The Worst Airbnb Experience: Stories of Misfortune and Regret
Many travelers opt for Airbnb rentals instead of traditional hotel bookings, seeking the opportunity to experience the authentic charm of living in a local home. However, as with any choice, there is a downside. Especially while you are dealing with strangers. For some individuals, their worst fears were realized when they discovered the true nature of the people they encountered during their Airbnb experiences.
By Eglė
Published: Jun 20, 2023 • min read
After my last trip to Porto, I had one of the worst Airbnb experiences: the key was stuck in the lock, and the apartment was completely messy with trash bags in the corner (cleaners forgot to prepare the accommodation); even after their visit, I found several flaws and in the evening we understood that were are no such thing as soundproof windows - it seemed like all windows were wide open. There were no options for changing apartments, so I bit the bullet and stayed there until the last day. Personally, it is my worst experience. However, after checking out Reddit, Twitter, and other social media platforms, I understood that there are many worse stories.
Night with The Possum
I found this story while scrolling Yahoo, and it’s horrible. The tourist, Shannon, was shocked to discover one side of her bed covered in urine and feces, leading her to believe that a possum was responsible for the unpleasant mess. Feeling unsettled by the incident, Shannon emphasized that she was staying at a beautiful Airbnb and was unaware of the unwelcome visitor during the night. She shared footage displaying the urine and feces just centimeters away from where she had slept. Despite the unfortunate situation, she praised the Airbnb hosts for their prompt response and assistance. The hosts' swift and fast actions in providing a new mattress and fresh linen demonstrated their commitment to resolving the issue ASAP and ensuring Shannon's comfort during her stay. More hosts like this!
The Host Demands Money
This is one of the most common situations of bad Airbnb Experiences. The guest, known as Gillyfish (@gillyfish27) on TikTok, took to the platform to share her story. According to her account, she and her husband were wrongfully accused of causing $1,100 in damages by their Airbnb host. The incident unfolded during their three-night stay in Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, where they had booked a space attached to a larger home from a reputed "super host" for a friend's wedding. The guest insists that their stay went smoothly, and they even went the extra mile by cleaning up, disposing of trash, and securing the property before departing. However, to her surprise, she received a notification from Airbnb the next day claiming that the host was seeking $2,350 in damages, alleging broken locks and theft of personal items.
In response to the host's accusation, Gillyfish adamantly denied any wrongdoing. The host countered, claiming that the alleged vandalism must have occurred on Sunday, as she was present during the other days when the guests occupied the rental. Fortunately, Gillyfish was able to provide evidence to support her innocence: shared credit card transactions and time stamped photos depicting her and her husband exploring the town, clearly demonstrating that they were not present at the rental property on Sunday, the day in question.
Despite all this, Airbnb seemingly took the host's side. Rather than acknowledging Gillyfish's defense, they persisted in accusing her of causing damages. However, they adjusted the amount she was allegedly responsible for from $2,350 to $1,100. In response to Gillyfish's continued denial of responsibility, Airbnb reportedly threatened to charge the credit card linked to her account.
Only Few Rules
How about paying for your stay at the Airbnb and after check-in seeing ridiculous rules such as "no use of washing machine or kitchen for guests staying less than four days," "toilet roll supplied only on the first day," "not expecting much luggage with the guest"... I hope that the person who took this picture left a jaw-dropping review and rating.
Just Because of Your Nationality
I thought that nowadays people don’t pay attention to nationality. However, I found this story on Quora and was surprised that there are still some people who are narrow-minded and biased.
“My worst AirBnB experience was when a guy cancelled our reservation for an apartment in Paris back in May because we are Serbs.
At first everything went okay and we reserved the apartment normally, but after some 3 days the guy called my father and told him that he doesn’t want Serbs in his apartment and cancelled the reservation.
While talking to my father (before he cancelled) he apologized for the “inconvenience”. My father just told him that he is a xenophobic son of a b**** and ended the call. Of course, he reported the incident to AirBnB later.”
The Host is Not Always Right
Airbnb is one of the best ways to travel. But hotels are not up to the same standards as hotels because just anyone can rent their apartment. And sometimes people are off. For instance, guest Maddie stayed at the cottage that allowed pets on the listing. Everything seemed to be perfect until the day she checked-out. The hilarious part is that the host demanded her to pay an additional cleaning fee for leaving behind pet hair. Thank God Maddie didn't need to pay anything while the host was wrong.
While Airbnb can offer unique and memorable stays, it's important to acknowledge that not all experiences are positive. From wrongful accusations and disputes over damages to encountering unexpected and uncomfortable situations, the worst Airbnb experiences can leave guests and hosts feeling frustrated and violated. It serves as a reminder to exercise caution, thoroughly research listings, read reviews, and communicate openly with hosts to mitigate any potential risks. While these stories of Airbnb gone wrong can be disheartening, they also highlight the need for vigilance and a better understanding of the responsibilities and expectations that come with participating in the sharing economy.
So maybe you should think of Alternatives to Airbnb!
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