Airbnb review: Deleted honest review at host request

I have been renting places from Airbnb for over ten years and have been very happy with all my stays. I have referred many people I know to some of the fantastic places I have rented. This past August, I booked a place (booking HMCEX4WX5H) out of state for myself and my 76-year-old dad, and 11 days before our stay, the host reached out to me to explain that her father had passed away, so she needed to cancel my reservation. Still, it would be rebooked, and this was just a formality since this listing would be under her name. I expressed my condolences and canceled my booking at the host's request but then rebooked for the exact dates, and we were squared away.

Unfortunately, when we arrived, it was clear that the place did not represent the photos on the listing. This was the first time I was disappointed in any home I had rented from Airbnb. The house had an overwhelming scent of air freshener dirty stained rugs, the outdoor furniture was covered in mildew, couches were worn out and had dingy pillows, the gate on the deck was broken, and the outdoor TV was not set up. I pulled up the listing after arriving at the house to compare the photos again, and then I noticed all the positive reviews that convinced me to rent this place were removed, and only one review was posted on this new listing. Since we were out of state and had planned this vacation time, we made the best of it, but I wrote an honest review so other potential renters could see my review since I would not have stayed at this booking if I saw that there was a recent review that the photos don't represent the house. I even reached out to the host to let her know through the Airbnb platform that my review pointed out what needed improvement. Once my study was posted, the host contacted me regarding my thinking, asking if they refunded the cleaning or a discount on a future booking. I declined and explained that I was not seeking reimbursement and only intended to leave an honest review.

But then, my review was taken down at the host's request. When I contacted Airbnb, they said they would look into this and get back to me. Airbnb decided that my review was honest and nothing was against their review policy. Airbnb pointed out that my review graded the correspondence with the host as a 5-star and was only negative about the condition and cleanliness. The host again requested my review be removed. They reasoned that my review was biased and in retaliation to the host, so it was removed again. However, after I explained the situation, Airbnb reposted my review on the listing. Then again, my review was taken down, and Airbnb told me they reasoned that we communicated off the platform. I was retaliating against the host since we had a previous relationship. The thing is, I do not know this host and have never communicated with the host outside of the Airbnb platform. I disputed this and requested they read our correspondence on the platform because it is evident that we do not know each other, and there were no issues or concerns. Airbnb insisted my review was retaliation against the host because the host sent them a screenshot of a text message that had been photoshopped with my phone number. This screenshot text message that Airbnb shared with me referenced a bar tab that wasn't paid, a message where I threatened the host to stay away from a man named Troy, and the host's reply in this photoshopped text was that not paying your bills is a crime and she is going to sue me for harassment. I have never communicated with any host off the Airbnb platform, so I sent Airbnb my text messaging records from Verizon for this time to prove I had not communicated with this host. I am so disappointed with Airbnb and sad because, out of principle, I don't see myself ever booking with Airbnb in fear that I may run into a similar situation, and now, knowing that Airbnb would have no regard for the truth and would believe such a stand by their review policies they have in place that I now know that honest reviews can be removed from listings if the host claims some bizarre claim of sorts that would result in any removal of honest negative reviews. Also, Airbnb could not see through this craziness that the host's claims were all fabricated, so my honest review would be removed.