Airbnb to ban Halloween parties in North America

One-night bookings are off the table

Airbnb takes steps to stop Halloween parties (Getty Images)

Airbnb has banned one-night bookings in America around Halloween in a bid to prevent house parties.

The accommodation booking platform is prohibiting all overnight stays on 30 and 31 October in the US and Canada.

Customers who have already paid for one-night rentals on those nights will have their bookings cancelled and their money refunded.

Two and three-night reservations around Halloween will also be looked at by the Airbnb team, who may take action if the property is located near to the guest’s own home and they don’t have a history of positive reviews on the platform.

The move follows a party that took place on Halloween last year at an Airbnb listing in California, where four people were shot dead.

Since then, the company has aimed to crack down on unauthorised parties, instigating a ban on those aged under 25 with fewer than three previous positive reviews booking entire properties near to their home address.

The prohibition has been rolled out across North America, the UK, Spain and France.

In August 2020, Airbnb announced it was banning house parties at all of its properties worldwide in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The home sharing platform called the parties “irresponsible” and said house occupancy would be limited, potentially barring some speciality and traditional hospitality venues such as boutique hotels.

“We’re announcing a global ban on all parties and events at Airbnb listings, including a cap on occupancy at 16,” the company said in a statement. “This party ban applies to all future bookings on Airbnb and it will remain in effect indefinitely until further notice.”

It added that public health guidance on gatherings had changed in many countries, along with regulations on bars, clubs and pubs, in line with Covid-19 infection rates.

“Some have chosen to take bar and club behaviour to homes, sometimes rented through our platform,” reads the statement.

“We think such conduct is incredibly irresponsible – we do not want that type of business, and anyone engaged in or allowing that behaviour does not belong on our platform.”