Airbnb accused of ‘insulting’ response after swastika found in rental

A Jewish family’s summer holiday in France turned traumatic after discovering a swastika graffitied on the ceiling of a pool house at their Airbnb rental.

Joel [surname withheld on request], whose maternal grandparents fled Nazi Germany while much of his wider family were murdered in the Holocaust, said the discovery was deeply distressing – but it was Airbnb’s handling of his complaint that compounded the pain.

“Finding a swastika on the property was bad enough, but Airbnb’s response – claiming it was in an ‘inaccessible’ area – was frankly insulting,” Joel told Jewish News. “At no point have they addressed the issues I repeatedly raised, and despite asking multiple times, I have never received an official apology. They even sided with the host at first, insisting they had no knowledge of the symbol, despite the host telling me directly that they did.

“For me, this is especially painful as I am having my German citizenship reinstated, after it was stripped from my grandparents by the Nazis. This isn’t about customer service, it’s about how one of the world’s biggest platforms treats antisemitism.”

Joel said he reported the graffiti during his stay but explained to Airbnb that his family could not move because they had their young daughter with them. He also made clear he did not want Airbnb to alert the host at first, as the symbol left them feeling concerned for their welfare.

Although he and his family continued with their holiday, Joel said the symbol – and Airbnb’s subsequent response – left a lasting impact.

Airbnb has offered Joel a refund of £8,900 for the booking but declined his request for an official apology or compensation.

In a statement to Jewish News, an Airbnb spokesperson said:
“Discrimination has no place on Airbnb and we take all reports seriously. We have conducted a thorough investigation which found the host had no knowledge of this offensive graffiti in an unused outbuilding outside of the main listing area until the guest reported it after their stay, and as soon as they were made aware they took action to address it. The guest has received an apology from the host as well as a full refund.”

Joel disputes this, saying the swastika was not in an unused outbuilding but in the pool control room, which he accessed during his stay and where the host also entered. He also maintains he has never received a formal apology from Airbnb itself, despite repeated requests.

Displaying Nazi symbols is illegal in France, and Joel said the case raises wider questions about how global corporations respond to antisemitism. “The fact this swastika remained in place shows how some still view antisemitism. For Airbnb to treat it so lightly is shocking.”

Airbnb has been contacted for further comment.