Airbnb

Total letdown

Man, I can't wrap my head around this company. They tried to shake up hospitality like Uber did with taxis, which sounded awesome at first. But using the service? Total mess. Instead of fixing things, they just keep growing, but the model's flawed. These hosts? Nowhere near hotel standards. They're super lazy and just want to rake in cash without putting in the effort. And don't get me started on customer service! It's based in the Philippines, so they're always calling at the weirdest hours, leaving the same scripted messages night after night. It's like they don't even care about their customers. Total letdown.

Be cautious

Planning a trip using Airbnb can be a real gamble. Imagine this, you’ve booked a nice place for a month on the other side of the world, and suddenly, your account gets blocked for no reason. Now, you’re left with no place to stay, and getting your money back takes forever. It’s a nightmare if you’ve spent most of your travel budget on that booking. And it gets worse. If you booked during the low season and arrived in high season, prices skyrocket. You might end up paying way more or even be left on the streets. Don’t expect a quick fix either. I followed all the rules, used my personal bank cards, and was polite in all my communications, but my account was still blocked with no explanation or recovery option. Be cautious.

I've stayed with this company

I've stayed with this company a few times, and it's always a gamble. But this time, their customer service really threw me for a loop! First, someone promised a $10 discount because the host canceled. Then another rep said I already got it, which I hadn't. The third person said I wasn't even supposed to get it due to some credit that the first person said was canceled. Finally, the fourth rep talked down to me, saying they'd extend my credit just because I was polite. Seriously? They can't even refund a promised $10? That's ridiculous. Looks like I'll be heading back to Booking.com from now on.

I rented an apartment that

I rented an apartment that turned out to have bed bugs. I sent pictures of the bites and bugs to AirBNB, but they wouldn't help. They even denied the pictures as evidence, despite the host admitting the issue. We had to scramble to find a new place and buy new clothes. AirBNB only agreed to refund the unused days, meaning we paid for three nights of a nightmare. It was a terrible experience and completely ruined our holiday.

Stayed at this place in

Stayed at this place in Kiruna, Sweden called Take a Chill apartment. Total disaster. The host tried to scam me for over 250 EUR, accusing me of damaging furniture. The place was already a mess when I got there. No evidence, nothing. But Airbnb didn't care about my side of the story and kept hounding me for the money. Had to go as far as canceling my credit card to stop them from charging me. Seriously, stay away from this place if you value your peace of mind. It's just not worth the trouble.

Tried booking a cute bungalow in Heacham for a couple of night

Tried booking a cute bungalow in Heacham for a couple of nights. Got a quick reply from the owner, Wendy. Turns out, Airbnb messed up and didn’t add the cleaning fee to my booking. Wendy explained she’d only get £217 from the booking, but her changeover costs are £150. So, it just wouldn’t work out financially for her. She seemed really upset about it, and honestly, I was too. I get it, though. She said she’d sort it out with Airbnb. Feels bad but fingers crossed we can figure it out next time.

Too risky and they just don't care about their customers

So my family and I, we used to love booking with Airbnb for our trips. Always had good experiences, hosts seemed nice, everything was fine. Until this one time. We booked a place that was just awful - dirty, humid, mildew on the walls, and the water heater didn't work. We contacted the host, expecting him to fix things. At first, he seemed like he'd help, but soon he got really rude and just stopped cooperating. We had planned to stay for another month but decided we couldn't stay in those conditions. I reached out to Airbnb support, and they assured me we could cancel without any fees. Everything was in writing, so I felt safe canceling. But, surprise, surprise, I got charged for the next month anyway. I showed Airbnb the conversation, but they didn't care. They sided with the awful host and charged us. After this, I looked into it more and found lots of stories like ours. It seems Airbnb just wants your money, and they don't care about their customers. We decided we're never using Airbnb again. Too risky and they just don't care about their customers.

