I paid for a reservation 9 months before an event in Montreal. A GLOBAL event - three weeks ago I was finally allowed to buy a ticket - which sold me -to this GLOBAL event to happen in Montreal … One week after I bought ticket? They cancelled this GLOBAL event in Montreal - I had friends coming - I took off work which is limited in days off. Did AIRBNB fail me - not exactly. I wrote owner of this Montreal site begging I not lose my 50% deposit as EVENT CANCELLED. So did owner do anything? As I have done to forgive unexpected and cancel worthy “happenstance”? No - we are two months and more out of reservation - no - I got $16 back on a $600 dollar deposit. Did I read fine print? No - do I think so reprehensible ? Yes - forget it Airbnb - I remove myself and any contact - sorry world this Airbnb - sorry owners - maybe I did not enough to protect myself but HAD I RENTED IN A HOTEL ? I would NOT BE OUT $600
Some questions for you:
You were a host, so you know the host doesn’t get paid by Airbnb until after you’re reservation starts. Did you expect the host to refund money that he/she doesn’t even have?
You were a host, but as a guest, you didn’t read the fine print? That’s a bit hard to believe.
I saw your old posts and it looks like you quit hosting after 2 months and you didn’t like Airbnb back then. Why would you continue to use Airbnb as a guest?
You probably wouldn’t be out $600 if you had reserved a hotel. But, wouldn’t that have been more expensive for you and your friends while also not providing you the environment you wanted to share with your friends?
Did you or your friends purchase airline tickets to go to the GLOBAL event? If so, how’d the refunds for those turn out?
Maybe. Maybe not. One report from Forbes says that in the US in 2014, $8.4 billion was spent on non-refundable hotel room cancellations. You only get your money back if the cancellation policy says you do.
If you had taken a non-refundable reservation at a hotel or on any booking site, you would be out the full amount.
If you had booked an airbnb with a moderate or flexible policy you would not be out by the 50% cancellation fee either. @DLBfarmwest
As you know it is not the hosts fault that your event was cancelled. You knew when you booked somewhere with a strict policy that if you cancelled you would be liable for 50% of the costs.
You could try asking the host nicely if they rebook the dates they have been holding for you for the past eight or nine months would they consider a partial refund.
Hosts are not travel insurance… but yes- you could’ve actually bought some of that too.
I’m going to go out on a limb and speculate here. You booked an Airbnb because it would have saved you hundreds of dollars compared to a hotel. Honestly, any organization that plans a GLOBAL event for over 9 months, doesn’t sell tickets until a couple of months before the event, and then cancels a few weeks later isn’t very good at what they do. Take comfort in knowing that it probably would have been a very poorly managed event, you would have had a terrible time and spent a lot more money.
BS, hotels have different rates for events and they can be non refundable.
I would not refund you after having my calendar blocked for 9 months. You should go enjoy your stay and quit complaining about the contract you entered into.
RR
Are you talking about the LONGINES GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TOUR MONTREAL EVENT CANCELLED?
You planned to go to Montréal for the event and the event was cancelled. Make lemonade out of lemons and go to Montreal anyway. Enjoy the city
By the way you were foolish to expect a refund from the host if you booked under a cancellation policy other than flexible.
Also Hotels don’t always give refunds especially if you book their cheapest rate.
This post Feels like you are unhappy things didn’t work out the way you wanted and rather than accepting responsibility for your decisions you are blaming Airbnb.
Montreal is a great city. Why not just go and have fun. I’m sure you can find something else interesting to do there, and spend time with your friends, too.
So true. Some people always want to blame someone else. 
Why thank you Brian R170
I have been host and forgiven every single person who booked and then for reasons they sent me - outside of two DAYS before event - chosen to bypass the RULES as a host can do and returned ALL the money to the person booking. Yes Brian, I did not read fine print - SHAME on me . And Brian, glad you found old stuff - why did I quit? Because the VERY FIRST guest I had DISABLED the cameras - only on outside - entirely - and AIRNBNB did ZIP to help me as a VERY new to AIRNBNB and the whole thing. Glad you are full of questions - the site has some advantages - I tend to however think folks are in general AWARE that things change that are NOT IN CONTROL of renter. Stay well and happy Brian - the owner certainly DID get paid - and has rented his place for dates I had and cancelled two months prior to EVENT cancelled in Quebec. I don’t think I need to share with you how the Air Canada thing goes - you seem rather hostile in general. Carry on and be happy!
Buy travel insurance. Hosts are not your travel insurance. No sympathy here.
RR
Don’t most credit cards come with auto travel insurance these days?
Ha. I’m a Superhost. I got a free $100 Air vocher. I made a reservation in Seattle for a Stone’s concert. The Stone’s cancelled. I lost my voucher!
Cancellation payouts
If you’ve hosted before, and you’re owed a payout, it will be released to you 24 hours after your guest’s scheduled check-in time. If you’ve never hosted before and this is one of your first reservations, we may hold the payout for release until 30 days after the reservation was confirmed. Find out more about payouts.
I can’t speak about most but you are correct many do —like my American Express which is the only card I use for travel reservations for exactly that reason.
So you came to a host forum to complain? 
You’re not getting any sympathy here.
You booked before your event tickets were available.
You booked a strict policy place.
The cancellation policy is NOT fine print.
Sorry you’re too inattentive when entering a CONTRACT to pay attention to the details. Certainly the host isn’t responsible for a cancelled event or your inability to deal with the world like an adult.
Please stick to the hotels you think will treat you so well.