Florida woman drove 11 hours for an Airbnb stay. She discovers carpets stained with blood and the manager is like: ‘Relax, we cleaned it up’
Never again.
Lauren Laudermilk, known as @themovieofmylife on TikTok, recently shared a truly unsettling video detailing her month-long Airbnb rental nightmare in Florida, where she discovered blood splattered throughout the entire property. Her experience quickly went viral, becoming another entry in the increasingly popular “Airbnb horror stories” genre on the platform.
Laudermilk had plans to potentially move to Florida and decided to book a month-long Airbnb stay to get a feel for the area. She was pretty stoked to find what looked like a really nice place available for a full month, listed by a superhost, which usually signals a trustworthy experience. After securing her booking, she packed up her car and embarked on a grueling almost 11-hour drive to her temporary new home.
She finally pulled up to the Airbnb around 8.30 p.m., tired but excited to settle in after such a long journey. However, her optimism quickly faded. The moment she stepped inside, she was immediately hit with the strong, unpleasant smell of smoke, which instantly gave her a headache.
This smoke was a major red flag, but the situation got much, much worse
As she looked down, Laudermilk noticed red stains on the carpet. Her dog, sensing something was off, started sniffing around the area. It quickly became clear that these weren’t just a few isolated spots; there was blood visible throughout the entire Airbnb. She recounted finding it “up and down the stairs, in multiple bedrooms, it’s in the closet, it’s all over the place.”
Terrified, feeling incredibly unsafe and deeply disturbed by the discovery, Laudermilk made the immediate decision to leave. She got back in her car, with her dog, and drove to a parking lot, trying to figure out what to do next. Her month-long stay, which she had planned to test out a potential new life, was clearly out the window. She desperately tried to get in touch with her host and Airbnb support, while also consulting her family for advice.
The initial attempts to get help were just as frustrating as the discovery itself. Her host was completely unresponsive, and while the property manager apparently saw her messages, they didn’t say anything. Airbnb’s customer service was also a nightmare; Laudermilk reported that they hung up on her four or five times and offered absolutely no solutions or relocation assistance. This lack of support from the platform itself is a common complaint.
Eventually, she called some friends, who let her in, and they then contacted the police. The police went to the Airbnb to investigate, and their initial assumption was that a local had rented the place, thrown a party, and perhaps someone had gotten injured. After a long, stressful night, Laudermilk was safe with her friends.
The next morning, she finally heard back from the host
He apologized for not having seen the state of the property, explaining that the previous guest had left the place “in shambles.” He admitted that while they had cleaned, they “had not cleaned up all of the blood,” which is an absolutely wild thing to say. The host even sent her images of the wrecked property from before her arrival.
Naturally, Laudermilk demanded a full refund, making it clear she wasn’t staying there and hadn’t stayed there the previous night either. The host, however, initially tried to charge her for that night. Laudermilk, having already involved the police, firmly told him that wasn’t going to happen. After a couple more calls with Airbnb, which she reiterated were “absolutely no help,” the host eventually refunded everything himself.
Before the full refund, the host even sent Laudermilk pictures and videos of them shampooing the carpet. The implication was clear: “Hey, we’ve cleaned all the blood up. Now come back.” Laudermilk’s reaction perfectly summed it up: “No, no, no, no, no. What? I’m sorry, what?” It’s a level of disregard for guest safety and comfort that’s truly mind-boggling.
Laudermilk’s video recounts this harrowing experience with a mix of humor and disbelief, creating a light-hearted yet cautionary tale for her viewers. She genuinely wants people to double-check listings carefully before booking travel accommodations. Her story resonated with many, drawing a mix of shock, empathy, and even some dark humor.
A significant number of commenters expressed relief that Laudermilk got out safely and praised her for sharing the story as a warning to others. Many offered advice like always read the full listing, check reviews for ‘shared space’ mentions, and a general recommendation to stick to hotels for peace of mind.
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