When travelling overseas, Airbnb is a popular option for those searching for cheap accommodations.
However, caution is needed when browsing on such platforms, lest we end up checking into somewhere completely unexpected.
This was the case for a woman recently who accidentally booked a room in an elderly home in Johor.
She eventually checked out one hour into her stay, and took to TikTok to share her story.
In her TikTok video, Rie aka @crybabytubby said she booked a room with Johore Cheshire Home, thinking it would be an appropriate lodging without checking its reviews on Airbnb.
Source: TikTok
In a set of images, she revealed a closer look at the area, which sported the appearance of a home for the elderly.
Her suspicions appeared to have started when she reached the entrance, looking at the gate preceding a long driveway.
The corridor of the home, while well-maintained, also seemed sparse and void of decorations.
Source: TikTok
Another picture showed that Rie had booked a two-bedroom unit with the establishment.
Source: TikTok
She added that they had a 10pm curfew. They would have to contact security to open the gate if they broke curfew.
In addition, the toilet of the room was wheelchair-friendly. However, this didn’t perturb Rie much, as she noted that it was pretty spacious.
Source: TikTok
Ultimately, she checked out of the room after one hour. Before leaving, she captured an image of the home’s sign.
Source: TikTok
Speaking to MS News, Rie shared that she grew suspicious as the location should have been accessible with a 15-minute drive from where she was.
However, on the way there she passed by two cemeteries, and it was in a more remote area than other AirBnB lodgings she had stayed at in Johor.
Furthermore, Rie had to pass by residents having their daily activities in the common area to reach the room she had booked.
Having checked in at 1pm on 10 July, she ended up checking out at 2pm upon realising the truth. Rie told MS News that she also did so in order to prevent from making the residents uncomfortable.
“I was deeply moved by the residents’ circumstances,” she said. “I believe it’s essential to honor their space and privacy without intrusion of their home.”
Rie’s post on TikTok has gained significant attention, with many expressing surprise at her account.
Interestingly, some noted that the room did seem all right by their standards.
Source: TikTok
Others, however, were more concerned about the potential supernatural experiences one might have at such a venue.
Source: TikTok
Rie herself admitted that in the future, she would probably opt for a hotel instead.
In addition, upon leaving the area Rie did more research on the elderly home.
She shared that the owner who had set up the accomodation had since deleted their account on AirBnB, removing their listings as well.
However, Rie had kept a screenshot of the listing, the description of which said that the unit was a “modern designer room” or “guest house” for rent.
Image courtesy of Rie
In addition, one part of it mentioned that guests will “rest well knowing [their] contribution is helping the residents of Johor Cheshire home.”
Stating that she did not initially acknowledge this, Rie admitted that she should have done more research from the start instead of assuming it was just the name of an apartment building.
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Featured image adapted from @crybabytubby on TikTok.
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