I’m a host of a high-end villa listing on Booking.com and I recently faced a very difficult situation.
I would also like to mention that I’ve been very happy working with the platform overall, and this is the first time I’ve experienced something like this.
Guests organized an unauthorized party inside the property, brought in external people (not part of the reservation) and even DJ equipment / sound system.
At around 4:00 AM, I had to personally go to the villa and shut the party down, as it had escalated into a serious noise, safety, and security issue, especially considering the property is located in a high-end residential area.
This was a clear violation of:
- No-party policy
- Maximum occupancy
- General house rules
Before the incident, the guests were actually very positive and messaging that they were enjoying everything (even saying it was one of the best places they’ve stayed). However, after the intervention, their attitude changed significantly and there were hints they might leave a negative review.
I have:
- Full message history (positive feedback before incident)
- Video and photo evidence
- Already reported the case as misconduct through the platform
I have also requested from Booking.com to review and, if appropriate under their policies, restrict or remove any review from this reservation, as I believe it would likely be retaliatory given the circumstances. The situation arose solely due to the guests’ own actions and violations, and I was obligated to intervene.
My concern now is mainly about how situations like this are typically handled in practice, especially when there is a risk of a retaliatory review.
👉 For those with experience:
- Have you seen cases where reviews were reviewed or removed due to clear misconduct?
- How much weight does documented evidence usually carry?
- Any best practices when communicating with support in such situations?
I’m trying to handle this as professionally as possible and align with platform policies, so any insights from experienced hosts would be really helpful.
Thanks in advance.