Opinion: Airbnb took down my negative review – Why?

Airbnb is meant to be mostly self-regulating. So why are some negative reviews removed? — Dreamstime/TNS

My family visited Hudson, New York, for a couple of days in March for the same reason everyone goes there. It’s a cool little town surrounded by the Hudson Valley and stocked with wonderful food, crafts, shops and people. We used Airbnb.com to rent a place for our stay.

The rental was the only bad part of our visit. Garbage was piled in front of the driveway when we arrived. The patio that looked quaint and cozy online was a mess and ringed with construction equipment. The hot water didn’t work. A load of clothes was in the laundry machine. The pedestal sink in the bathroom needed only a gentle nudge to tip over. The ladder to the loft bedroom was too steep for kids. And so on.