A woman identified as Kate Henry, who posts on TikTok under the handle @katehenry.mi, claims she and her family were forced to leave an Airbnb rental in Portland, Maine, after the portable air conditioning unit in the unit allegedly stopped cooling and began blowing hot air. The TikTok video, in which she describes the experience and says Airbnb refused to issue a refund, has so far accumulated 726,000 views.
Henry says she booked two nights at the Portland Airbnb as part of a Fourth of July weekend trip to Maine, paying just over $400 per night. According to Henry, she specifically used Airbnb’s filter for properties with air conditioning because she was traveling with an infant and needed to ensure a safe sleeping temperature for her daughter.
About a week before the trip, she says a heat wave was forecast for the Northeast, with temperatures expected to reach as high as 91°F. Henry says she proactively contacted the host to confirm the air conditioning would be sufficient, and the host assured her it would be, saying the family could set it to their desired temperature and would be fine.
The situation unfolded once the family arrived at the Portland rental
When the family arrived at the apartment, Henry says the indoor temperature read 86°F. She said the AC unit had only been running for about 30 minutes at that point, so she assumed it would cool down in time. She said the host had also messaged them before arrival to say the AC and fan had been turned on.
The family apparently spent the evening out and returned to the apartment at around 9:30 PM. According to Henry, they were met with a strong smell of marijuana in the building. When they went upstairs, she says the apartment was even hotter than when they had left, and the portable AC unit appeared to be blowing warm air rather than cool air.
Henry says the thermostat read 84°F when they first walked in, and by the time they had packed their belongings, the temperature had risen to 86°F. Concerned about her daughter, who she described as tired and flushed, Henry says she and her husband decided to leave immediately. Airbnb guests have reported a range of unsettling in-property experiences, like one incident involved guests discovering their host hiding inside a wardrobe.
Henry said they drove approximately 20 minutes to a Hilton Embassy Suites near the airport, as hotels closer to the city were reportedly fully booked. Henry praised the hotel in her video, saying staff gave them a complimentary room upgrade and water upon arrival.
The following morning, Henry says she called Airbnb support and explained the situation. She claims Airbnb’s initial response was that the host had provided an air conditioning unit, and on that basis, a refund would not be issued. Henry says she clarified that she was not disputing whether the unit was provided, but that it had failed to cool the apartment to a livable temperature.
According to Henry, Airbnb’s response was, “the host provided what she needed to,” and directed her to take the matter up with the host directly. Henry says she then messaged the host requesting a refund, citing the agreed-upon temperature expectations. The host allegedly responded that the heat wave was outside of her control and then stopped replying.
Airbnb subsequently showed Henry how to file a formal claim against the host, but she says the platform only allowed her to request $620, which represented the nightly room rate for the two nights and excluded roughly $250 in taxes and cleaning fees she had also paid. The host denied that request, according to Henry.
Henry says she has since been escalated to three different levels of Airbnb support without resolution. Her video drew a wide range of reactions. One commenter said, “Unfortunately, you need to give the host an opportunity to remedy the situation. Because you left before giving them the opportunity, you forfeit your payment.” Another wrote, “This is the most privileged thing I’ve heard in awhile!”
Others were more supportive. One commenter who identified themselves as an Airbnb host wrote, “You did NOTHING WRONG. She promised a cool environment, it wasn’t provided. She should have refunded you.” Another commenter said the situation was “insane and dangerous especially for a baby or young child.”
Disputes between guests and hosts over reviews and refunds are not uncommon on the platform. In a separate case, a guest faced a revenge review from her Airbnb host after leaving a four-star rating. At the time of publication, there has been no public statement from Airbnb or the host regarding Henry’s claims.
Published: Jul 14, 2026 08:00 am