AirbnbReviews 2,101

Worst travel experience ever - and I haven't even gotten to my destination! Absolutely horrible service and lack of answers/explanations!

This is the first time I have ever rated a company online, though based on my experience, I can only hope that enough negative reviews and logged complaints will have the Better Business Bureau look into the lack of ethical business practices of airbnb.

Users beware - be sure you know what you are getting yourself into when using this site. I have spent hours on the phone and via email with my host as well as airbnb (not to mention my host spent an hour on the phone with an airbnb representative. In addition to the lack of transparency on the website and answers to questions regarding fees, noone seems to be able to explain why airbnb tacks on fees to the host's subtotal (the host had no idea), nor why they are not part of the service fees. To make matters worse, the website is an absolute nightmare to navigate. And 12% 'service fees.' That's the biggest joke of all.

At this point, I'm incredibly disappointed with the lack of transparency, clear information and ethical business practices of airbnb. I will never use this service again. It's an absolute discredit to online services that truly know what service and ethical business practices look like. Stick to VRBO, hotels.com or other reputable booking services.

I worked for them for a while as a photographer. I think what happened is it got too big. The poeple at the top are isolated from everything. I dont know if they do delete reviews but it wouldnt surprise me. This is what happens in a big organization where the people at the bottom are trying to make things look good for their bosses and the bosses most likely dont have a clue. I suddenly realized, after getting some obnoxious emails from a person who claimed to be able to fire me if I didnt jump when she says, that I no longer had email access to anyone but her in the organization. I had to put a complaint thru customer support who did reply but said they couldnt help. It wasnt like that when I started. The person threatening to fire me knew I had no recourse and was on a power trip. I deleted my account and terminated my contract. I dont work for companies that use threats as a form of communication, altho as I said Im sure nobody but her knows about her actions because the place is so disorganized.

Horrible horrible horrible!

The host didnt even show up to the key handover, but send his mum who was 30mins late, leaving us standing in the rain. I guess the hosts knows why, clients are probably less likely to get angry at his mum then if he turned up himself.

The next surprise was that we werent able to access the booked room, but were told we have to move into another one. After 3 of 6 nights we were contacted again and told we have to move to another place, at that point we simply booked a hotel!

SUPER BAD HOST! Name is: Jason, in Hong Kong, Email: *******@yahoo.com // *******8833

Airbnb gave me one of the worst holiday experiences i've ever had & i'm not one to complain but I would not wish anyone to endure the same! (this is not a fault on the host I stayed with -her apartment was beautiful and as described!) I booked to stay in a place for £279, the currency was not converting between the host & I as the website wasn't responding properly. This resulted in my payment going through 5 times. Airbnb charged my bank £1400 leaving me with no money to get to the airport nor eat whilst on holiday, they refused to refund the money and said my bank would have to do so -the bank said this is not a legal practice they can perform. I rang and spoke to 5 or 6 people about this issue. One of the people I spoke to actually LAUGHED at me and called me stupid over the phone. I've never been treated so poorly by a company in my life. They should be banned.

I recently rented a place through airbnb.com. The experience was aweful.

The place I rented was totally misrepresented by host. To say it was a dump is an understatement. That isn't the worst part though. It's the way airbnb treated the situation was.

We had to fight for a refund. We spent hours of accumulated phone calls explaining that the place we rented was not livable. The reps told us that because we didn't give the appropriate cancellation notice we were not entitled to a refund. We fought it of course!

HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO KNOW IF THE PLACE IS A DUMP IF THE HOST IS A LIAR AND YOU DON'T KNOW TILL YOU GET THERE?
This of course doesn't include the last minute rush to find alternate accommodations.

We finally, after more than 10 calls and hours of time, we were able to fight are way into a total refund.

Then I attempted to leave feedback for the place so other mislead potential renters don't get caught in the same situation. Airbnb deleted it explaining that although my feedback was honest they felt it was too negative. That is exactly what they wrote in the email they sent me when they deleted the review.

It contained no profanity. None! Just the facts. Apparently they are not interested in the guests honest opinions and it is VERY clear they consider the hosts their most important part of their business.

I will never use them again and in addition I plan on spreading the word about this companies policies.

Do yourself a favor. Use VRBO. I've never had a problem with them.

*************DONT USE AIRBNB*******************

I booked an apartment and the pictures showed the apartment to be good. However, when I reached there, the apartment was not livable, so dirty and in extremely bad shape.

When I called the customer care, they asked (ALL ON PHONE) me to send pictures for review and move to any hotel and promised the reimbursement for the first night and told to wait so that they can find more options. I had to move to a nearest hotel.

