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Termites eat wooden planks. Damage of a wooden house from termites
Tevarak/istockphoto

For travelers looking for the comfort of home while traveling, rental companies like Airbnb and Vrbo are a go-to over hotels. Guests can literally enjoy a home away from home. Do you want more space? Check. A full kitchen? Got it. A bedroom separate from the kids? Bingo. 

Plus, these rentals are typically squeaky clean. “Typically” is the buzzword here, folks, because for every handful of five-star experiences at a rental home, there’s got to be a disaster mixed in. And so, we give you: The viral video making its rounds across TikTok, chronicling a traveler’s insect-infested Vrbo experience.

@burnyourdresspants @airbnb nothing like coming home to a nice swarm of termites! #airbnb #airbnbfail #airbnbfails #help #ew #bugs ♬ original sound – BurnYourDressPants

TikTok user @BurnYourDressPants shared a video of her Vrbo rental’s bedroom (note she mistakenly refers to it as an Airbnb in the video but corrects that mistake in the comments), showing a swarm of termites flying around the chandelier above the bed, plus a coating of them on the bed itself. Inviting, isn’t it? She declared she was officially done with rentals and in the comments confirmed she is now a “hotel girlie.” 

She also explained in the comments that when she spoke with the homeowner, they seemed as bewildered as she was, apparently responding to her concerns with “Ohhhhhhh.” Still, we have to admit, we’re not sure what they were supposed to say. “Do you have a can of Raid handy by chance? We’ll be there in five?” 

In a follow-up video, @BurnYourDressPants said she’d still not received a refund and was having to go to quite a bit of trouble to get one. Yikes. Vrbo carefully, friends. 

Meet the Writer

Rachel is a Michigan-based writer who has dabbled in a variety of subject matter throughout her career. As a mom of multiple young children, she tries to maintain a sustainable lifestyle for her family. She grows vegetables in her garden, gets her meat in bulk from local farmers, and cans fruits and vegetables with friends. Her kids have plenty of hand-me-downs in their closets, but her husband jokes that before long, they might need to invest in a new driveway thanks to the frequent visits from delivery trucks dropping off online purchases (she can’t pass up a good deal, after all). You can reach her at [email protected].