‘We Lasted 20 Minutes’: Woman Books Cheap Airbnb In St. Louis. Then She Finds A Room So ‘Creepy’ She Flees To A Hotel

Airbnbs are supposed to be relaxing, affordable alternatives to hotels. But what happens if an Airbnb is so “creepy” that it ends up being uninhabitable?

That’s what one woman says happened to her on a trip to St. Louis, Missouri.

TikToker creator Anela (@anelaonalani) says she and her friends left the Airbnb after seeing inside. She claims the listing didn’t match what they booked, nor did it have a “cozy atmosphere.” Instead, she says the 3,000 square foot condo scared them. Plus, it had what she describes as multiple “murder rooms.”

In a video with over 2.2 million views, Anela gives a tour of the space.

She says, “When the goth girl who loves creepy stuff gets scared … you know it’s bad.”

What Went Wrong At The Airbnb?

Anela, her friend Emma, and one other friend were traveling to Indiana as part of a longer road trip. The third friend couldn’t make it for one leg of the trip, leaving the two of them to travel on their own. They decided that St. Louis would be a good pitstop for the night.

They ended up booking a 3,000 square foot condo on Airbnb, Anela says, thinking it would be a fun experience. At first they didn’t notice any red flags. The Airbnb was also pretty cheap, she says, as it only cost around $30 per person per night.

Then they got inside and looked around at the listing’s 11 bedrooms. There were sinks in some of the living areas, and what she describes as “murder books,” like a book about the Boston Marathon bombing. They noticed that the condo had an incredibly strange layout, with rooms that looked like pantries on the outside turning out to be expansive and unexpected.

She further alleges the listing didn’t look like its pictures on Airbnb. Emma and Anela looked it up on Zillow. The photos there looked completely different, according to Anela. She describes one of the spaces as a “murder room.”

Anela and Emma ultimately decided to leave the property and stay in a hotel.

Is There A Reasonable Explanation?

While the Airbnb seemed off to the women, some people offered explanations for why it seemed so odd. Multiple viewers said the layout seemed closer to a doctor’s office than a living space. Others suggested it had originally been used for offices before someone turned it into an Airbnb.

Commenters opined that the doors looked like they belonged in a commercial space and the layout was more in line with one. They said the kitchen didn’t seem like one you’d find in a home; to them it appeared clunky and more like an afterthought. The Airbnb also had “two dining rooms” because of an awkward shaped space that was next to a locked door.

It’s not that uncommon for commercial spaces to be turned into residences. Thousands of office buildings across the country have been converted into apartments. In this case, there may not have been enough done to make the space feel more homey.

As one person who commented on her TikTok joked, “Looks like a doctors office converted into an Airbnb and Emma is the ghost haunting it.”

Some felt that, irrespective of whether most people would’ve been afraid of the Airbnb, the women made the right choice to leave. They felt unsafe and it’s important for any traveler to prioritize their safety.

We’ve reached out to Anela via TikTok direct message. We’ve also sent an email to Airbnb’s press team for more information. We’ll let you know if they respond.

@anelaonalani

When the goth girl who loves creepy stuff gets scared… you know it’s bad 😭 $30 each for a HUGE place sounded like a steal. 11 beds, weird layout, murder books in the living room… we lasted 20 minutes and booked a hotel 💀

♬ Creepy and simple horror background music(1070744) – howlingindicator