Airbnb Reviews - 525

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.

A truly disappointing

We booked this Airbnb for an 11-day stay, hoping for a relaxing family trip. But upon arrival, we were hit with a strong mildew smell. As a property manager, I recognized it as water damage—damp, musty, and humid. We found a dehumidifier in the bedroom, hinting the hosts knew. Concerned for our 2-year-old's health, we reached out to the host. She bizarrely suggested a dead rat might be the cause and offered us to move upstairs, which lacked basic amenities. Not what we paid $4000 for. Discovering a mold spot hidden behind a panel was the last straw. Contacting Airbnb, they advised us to leave due to health risks, promising a refund and protection. Moving out was a hassle, and despite following Airbnb’s guidance, the host left us a 3-star review, which Airbnb refused to remove. A truly disappointing experience and not the protection promised.

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.

Too much stress and hassle

I've been hosting for a decade now, juggling three properties, but recently I started noticing some shady stuff going on with Airbnb's guest policies. Over the past couple of years, there’s been this surge in guests taking advantage of refund rights, making up issues, and even faking pictures to get money back. They somehow manage to have a free stay in central London and leave awful reviews that feel defamatory. Airbnb just keeps sending these automated responses, deducting payouts, and letting guests cause damage without compensating. Their so-called "Host protection" feels like a joke. Trying to prove anything ends up in a loop of automated replies, and those unfair reviews stay up. After all the effort poured into building a good standing here, I’m seriously considering removing my properties. It’s just too much stress and hassle.

Never had issues with them

I’ve had a rough time with Airbnb lately. Over the past two months, I booked six times, and three of those were complete disasters. The worst was on New Year’s Eve in Paris. I got to my Airbnb, tried reaching the host, and nothing. I was stuck outside in freezing weather for hours. With it being NYE, hotels were either full or super expensive. Finally found a room after 1 AM, costing me €300 more than my original booking. The host got back to me the next day saying she had moved. Seriously? Another time, the host didn’t respond at check-in. Later found out they were sick and slept through it. The third was a hotel booked through Airbnb that was closed for renovations. I had booked and paid a month earlier! Airbnb refunded me, but that didn’t cover the extra costs. I’m done with Airbnb. My advice? Try Booking.com or something else.

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.

Honestly, being a host on

Honestly, being a host on this platform has been nothing but a headache. I'm somehow rated as a Super Host, but it feels meaningless since the way they treat me is terrible. They charge both me and the guests separate admin fees each time someone stays, which feels really unfair. What really got to me though, is how inconsistent the booking process is. Sometimes bookings get automated, other times I have to manually approve them. It's so random. Just today, a booking got automated and within an hour I needed to cancel because I was double booked. They actually charged me 50% of what the guest paid as a penalty. It's ridiculous and feels like a dictatorship. I've asked to have my Super Host status removed and plan to cancel my account once all current bookings are done. If you're thinking of being a host, don't waste your time.

Unsettling Experience in Pierrefitte-sur-Seine

We stayed at an Airbnb in Pierrefitte-sur-Seine near Paris, and our trip took a terrifying turn. On our last day, a man and woman confronted us in the hallway, claiming to be police officers. When I asked for ID, they flashed pistols instead and insisted on checking the terrace. I rushed my sister-in-law back into the apartment and locked the door while they rang the bell relentlessly before leaving. The building had three secure entrances, so their access was puzzling. We were scared and left quickly with our kids, not even calling the police, just eager to escape. Airbnb suggested a review and refund request, but that felt trivial. I urged them to remove the listing for others' safety, but it's still up. This shows a disregard for safety, and I'm left questioning Airbnb's priorities. Stay cautious and trust your instincts.

Totally unhelpful

So, imagine this: I booked an Airbnb in Toronto, expecting a cozy stay. Instead, I had a break-in. Yep, in the middle of the night, someone broke in and took my passport and winter coat. There I was, stuck in Toronto for an extra six days, scrambling to get emergency travel documents, and shelling out for new flights and more accommodation. The host? Totally unhelpful. Wouldn't even call the police and ignored all my messages. And Airbnb? They were no better. I reported the break-in, but they denied my refund request and offered only a tiny bit of compensation, which didn’t even cover half my losses. Airbnb talks big about guest safety, but when I needed help, they were nowhere to be found. If you’re thinking about booking with them, be careful—because if things go south, you might be left handling it all alone.

