Surviving the Party Group: 10 Takeaways Every STR Host Should Know

I love hosting and helping guests create amazing vacation memories. But even with solid systems and careful screening, bad guests can still slip through—and when they do, it can be a nightmare.

We recently experienced our worst hosting scenario yet: a guest who claimed to be bringing their multi-generational family instead turned our rental into a party house.

Despite a clean booking profile with five 5-star reviews, the guest brought unregistered friends, blasted music past midnight, tampered with our cameras, and even staged fake photos to accuse us of wrongdoing. Law enforcement had to be called three times.

After digging into their background, we found public criminal records and realized this was no accidental disrespectful stay—it was a professional-level rule violation.

It took us days to address the mess, some damage and missing items, and to resume operation. Afterwards, as unexpected we had to dispute a 1-star retaliatory review full of lies.

It was one of the most stressful experiences we’ve had in our 3+ years of hosting, but I turned it into a learning opportunity—for us and for fellow hosts.

Here are my top 10 takeaways from evicting a party group from our short-term rental:

1. Tighten Guest Screening

Require a signed rental agreement and a government-issued photo ID from the booker to help deter shady guests—especially important with last-minute bookings. In our recent case, unfortunately, these requirements did not deter the party group, but the ID gave us critical info to share with law enforcement when we had to involve them.

2. Do a Digital Background Check

Search the booker’s name on social media and public records. A quick online search can reveal red flags like suspicious behavior, inappropriate posts, or conflicting details. If anything feels off, trust your instincts—reach out, ask questions, and don’t hesitate to document concerns with the platform or cancel the reservation if necessary.

3. Look Beyond the Profile

A polished Airbnb profile doesn't guarantee trustworthy guests. Problematic individuals sometimes use a partner’s or family member’s account to avoid bans or conceal their identity. Since platforms don’t verify every guest in the group, it’s wise to speak directly with the booker—especially for local stays—to ensure you're comfortable with who’s actually arriving.

4. Don’t Rely on Platforms to Protect You

Airbnb and VRBO are booking tools—not security systems. It once took Airbnb 24 hours to escalate our case. Only you—or your local agent—can involve police. Always be ready to act independently.

5. Know Local Laws for Evictions

If you’re a remote host, it's very important you have a reliable local co-host or local staff member to represent you. In our case, local sheriffs required someone on-site to proceed. Our amazing house manager stepped up in the middle of the night. Make sure you have someone boots-on-the-ground ready for emergencies.

6. Monitor Check-In & Night Activity

Review camera footage and noise monitor alerts to confirm how many guests arrive and whether more trickle in after dark. In our case, the party crowd showed up in waves late at night.

7. Act Fast When Rules Are Broken

If you see major violations—don’t wait. I hesitated because of an infant in the group, but that gave the partiers more time to escalate. When multiple serious house rules were broken, I should have terminated the booking immediately to protect our investment. 

8. Prepare Before Booking Termination

Before informing guests of a booking termination, alert your local agent and local law enforcement. Our guests refused to leave, continued partying, and planted decoy cameras. If I had prepped better, we could’ve avoided further damage to our time, energy, and reputation.

9. Document Everything

Take thorough photos and videos before every check-in. Log noise violations, damages, and guest behavior. This documentation is important for guest complaint disputes, police reports, damage protection claims and retaliatory review disputes you may likely have to deal with.

10. Do a Post-Eviction Deep Dive

Have a trusted local staff member conduct a full walkthrough after a difficult stay. Check behind curtains, inside drawers, and everywhere in between. Inventory everything. You never know what guests may have taken—or left behind. It's also a good time to reflect on the lessons learned and make improvements to tighten your standard operation procedures.

This was the most unsettling experience in our three years of hosting. But it taught us a lot. I hope these lessons help you protect your short-term rental business, your peace of mind, and the amazing guest experiences you work so hard to deliver.

Got questions or want to talk through your own guest situation? Feel free to reach out. I’m happy to help.

Need guidance on handling tricky guest situations or optimizing your STR business? Let’s strategize together! 🚀 Book a free 30-minute discovery call today. 📞✨