Aussie Airbnb owner charges $1150 a night for a tent

A listing on Airbnb, which turned out to be nothing more than a tent in someone’s backyard, has left an Aussie woman completely shocked.

A listing on Airbnb, which turned out to be nothing more than a tent in someone’s backyard, has left a young Aussie shocked by the astonishing price requested by the host.

The jaw-dropping listing, located in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, can best be described as a glorified camping experience, Kidspot reports.

The listing was marketed as a ‘Camping Swag Under The Stars’

Caity was scouring Airbnb options for a place to crash after her friend’s party about a 45-minute drive from her house, so she figured it might be cheaper to stay somewhere nearby with another friend than book expensive Ubers there and back.

When looking for cost-effective accommodation, she found a listing near Warriewood Beach titled: ‘Camping Swag Under The Stars’.

For one person, it was $800, but every time you added another person, it jumped hundreds of dollars.

For two people to stay one night, it was going to cost $1156 and for three people it would be $1500.

“At first, I thought it was some kind of insane glamping experience for that price,” Caity told Kidspot.

“But no, it was basically a swag and the photos of the property looked unkempt and the backyard looked like it hadn’t been mowed in months.”

An Airbnb host in Sydney’s Northern beaches listed a tent for $1156. Picture: Airbnb

‘Prime location and ocean views’

The description of the listing read: “Camp true and cosy under the stars in this waterproof camping bedroll swag”.

The photos then show a tent that isn’t even set up, suggesting that guests are required to pitch it themselves.

There are also pictures of the owner’s red-brick house and backyard with a Hills Hoist right next to a less-than-sparkling pool.

“Surely not,” Caity thought, as she began crafting a message to the host to try to figure out what constituted such “extortionate prices”.

“I asked her why she thinks charging that amount is justifiable,” Caity recalled.

Guests also had to pitch it themselves. Picture: Airbnb

The host replied to her, writing: “Basically this Northern Beaches property has a fair amount of land for you to choose where your tent is pitched. It is in a prime location with ocean and valley views, or by night, very beautiful lights and the ocean can be heard.

“A main feature is the large blue pool, balcony and it’s five minutes from multiple beaches, shops, nature walks and everything else you need.

The host's justification for the 'extortionate' prices. Picture:: Supplied

“Sleeping bags, blankets and anything else you need can be supplied. House access for kitchen and hot showers is welcome if you choose.”

But while the host boasted the listing’s proximity to the ocean and picturesque views, the accompanying photos painted a starkly different picture.

The host boasted about the property’s prime location with ocean and valley views. Guests also had access to a pool (pictured). Picture: Airbnb

There was also a $200 cleaning fee for the tent

Adding salt to the wound, the Airbnb owner said that there was also a “$200 cleaning fee” to which Caity thought to herself, “Cleaning what, exactly?”

Cleaning fees on Airbnb are set by the host and typically range between $50-$300 for apartments and houses.

They also aren’t typically charged for stays of just one to two nights.

Ultimately, Caity says she was left “gobsmacked” by the interaction and wondered whether charging someone to camp in your backyard was “ethical or even legal”.

“After having a look at other Airbnb properties in Warriewood and surrounding suburbs, it seems like they’re absolutely out of their mind,” she says.

“I think a reasonable price would have been maybe $80 per night, honestly.”

As to whether this peculiar Airbnb listing has found any takers, Caity says she’s not sure.

The owner has either blocked her or removed the listing, as she can no longer find the listing to see if it’s been booked for any upcoming dates.

“I don’t know if she’s had any success, but I don’t think that charging this amount of money for the bare minimum is a smart way of going about trying to pad your wallet,” Caity said.

This story originally appeared on Kidspot and is republished here with permission