Every process is a nightmare

I've been using Airbnb since the early days, back in the 2010s. It was super easy to navigate, and I always found amazing hosts who loved having me. I consistently got 5-star reviews. But, about two years ago, I had to change my email, which unknowingly created a new account. Suddenly, all my past reservations and glowing reviews vanished. They wouldn't merge my old and new accounts, so now I look like a newbie with hardly any references. Plus, the verification process has become a nightmare, with endless hoops to jump through. It's like they want to waste our time with unnecessary "identification games." After struggling for over half an hour to leave a review for my latest host, I just gave up. No wonder their shares are tanking. I really hope a new company steps up and brings back the simplicity that Airbnb once had.

Traveling constantly and relying on

Traveling constantly and relying on Airbnb feels like rolling dice. Even with five-star reviews, you never know what you're getting into. Imagine this: as a guest known for honest reviews, new hosts might avoid you. I’ve had hosts refund me before I could even complain to Airbnb, and then what? Leave a bad review after getting my money back? The system almost forces you to leave positive reviews or none at all. I've dealt with insanely filthy places, pitch-black remote spots with no lighting, broken toilets, disgusting linens, and more. Once, the heat wasn’t even on in the dead of winter—thermostat set to 5 degrees. Bears by the door, non-functional Wi-Fi, aggressive pets, broken showers, no electricity, last-minute cancellations, mold issues, absentee landlords... the list goes on. It's a wild, unpredictable ride.

I had a bit of

I had a bit of a rough time with my recent stay in London through Airbnb. The place had this bed that was clearly on its last legs even before we got there. We used it like anyone would, and then, bam, it just gave way. It was pretty clear it was due to its poor state, but the host turned around and demanded over £400 for damages! I was shocked, especially for such an old piece of furniture. I tried explaining the situation to Airbnb, thinking they'd see the obvious, but they backed the host without really looking into it. I never thought I'd need to take photos of everything upon arrival, but apparently, that's a thing now. This whole ordeal has been really stressful, and honestly, it's made me rethink using Airbnb in the future. Be careful and document everything right away, or you might end up in a similar mess!

They need to do better

I booked a long stay in Port Moody through Airbnb, expecting a nice, peaceful escape. But after just a couple of weeks, I encountered a serious fly problem and saw some unexpected animal visitors. It was so uncomfortable that I had to leave early. When I tried to cancel, Airbnb's system said I wouldn't get any refund and still owed a huge amount, which seemed crazy since I had already paid a lot upfront. To make things worse, the place wasn't even properly registered, which is supposed to be mandatory. The hosts admitted they listed it without a license for long stays. Airbnb insisted I still owed them money, which felt unfair and misleading. I've reported this to several authorities because it's just not right for Airbnb to allow such listings and then penalize guests like this. They need to do better.

From a landlord's perspective

From a landlord's perspective, I've had a mixed experience with Airbnb. When it works, it's wonderful; the review system usually keeps everyone reasonable. But when things go wrong, it can be a nightmare. I had a guest who wanted to stay for several months and complained about the WiFi and other minor issues. Despite this, she booked another long stay. Fast forward a few weeks, and she’s now basically squatting in my property. Airbnb has been zero help – they spent days trying to contact her, but she just ignored them. They said I can't make her leave, even with safety concerns like an overdue chimney sweep for the wood-burning stove. She’s even keeping a key in the door to prevent access. So now, I'm heading to court. Airbnb's customer service is friendly but utterly useless when real problems arise.

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've been a loyal Airbnb

I've been a loyal Airbnb user for a decade now, both as a host and a guest. While hosting was smooth, my experiences as a guest have been quite the opposite. I've stayed in places with leaking windows, water pooling on the floor, and even a shower with a hole in it. There was one time where the property got taken down but my reservation still showed active just days before my trip. When I reached out, Airbnb was slow but somewhat helpful. The latest incident was during Christmas – the property was freezing, had almost no essentials, and there was mould in the bathroom and bedroom. When I reported it, the host left a nasty review saying the mould was fine, and Airbnb refused to take it down. They also botched my refund and haven't fixed it yet. At this point, I'm done with Airbnb.