I had to call them 15-20 times but they did not do anything about it. Eventually, I was left with no other option to move out of that hotel and find my own accommodation somehow, which eventually mad my trip really expensive, since I had to book another hotel.

In the end, when I asked for reimbursement and sent them the expenses for the first night, they said that we can only reimburse half of it and even denied that they promised anything that they will pay for the first night.

I would never book with them in future and strongly suggest you the same.

----------------------STAY AWAY FROM THEM-----------------------------

DON'T DO IT! DON'T DO IT! DON'T DO IT!
I have been an airbnb host and guest and it's a total ripoff! As a host, a nightmare: you are being abused by careless guests who are ready to destroy your flat - and then you're left on your own by airbnb. Renting out has cost me way more money (and nerves) that what I got. I can still see the traces of hosts torturing my flat...
As a host - unfortunately you never get what you see on the website. Airbnb photographers (which I didn't use being a host) make it all look bigger better faster more but definitely not like reality. Not to be recommended! The only ones that make a fortune out of that system are the founders of this ripoff system.

So far my airbnb experience has been a good one.My first trip was in Copenhagen, I was a bit worried after the host said she coudn't rent the flat anymore and had to cancel my trip a few weeks before my arrival.So I contacted airbnb live chat and they gave me extra 50 euros to find another apartment.My second trip was in Budapest then a whole week in Paris, all of these experiences without any single problem. I always check for good reviews and verify the area where the flat is located. Some areas arent that safe.My next trip will be in Bruxelles in september, and Im glad I used airbnb instead of hotels, saving a lot of euros and found a large and great apartment near the city center. Always use the airbnb chat section and do not accept sending the moneys via other ways.

I tried to book a room in a very busy tourist season with host Lucas in Barcelona but did not had a creditcard at hand,
Host and B@B promised to hold reservation2 days, I received an email to confirm this. I booked my ticket and wanted to pay for the apartment, but then Lucas had rented the apartment to someone else.
It is very difficult to get in touch with AIrbnb to hand in a complaint; waiting for half an hour on telephone, no answer on email through the web.
I will check if they remove people like this Lucas from the site, I think they should, but I am sure they don't

Website looks good (has a "fresh" look), is easy to use thanks to the interactive map (will show only properties in the area you are zooming in if you check the box in the top left corner).

Client service was very reactive to my questions and worries (it was the first time I was booking through it) and proposed a discount on the property when it appeared it had a (minor) problem compared to what was initially advertised.

And of course you save money compared to hotels!

I recommend!

I have a rental property located in a panoramic place. In the past, I was always looking for a quick getaway without any hassle. My family wants to travel and would want to do it fast, easy and quick. However, we were afraid during those times that such travels would result in some unwanted circumstances. We never realized that what we need was just a good travel agency.
The good thing is that we found the AirBnB. For almost five years, this California-based travel marketplace has booked and hosted millions of stays and unique accommodations on a global perspective.
You should check it out no matter where your travel destination may be at the current times. It could help you get those trips really arranged well. I have proven this many times over already.

Apartment owners be aware of airbnb renting your place and not paying you!
I posted my apartment in Rio de Janeiro with airbnb, they rented for a month, they got paid from the guests and 10 days later they have not paid me yet! So my apartment is occupied by people I don't know and I have been obligated to call airbnb every day to try to get paid. All they can tell me is a generic answer that somebody will get back to me. Very stressful, never again I will do business with them.!

I had a TERRIBLE experience with AirBNB. You are better off forking up a few extra bucks for a last minute deal through expedia or some other better reputed travel site with better customer service.

I put in an offer on AirBNB, but when discussing logistics, got a bad/creepy feeling when corresponding with my host, and told this person I was withdrawing my offer. Despite having this IN WRITING, my host clicked "accept" of my offer from his end, before I could formally cancel the request, resulting in the charge on my credit card of $500. I wrote to AirBNB customer service several times, with written proof that I had told my host I didn't want to stay there prior to his clicking "accept". But the service is NON EXISTENT. It takes at least 15 minutes clicking around the website to even find the contact email address, there is no contact phone number where you can speak to a rep, and it take takes another at least 3 days to get a generic form response. When my issue was not resolved, I wrote again, and they never got back to me.

I am mid-20s, graduate student, have done the whole backpack in Europe on a dime, and traveled extensively and had many misadventures which become stories later on, but this AirBNB is my worst experience / scam/ rip-off. DON'T Use it. If you're lucky and everything goes as planned great, but as soon as there's one hiccup, they don't help you out, and leave everything to be your problem, and you to pay the non-refundable fees, and won't even answer your inquiries.

I will never use this service ever again, and I would not recommend it to anyone I know.