Not to beat a dead horse, but it almost sounds as if your husband has a chronic back condition - meaning, it has spasmed previously and he is aware that this could happen.

Back spasms don't typically happen from a mattress/bed. Sleeping in a funny position, maybe. But if you guys were on a multi-day trip where I imagine you were doing LOTS of walking and standing, right? And I imagine you/he were doing more walking and standing than you/he normally does at home as well, right? The increased exercise and activity alone likely caused the muscles to become inflamed and therefore spasm. Or, he could have stepped off a curb funny - the different pressure from his feet to his back, even briefly, could cause that inflammation to spasm equation.

But hey if it persists - check with his physician. He may conclude it was this Airbnb mattress/bed alone that caused this and therefore - all of us are wrong. But something tells me it was the increased activity....

{No one else mentioned beds.}

To me that says a lot then. If it was a horrible bed, I can't see so many other people writing good reviews about the place. I'm sorry about your husband's back. But I don't think this is about AirBnB (other than your review being eventually posted, or not). Sounds like the same thing could have happened in a hotel or other lodging.

{The advantage to renting a hotel room vs an apartment is a hotel can supply a board placed underneath the mattress, providing greater support.}

Sure. People were making the point here about staying in a hotel instead of a private rental might have been a better choice.

It isn't even clear what the description means to me, a mattress "suspended" above wooden slats. The only thing I can imagine, but suspended would be an odd word, is that the mattress was placed ON wooden slats instead of a box spring. I've seen that in lots of places recently, I guess it is cheaper, don't know. In Mexico or the Caribbean lots of mattresses are just "suspended" (meaning placed) on concrete. It's like sleeping on the floor sometimes, I really dislike that but hard beds are fairly common there.

However, I have a futon in my spare bedroom for guests and often I use it myself and give them my bedroom for comfort, and that futon mattress is on wooden slats. I don't get a bad back from it at all, certainly not in one night. I've slept on it for probably at least 3 nights in a row and had no problems. One could argue wooden slats are more "support" than a box spring, perhaps.

If one really cares about that, yes, I agree you should ask in advance if you can't see a good photo of the arrangement. But no one is owed a refund for that IMO, a mattress on wooden slats. Because that isn't that unusual.

IS this what we are talking about?

https://www.potterybarn.com/products...ss-foundation/
https://www.avocadogreenmattress.com/

I can only assume the mattress itself was old. Because simply having a mattress (or futon) on a slatted wood frame is very sturdy (and not an unusual) arrangement.

Mine (home) is wood slats with just a futon on top. Also 30+ years without back issues.

I am not a fan of AirBnB mostly because so many people try to use it without seemingly understanding the system or what they are actually purchasing. Then complain.

This sounds not unlike the OP blaming Airbnb for her husband's muscle spasm. There are millions of us who use the system & understand it fine. No system is perfect but how does not understanding how it works mean it doesn't work? Not for everyone, certainly, but what is?

I did not say it doesn't work.

OK, I accept that's not what you meant. Will you expand, then, on your reasoning in saying you aren't a fan? It doesn't make sense to me that you aren't a fan because other people don't understand the system.

Sorry it doesn't make sense to you. I spend a lot of time on travel forums. And a lot of people complain about their experiences.

I met one family in Puerto Vallarta last year, who I was able to assist once they checked into the local budget hotel I was staying at... who were absolutely shattered by an experience so bad they left after 1 night (booking a "rustic" place in Yelapa that had zero reviews from an owner with no history) and would have left sooner but you can only get out by boat in daylight.

Yes I also know personally or have read about plenty of savvy travelers who have had positive experiences and knew how to research and confirm what they rented is what they anticipated. I've actually done walk-bys or drive-bys both in PV and in Seattle for people from here or Trip Advisor who were wanting to do a rental. It's not like I am against it... if and when people know how to use it.

I have back issues as well. In addition to what Nick said about activity, throw in long International flights and there goes my back. So it would be interesting to see if you repeated such a trip with a hotel and he had a similar experience. Have you had a hotel "give" you a board? Because hotels generally can't alter their beds. None that I have stayed in, anyway.

Suze, I'm curious--you're using people who don't research as am example of why people shouldn't use airbnb--but that can apply to hotels. I'm no fan of airbnb, but surely someone who books a hotel with no reviews is equally a fool.

I don't want to speak for Suze but the whole concept of Airbnb is that it's "governed" by feedback and reviews. A hotel operating under the Best Western brand, for example, has (I would guess) inspectors visit periodically who ensure that the company's standards are met and (I would guess) other mechanisms of quality control (customer feedback surveys, self-inspection reports, etc, etc). Any hotel, even one that's not associated with a chain has reputation and their own brand as an incentive to provide good experiences to their guests. Star ratings and guidebook listings are other traditional ways of "enforcing" standards in the industry. Of course, not all of this works all the time and obviously there are some bad hotels.

Airbnb properties have none of that. Airbnb just has reviews to serve that purpose. If people don't read the reviews and use the ratings then the concept falls apart, at least for them personally but it will also affect Airbnb's own brand if everyone misuses it. Perhaps some people hear others talk about how Airbnb is so great and they mistakenly attribute positive views of Airbnb to all of Airbnb's properties, just as one might prefer Hyatt hotels because their brand has a positive meaning to them.

Obviously reading hotel reviews is a good idea and you could say that with the ease of accessing hotel reviews, you'd be a fool not to read reviews prior to booking. But there are other quality indicators for hotels (brand, etc) to help with choice and most people could choose a hotel without a huge disaster long before tripadvisor, etc.

Sure people can book a bad hotel room. But I think it's a lot easier for newbies to make mistakes on AirBnB than at the Sheraton.

I agree 100% can't fix stupid. No way would an experience person have chosen that rental but I still felt bad for that sweet family trying to save a 1st trip to Mexico vacation.

A couple of years ago a friend (an experienced traveler, 1st trip to Mexico) & I, traveling separately, made plans to meet up in Oaxaca for a month. We'd both booked places through Airbnb. Mine was great, hers was awful, she left immediately and called Airbnb. They found her a wonderful casita, even negotiated with the owner to accept my friend's dog, not something she usually did. I can't help but wonder how far a bad hotel would have gone to accommodate in a similar situation. Apparently, then, your best advice despite style & budget, is don't use Airbnb, stay at a Sheraton.