I was so excited to

I was so excited to book a stay on Airbnb, but wow, the extra charges are out of control! The advertised price seemed reasonable, but when I hit 'book,' suddenly there’s a cleaning fee and Airbnb’s own fee tacked on. For my 4-night stay, they wanted £70 just for cleaning and another £100 in Airbnb fees. Why isn't the cleaning fee just part of the daily rate? It feels really sneaky. Airbnb really needs to be upfront about the total cost right from the start. If they keep adding these high fees and hiding the true price, I’m definitely looking for other options next time.

I spent weeks planning a

I spent weeks planning a Xmas 2025 family getaway and thought I'd found some great options on Airbnb. Lots of availability, so I felt hopeful. But then, every property I tried to book came back with a price more than double what's advertised! And many required a minimum 7-night stay. It's frustrating! If a price is listed, it should be honored when you book. This feels like false advertising and very misleading. Airbnb needs better guidelines to stop hosts from jacking up prices. It's making the whole process a nightmare. Not happy at all with this experience.

I booked my place on

I booked my place on Airbnb and now I regret it big time. My payout is still missing, it's been weeks. Reached out to their support, but they keep giving me the runaround. Feels like they're just holding my money hostage. Honestly, it's been a nightmare trying to get any clear answers from them. Such a frustrating experience. I wouldn't recommend using Airbnb to anyone.

I used to love Airbnb

I used to love Airbnb, but things have taken a turn for the worse. Now, hosts check out reviews you’ve left elsewhere before agreeing to rent to you. If you’ve left negative reviews, they might reject your request, which means people are scared to leave honest feedback. This skews the whole system, making it hard to trust the reviews. We’re staying at a place right now with several issues that would’ve stopped us from booking if we knew. But I’m hesitant to mention them in my review because I don't want to get blacklisted by other hosts. Airbnb seems to favor hosts over renters now. Also, some hosts don’t even own the properties and just broker timeshares, leading to constant rejections and wasted time. I’m seriously considering switching to VRBO or Booking.com for future trips.

We booked a place on

We booked a place on Airbnb, hoping for a smooth stay, but it was a disaster. The listing promised WiFi and a TV, which were crucial since we had our 3-year-old with us. Upon arrival, neither was there. Contacted Airbnb, they said they’d reach out to the owner and get back to us. Waited all day, nothing. Called again, and they had no record of our first call or complaint. They told us to take photos and upload them to the app, then wait for a response. This kind of service is unacceptable. I’m done with Airbnb and will warn others to avoid it. Better stick with reliable sites like booking.com.

So frustrating!

As a host, dealing with this company has been a breeze. I love that I can actually talk to a real person whenever I have issues, and they get sorted out quickly. Yes, their rates are a bit on the higher side, but honestly, it's worth it for the peace of mind knowing everything and everyone is insured. I'm super happy with their service. It's such a contrast to booking.com, where getting any help is a nightmare. They once double booked my place and left me to deal with the mess myself. So frustrating! This company has made my hosting experience so much better.

I wanted to book a

I wanted to book a one-night staycation for my friends on Airbnb, but they wouldn't let me. They think I'm gonna throw a wild party or something. I tried to explain and called customer service, but they said it's up to some special team. Got an email later, appeal denied. Called them again, same result. They said I can only book private rooms or hotels. Like, seriously? If I wanted a hotel, I’d just go to a hotel site. I wanted an apartment so we could cook and hang out. No one really listened, and customer service couldn’t do anything. What’s the point of Airbnb then?

I had an unfortunate experience

I had an unfortunate experience with a popular booking platform recently. I rented out my condo for an 8-night stay. Midway through, my guest decides to cancel. I reminded them of my strict cancellation policy, but they went ahead and contacted the platform, which then canceled their booking without my consent. Confused, I tried reaching out to customer support but got no response. To make things worse, the guest overstayed their canceled booking, claiming it was agreed upon with the platform. My calendar was then messed up, and I lost potential bookings because of this chaos. In the end, I lost over $600 in rental income because of the platform's poor handling of the situation. They ignored my messages and gave me automated responses. I’m now switching to other booking platforms and would advise other hosts to do the same.

