March 2020
March 2020 was the month the pandemic brought travel to a halt and emptied many hosts' calendars. On 14 March Airbnb overrode its hosts' cancellation policies to refund guests in full. On 30 March it apologized and promised hosts $250 million. Vrbo made no such override and said it expected owners to refund at least half or give full credit. Florida suspended vacation rentals for 14 days and exempted hotels, ShortTermRentalz reported UK government guidance for holiday lets to close, and Vacasa and Sonder cut staff.
A look back, written in October 2026 from sources published in March 2020. Stay Gazette opened in July 2026.
Platforms · 14 March 2020Airbnb Overrides Host Cancellation Policies and Refunds Covid Bookings in FullOn 14 March 2020 Airbnb let guests cancel pandemic-hit stays for a full refund, whatever cancellation policy the host had set. On 30 March it apologized to hosts and promised $250 million, paid at 25% of what a host's own policy would have paid.By Jesse Kohl · Filed 11 October 2026 · 7 min read
Crackdown · 27 March 2020Florida Suspends Vacation Rentals for 14 Days and Leaves Hotels OpenGovernor Ron DeSantis signed Executive Order 20-87 on 27 March 2020. Vacation rentals could take no new reservations and no new check-ins, and an owner who broke the order or advertised risked the state license. Hotels, motels, resorts and time shares were exempt.By Marcus Dane · Filed 11 October 2026 · 7 min read
Pictures on this page. 1. Photo: COVID-19 Reno Airport 1876 by Gillfoto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized). 2. Photo: Old Florida State Capitol, Tallahassee, East view 20160711 1 by DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
What else was reported in March 2020
- 19 March 2020Vrbo, an Airbnb competitor, took a different line on Covid-19 refunds: CNBC reported on 19 March that a note to its hosts said Vrbo expected them to offer travelers who canceled at least a 50% refund or a full refund in credits, a policy Vrbo president Jeff Hurst called not perfect. CNBC
- 25 March 2020ShortTermRentalz reported on 25 March that the UK government had published guidance for businesses providing holiday accommodation, short-term lets included, to close for commercial use as quickly as was safely possible, with exceptions for key workers, vulnerable groups and people unable to return to their primary residence. ShortTermRentalz
- 23 March 2020Vacasa, the Portland-based vacation rental manager, notified employees of layoffs believed to number in the hundreds, put its executive team on a 50% pay cut and said interim chief executive Matt Roberts would take no compensation for the calendar year, ShortTermRentalz reported on 23 March. ShortTermRentalz
- 24 March 2020Sonder, a San Francisco-based hospitality company, laid off or furloughed 400 people, one-third of its staff, with bookings down 20 percent at its 5,000 apartments across the US, The Real Deal reported on 24 March, citing The Information. The Real Deal
- 26 March 2020On 26 March Airbnb said it aimed to help house 100,000 healthcare professionals, relief workers and first responders, with hosts opting in to offer homes free or with all Airbnb fees waived, under safety recommendations that included 72 hours between stays. Airbnb Newsroom
- 30 March 2020ShortTermRentalz reported on 30 March that Airbnb was preparing to pause its marketing spending, a move reported to save $800 million a year, and to halt most hiring, and that Reuters had reported its founders would take no salary for six months. ShortTermRentalz