Before arriving in Oslo, I messaged the host about early check-in and luggage storage. After waiting about 5 hours, I received a reply saying they would get back to me shortly. Despite following up, I never received an answer. My family and I were left in Oslo with 5 suitcases waiting for information. I also paid an extra $40 for early check-in, but since no arrangements were ever made, I was not refunded.
The communication issues continued during our stay. The stove was not working, which was a major problem because we had already purchased groceries and planned to cook. I reported the issue through Expedia and email but received no response.
Since we were traveling internationally, calling was expensive, but I had no choice. When I finally reached the host, he said he would contact me on WhatsApp so I could send photos of the stove. He never did. When I called again, he answered and I could clearly hear background noise, but he would not respond to me. After another attempt, the number became unavailable.
What made this even more frustrating was receiving multiple automated messages saying things like, “If you need anything at all, I’m just a message away,” along with checkout reminders and a request for a 5-star review.
I travel frequently and have stayed in rentals around the world. Problems can happen, but ignoring guests when they need help is unacceptable. Unfortunately, this was one of the worst hosting experiences I’ve had.