I've been renting my place

I've been renting my place short-term, and AirBnB used to bring in 70% of my bookings. But since late 2024, the bookings just stopped. Now it's almost summer, usually my busiest time, but I'm only 30% booked, and all those are from VRBO and Booking.com. My listing is fine—high reviews, free cancellation, competitive prices. Yet, it’s not showing up on AirBnB searches, and they’re not helping me figure out why. It seems like some algorithm issue, but it might force me to sell at a huge loss. I’ve tried getting in touch with a manager, but no luck. AirBnB charges high fees, offers no host protection, and still expects loyalty. I'm using other sites but they don't bring the same traffic. Potential guests, please consider VRBO, Booking.com, or Google. Let’s not support this monopoly.

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.

Okay, so here’s what went

Okay, so here’s what went down. We stayed at this Airbnb in Tournefort, hosted by Dréane Wladimir, and it was a bit of a nightmare. After a grueling 12-hour drive, all we wanted was a quick check-in, but instead, we got this long 30-minute tour while we were dead tired. The host’s behavior was super uncomfortable – she was way too close and did some weird poses. She even burst into our private chat shouting in French, which was just disrespectful. Things got worse when she sent insulting messages calling me a "weirdo" and accused me of odd behavior. We felt like she was constantly watching us, saying she’d check the property daily. After all this, Airbnb didn’t do much, dismissing our complaint without any real explanation. Just a heads-up for anyone else planning to stay there.

Never using them again. Avoid at all costs!

Oh, let me tell you about my recent Airbnb nightmare. My host canceled on me just four days before my trip without any explanation. I get it, maybe there was an emergency, but the customer service after that was a disaster. They gave me a measly $69 to rebook, which is just 5% off. Seriously? I had to scramble to find a new place before my international flight, and they assured me it was in the same area, but it wasn’t. When I landed and realized the location was wrong, I tried to cancel within the 24-hour window California allows, but they said it was 27 hours, so no refund for me. The new host wouldn’t refund unless someone else booked, which was unlikely. So, now I'm out of money and patience. Airbnb's service was beyond awful. Never using them again. Avoid at all costs!

I’ve always loved using Airbnb,

I’ve always loved using Airbnb, but this last trip to Japan was a mess. I tried to leave a review within the given time, but the link was already expired! Even though the email said I had until June 17, it locked me out early. I reached out to Airbnb support, expecting some help, but they just blamed the system. They said it was because of the listing's time zone, which was never mentioned in their emails. Seriously, for a platform this big, how do they expect people to guess time zones? Being in tech, I know systems can be changed. It felt like they were just avoiding responsibility. Even with proof, they didn’t care to fix it or let me share my negative experience. If this is how they treat guests, I’m done with Airbnb. Super disappointed and definitely warning others.

We were on vacation for

We were on vacation for our anniversary and the house we rented had a roof leak. The mattress got soaked, plus both beds had bugs! We tried sleeping on the couch using a bath towel since we didn’t trust the linens. Contacted the host, then ABB at 11 pm, they said they'd respond in an hour. At midnight, I messaged ABB saying we’d start driving across the island to find a better place, hoping for a response. No word from them. Called ABB at 1:30 am, they said they’d escalate it. Meanwhile, locals knocked on our window while we navigated crazy potholed roads. No response from ABB until the next morning. Ended up sleeping in our car. Found a new spot for the last night. We've been 5-star hosts for ABB for 3 years, shocked they'd leave us stranded! How are they still operating?

I was super excited to

I was super excited to plan a trip and decided to book through Airbnb. Everything was going smoothly until I tried to make a payment and book a place. Suddenly, I was blocked. Just to be clear, I don’t have a history of hosting wild parties. The few times I've used Airbnb, it was for family trips or work travel. This time, they told me I was blocked from booking an entire home and could only book a room. They said it was because their system randomly flagged me and activated the party prevention feature. This feature is supposed to keep things safe and prevent unauthorized parties, but it made me feel like a criminal with a bad rep. I asked them to reconsider, but they stuck to their decision. I couldn’t believe a big company like Airbnb would treat a customer this way.

My nightmare

You wouldn't believe the nightmare we went through with Airbnb. We had this guest who turned our home into a complete mess. They caused some serious water damage to the ceiling because of careless bathroom use. And it wasn’t just that—they brought extra people over for more than a week without our permission. It made us feel unsafe in our own home. When we turned to Airbnb for help, they were no help at all. They wouldn’t even tell us who the guest was, which made it impossible to take any legal steps. It felt like Airbnb was protecting the person who trashed our place, leaving us to deal with the mess and the costs. Honestly, it’s just not worth the risk. If you’re thinking about hosting, maybe look into other options where your home and safety are actually a priority.

