Four young Australian holidaymakers said they accidentally booked accommodation run by nuns during a recent trip to Italy and captured the mix-up in a TikTok video that has drawn more than 250,000 views.
The group — identified in the video as Chlo, Rahnn, Luc and Char — posted the clip on their account @themidmessess. Footage shows the friends arriving at a large door, knocking and being greeted by a woman dressed in traditional nun's habit and wearing a cross necklace. The tourists are then escorted through wide corridors and polished tile floors as they haul suitcases into what they initially believed would be their holiday lodging.
In subsequent shots, the group are led to a bedroom lit with neon-blue lighting and featuring a life-sized religious statue near the beds. One of the travellers is shown using Google Translate to communicate with a nun who listens but appears unamused by the confusion. The video ends with the group packing and leaving the property earlier than planned.
The TikTok post was accompanied by the caption, "The nuns were sooo beautiful but wasn't suited to our holiday, oops." Viewer responses included praise for the convent as a safe place and personal recollections from people who said they had stayed there previously and enjoyed the experience. One commenter described it as a secure option for women travelling alone; another said the nuns were "so lovely" and the views were "breathtaking." A self-described tourism professional asked how the listing was not noticed as religious accommodation before booking.
The incident joins a string of social-media posts documenting unexpected and humorous travel mishaps. In a separate July video that circulated online, a Swedish couple in Baveno, Italy, posted footage showing an apparent mismatch between their expectations and the view revealed when they opened their hotel curtains.
Hosts and accommodation platforms typically require owners to specify property types and amenities, but travellers have continued to report accidental bookings in churches, convents and other nontraditional lodgings. Industry experts say reading full listings and host descriptions can reduce the risk of surprise, though some travellers and former guests have defended convent stays as orderly and secure.
The TikTok clip has sparked debate among viewers about safety, suitability and cross-cultural expectations for travel stays. The Australians did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the convent did not issue a public statement in the video. The post remains available on the group's TikTok account, where it continues to generate comments and shares.