Byron Getaway at Eco Beach

My partner and I drove more than four hours for our anniversary, excited by the online photos and description. What we found was devastating, and I was in tears over how much I’d spent. The room smelled strongly of dampness, old towels, and mold. It was extremely dirty, with scuffs on every wall and thick dust on the décor. It looked neglected and nothing like the listing. The TV was awkwardly placed, so watching meant twisting your neck. The bed had a lump in the middle, and we found it was two singles pushed together, not a real queen. There was hair on it, first a small strand and then a large clump of long black hair near the end. We got off the bed immediately. The supposed view was straight into the neighboring building, with pedestrians able to see into the room. The apartment wasn’t what the site showed: there was no couch, just a microwave and sink. The photos are a complete lie. In the bathroom, the light switch was nearly coming off the wall, there was visible mold throughout the shower, and a brown substance dripped down the side of the sink bench. Absolutely disgusting. I contacted the host right away, explained everything, and asked for a full refund. They initially apologized and agreed, especially given we’d saved for months and traveled a long way. But after I contacted Airbnb support and sent photo evidence, things became a nightmare. We kept going back and forth between Airbnb and the host, then were told the host had denied the refund. That same night, we booked another place using our emergency savings. Thankfully we found somewhere clean and accommodating at the last minute. The next morning, we were told we wouldn’t get a refund because we had “checked out that morning.” That was false. We were there for no more than ten minutes before leaving because of the condition of the property. The host then said there was no mould and argued that because we had “used the bed,” we weren’t entitled to a refund. Would anyone who paid $510 walk into hair in the bed, mold in the bathroom, and dirt everywhere and honestly stay? This goes far beyond poor customer service. It raises serious questions about honesty, cleanliness standards, and basic human decency. I’m heartbroken and beyond disappointed, and I’ll keep pursuing a refund. This place was a complete scam, and the way we were treated was disgraceful. Guests deserve clean accommodation and respectful treatment, and we got neither. Do better. Save your money.