One woman claims that a feature in her Airbnb is so dangerous that one person dubbed it the “toddler death hole.”
Catie (@catieosaurus) says she checked into what was an otherwise average Airbnb. As she looked around, one area sent her alarm bells ringing.
In a TikTok, Catie shows that the home has a spiral staircase.
Catie’s issue isn’t with the staircase itself. It’s with a fairly large open area next to it that has no railing or anything else to stop someone from falling through.
Aiming the camera directly above it, Catie shows that it goes down to the floor below.
She sticks one leg in the hole to demonstrate how big it is. It appears to be large enough for an adult to fit.
“Anybody could fall through,” she says. “That’s crazy, right?”
People universally agree.
Catie didn’t immediately reply to an inquiry sent via TikTok direct message.
Airbnb ‘death trap’
Some people don’t like spiral staircases because they can induce vertigo and cause anxiety in people with fears of heights. These staircases can also be difficult for people with mobility issues, children, and pets.
Spiral staircases do save space and can be less expensive than traditional ones. Also, some like the aesthetic.
Leaving a hole next to a staircase, like in this Airbnb, likely doesn’t comply with building codes. Catie implies as much in the TikTok’s caption: “Somebody tag one of those house code inspectors.”
It didn’t take long for one to comment.
The Home Inspector, CMI (@inspector_aj) responded from his verified account, “In a wooooorld of code violations.”
The comments section of her TikTok, which has been viewed 61,600 times, is mostly filled with people advising her to inform Airbnb, leave a review about the staircase, or perhaps contact the local building code enforcement office.
Many commenters simply brought jokes. Several jested that the staircase isn’t the only way to get downstairs.
“What, your house doesn’t have a toddler death hole?” one user wrote.
Another laughed, “Well, that’s certainly one interpretation of ‘sobriety steps.'”
“That’s where the fireman’s pole was supposed to go,” wrote a third.
Multiple people opined that the Airbnb host or previous owner cut corners when they removed a traditional staircase.
Most seem to agree with the opinion of the person who simply wrote, “That’s a death trap.”
@catieosaurus somebody tag one of those house code inspectors #safteythird #weirdairbnb #airbnb ♬ Osha violations – MechanicLink
Airbnb didn’t reply to an emailed inquiry sent Thursday morning.
Update May 29: In an email to the Mary Sue, an Airbnb spokesperson shared the following:
“We’ve reached out to this creator for further information, so we can investigate and offer support. Safety is a top priority, and in the rare event of a concern with a listing, our customer support team is on hand 24/7 to help our guests, including through a dedicated 24 Hr Safety Line.”
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