I had a horrendous experience

I had a horrendous experience with Airbnb. I booked a place for my mum's 80th birthday and got a confirmation right away. Thought everything was set, but then I got a cancellation notice with no clear reason. I'm supposed to be there tomorrow night, and now I'm stuck taking photos of my passport and driving license for the past two hours, trying to sort this out. I can't even book another place because I don't know if I'm getting my money back. Their customer service is impossible to reach—it's like playing hide and seek. I even have an account and used it just four weeks ago without any issues. Thanks a lot, Airbnb, as if my dad being ill wasn't stressful enough. Happy New Year, I guess.

We rented an apartment for

We rented an apartment for 6 people in London for 3 nights, paying 2400€. When we arrived, we had to wait an extra hour to get in. The kitchen was a joke – no coffee machine, and only 5 of everything: glasses, mugs, small plates, and large plates. There was just one small pan and a tiny stove. No basic stuff like pepper or salt. Not even a wine glass or a bottle of water. When we complained, Airbnb just said the host only had to provide toilet paper, soap, towels, pillows, and linens. For what we paid, we expected way more. It felt pretty disappointing.

We decided to try a long-term stay

So we decided to try a long-term stay through Airbnb and ended up at Gloria’s place in Richmond, Texas. She seemed super nice at first, even calling me “like her daughter” and my son “like a grandson.” After about 8 months, we got approved for an apartment, and I thought it would be respectful to tell her. That’s when things got weird. She demanded that I move out in 24 hours because I didn’t give her a three weeks notice, even though I didn’t have the keys to my new place yet. I had already paid $850 for the full month, but she didn’t care. She also wanted me to pay $30 a day until I left. Not cool at all. If you’re thinking about staying with her, don’t. Stick to verified hosts on Airbnb.

I booked this flat hoping

I booked this flat hoping for a nice stay, but it was a disaster. Cockroaches were everywhere, and the WiFi didn't work at all. There was even a hole in the door, which was quite unsettling. To top it off, a pot plant leaked some brown liquid all over the floor. I reached out to Airbnb support thinking they'd help, but they were useless. They kept asking for videos, which I sent, but then said it wasn't enough evidence. Clearly, Airbnb doesn't care about their customers and just wants to protect their hosts. This experience left a really bad taste in my mouth.

A really awful experience with Airbnb

I need to share a really awful experience with Airbnb. I'm in Atlanta because my fiancé is in critical condition at Piedmont Hospital after a terrible car accident. I bought a $500 Airbnb gift card from Walmart to stay close by with my son and sister. But when I tried to book a place, Airbnb's system flagged my reservation, saying it was concerned about "unauthorized parties" and vandalism. I'm 55 years old, just trying to be near my fiancé, and they still rejected my booking. I tried another property, but the same thing happened. Airbnb told me their decision couldn't be changed and suggested I book a hotel instead. This makes no sense, I bought the gift card for Airbnb accommodation. Now, I have $500 stuck in my Airbnb account and nowhere to stay during this tough time. This whole situation has added so much stress. I need a refund and for Airbnb to fix their system.

I've been a host on

I've been a host on Airbnb for four years and have "Super Host" status. I usually get paid 24 hours after a guest checks in, but this time, payment was due two days ago and I still haven’t received it. I've spent the last 48 hours on the phone with countless support team members, trying to get help and get paid. I have two small kids and live in the Northeast where it's freezing. I literally have $3 in my bank account and will run out of heating oil tomorrow. They keep passing me from person to person, saying the money has been sent but they don’t know why I haven’t received it. Now, they want me to contact my bank which I can't do until tomorrow because today is Sunday. It's clear they don't care about their hosts. I'm feeling so defeated and treated like a number. It's outrageous.

I’m so let down by

I’m so let down by Airbnb. We booked a place for our holiday, but things went south quickly. Halfway through our stay, the host made us switch apartments, and then, out of nowhere, cleaning staff barged in without even a heads up. Tried to get help from Airbnb, but they totally sided with the host, saying we didn't qualify for a refund. It was such a mess and really ruined our trip. I used to trust Airbnb, but now, I’m not so sure. This whole ordeal just left a bad taste in my mouth.

