Funny hosting story that made my day

[Ben551]

I just have to share this... I couldn’t stop laughing each time I thought of it today...

A few weeks ago, my wife and I learned (finally) which of our neighbours were running an Airbnb. We knew someone in the street was, but couldn’t for the life of us work out who. The mystery was finally solved the other day with the help of another neighbour.

It turns out a retired couple have an Airbnb listing just a couple of doors down, in the basement of their house. My wife thought it would be neighbourly to reach out and meet them, over some scones. We figured it would come in handy knowing a fellow host nearby, particularly ones far more experienced than ourselves! There isn’t any issue with competition in our area - it’s just all one big shortage, so figured there’s no need to see them as the local enemy.

Anyhoo, our other neighbour says today “oh... you heard the story about their Airbnb right?”  Confused, I said “No, what happened?”

He laughed the whole time he told this story...

Apparently, the ole timer likes to toy with modern gadgets, so he outfitted the door to his basement Airbnb with an electronic keypad lock. He was so happy with it, he then installed one on his own front door, just upstairs. For reasons we cannot fathom, he then set the codes to both doors “the same”.

Soon after, one fine evening some of his Airbnb guests (2 young German girls) arrived around midnight to let themselves in.

You guessed it. They used the wrong door and let themselves into his house!

But that’s not the best part...

The ole timer (in bed) hears someone banging around in his lounge... gets out his shot gun (not loaded)... launches himself into the living room in his underwear (it’s hot in NZ right now), shouting and waving his shot gun around! He scares the living hell out of these girls and, naturally, they run for their lives! They don’t even realise this is their host chasing them, they just run out the front door and leg it down the street, screaming their heads off!  The whole neighbourhood heard them running down the street (even us, but we didn’t realise what it was about at the time!).

Now, we don’t know entirely what happened next, but at some point both host and guests worked out what was going on and the girls returned to the actual Airbnb. Apparently they saw the funny side and all had a good laugh. The ole timer must have worked some old school hospitality magic too, because he even got a 5 star review out of it.

To have this this actually happen and still get a 5 star review... I couldn’t stop laughing all day. How the hell did he manage it? I plan to drop round for a cuppa and find out.

We all need to learn from this guy!

[Kathy33]

Thanks for the story!! Lol

[Suzanne302]

@Ben551

Hilarious! What a fun story!

[Beth80]

@Ben551 Thanks for the story. What a great way to start my day! 🙂

[Robin4]

@Ben551

I have seen a lot of funny things in my 74 years....have actually been involved in a few but, you have trumped me here Ben. I sure would love to see some geriatric host chasing a bit of paying crumpet down the street brandishing a shotgun!

While we are on funny stories this one beat the rest of the field a decade ago in legal circles in the US!

A west Texan lawyer with a liking for fine Cuban cigars purchased at great expence the most expensive boxed set of Havanan cigars he could find. As part of the purchase he insured them against theft and all the other regular things you insure for. Within the first two months (after only paying one premium installment) he smoked all his cigars and lodged a claim with the insurance company stating that his insured property had been lost in a series of small fires. The insurance company rejected the claim for obvious reasons so the lawyer took them to court for breach of contract.

The judge in his summation said, although the claim was frivilous, the insurance company had not defined what was an acceptable fire and what was not, and awarded the case with compensation costs to the lawyer. 

The insurance company did not contest the judgement and wrote out a cheque to satisfy the judgement.

As soon as the lawyer presented his cheque for payment the insurance company had him arrested on 24 counts of arson....deliberately burning his own insured property. From memory I think he did gaol time! 

There is always a way you can be too much of a smartar*e in this world!!

Cheers.....Rob  

[Ben551]

Hahahaha that’s excellent @Robin4 🙂

[Donna240]

He's lucky he didn't get pinched for smuggling, because Cuban cigars are illegal in the US, unless you work for the state department. A tourist could get severely frined for even having one in their suitcase.

[Robin4]

@Donna240

That's interesting, didn't know that Donna...do you know why that is so? Do they think Fidel might have booby trapped them ...:-))

That was a well celebrated case at the time Donna, along with another one where a Ronald Opus was ajudged to have murdered himself.......try and work that one out!

If you want that case I will post! 

Cheers.....Rob

[Donna240]

I'm afraid that considering recent events, trying to figure out the American government is impossible, however, I believe it had everything to do with a trade embargo to punish Cuba for not being a democracy. I like your idea better! LOL

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

😄 😄 😄 @Ben551@Robin4 great stories 😄

It is good to connect with your neighbor's hosts, you never know when you will need each other. We all need host network 🙂 I know at least 10 hosts in my neighborhood.

[Robin4]

@Branka-and-Silvia0

That is fantastic advice Branka, hosts are a special breed! The mere fact that we welcome strangers into our homes sets us apart from the rest. Hosting ge-togethers are always great occasions because there is that cameraderie between hosts.

I am on regular coffee terms with 6 in my area and there are times when we help each other out. There have been times when I have hosted a guest of theirs to get them out of a jam, and there was one time when one of them hosted a guest of mine.

Building relationships with hosts is simply and extension of what we do and I am glad you have found one in your neighbourhood @Ben551......even if he is a bit of a 'loose cannon'!!!

Cheers......Rob

[Viktoria56]

Sounds like a good scene for a movie! 😉

[Donna240]

i think your neighbor got a 5 star review because the travel story those girls will now be able to tell is priceless. They could win a contest with that one!

[Susie111]

@Ben551

Wow!!!

That funny story made my day 😄

[Kath9]

OMG @Ben551, so funny! There are so many ridiculous aspects to this story -  using the same keycode for both doors, going to bed and not remembering that guests were arriving that night, and clearly not giving them clear check in instructions! I'm guessing he went after them down the street once he realised his mistake! Anyway, he must be doing something right to get 5 stars!