An Evergreen Airbnb owner, Karen Martiz, is grappling with the aftermath of a disastrous rental experience after her mountain retreat was trashed by renters who threw a massive party. Martiz, who has successfully operated the Airbnb for several years, was shocked by the damage left behind after the weekend guests stayed from Saturday to Sunday. She initially grew suspicious when she overheard conversations through a security camera positioned at the back of the home, picking up the sounds of a much larger crowd than she had expected.
“I just had a gut feeling something wasn’t right,” Martiz explained, feeling uneasy about the situation. When she arrived at the property after the guests had vacated, she was left speechless by the condition of the house. “There was alcohol everywhere,” Martiz said, estimating that she and her team had to clean up 300 to 400 empty bottles. Trash littered the space, and furniture had been moved into a single room, possibly to make room for what appeared to be a rave in her living room. However, alcohol wasn’t the only substance found—Martiz also discovered small bags filled with a mysterious pink powder.
Despite clear no-smoking signs throughout the home, cigarette butts were scattered around, even tossed into a tree outside the house. “The smell of cigarettes still lingers,” she said. But one of the most surprising discoveries was the amount of gum—stuck not only to the carpets but on walls and even the ceiling. “I’ve never seen so much gum in my life,” Martiz lamented. “We had to scrape it off from nearly every surface, including the kitchen and living room. We’ll need to replace the entire carpet because of it.”
Her Airbnb listing strictly limits the number of guests allowed to stay, but the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office estimated that 80 to 100 people were present at the party. Martiz was left feeling betrayed by the blatant disregard for her property. “I just feel so disrespected, so violated,” she said. Now, she faces an overwhelming cleanup and repair process, wondering how anyone could treat her home with such little respect.
This incident has left Martiz questioning her future with Airbnb rentals, and serves as a stark reminder of the potential risks involved in hosting, even in a serene mountain setting.
