Can my Airbnb or hotel have cameras — and how do I check?

The platform rules are now stricter than most guests know: Airbnb prohibits indoor cameras entirely — disclosed or not — since April 2024; outdoor cameras and noise sensors must be disclosed in the listing. Booking platforms and hotel law land in the same place: no lawful basis exists for filming inside sleeping or bathroom areas, anywhere in Europe — secret filming of intimate spaces is a criminal offence across our 33 countries. The practical sweep (two minutes on arrival): scan for lenses in smoke detectors, alarm clocks, chargers and mirrors facing bed or bathroom; a phone-torch sweep catches lens glints, and cheap detector apps scan the Wi-Fi for camera-typical devices — imperfect but useful. Check the listing’s disclosure section so you know what is declared. Found something undisclosed? Photograph it in place, do not unplug it (evidence), relocate if you feel unsafe, report to the platform (this triggers listing removal and refunds under their rules) and to the police — then the GDPR layer: an access request to the host for all recordings, and erasure. Smart speakers and doorbells in rentals must be disclosed too — hosts’ duties mirror the smart-speaker rules.