that was on the coffee table . He said he couldn’t rest because the fish was giving him bad vibes. Another guest asked us to remove a cute ceramic bird from the patio table because it looked angry. We just smiled and said of course. They were otherwise pleasant guests and left 5 star reviews.”