Man, I’ve been hosting on

Man, I’ve been hosting on Airbnb for years, always sticking to the rules and making sure everything's top-notch. But recently, things went south with two different guests, and it feels like Airbnb’s not got my back at all. First, there was this guest who didn’t check in or provide ID, yet Airbnb let them leave a review about my place! Then, another guest rocked up super late with an extra person, refused to show ID, and still got to write a review after I reported everything with proof. Despite all my evidence – videos, screenshots, even a police report – Airbnb just suspended my listings and didn’t offer any real help. It's just frustrating. Hosts like me need better support and protection when we’re just following the rules. Come on, Airbnb, do better for your hosts!

I’ve been hosting on Airbnb

I’ve been hosting on Airbnb for over five years and earned the 'Superhost' title. Despite their increasing cut (nearly 20% now), I've stuck with them. But this year, I noticed Airbnb’s policies are more about profit than supporting hosts and guests. In May, my rental’s WiFi went down just before a guest arrived. My provider said it’d take days to fix. I told the guest and they appreciated my honesty, asking for a refund to find a place with WiFi. I agreed, even with my strict cancellation policy. But Airbnb fined me over £180 and stripped my 'Superhost' status, saying it was my fault for not providing listed amenities. This harsh treatment means hosts might hide issues to avoid penalties, ultimately hurting guests. Airbnb’s lack of compassion is disappointing.

Beware of hosts like Sk Ali—Airbnb

My wife and I thought we scored a decent spot downtown on Airbnb. Pictures looked alright, and the host was responsive. But stepping in, it was a disaster—dust everywhere, food stains on the furniture, and leftover grub on the countertops. We paid a cleaning fee, but when the host offered to send a cleaner during our stay, we were like, "Why should we deal with this mess?" We snapped some pics and gave a 4-star review since the host was new. Next thing we knew, we were accused of extortion with fake evidence. How did the host get our phone number? Airbnb sided with them, ignoring our proof and the potential privacy breach. It's alarming how Airbnb handles fraud and doesn't safeguard guest info. Beware of hosts like Sk Ali—Airbnb needs to step up their security game.

Horrible support

As a Ukrainian who's been hopping between countries due to the ongoing conflict, Airbnb was like a lifeline for me. I’ve used it without a hitch, even got some humanitarian help from them in 2022. But recently, while trying to book a place with my Ukrainian bank card, I suddenly found myself locked out of my account. No warning, no real reason given, just deactivated. I had my ID verified, gave them my Ukrainian passport, my Canadian address, and two bank cards in my name, but that didn’t seem to matter. I was stranded, unable to contact hosts or manage my stays. Their replies? Just automated nonsense, no real answers. I felt lost and stressed, like the system turned its back on me when I needed it most. It's as if they forgot the very people they claim to support.

I had a rough experience

I had a rough experience with Airbnb, and honestly, it left me pretty frustrated. Initially, the place I booked for my hen party got canceled right after I reserved it. Although annoying, at least the host explained why. But then, the second host canceled just before we were set to arrive, and didn’t even bother to explain. We were a group of eight and suddenly stuck without a place, which is impossible to fix last minute. Airbnb support? Total waste of time – they didn’t help at all and seemed to side with the host. It's ridiculous I can’t warn anyone about this awful treatment. My hen weekend was ruined because there was nowhere suitable for us. I’m done with Airbnb; that experience was enough to make me close my account. Stay away from Rubi-May’s place in Bath!

I booked a place for

I booked a place for my 30th birthday through Air B&B, and it turned into a nightmare. We had planned everything for a fun weekend, but then the host canceled our booking three weeks later, saying she needed someone to stay for three days instead of our two days over the May bank holiday. This was after she had already confirmed our booking! We contacted Air B&B to complain and spent over an hour being put on hold repeatedly. When we finally spoke to a manager, they hung up as soon as we mentioned we were recording the call. Instead of a refund, they gave us credits and a measly £32 compensation, which doesn't even cover the cost of train tickets. Now we're scrambling to reorganize everything with less than two months left. Avoid Air B&B at all costs!