Jungle House - Luxury Airbnbs

I wish I had read more reviews of this place and the host other than those on Airbnb. The reviews on Yelp are more accurate with my experience.

I stayed at Jungle House in Chillicothe. It was $170ish a night and pets were allowed. So I selected 4 people, 3 pets and the price went up to $250ish a night. Not great, but I continued anyway and paid for it and got my receipt for 4 people. 3 pets for 3 nights. Later I got an email from Airbnb saying there was a resolution filed and I owed Sergio another $200ish dollars for pet fees. The host says Airbnb only charges for one pet for one night. Without having a pricing matrix of how much extra each person and each pet cost (there was no mention of extra people fees), how am I supposed to figure out if what I paid was right? I got a receipt that said 4 people, 3 pets for 3 nights. I assumed they do their math right.

I should have known then to just cancel it and stay home for my birthday. After we stayed, contrary to my normal trusting self I thought I should take some pictures of the place before I leave as I was afraid this guy might try to gouge me for more money. Low and behold 15 days after I stayed, conspicuously 1 day after the review period was over, I got a resolution saying that while I was there I was smoking inside and I owed $300 more for extra cleaning fees. Never happened, but how do I prove that it didn't happen? He had "smart smoke alarms" that he said was proof that it happened. It was a duplex and out front the lower tenants, 3 of them, were smoking. Maybe that triggered it? Who knows.

After disputing with AirBnB they sided with him. What's one customer to lose who uses their service a couple of times a year? Versus a host who makes them money weekly. So no surprise there. In fact I think this gives some hosts like Sergio a license to gouge people for things that can't be proven. So be very, very careful staying in this place or any owned by this host as there are several. I would never do it again and in fact won't stay AirBnB again.