Airbnb Guest Checks In at Midnight—Can't Believe What Host Does Next

Newsweek

12-05-2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
A video about a young woman arriving late at night to an Airbnb in Portugal and being greeted with an unexpected act of kindness has gone viral on TikTok.
In the clip, Toronto-based content creator Ann Mathew (@browngirlthriving) captured the moment her Airbnb host began cooking her a warm meal, just after she checked in at midnight. The clip has garnered over 124,000 views since it was posted on April 22.
Mathew, 24, told Newsweek that she stayed at the Airbnb in Lisbon, the Portuguese capital, during her first solo trip to Europe. In the clip, she films her host preparing food in the kitchen. In the text overlaid on the video, the poster writes that, when she checked in, the host "immediately started making me a warm meal after I asked for the UberEats instruction." The footage shows the host at the stove, cooking what Mathew later revealed was the man's "specialty" egg sandwich.
A December 2023 study in the Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism found that solo female travelers often seek self-understanding, independence, and cultural exchange, but also face anxiety rooted in safety risks. In 2023, data from Statista found that 61 percent of female travelers cited personal safety as a major barrier to solo travel. Concerns such as getting lost or lacking companionship were also commonly reported.
For Mathew, that tension was something she actively worked through. "At first, I was so nervous when I arrived [in Portugal] because it hit me that I would be staying with strangers in a country where I didn't know anyone," she told Newsweek. "But I found Portuguese culture to be so kind and giving. I was so grateful especially for my first Europe-specific solo trip."
A screenshot from a viral TikTok video show the Airbnb host cooking a warm meal for Ann Mathew in a kitchen.
A screenshot from a viral TikTok video show the Airbnb host cooking a warm meal for Ann Mathew in a kitchen.
@browngirlthriving on TikTok
Mathew said she took her first solo trip to Europe to "intentionally took to work on my self-trust and get out of my comfort zone." She is the founder of Brown Girls Thriving, a wellness club aimed at helping South Asian women "heal from societal pressure we can face, grow, and build intentional friendships."
The poster said: "My flight was only about three hours from London, U.K. to Lisbon, Portugal. But it took me five hours to commute to the Luton Airport [in London], so it felt like a long day for me."
Mathew arrived to a dark and unfamiliar neighborhood in Lisbon's Vale de Santo António area. "Everything looked so scary at night," Mathew said. "I was so hungry when I arrived and couldn't wait until the morning to eat. I asked my hosts when I arrived, since they were also staying in the place, if there were any specific UberEats instructions I could use, and instead they offered to make me a warm meal. In fact, he insisted because his eggs were his specialty."
The spontaneous gesture stood out for Mathew. "He honestly seemed excited to show me his specialty meal—he made an omelet sandwich-style for me. I was incredibly surprised, because it was so late at night and I could tell they were about to go to bed."
The Airbnb experience, priced at $65 a night with breakfast included, stood out not just for affordability but also for the deeply personal welcome she received. "Everyone from all over the world had positive reviews for the hosts," Mathew said, "saying how they really went above and beyond to make sure you would feel settled in at the Airbnb."
In addition to cooking for Mathew, the hosts provided a metro card with funds for public transportation, assisted with laundry, and gave detailed local recommendations. "The Airbnb hosts are a sweet couple, who are Portuguese locals," she said. "They told me not to be shy and ask if I needed anything. I definitely feel like having a local touch to my solo travel experience was preferable than staying at a hostel for me, while still being budget-friendly."
While solo travel can be unpredictable, Mathew said her experiences with local families have helped her grow in trust and discernment. "Since I have stayed with local families before while solo-traveling, I'm grateful to have experienced many different acts of kindness," she said.
"It was so refreshing for me to have these experiences, because I always hear about 'stranger danger,' which is extremely valid, but it's also nice knowing there are people out there doing acts of kindness for strangers."
Do you have a travel-related video or story to share? Let us know via [e-mail] and your story could be featured on Newsweek.