I had a frustrating experience

I had a frustrating experience with Airbnb while trying to book a place. The price jumped from $1,960 to $3,930 right when I was about to pay. I messaged the host, but Airbnb intercepted it and said prices change based on demand. That’s not my issue though; I was mid-payment! What really got me was you can only message the host once. If you have more questions, you need to set up a payment method first. The reply option turns into “request to book,” and if the host accepts, your card gets charged. It’s ridiculous that you can't talk to the host without paying first. Proof uploaded.

I arrived at my cabin on the evening of December 23rd

So, I arrived at my cabin on the evening of December 23rd, only to find it occupied by someone else. The host, who also runs a rental company, knew about the issue but did nothing to fix it. I was left stranded with no help from the host. Called Airbnb, but they were no help in rebooking and offered no compensation. My Christmas holiday was ruined, and I had to scramble to find a new, pricier place. After two days of back-and-forth with Airbnb, they gave me a small voucher, leaving me $1000 out of pocket. Airbnb fined the host but kept the money for themselves. Had to stay in a hotel the first night and was promised a refund, but now they’re unsure if they can approve it. Trusting Airbnb during peak travel dates is a gamble; any hiccups and you're on your own. What should have been an affordable vacation turned into a costly headache.

Beware if you're an Airbnb

Beware if you're an Airbnb host! Recently, I had two guests cancel their reservations at the last minute, and guess what? Airbnb charged me €46 per night for those cancellations. Can you believe that? I contacted their support, but they refused to acknowledge their mistake. It's really frustrating and feels like a huge rip-off. Now, I'm seriously considering shutting down my Airbnb page. This experience has totally shaken my trust in Airbnb, both as a host and as a traveler. I don't think I'll be using their service for my future trips. It's just not worth the hassle and unexpected charges.

I booked a room on

I booked a room on Airbnb, got a confirmation and thought everything was set. But right before my trip, the host told me the place wasn’t available anymore. I reached out to Airbnb, hoping they'd help find a replacement. They didn’t. My vacation plans were completely messed up. It was so frustrating. I feel like they just didn't care and tried to pass the buck. It's annoying because they’re the big player in the market, so sometimes you don’t have other options. Just be careful if you use them, you might end up with ruined plans like I did.

I've been using Airbnb a

I've been using Airbnb a lot for work trips, so I'm always on the lookout for new places. Lately, I've noticed some hosts playing a sneaky game. They get a bad review, then poof, their profile vanishes. Next thing you know, the same place is back up under a new profile, starting fresh with positive reviews. There's this one company in Manchester that's done it more than once. It's really frustrating because you think you're booking a decent place, but you might end up with problems. Airbnb really needs to crack down on this, or people are just going to keep getting tricked.

We booked a room in

We booked a room in NYC for our friend, a professor from Brown University. He's incredibly charming and loves to chat. Tried booking another room later, but found ourselves locked out of the site. We've written several times, but keep getting vague responses with no real explanation. It's been really frustrating since we just wanted to make our guest's stay comfortable. The whole thing has left a bad taste, and we're not sure if we’ll use this service again. Just wanted to share our experience in case it helps others.

I booked a place

I booked a place through this company and it was a nightmare. The location wasn't even close to what was advertised, and I ended up miles away from where I thought I’d be. To make things worse, there was no wifi. The landlord actually told me to use the neighbor’s wifi! The property looked nothing like the photos, it was a complete bait and switch. And to top it all off, I had to wait an hour on the street for the landlord to finally send me the right address. Honestly, do yourself a favor and use booking instead. This experience was beyond frustrating.

I've been a superhost on

I've been a superhost on Airbnb for a long time, racking up around 60 five-star reviews and even got some cool badges. I once had a guest who stayed for 1.5 months. After they left, I found some damages and asked for a refund. Airbnb covered it since the guest refused. But then, a week later, that same guest wrote a terrible review full of lies. She was a newbie to Airbnb, whereas I've been a dedicated host and guest for years. Airbnb banned me as both a host and guest without even talking to me first. Even my appeal was ignored, just automated emails saying their decision was final. It’s shocking how they treat loyal hosts.