Host cancelled 2 hours after check-in; cleaners arrived while I was packing to leave [USA]

A nightmare experience from start to finish.

I booked an apartment for a major business trip and arrived for a 3-day stay at 5 pm. I immediately rested, then woke to missed calls and a text stating the reservation was canceled due to “severe plumbing” issues. It may have been a placeholder excuse, but I had no funds to book a replacement place for three days and was coordinating with support.

While I was packing, the cleaners showed up and knocked on the door. They didn’t speak much English, so I asked them to wait 10–15 minutes. They nodded, and I closed the door. Moments later they knocked again, and when I opened, they began cleaning. It wasn’t their fault, but it’s shocking that a host would cancel a live reservation, evict a guest, and then bring in cleaners without confirming that I had left. I even have video footage of them cleaning while I was packing to depart, just in case.

Support was trying to help. I explained my lack of funds for another stay, and they issued a $200 coupon for one night and suggested I call back the next day for additional accommodations. I found a hotel listing via Airbnb, but when I called to confirm the security deposit, it appeared as $25 on the listing—yet the front desk quoted $250. I didn’t have enough, and the front desk couldn’t waive the fee. Airbnb support said they would contact the hotel host to cancel so I could use my coupon at a different property. By this time, it was 10 p.m., and I had left the original reservation at 7 p.m.

Over the next 2.5 hours, there were attempts to cancel with the hotel host. I located another listing for $175 and requested that, if possible, a new coupon be issued so I could book immediately. Support canceled the hotel booking, and I received my coupon back.

Now it’s midnight, and I can’t book the alternate place for the night because the calendar in the app shows the day as blocked. I’m writing this from a rental as I wait to check in somewhere around 3–4 p.m. tomorrow. I have important interviews and meetings first thing in the morning, and I’m unsure how I’ll groom myself.

I’m prepared to escalate with Airbnb support tomorrow because this was an absolutely terrible experience. I hope the host cannot post future listings, because no guest should have to endure this.