A California family's attempt to enjoy a winter getaway in Lake Tahoe was thwarted by a severe blizzard, leading to a dispute over a $1,400 Airbnb refund. Hani Esmaeili and his family booked the rental in February with the hope of experiencing the snow, but found their travel impossible due to road closures.

Despite the impassable conditions, the Airbnb host denied their refund request, citing a strict no-cancellation policy and offering only an early check-in. Esmaeili argued that the situation should have qualified for Airbnb's Major Disruptive Events Policy, which allows for refunds during large-scale events regardless of cancellation terms.

However, Airbnb stated that the family's booking did not qualify because their scheduled departure date was prior to the official travel restrictions taking effect. "The host cited the no cancellation policy as their reason for not giving the family back the large chunk of change. 'That's when we realized we were in trouble,' Esmaeili said," according to ABC 7.

The blizzard closed roadways leading to the Lake Tahoe house. They requested a refund and were rejected

Esmaeili expressed confusion over the company's stance, questioning how a blizzard that shut down major roadways to an entire region could not be considered a disruptive event. The family spent four months disputing the charge. Relief only came after ABC 7 intervened and contacted Airbnb on their behalf.

Airbnb said the family's booking did not fall under it major disruptive policy – despite Lake Tahoe being in the zone that was affected – because their departure date was the day before travel restrictions took place

Ultimately, Airbnb issued a one-time courtesy refund of $1,400. Esmaeili hopes the experience prompts a review of the company's policies to prevent similar situations for other travelers. "It's nice to not have $1,400 of your money lost for no good reason. I hope the net result is that they take a look at this policy, and I trust that they will," he told ABC 7.