Questions before you book
CatfishBnb is an independent guest-reporting service operated by Circle the People LLC, not affiliated with Airbnb. Free launch: email-verified accounts, saved reports awaiting review, host claims and private conversations. No card or payment required. Photos are held privately for review; public photo display, AI area summaries, multilingual support and live accountability percentages are not available yet. Owners and authorized managers can submit a listing claim for review, then submit responses once verified. Host responses require review before publication. Numerical follow-through is not active yet. Contributors can opt into private conversations per published report. Both participants must sign in; email addresses are not shown. Either participant can block a conversation. Contributors can stop further messages by turning off contact permission. Marketing consent remains separate.
What is CatfishBnb?
CatfishBnb is a planned independent service for comparing short-term rental listings with guest-reported experiences, photos, checklists and host responses. It is operated by Circle the People LLC and is not affiliated with Airbnb. The free launch service accepts reports for review; approved reports appear in property dossiers.
How can I check an Airbnb before booking?
Compare the listing details with dated guest reports for the exact property. Look for photos, repeated issues, host responses and later repairs. CatfishBnb is designed to bring that material into a property dossier. It cannot currently perform a live listing check.
How will I find the right property?
The proposed search accepts an Airbnb listing link or number. Reports must be matched to that property before publication. A similar title, nearby location or matching photograph alone is not enough to establish a match.
Do the listing photos match what guests found?
A dossier is designed to show a guest’s dated photographs alongside their account of the stay. Campaign artwork is fictional and is not evidence about any property.
Was the Airbnb listing misleading, or was it spot on?
Describe what the listing advertised and what you actually found during your stay. The photos, description, amenities, location, parking and disclosed charges may have been spot on, partly accurate, or misleading in your experience. Give credit for what matched, and explain any specific differences with dated photos or details where available. A guest’s assessment does not establish deliberate deception. The host’s explanation and any later corrections belong alongside the report. Signed-in contributors can save a report for review.
Were the sheets, towels and bathroom clean?
The checklist records bedding, towels, bathroom and kitchen cleanliness, floors, surfaces and bins. A report describes the condition during one stay; it does not establish the condition of every later stay.
Were there blocked drains, leaks or hot-water problems?
The report checklist includes shower and sink drainage, toilet flush, standing water, leaks, hot water and water pressure. Guests can describe where and when they observed the issue and what happened after they told the host.
Did guests report unpleasant smells?
Guests can report damp or musty smells, drain or sewage smells, smoke and pet odour. These are guest observations. A report cannot establish the medical significance or technical cause of a smell.
Was parking available as advertised?
The dedicated parking section covers availability, whether the space matched the listing, charges, permits, reservations, distance, size and height limits, entry and exit, dedicated or shared spaces, street restrictions, luggage access, lighting, and advertised accessible parking or EV charging. Report what worked as well as what did not. Check the listing promises and the report date together.
What was the surrounding area like?
Reports can describe street noise, nearby building work, lighting on approach, paths, views and distances to advertised places. They should describe observed conditions without identifying private neighbours. CatfishBnb does not certify neighbourhood safety.
Were noisy neighbours or elevator noise a problem?
The checklist separates neighbour noise, parties, loud music, shouting, elevator or lift noise, hallway and door noise, traffic, building equipment and sleep disturbance. Describe what you heard, when it happened, how long it lasted and whether the host responded. Mention when the stay was quiet too. Describe behaviour without naming private neighbours or labelling people as bad. Guest observations are not professional sound measurements. Live reporting is not yet available.
Were Wi-Fi, heating and other amenities working?
The checklist includes Wi-Fi availability and usability, heating, air conditioning, lights, kitchen equipment and advertised laundry facilities. Guests can distinguish an absent amenity from one that was present but did not work as expected.
What if there are no reports for a listing?
No reports means there is not enough information in CatfishBnb to assess that property. It is not a positive rating, an all-clear or proof of a bad stay. The proposed paid service should not charge for an empty dossier.
What does “Report resolved” mean?
The proposed process records a guest remedy or refund and follow-up evidence of repairs for the specific report. The original report remains visible with the resolution. A refund alone, a host promise, or payment to CatfishBnb does not erase a report or prove that every issue is fixed.
What does Airbnb host accountability mean on CatfishBnb?
It means keeping the host’s promises, response and follow-through alongside the guest’s experience. Was the listing accurate? Did the host respond when a problem was reported? What remedy was agreed, what repairs were documented, and were inaccurate listing details corrected? Give credit when the host gets things right or puts them right. Some hosts use property managers and may initially be unaware of an issue; their explanation belongs in the record too. A host note or promise alone does not resolve a report. CatfishBnb’s proposed process retains the original report, the host’s response and evidence of the outcome. It does not determine legal liability or enforce Airbnb’s policies. Live reporting is not yet available.
Can the host explain what happened?
Yes, the proposed dossier includes a note from the host. Some hosts use property managers and may not know about a problem until it is reported. Host authority and repair evidence need review before publication; a host note alone does not resolve a report.
How can I report a stay?
The planned contributor account lets a guest identify the property and stay dates, complete the checklist, add their own photos and write a review. Reporting is free. Submitted reports are saved privately until reviewed.
How much will a dossier cost?
The launch plan is free dossier access with no card required, followed by $2 per property dossier when paid access begins. Reporting is free. Email-verified accounts are available; paid access is not enabled.
Will my email and booking documents be public?
The design uses public display names and form-based contact. Email addresses and private booking or refund evidence are intended to remain private. Production still requires access controls, photo metadata removal, moderation and the final privacy policy before accepting real evidence.
Can CatfishBnb guarantee a good stay or obtain a refund?
No. It presents reported claims and host responses, not property inspections, booking guarantees or refund decisions. It is not a booking platform or an Airbnb customer-support channel. Present and future conditions may differ from a reported stay.
How walkable is the area, and how pleasant is the walk?
The planned “Know the area” section will distinguish nearby places, sourced walking routes and estimated times, and guest ratings of how pleasant a specific walk felt. Guests can describe sidewalks, traffic, crossings, hills, shade, lighting and noise, and whether they walked by day or after dark. Ratings will identify the route, dates and number of contributors; no ratings means “Not rated yet”. An official Walk Score requires a licensed provider result and attribution. Neither a score nor a guest rating guarantees safety or accessibility. Location services and live walk ratings are not connected yet.