Based on his grammar in the third paragraph, I would ignore anything the man says. But then I’m a known 'grammar-nazi"…
I would not have even asked Air for their opinion. Considering the Hilton charges $10 (for non honors members) for wifi thats what I would refund.
What if the iron is listed as an amenity and it was stolen by previous guest? The coffee pot breaks?
Whoever wrote that was making it up as they went. I would demand they show me in the TOS where you agreed to that nonsense.
RR
I like the idea of using that as a benchmark. The hotel offers it as an amenity for a price so that is the daily value of that amenity.
We only compare ourselves to hotels when it’s to our advantage. Otherwise “we aren’t hotels!”
LOL.
It doesn’t sound like the guest is being particularly demanding on the issue. It sounds like the OP has ruined today worrying about tomorrow.
I recently quickly researched the prices that hotels charge for parking. Yes, for simply parking your car overnight. The prices below (from the internet) are a) per night and b) date from 2017.
~$74 at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis
~$70 at the Grand Hyatt New York
~$65 at The Peninsula Chicago
~$49 at The Westin Gaslamp San Diego
Yes, $74 to park! That’s on top of the room price.
Yes, guests who can’t access the wifi for whatever reason can go to Starbucks. And since that case earlier this year (cops called because two black men were in a Starbucks location without eating or drinking anything) people aren’t obliged to buy a latte even if they want to use the internet there. But I think that most people would feel obliged to buy something.
Do Airbnb hosts give guest free internet, free parking, free lots of things that hotels charge for and yet still consider giving a financial recompense if an amenity isn’t available though no fault of their own? Crazy.
I could be that hosts do this in anticipation of airbnb refunding entire nights and stays over promised amenities not being available.
- special amenities or features represented in the Listing are not provided or do not function, such as decks, pools, hot tubs, bathrooms (toilet/shower/bathtub), kitchen (sink/stove/refrigerator or major other appliances), and electrical, heating or air condition systems.
Ok, so internet is not so special to warrant a refund. Thanks @KKC
RR
Edited to add this:
5.3 Entire Agreement. This Guest Refund Policy constitutes the entire and exclusive understanding and agreement between Airbnb and you regarding the Guest Refund Policy and supersedes and replaces any and all prior oral or written understandings or agreements between Airbnb and you regarding the Guest Refund Policy.
So they say the policy is the policy, that screenshot means nothing.
RR
I read that as any amenity listed that is not available is likely to result in Airbnb awarding a refund. This forum is replete with stories of refunds being awarded regardless of the hosts interpretation of said policies. Given that many guests are afraid of bad reviews and because they like the illusion of control they pre-emptively give refunds.
I notice the policy also says the host needs to be there or a responsible 3rd party to deal with problems. So when a host says “I’m three hours away/in another country/etc.” how do they expect me to deal with this? Airbnb’s position is that you are responsible.
I read it to say exactly what is say’s. As the honorable Judge Judy once said, show me in the four corners of this contract where it says that, you cannot create a contract where there is none. I love JJ
If coffee maker breaks 50% refund, if TV goes out for some reason 50% refund, if iron or hair dryer or… NO WAY is that reasonable.
Internet is not a SPECIAL amenity or feature, it is a standard amenity I would argue and does not warrant 50% refund. In my case a week stay is $1100, reading the screenshot from the OP since the guest decided to stay I would be on the hook for $550
So far I have prevailed in my small battles with Air CS, if they ever stole that kind of money from me I would cancel in a minute, just not worth it to me. I know they do not care if I leave but I would not let them abuse me like that.
RR
I think I was misunderstood. I supported considering what a hotel charges because the conversation was about “what is the value of internet access”.
My only other personal point of reference would be to take my $50 monthly access fee / by 30 days = $1.67 a day. $1.67 a day refund offer would cause more ire than refusing a refund,
I appreciate @jaquo ‘s posting of Parking fees in different areas. It helps keep the free amenities we hosts offer in perspective.
I was reacting to River Rock’s mention of it but I could also be reacting to Jaquo. It doesn’t change the fact that multiple hosts here compare to hotels or say “you wouldn’t get this or that” at a hotel but when someone says “you should do this because hotels do” the retort is usually “we aren’t hotels.” I didn’t mean for anyone to take my remarks personally, I was just making an observation.
I’d just like to say though, for the sake of any new or would-be hosts who are reading, that my own opinion is that it depends on how the host handles the situation. (I suspect that also the cost per night is another factor but that’s another conversation).
I have had the following situations that could have caused a guest to ask for a refund: AC breakdown, water supply interrupted, no internet, hot water heater not working, bathtub not draining (several times - sand from the beach), stove not working, ‘palmetto bug’ in apartment, ants in apartment, power outages, noisy construction locally… etc.
None of these occasions has warranted a refund and as far as I know, Airbnb hasn’t been asked either. This is (I think) because I’ve smoothed the situation over and helped as much as possible.
I’m not writing this to say ‘look how good I am at keeping guests happy’ - I’m writing this to demonstrate to new and would-be hosts that a refund isn’t necessarily the way to keep guests on your side 
Please don’t lose money for fear of Airbnb giving refunds or getting bad reviews.
In the last month the dryer died for a week and you need to use a screwdriver to use the upstairs shower. Nobody seems to mind. We are doing our best as fast as we can and everyone gets it. It’s a well run home, and sometimes stuff happens that is out of our control. The guests are much mellower than I am.
There’s not much one can do about internet except trying to get a priority repair. Meanwhile there’s a library 400 meters from me.
Through other hosts on this forum I have learned to kill off the naysayers with kindness. There is no problem that a big fat pizza and chocolate cake can’t solve!