Couple sue Airbnb host over hidden cameras in bathroom, bedroom

A US couple are suing an Airbnb host after they found hidden cameras in the bathroom and bedroom of the home they were staying in.

The unnamed man and his boyfriend booked a converted garage in San Diego, California, in November last year, but did not discover the cameras until three days into their holiday.

Two were hidden in small holes in the bathroom, and another was in the ceiling of the bathroom, NBC San Diego reports.

The couple are now suing homeowner Paul Vukelich for invasion of privacy, emotional distress and distributing sexually explicit materials.

The couple had had sex at the Airbnb during their holiday, their lawsuit confirms.

The plaintiffs' lawyer David Beavens said the consequences of violating somebody's privacy can be "very severe".

"You can imagine his horror at discovering that he had been filmed," Mr Beavens said.

"Everytime that somebody looks at him funny... for the rest of his life, he's not going to know whether the reason is because he was recognised."

Airbnb has removed Mr Vukelich from their platform.

"The safety and privacy of our community are key priorities, and we maintain strict rules regarding the disclosure of security devices - which includes an outright ban on cameras within bedrooms and bathrooms," the company said in a statement.

"Once this incident was brought to our attention, we removed the host and listing from our community and worked quickly to support our guest."

Privacy experts say it is wise to check Airbnbs for hidden cameras, especially if there is a smoke detector directly above the bed.